Abstract: A focus detecting system for effecting automatic focusing by detecting the in-focus position of a focusing lens and driving the focusing lens to this position. This system has a signal processing means supplied with a video signal from image pick-up means to output a signal related to the in-focus state, a detection means for detecting the position of a focusing lens for forming an image in the image pick-up means, when the signal output from the signal processing means is processed, and a calculating means for calculating the presupposed in-focus position of the focusing lens from at least two groups of items of data on the signal outputted from the signal processing means and on the position of the focusing lens supplied from the detection means. Each time the deviation of the present position of the focusing lens from the presupposed in-focus position is calculated, the focusing lens is driven to move to an extent smaller than the deviation, thus being focused.

Abstract: An image sensing apparatus operating with adaptive selection of a first tracing algorithm in which an object image is traced by moving a detecting area capable of being movably set on an image sensing plane in such a manner that the luminance level difference between the inside and the outside of that area becomes maximum and a second tracing algorithm in which the object image is traced by moving the position of the detecting area in such a manner that a point at which a contrast becomes maximum comes to coincide with a central portion of the detecting are depending on the state of the image sensing plane. The threshold values for changing over between the first tracing algorithm and the second tracing algorithm are made to have a hysteresis characteristic.

Abstract: An automatic focusing device comprises a binary coded information producing unit for producing binary coded information by comparing the levels of a predetermined component in each of a plurality of areas set on an image sensing plane of and image sensor with a predetermined value, a first detector for comparing binary coded information in each of the plurality of areas in one field with that in another field among a plurality of fields differing timewise from each other to produce a signal based on the difference between the two binary coded information, a second detector for detecting a total value, for one image plane, of differences in the predetermined component between adjacent areas among the plurality of areas of the image sensing plane, a computing unit for obtaining a degree of relative variations in information on images formed on the image sensing plane in different fields by computing the result of detection made by the first and second detectors and a control unit for controlling a focus adjusti

Abstract: A camera system having a lens unit provided with an actuator for changing the state of an optical system by driving a driving part and a driving circuit which drives the actuator on the basis of a driving control instruction signal supplied in a given periodicity from a control circuit disposed on the side of a camera body. The lens unit is characterized in that the actuator driving timing of the driving circuit is arranged to differ from the timing at which the driving control instruction signal is supplied from the control circuit to the driving circuit.

Abstract: An image shake detecting device for detecting a shake of an image on an image sensing plane on the basis of a video signal output from an image sensor includes detection circuits arranged to detect image displacement in a plurality of areas set on the image sensing plane, and a control microcomputer which makes a discrimination, on the basis of information output from these detection circuits, between a movement of a camera and a solo movement of a photographed object. The device thus accurately makes compensation for an image shake by judging the state of the image on the basis of information output from these detection circuits. The image shake detecting device further includes a computing circuit arranged to compute a quantity of an image shake on the basis of a difference in detecting timing of a feature point of the image and a sensitivity control circuit arranged to change the detection sensitivity of the shake detection circuits.

Abstract: An automatic focusing device which is capable of movably setting a focus detecting area on an image sensing plane comprises a position detecting circuit which detects the position of a picture-taking object within the focus detecting area, a storage circuit which stores a plurality of object position data detected at different points of time by the position detecting circuit, a computing circuit which computes the moving position of the focus detecting area by smoothing the object position data stored by the storage circuit and object position data currently detected, and an area setting circuit which shifts the focus detecting area on the basis of the shifting position computed by the computing circuit.

Abstract: This specification discloses an optical apparatus provided with a lens unit movable in the direction of the optical axis thereof, a lens barrel, an electromagnetic coil coupled to one of the lens unit and the lens barrel, a driving unit having a magnetic material coupled to the other of the lens unit and the lens barrel, and a guide for slidably guiding the lens unit relative to the lens barrel.

Abstract: An exposure control device for performing exposure control on the basis of a video signal obtained from a light measuring area set within an image sensing plane is provided with a determining circuit which determines the position of a photographed object within the image sensing plane from the values of a specific component of the video signal obtained from the inside and outside of a detection area the position of which is variably set within the image sensing plane. The light measuring area is set in the object's position within the image sensing plane detected by the determining circuit. The exposure control device is provided further with a changing circuit which detects the size of the object on the image sensing plane and changes the size of the light measuring area accordingly, and a weighting circuit which performs for light measurement a weighting operation on video signals obtained from the inside and outside of the light measuring area.

Abstract: An object tracing device comprises an area setting circuit which sets a detection area on an image sensing plane for detection of information about an object image formed on the image sensing plane; an object tracing circuit arranged to detect any change occurring in the position of the object image on the image sensing plane and to cause the set position of the detection area to change while following the object image; a recording instruction circuit for giving a recording start instruction to a recording circuit which is arranged to record image information including the object image obtained on the image sensing plane; and a control circuit which causes the object tracing circuit to begin to act in response to the instructing action of the recording instruction circuit.

Abstract: An automatic focus adjusting device comprises an image sensor arranged to convert into a video signal an object image formed on its image sensing plane by a photo-taking lens optical system and to produce the video signal; a circuit which detects a high-frequency component included in the video signal; a circuit which detects from the video signal the degree of sharpness of the image on the basis of the width of the edge part of the image; a driving circuit which changes the position of the optical system relative to the image sensing plane in the direction in which the detection output of the high-frequency component and that of the degree of sharpness increase; and a control circuit which controls the driving speed of the driving circuit according to the detection output of the degree of sharpness.

