Patents by Inventor Hideyuki Hamano

Hideyuki Hamano has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9531944
    Abstract: A first phase difference between a first image signal output from a first pixel configured to detect a light flux having passed through a first partial area of the exit pupil, and a second image signal output from a third pixel configured to detect a light flux having passed through the entire exit pupil is computed. A second phase difference between a third image signal output from a second pixel configured to detect a light flux having passed through a second partial area of the exit pupil, and a fourth image signal output from a fourth pixel arranged at a position different from the third pixel and configured to detect a light flux having passed through the entire exit pupil is computed. The defocus amount of the imaging optical system is computed by using the sum of the first and second phase differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Patent number: 9456119
    Abstract: A focusing apparatus with a photoelectric converter which photoelectrically converts at least a pair of optical images formed by light fluxes that have passed a focus lens to output at least a pair of image signals, a phase difference detector which detects a phase difference between the pair of output image signals, and a driving amount calculator which calculates a driving amount of the focus lens based upon the detected phase difference. The driving amount calculator changes the calculated driving amount, in accordance with a first driving amount corresponding to a detected phase difference when the focus lens is located at a first position, a second driving amount corresponding to the detected phase difference when the focus lens is located at a second position, and a relationship between the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Patent number: 9413946
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a range setting unit configured to set, as a focus adjustment range, a moving range of a focus lens in which the numbers of first pixels obtained while moving the focus lens is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, and an in-focus position calculation unit configured to calculate an in-focus position by using the numbers of second pixels obtained within the focus adjustment range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Patent number: 9407813
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises a focus detection unit configured to detect, based on a signal output from an image sensor, a focus evaluation value using one of a plurality of different focus detection methods, a correction unit configured to correct the focus evaluation value in accordance with the focus detection method used for the detection, and a storage unit configured to store information for calculating a reference correction value for correcting a focus evaluation value detected using a predetermined one of the focus detection methods, and information for calculating, from the reference correction value, a correction value for correcting a focus evaluation value detected using another of the focus detection methods. The correction unit calculates a correction value using the information stored in the storage unit, and corrects the focus evaluation value using the calculated correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hamano, Yumi Takao
  • Publication number: 20160205309
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes: an image sensor; a focus adjusting unit configured to adjust a focus state of the subject image; an acquisition unit configured to acquire luminance signals of colors from signals obtained from a plurality of unit focus detection areas; a normalization unit configured to normalize the acquired luminance signals of the colors of the unit focus detection areas; a calculation unit configured to calculate normalized focus evaluation values of the colors that indicate a focus state of the subject image; and a determination unit configured to determine a driving direction of the focus adjusting unit based on magnitude relations of a first normalized focus evaluation value that corresponds to a first color and a second normalized focus evaluation value that corresponds to a second color.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20160127637
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus capable of executing autofocus by at least one of a phase difference detection method and a contrast detection method using an image signal obtained from a set focus detection region and from which an imaging optical system and a converter lens are detachable. The image capturing apparatus comprises: a conversion unit configured to convert aberration information indicating a spherical aberration of the imaging optical system based on a magnification and aberration information of the converter lens in a case where the converter lens is mounted; a calculation unit configured to calculate a correction value for correcting a difference between a result of the autofocus and a focus condition of a captured image; and a control unit configured to control a position of a focus lens based on the result of the autofocus that has been corrected using the correction value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Yumi Takao, Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20160080634
    Abstract: A control apparatus (125) includes an acquirer (125d) configured to acquire first information relating to a peak position of a spatial frequency that an image pickup optical system transmits for each spatial frequency, and a processor (125e, 125f, 125g) configured to calculate second information relating to a first evaluation band used for processing of image pickup signals and a second evaluation band used for processing of focus detection signals, the processor is configured to calculate third information relating to a weighting for each spatial frequency, and the processor is configured to calculate correction information of focus detection based on the first, second, and third information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20150350527
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises a focus detection unit configured to detect, based on a signal output from an image sensor, a focus evaluation value using one of a plurality of different focus detection methods, a correction unit configured to correct the focus evaluation value in accordance with the focus detection method used for the detection, and a storage unit configured to store information for calculating a reference correction value for correcting a focus evaluation value detected using a predetermined one of the focus detection methods, and information for calculating, from the reference correction value, a correction value for correcting a focus evaluation value detected using another of the focus detection methods. The correction unit calculates a correction value using the information stored in the storage unit, and corrects the focus evaluation value using the calculated correction value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hamano, Yumi Takao
  • Patent number: 9197808
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus comprises an image pickup device, a focus detection sensor including a first pixel group in which pixels configured to receive light beams passing through a partial area of a pupil of an imaging optical system are arranged and a second pixel group in which pixels configured to receive light beams passing through another partial area are arranged, and a correlation calculation unit configured to perform correlation calculation by using signals from pixels of the first pixel group and signals from pixels of the second pixel group, wherein the correlation calculation unit samples pixels, of the first pixel group, which have a positional shift amount of an integer multiple of a value obtained by dividing the predetermined interval, and performs correlation calculation by using signals from the sampled pixels of the second pixel group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20150316833
