Abstract: Disclosed is an auto-focus apparatus utilized for an image pickup apparatus having a focus ring. The auto-focus apparatus includes an evaluation value calculator periodically calculating a plurality of evaluation values for a plurality of areas of a subject image based on high frequency components of image signals of the plurality of areas of the subject image; and a control unit, after detecting that the focus ring has been stopped, performing image processing on an area of the subject image where fluctuations of the evaluation values obtained just before the focus ring has been stopped exhibit a predetermined history, based on an evaluation value obtained in the area of the subject image exhibiting the predetermined history, and outputting instruction signals for moving a focus lens base on a peak of the evaluation values obtained by the image processing.

Abstract: Disclosed is an auto-focus apparatus including an evaluation value calculator periodically calculating evaluation values using high frequency components of image signals in a specific region of a subject image. The auto-focus apparatus further includes a control unit for outputting instruction values provided to a lens driver based on the evaluation values, conducting operation to search the peak of the evaluation values while moving positions of the focus lens, returning the lens to the position corresponding to the point at which the relative maximum has been detected after having detected the relative maximum of the evaluation values, obtaining the evaluation values calculated by the evaluation value calculator, and determining whether or not the evaluation value satisfies a prescribed condition; and a storage for storing determination results. In the auto-focus apparatus, the control unit determines whether or not the auto-focus apparatus includes abnormal portions based on the determination results.

Abstract: An image-capture apparatus having an intercom connecting unit and having an autofocus mechanism, capable of voice communication with an external camera control unit through an intercom connected to the intercom connecting unit includes: an image-capture unit, an image signal processor, a control unit and a transmitting unit. The image-capture unit captures an image of a subject and converts the image into an image signal. The image signal processor performs processing on the signal from the image-capture unit. The control unit determines whether the subject is in focus and generates a command signal based on a result of the determination. The transmitting unit multiplexes an image signal from the processor with a control information signal including the command signal from the control unit based on the result of the determination and status information indicating a state of the image-capture apparatus and transmits multiplexed signals to the camera control unit.

Abstract: An image-capture apparatus having an intercom connecting unit, capable of voice communication with an external camera control unit (CCU) is provided. The apparatus includes a control unit, a warning-sound signal generator, a receiving unit, a voice synthesizer and a transmitting unit. The control unit outputs a warning-command signal when determining that a control-information signal value indicating a state of the apparatus varies from a predetermined standard. The warning-sound signal generator outputs a warning-sound signal corresponding to the warning-command signal. The receiving unit receives a multiplexed signal from the CCU and extracts an intercom-voice signal at the multiplexed signal. The voice synthesizer combines the intercom-voice signal extracted at the receiving unit with the warning-sound signal from the warning-sound signal generator to generate a voice-synthesized signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is an auto-focus apparatus including an evaluation value calculator periodically calculating evaluation values using high frequency components of image signals in a specific region of a subject image, a distance measurement unit measuring a distance to a subject and output a distance measurement result, a control unit outputting instruction values based on the evaluation values and determines whether a subject image is in-focus or out-of-focus, and a storage storing the distance measurement results and lens positions. In the apparatus, after searching the peak of the evaluation values, the control unit returns the lens to the position at which the relative maximum has been detected, obtains evaluation values, stores lens positions and distance measurement results when the evaluation values satisfy a prescribed condition, and retrieves distance measurement results and lens positions when the number of times that results are stored reaches a prescribed number, and computes a correction amount.

Abstract: Disclosed is an auto-focus apparatus including an evaluation value calculator configured to periodically calculate evaluation values using high frequency components of image signals in a specific region of a subject image captured by an image capture unit and a control unit configured to output instruction values provided to a lens driver for driving a focus lens based on the evaluation values and perform focal determination using the evaluation values. In the auto-focus apparatus, when the control unit operates to search the peak of the evaluation values while moving positions of the focus lens to detect the local maximum of the evaluation values, the control unit returns the focus lens to the position corresponding to a point at which the local maximum has been detected, obtains the evaluation values calculated by the evaluation value calculator, and determines whether or not the evaluation value satisfies a prescribed condition.

