Abstract: Systems and techniques for an optical scanning microscope and/or other appropriate imaging system includes components for scanning and collecting focused images of a tissue sample and/or other object disposed on a slide. The focusing system described herein provides for determining best focus for each snapshot as a snapshot is captured, which may be referred to as “on-the-fly focusing.” The devices and techniques provided herein lead to significant reductions in the time required for forming a digital image of an area in a pathology slide and provide for the creation of high quality digital images of a specimen at high throughput.

Abstract: A photographic device using a focus method includes a zoom lens, an image analyzing module, a focus distance providing module and a processing module. The zoom lens is used for capturing image information of a plurality of positions. The image analyzing module is used for analyzing contrast values of the image information of the plurality of positions. The focus distance providing module is used for providing a non-equivalent and a constant focus distance interval for capturing the image information of the plurality of positions. The processing module is electrically connected with the zoom lens, the image analyzing module, and the focus distance providing module. Whereby, the photographic device acquires the image information of the plurality of positions by the non-equivalent focus distance interval, acquires a coarse focus position, and acquires an accurate focus position by the constant focus distance according to the coarse focus position.

Abstract: A focal position determining method determines a focal position of an objective lens focused on an observed target region in a specimen. The focal position determining method includes measuring any one of the focal position of the objective lens at a near point and the focal position of the objective lens at a far point or both so as to determine the focal position of the objective lens focused on the observed target region based on the measured focal position.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to focusing in automated microscope systems. In general, in one implementation, the technique includes obtaining an image of at least a portion of a scan region, analyzing the image to find an area in the image representing a sample, determining a nature of the sample at a selected focus point location in the area in the image, selecting an automated focusing process for use at the selected focus point location based on the determined nature of the sample at the selected focus point location, and focusing the selected automated focusing process. The selecting can include selecting different automated focusing processes for different focus point locations based on different tissue characteristics at the locations.

Abstract: Provided are a discrete AF control method and an error correcting method of a camera module using a diffraction device. In the method, a focus is moved to a (the number of all positions/m)-th position, and a focusing value at a start position is compared with that at the (the number of all positions/m)-th position. A focus is moved by two positions in a first direction according to the comparison result. If a position having a maximum focusing value is passed, a focus is moved by one position in a direction opposite to the first direction and a location (corresponding to an n-th position) is stored. Focusing values of the n-th position, an (n?1)-th position, and an (n?2)-th position are compared with one another to determine a maximum focus location, m being an integer equal to or greater than 2.

Abstract: A focus control method is provided that performs focus control by sensing a plurality of images of an object while moving a position of a focusing lens and determining in-focus positions in auto focusing areas located at a plurality of positions. The focus control method calculates an in-focus position of the focusing lens based on the focusing lens position at the time of reading an image signal of each of the auto focusing areas and a degree of focused state of each of the auto focusing area that is based on the image signal of each of the auto focusing areas.

Abstract: A focus information display system is provided in which focus state detection that is performed during automatic focusing (AF) and the like is also performed during manual focusing (MF) and the like to display focus information indicating a focus state. By arranging a focus position range at which a correct focus state is determined when a correct focus display is being performed to be wider than a focus position range at which a correct focus state is determined when an out-of-focus display is being performed, stabilization of a state of correct focus display is achieved without jeopardizing correct focusing accuracy when performing focusing according to a focus information display.

Abstract: An AF dark field illumination device and an objective lens are moved in unity. A tissue sample in a Petri dish is illuminated by infrared light incident with an oblique angle from an LED light source. The casting of the infrared light causes scattered light from the tissue sample. A part of the scattered light passes through the objective lens, thereby forming a dark-field microscope image, which is captured by a CCD camera. The sharpness of the dark-field microscope image is dependent upon the position of the objective lens. The position of the objective lens at which the dark-field microscopic image exhibits the highest sharpness is determined to be the focus position.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an imaging unit that obtains an image signal relating to a subject, a driving unit that drives a focus lens, a first detecting unit that performs focus detection based on a contrast detection method to detect an in-focus position of the focus lens, a second detecting unit that performs focus detection based on a phase difference detection method, while the focus lens is being driven toward the in-focus position, to detect a provisional in-focus position of the focus lens, and an in-focus control unit that controls the driving unit to drive the focus lens to pass through the provisional in-focus position and then return to the in-focus position. Focus detection information is obtained at least for a given range of positions, and is stored in a predetermined storage unit. The in-focus position is detected based on the stored focus detection information.