    Abstract: A focus adjustment device obtains a correction value for correcting a result of autofocus, from aberration information regarding at least one of an astigmatism, a chromatic aberration, and a spherical aberration of an imaging optical system, and focus detection information regarding the autofocus. The focus adjustment device then controls a position of a focusing lens that the imaging optical system has, based on a result of the autofocus corrected using the correction value. By correcting the result of the autofocus while considering at least a focus condition of a photographic image, a focus detection error caused by an aberration of the optical system can be accurately corrected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventors: Yumi Watanabe, Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20150281556
    Abstract: A first phase difference between a first image signal output from a first pixel configured to detect a light flux having passed through a first partial area of the exit pupil, and a second image signal output from a third pixel configured to detect a light flux having passed through the entire exit pupil is computed. A second phase difference between a third image signal output from a second pixel configured to detect a light flux having passed through a second partial area of the exit pupil, and a fourth image signal output from a fourth pixel arranged at a position different from the third pixel and configured to detect a light flux having passed through the entire exit pupil is computed. The defocus amount of the imaging optical system is computed by using the sum of the first and second phase differences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Patent number: 9131145
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image sensor configured to capture an image, a focus detection area setting unit configured to set a focus detection area with respect to a face detection area of the object within an imaging plane of the image sensor, and a focus detection unit configured to obtain a focus evaluation value indicating contrast in a focus evaluation direction of the object in the focus detection area set within the imaging plane of the image sensor based on an image signal obtained by photoelectric conversion by the image sensor, and the focus detection area setting unit sets the focus detection area such that a length of the focus detection area in the focus evaluation direction is shorter than a length of the focus detection area in a second direction perpendicular to the focus evaluation direction regardless of a tilt of a face of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20150227023
    Abstract: A focus control apparatus comprises: a setting unit configured to set a focus detection area in an area where a subject exists based on an image signal output from an image sensor that detects a light flux which enters via an imaging optical system; a first subject following unit configured to follow the subject by performing subject detection; a second subject following unit configured to follow the subject based on a contrast evaluation value generated from the image signal output from the image sensor; and a control unit configured to control a frame rate for following the subject by the second subject following unit to be faster than that by the first subject following unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Patent number: 9100556
    Abstract: An image processing method includes a restore step of performing blur restoration for image data, an acquisition step of acquiring image-related information stored together with the image data, and an extraction step of extracting the range of object distances at which the blur restoration is performed, based on the image-related information. In the restore step, blur restoration is performed for the image data in the range of object distances extracted in the extraction step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20150207984
    Abstract: A focusing adjustment apparatus includes a recording unit, a focusing adjustment unit, a calculation unit, and a calculation unit. The recording unit records a recording signal output from an image sensor. The focusing adjustment unit adjusts focusing on an object image entering the image sensor based on information about an image-forming position in a first evaluation band of the recording signal. The calculation unit calculates the image-forming position in the first evaluation band of the recording signal by correcting, using a correction value, an image-forming position in a second evaluation band of a focusing adjustment signal obtained from the image sensor. The calculation unit changes the correction value using information about the first evaluation band of the recording signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hamano, Yumi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20150103232
    Abstract: If it is determined that an imaging optical system is not in an in-focus state, an interval for obtaining a phase-difference signal is set to a second time interval that is faster than a first time interval when a defocus amount that is obtained using the phase-difference signal that is output from an image sensor is a predetermined threshold or more, and the interval for obtaining a phase-difference signal is set to the first time interval when the defocus amount is less than the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Patent number: 8988585
    Abstract: A focus adjustment apparatus includes a diaphragm aperture adjustment unit configured to adjust a diaphragm aperture area of a photographic lens, a focus detection unit configured to detect a defocusing amount by using a pair of light fluxes passed through different areas of the photographic lens, a detection result correction unit configured to calculate, during focus detection after the diaphragm aperture area has changed by a value equal to or larger than a predetermined value, a reduced defocusing amount correction value with respect to the defocusing amount, and a focus adjustment unit configured to execute control to adjust a focus based on the defocusing amount correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20140313398
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus including an image sensor, an evaluation value calculation unit, and an in-focus position calculation unit. The image sensor performs photoelectric conversion on a subject image formed by an image optical system including a focus adjustment unit. The evaluation value calculation unit calculates a first focus evaluation value and a second focus evaluation value with spatial frequency components of first and second frequency bands extracted from image signals output from the image sensor. The second frequency band includes a spatial frequency component higher than the spatial frequency component of the first frequency band. The in-focus position calculation unit defines a position at which a third focus evaluation value reaches its peak value as an in-focus position of the focus adjustment unit. The third focus evaluation value is obtained by calculating a ratio of the first and the second focus evaluation values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Publication number: 20140300802
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a range setting unit configured to set, as a focus adjustment range, a moving range of a focus lens in which the numbers of first pixels obtained while moving the focus lens is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, and an in-focus position calculation unit configured to calculate an in-focus position by using the numbers of second pixels obtained within the focus adjustment range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano
  • Patent number: 8854533
    Abstract: An image capture apparatus comprises an image sensor including at least three focus detecting pixels, an optical axis displacement unit which displaces an optical axis of an imaging optical system by driving at least part of the imaging optical system, and a focus adjustment unit which performs focus adjustment by a phase-difference detection method using a pair of images detected in the at least three focus detecting pixels, wherein if the optical axis displacement unit moves the at least part of the imaging optical system, the focus adjustment unit performs focus adjustment using detection results of a pair of focus detecting pixels, among the at least three focus detecting pixels, other than a focus detecting pixel in which a common part of an exit pupil area and the light-receiving area of the focus detecting pixel is smallest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideyuki Hamano