Abstract: Autofocus device has a lens-driving unit, a focal-point-position-detecting unit, and a distance measurement sensor that measures a distance to a subject. The device also has a control unit for controlling the lens-driving unit to drive the lens, thereby meeting the detected position of the focal point of the lens to an in-focus position. If a restart condition has not yet been satisfied after meeting the position of the focal point to the in-focus position to stop the focus operation, the control unit determines a switch of focusing on subjects based on the detected position of the focal point and a measured distance result by the distance measurement sensor and then restarts the focus operation based on a determination result thereof, thereby driving the lens to meet the position of the focal point to an in-focus position based on a measured distance result by the distance measurement sensor.

Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling a driver driving an optical element of an image pickup device to adjust a focus position of the image pickup device in the capturing of an image of a subject, includes a focus position control process startup unit for managing a startup of a focus position control process, a focus position control process executing unit for executing the focus position control process that is started under the control of the focus position control process startup unit, and a startup condition adjusting unit for adjusting a startup condition of the focus position control process, based on a change in a saturated luminance count contained in the image captured in the focus position control process.

Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling a driver driving an optical element of an image pickup device to adjust a focus position of the image pickup device in the capturing of an image of a subject, includes a local peak comparing unit for comparing a local peak of an assessment value, as a parameter for adjusting the focus position, with a local peak of an integrated luminance value, the assessment value assessing an out-of-focus level of the captured image of the subject on a per field image basis, and the integrated luminance value being obtained by integrating a luminance value of the captured image of the subject on a per field image basis, and a mode selecting unit for selecting, from among a plurality of prepared modes, a mode searching for a peak over the entire range of the assessment value based on the comparison result provided by the local peak comparing unit.

Abstract: Autofocus device has a lens-driving unit, a focal-point-position-detecting unit that detects a position of a focal point of the lens, a distance measurement sensor that measures a distance to a subject, and a focus-evaluation-value-calculating unit that calculates a focus evaluation value using a frequency component of an image signal in a particular region in an imaging frame. The device also has a user interface and a control unit that controls the lens-driving unit to drive the lens based on the focus evaluation value or the focus evaluation value, the position of a focal point of the lens, and a measured distance result measured by the distance measurement sensor, thereby meeting the position of the focal point to an in-focus position. The control unit controls the lens-driving unit, the distance measurement sensor and the focus-evaluation-value-calculating unit based on the autofocus contents set by the user interface.

Abstract: Autofocus device has a lens-driving unit that drives a lens and a focal-point-position-detecting unit that detects a position of a focal point of the lens. The device also has a distance-measuring sensor that measures a distance to a subject and a control unit that performs a focusing operation to control the lens-driving unit to drive the lens, thereby meeting the position of the focal point of the lens detected by the focal-point-position-detecting unit to an in-focus position thereof. The control unit allows to be set a driving direction of the lens and a driving speed of the lens based on the position of the focal point of the lens detected by the focal-point-position-detecting unit and a distance measurement result measured by the distance-measuring sensor. The focusing operation then starts.

Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling a driver driving an optical element of an image pickup device to adjust a focus position of the image pickup device in the capturing of an image of a subject, includes a relative angle variation calculating unit for calculating a relative angle variation, a mode change detecting unit for detecting of a change of a mode of the relative angle variation through determining whether the mode of the relative angle variation, calculated by the relative angle variation calculating unit, is a stable mode involving a small amount of change or an unstable mode involving a large amount of change, and a focus position control process startup unit for managing a startup of a focus position control process controlling the focus position through controlling the driver in response to a pattern of the change of the mode detected by the mode change detecting unit.

Abstract: Autofocus device has a lens-driving unit, a focal-point-position-detecting unit that detects a position of a focal point of the lens, and a distance measurement sensor. The sensor measures a distance to a subject based on a reference field of view for distance measurement and a field of view for distance measurement being offset outwardly from the reference field of view and/or a field of view for distance measurement having a field of view that is different from the reference field of view. The device has a control unit that controls the lens-driving unit to drive the lens to meet the position of the focal point of the lens to an in-focus position thereof. The focusing operation starts by setting the lens drive based on a representative value selected from measured distance results obtained by the distance measurement sensor and the position of the focal point of the lens.

Abstract: A camera system is disclosed which allows different types of lens apparatuses to be used in combination with a single image-taking apparatus without requiring changes of focus control signals on the side of the image-taking apparatus depending on the type of a lens apparatus mounted on the image-taking apparatus. The camera system includes an image-taking apparatus which outputs a focus control signal and a lens apparatus which includes a focus lens and is mounted on the image-taking apparatus. The lens apparatus includes a controller which produces a drive signal according to a type of focus of the lens apparatus based on the focus control signal and controls drive of the focus lens based on the drive signal.