Abstract: A camera has a contrast detector that successively detects contrast data of an object image that is formed on a light-receiving surface of an image sensor, and a focus detector that successively calculates a difference value between currently detected contrast data and previously detected contrast data, and that detects a focused situation on the basis of the difference value and the detected contrast data. The camera further has a focus adjuster that drives a photographing optical system so as continuously to shift an image-formed surface from a given position along an optical axis. While the photographing optical system is driven, the focus detector determines whether the image-formed surface surpasses a focused-position corresponding to a position of the light-receiving surface, on the basis of a decreasing-amount of the difference value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accurately auto focusing a lens of an imaging device. An imaged scene is split into an array of zones. The minimum and maximum sharpness score for each zone is determined over a plurality of lens positions. A histogram of the lens positions of the corresponding maximum weighted sharpness score for each zone is created. The peak of the histogram is determined to be the best focus position for a given scene.

Abstract: An autofocus device includes an objective lens, an observation optical system, a driving mechanism that displaces the objective lens in an optical axis direction thereof, an illumination-optical-system optical path used to illuminate a measurement surface of a measurement object through the objective lens with light, and a pattern-projection-optical-system optical path. An electronic control shutter, a pattern projection plate having a predetermined pattern formed thereon, and a projection lens are provided in the pattern-projection-optical-system optical path.

Abstract: An exemplary automatic focusing system adopted in a camera includes a brightness detecting unit, a recording unit, a correcting unit, and a selecting unit. The brightness detecting unit is configured for detecting a general brightness value of an environment of a subject prior to a focusing operation of the camera and outputting a correction factor associated with the general brightness value. The recording unit is configured for storing a first set of brightness values and the first set of contrast values. The correcting unit stores a preset brightness value and a preset contrast value. The correcting unit is configured for calculating a number of second contrast values according to the correction factor, the first set of brightness values, a preset brightness value, and a preset contrast value. The selecting unit is configured for choosing a maximum contrast value from the number of second contrast values of the subject.

Abstract: There is disclosed a digital camera which detects a focus of a lens unit by a method selected from a plurality of focus detection methods based on information on the lens unit taken from the lens unit attached to the digital camera. As an example of a focus detection method, there is a method by a phase difference system or a contrast system, but the method is not limited to this example.

Abstract: An image pickup device is provided which includes: an auto focus control unit sampling contrast values as a function of a relative distance from an object by detecting a contrast of an image of the object while driving a lens in an optical axis direction, calculating a focused focal position on the basis of the contrast values, and driving the lens to the focused focal position; a shake detecting unit detecting at least an amount of shake in the optical axis direction of the lens; and a selection judging unit judging selection and non-selection of the sampled contrast values depending on the amount of shake in the optical axis direction of the lens at the time of the sampling. Here, the auto focus control unit calculates the focused focal position on the basis of the contrast value judged as being selected by the selection judging unit among the sampled contrast values.

Abstract: A method of recovering unknown aberrations in an optical system includes collecting intensity data produced by the optical system, generating an initial estimate of a phase of the optical system, iteratively performing a phase retrieval on the intensity data to generate a phase estimate using an initial diversity function corresponding to the intensity data, generating a phase map from the phase retrieval phase estimate, decomposing the phase map to generate a decomposition vector, generating an updated diversity function by combining the initial diversity function with the decomposition vector, generating an updated estimate of the phase of the optical system by removing the initial diversity function from the phase map.