Abstract: An automatic follow-up focus detecting device comprises means for shiftably setting a follow-up field; extracting means for extracting a feature of an object in relation to the follow-up field; storing means for storing the extracted feature; detecting means for detecting a relative shift between the object and the device on the basis of the feature of the object extracted by the extracting means and the feature stored by the storing means; and shifting means for shifting a distance measuring field following the object according to the relative shift.

Abstract: An automatic focusing device which is capable of movably setting a focus detecting area on an image sensing plane comprises a position detecting circuit which detects the position of a picture-taking object within the focus detecting area, a storage circuit which stores a plurality of object position data detected at different points of time by the position detecting circuit, a computing circuit which computes the moving position of the focus detecting area by smoothing the object position data stored by the storage circuit and object position data currently detected, and an area setting circuit which shifts the focus detecting area on the basis of the shifting position computed by the computing circuit.

Abstract: An automatic focusing device for a camera is arranged to binary-code luminance levels obtained in a plurality of areas set on an image sensing plane; to detect any change in the binary coded inforamtion between timewise different fields; and to compute a degree and range of the change. An automatic focusing action is brought to a stop when the computed degree of change exceeds a predetermined value on the assumption that the change results from a movement of the camera due to camera shake or panning. In case that the degree of change is less than the predetermined value, the change is considered to have resulted from a movement of an object to be photographed. In that event, the focusing action is allowed to continue by tracing the moving object witha focus detecting zone.

Abstract: An automatic focusing device for automatically controlling the focused state of an optical system on the basis of a video signal obtained within a focus detecting area which is set on an image sensing plane comprises: a tracing area setting circuit arranged to movably set, within said image sensing plane, an inner tracing area and an outer tracing area which surrounds the inner tracing area; a computing circuit arranged to compute information on a difference in a given frequency component of the video signal obtained from the inner and outer tracing areas in each of their different positions to which they are moved within the image sensing plane; determining means for determining the position or size of an object's image formed within the range sensing plane from the difference information computed by the computing circuit; and a circuit which is arranged to shift the focus detecting area to the position of the object's image determined by the determining circuit and to change the size of the focus detecting

Abstract: An automatic image stabilization device which is arranged to detect image movement information from a sensed image signal produced from an image sensor and to reduce the image movement comprises a movement detecting circuit which obtains movement vector information for each of a plurality of parts of an image plane, and a weight setting circuit arranged to attach weight to each movement vector information and to vary the weighting degree according to photographing conditions. A camera using this device is arranged to correct the shaking of the camera on the basis of the result of a computing operation performed on a camera shake detected from the signal produced from the image sensor together with a camera shake physically detected by means of an accelerometer.

Abstract: An automatic focus adjustment system comprises a focusing device which varies an image forming position; and a control circuit which is capable of setting first and second focusing modes. In the first focusing mode, the control cirucit causes the focusing device to move to an in-focus point within its morning area. In the second focusing mode, the control circuit causes the focusing device to move to an in-focus point on the nearest focusing distance side. The control circuit is arranged to divide a moving range of the focusing device into a first area and a second area which is set on the nearest focusing distance side of the first area to make the focusing device movable within the first area in the first focusing mode, and to make it movable within both the first and second areas in the second focusing mode.

Abstract: An automatic object image follow-up device includes a setting circuit for shiftably setting a follow-up field; an extracting circuit for extracting a feature of an object in relation to the follow-up field; a store for storing the extracted feature; a detecting circuit for detecting a relative shift between the object and the device on the basis of the feature of the object extracted by the extracting circuit and the feature stored by the store; and a shifting circuit for shifting the follow-up field following up the object according to the relative shift.

Abstract: An image shake detecting device for detecting a shake of an image on an image sensing plane on the basis of a video signal output from an image sensor includes detection circuits arranged to detect image displacement in a plurality of areas set on the image sensing plane, and a control microcomputer which makes a discrimination, on the basis of information output from these detection circuits, between a movement of a camera and a solo movement of a photographed object. The device thus accurately makes compensation for an image shake by judging the state of the image on the basis of information output from these detection circuits. The image shake detecting device further includes a computing circuit arranged to compute a quantity of an image shake on the basis of a difference in detecting timing of a feature point of the image and a sensitivity control circuit arranged to change the detection sensitivity of the shake detection circuits.

Abstract: A focus detecting device arranged to evaluate the focused state of an object's image by using an image signal obtained from an image sensor comprises: a first detecting circuit which detects the maximum differential value of the image signal; a second detecting circuit which detects the width of an edge part of the object's image; and an evaluation circuit which is arranged to evaluate the focused state of said object's image by suitably combining, according to a focused degree detected, the detection values produced from the first and second detecting circuits.

Abstract: An in-focus detecting apparatus has a plurality of band pass filters of different frequency pass bands. A video signal from an image pickup device is supplied to these band pass filters and a degree of in-focus of a photographing optical system is detected by an output of each of the band pass filters. This apparatus has a filter switching circuit to sequentially select the outputs of the band pass filters at a field period. Every time each of the band pass filters is selected, the peak value of the output of the selected band pass filter is compared with the preceding peak value which was previously selected to thereby obtain the differential value. The focus adjustment is performed on the basis of the output signal of the band pass filter having the maximum differential value.