Abstract: A focus detection apparatus includes an image sensor that applies photoelectric conversion to incident light and accumulates charge, a first output unit that outputs electric signals based on the charge accumulated in the image sensor through multiple channels, and a focus detection unit that detects a phase difference on the basis of the electric signals outputted from the plurality of channels.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus executes AF control without affecting a video signal and prevents video signal qualities in an in-focus state from decreasing. An optical path separation unit 2 separates light from a subject into first and second light beams. A first imaging unit 3 generates a first signal using the first beam. A second imaging unit 7 generates a second signal using the second beam. A control unit 14 generates a contrast evaluation value based on the second signal while changing an optical-path length of the second light beam by back-or-fourth moving the AF-purpose imaging unit 7 and detects a maximum contrast evaluation value, and executes focus control over an optical system 1 based on the optical-path length corresponding to the detected value. An imaging-purpose signal generation unit 15 generates an imaging-purpose video signal using only the first signal in an out-of-focus state, and using the first and second signals in an in-focus state.

Abstract: A method for automatic focus for an image capture device comprising a lens, the method comprising, for a first lens position, processing image data generated at a plurality of local focus positions of the lens in order to generate first metric data representing a focus measure for the first lens position, adjusting the lens position on the basis of the first metric data, and generating corresponding second metric data for at least one local focus position at the new lens position, and determining an estimated point of true focus for the lens on the basis of the first and second metric data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for focusing an image on a pixel array. The method includes the steps of continuously changing the distance between a lens and a pixel array between a first distance and a second distance and obtaining an image projected onto the pixel array through the distance is changing. The apparatus includes a lens and an electromechanical structure to continuously change the distance between the lens and the pixel array between the first distance and the second distance.

Abstract: A device for optically examining an object includes a lens, an object stage for receiving the object, and an image-recording apparatus for recording a series of individual images of the object in a number of planes. A piezo-controlled apparatus is provided for adjusting the distance between the lens and the object, and an image-generating apparatus is provided for generating a multifocus image from the series of individual images.

Abstract: The invention refers to a process for determining the focus position when imaging a specimen (4) with a field stop imaged onto the specimen detecting this image using a position-sensitive receiving-device inclined relative to the field stop defining the focus position by means of intensity distribution in the receiving device. The invention also refers to set-ups as regards implementation of the process according to the invention.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor for automatic focus with highly precise automatic focus performance is realized at low cost. In the solid-state image sensor for automatic focus which has paired linear sensors (L1 to L10) respectively provided with linear sensors for standard portion (L1-B to L10-B) and linear sensors for reference portion (L1-R to L10-R) for performing phase difference detection type focus detection, a linear sensor for standard portion L6-B of paired linear sensors L6 is arranged between a linear sensor for standard portion L5-B and a linear sensor for reference portion L5-R of paired linear sensors L5, and a linear sensor for reference portion L5-R of paired linear sensors L5 is arranged between a linear sensor for standard portion L6-B and a linear sensor for reference portion L6-R of paired linear sensors L6.

Abstract: In the described embodiment, methods and systems for processing facial image data for use in animation are described. In one embodiment, a system is provided that illuminates a face with illumination that is sufficient to enable the simultaneous capture of both structure data, e.g. a range or depth map, and reflectance properties, e.g. the diffuse reflectance of a subject's face. This captured information can then be used for various facial animation operations, among which are included expression recognition and expression transformation.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus, in which a light is projected toward a physical object by projection means, and based on the reflected light by the physical object of the light, a defocus amount is detected (steps S2003 to S2008) by the first focus detection means and the second focus detection means, respectively, and a correction value for matching the defocus amount detected by the first focus detection means with the defocus amount detected by the second focus detection means is calculated and kept stored (step S2009), and at the photographing time, based on the defocus amount detected by the first focus detection means and the correction value kept stored, a focus adjustment lens within a photographic lens is driven, thereby preventing an inappropriate correction of the defocus amount.

Abstract: A camera having an electronic image pickup element and a distance-measuring circuit that uses light signals obtained from light images of a plurality of distance-measuring areas set in a photographing screen to select a main subject and measure the distance to the subject. The camera has a focusing component, operating when the position of the main subject cannot be identified by the distance-measuring circuit, to divide the photographing screen into a plurality of areas to identify an area in which the main subject is present on the basis of a luminance distribution obtained from the areas other than those overlapping the distance-measuring areas. The focusing component focuses a photographing lens on the position of the highest contrast signal while scanning the lens position of the photographing lens.

Abstract: A camera device is provided which has an optical system including a focus lens, focus control for focusing the optical system on a subject by driving the focus lens, and display control for causing a display to display numerals indicating a first distance of a close end and a second distance of a remote end of a subject distance range in which the focus control can focus the optical system.

Abstract: Focus detecting methods and focus detecting mechanisms of an image measuring device able to execute focus detection at high speed with high accuracy, and image measuring device having the focus detecting mechanisms are provided. A rotation driving device rotates and operates a grating filter for projecting a grating pattern to a measured object. A distance driving device adjusts the interval distance between an image pickup device and the measured object. The image of the measured object projecting the grating pattern thereto every predetermined rotating angle is picked up by the image pickup device via multiple exposure by operating the rotation driving device and the distance driving device in association with each other. A focus position is determined from a contrast value of the grating pattern within the picked-up image information. Accordingly, it is not necessary to pick-up plural images in plural distance positions and process the plural images.

Abstract: Apparatus for circularizing an optical beam and directing the beam into an optical system has mutually perpendicular X, Y, and Z axes. The Z-axis is the propagation axis of the beam. A detector arrangement receives a sample of the optical beam. The detector arrangement has four detector elements arranged in four quadrants defined by an x-axis and a y-axis of the detector arrangement, perpendicular to each other. The x and y-axes of the quadrant detector are arranged at 45 degrees to the X and Y-axes of the apparatus. Signals from the four detector elements provide information on the extent to which the beam is not circular and on any displacement of the beam in the X and Y-axes.

Abstract: A distance measurement object is imaged by a pair of line sensors of an AF sensor, and sensor data showing the sensor images is generated. A CPU generates AF data showing the contrast of sensor images with the sensor data being sequentially acquired by the CPU for each cell. Then, the AF data is used to carry out calculation of correlation values or the like, thereby calculating the distance from the distance measurement object.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (10) for determining a best focus position of an object (30) relative to a reference position (e.g., axis A) of a dark-field optical imaging system (20), with an effective focusing range up to 10 times of the depth of field of the system. The method includes the steps of first forming a dark-field image of the object at different focus positions (zm). Each dark-field image has a corresponding image intensity distribution with an average intensity and a variance of intensity. The next step is forming a set of contrast values by calculating a contrast value (Cm) for each dark-field image based on the variance and the average intensity. The last step is determining the best focus position by fitting a Lorentzian function to the set of contrast values plotted as a function of the different focus positions and identifying the focus position associated with the maximum contract value (Cmax).

Abstract: First to third liquid crystal filters are arranged at first to third different distances from a predeterminate image formation surface. Light flux passing through the liquid crystal filters is received by a photodiode and converted into an electric signal. A variable-density stripe pattern of a predetermined space frequency is formed on the first liquid crystal filter while the second and the third liquid crystal filter are in the state of entire transparency and a first signal is output from the photodiode. Similarly, a variable-density stripe pattern is formed on the second liquid crystal filter while the first and the third liquid crystal filter are in the state of entire transparency and a second signal is output. Similarly, a variable-density stripe pattern is formed on the third liquid crystal filter while the first and the second liquid crystal filter are in the state of entire transparency and a third signal is output.

Abstract: The invention relates to an autofocusing method, particularly for telescopes for surveying instruments which are fitted with image sensors that resolve the image signal into individual image elements (pixels), such as CCD lines and/or matrices as well as CMOS image sensors. On the basis of the pixel that is located closest to the optical axis, the local signal amplitude is calculated from the monotonically decreasing or increasing signal all the way to the next local maximum and minimum. In this process, as long as this local signal amplitude is considerably smaller than the maximum signal and the focusing member of the telescope lens is in the focusing position for short focusing distances, this focusing member is shifted in large increments. Depending on the magnitude of the local signal amplitude, the focusing distance is shortened in the area of greater focusing distances in relation to the maximum signal and to the position of the focusing member.

Abstract: A method and application specific integrated circuit for determining focus for an image capture system using scene content within an image, including the steps of: acquiring, from the image, image data having different focus positions; dividing the image data into sub-images; calculating a sub-image sharpness value for each sub-image; calculating an image sharpness value for each focus position using the sub-image sharpness values; plotting the sharpness values versus the focus position; fitting a curve to the plot of the image sharpness values versus the focus position, wherein the curve has a peak sharpness value; and determining the focus of the image capture system from a point on the curve.

Abstract: A surveying instrument includes a sighting telescope having an objective lens and an eyepiece; a Porro-prism erecting system; a semitransparent surface formed on a reflection surface of the Porro-prism erecting system; a beam splitting prism adhered to the semitransparent surface; and a focus detecting device which detects a focus state from a correlation between a pair of images respectively formed by two light bundles which are respectively passed through two different pupil areas of the objective lens and passed through two separate areas on the semitransparent surface. An area of a surface of the beam splitting prism which is adhered to the semitransparent surface is smaller than an effective area of the reflection surface of the Porro-prism erecting system. The semitransparent surface and the beam splitting prism are positioned so that the two light bundles are incident on the semitransparent surface at the same incident angle.

Abstract: A method, system and program product for providing automatic focus adjustment for an image device, comprising the steps of: differentiating an image along some axis to obtain a difference image; computing a variance of the difference image; determining a noise contribution to the variance; subtracting the noise contribution from the variance; using the adjusted noise variance as a factor in making the automatic focus adjustment. In a preferred embodiment, the variance is normalized, and the noise contribution is determined by determining the shot noise and the read noise.

Abstract: A control unit box and one of standard point members are provided close to a connection of first and second bars. A standard plane is defined by the standard point members. A loop antenna is provided in a mount unit situated on the top surface of the control unit box. The box is positioned such that a ratio of a second distance to a first distance is less than tan 8°. The first distance is from the point member to the mount unit, along the standard plane, and the second distance is from the standard plane to the top surface of the mount unit, along a direction perpendicular to the standard plane. The antenna is connected to an oscillator of 310 MHz. With respect to the antenna, the total length is approximately 0.48 m, a height from the top surface of the unit box is approximately 9.5 mm, and the inner diameter is approximately 25 mm.

Abstract: Stereoscopic device including a lenticular lens layer and light sensor array, the lenticular lens layer includes a plurality of lenticular elements, the sight sensor array includes a plurality of light sensors, wherein selected ones of the light sensors detect light at a predetermined range of wavelengths and wherein at least selected others of the light sensors detect light at at least another predetermined range of wavelengths and wherein each of the lenticular elements is located in front of a selected group of the light sensors, thereby directing light from different directions to different light sensors within the selected group of the light sensors.

Abstract: An object is illuminated by a light source, and a periodic pattern of transparent and non-transparent stripes is superimposed onto the object. At least three images are recorded at different spatial phases of the pattern by means of a microscope of shallow focal depth, and a three-dimensional image containing only in-focus detail is then derived from the recorded images.

Abstract: A device for adjusting a resolution of an image-pickup apparatus in horizontal and vertical directions is disclosed. The resolution adjusting device includes a diagonal pattern for providing an image to be received by the photoelectric conversion device to obtain an adjusted resolution by adjusting a position of the focusing device according to the image.