Abstract: An automatically focusing system comprises a distance-direction calculating section for calculating defocusing characteristic information of the picture image data in the respective AF areas of the black and white image sensors, which have been disposed in such that light receiving distances differ from one another in every respective colors to estimate a distance up to a focusing point as well as a direction along the same on the basis of the defocusing characteristic information of the respective colors, and a driving device for focal point adjustment for judging whether or not a situation is in a focusing condition based on the distance up to the focusing point and shifting the focus lens by the distance up to the focusing point along the direction in the focusing point estimated in the case when it was judged that a situation was not in a focusing condition, whereby a high-speed focusing operation can be achieved with a simple structure.

Abstract: An image taking apparatus is provided with an image taking lens, a mirror which is capable of pivotally changing a position thereof between a first position where the mirror is disposed on an optical path of the image taking lens and a second position where the mirror is disposed off the optical path, and an image pick-up unit for picking up an optical image from the image taking lens. In accordance with the pivotal movement of the mirror, a driver moves the image pick-up unit along the optical direction of the image taking lens.

Abstract: A camera provided with a lens assembly, a CCD and a circuit for applying a signal which is disposed between the lens assembly and the CCD, where the circuit for applying a signal is vibrated.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus with divers resolution includes a light source, a reflection lens set, a major lens and an image-capture unit. The light source is used to illuminate a document for further generating a document image. The reflection lens set includes a plurality of reflection lenses for forwarding the document image consecutively to the major lens. The major lens is used to receive the document image transported by the reflection lens set and to form the document image at a focal point thereof. The image-capture unit includes a plurality of image-capture elements with various resolution for meeting divers usage requirements. While in usage, a suitable image-capture element with particular resolution can be shifted to the focal point of the major lens for performing the imaging.

Abstract: The present invention is an automatic focusing apparatus for automatically focusing on a subject in an image plane. The automatic focusing apparatus includes a focus lens for focusing on the subject, drive means for moving the focus lens, an image element for picking up image data from the subject through the focus lens, an image processor for extracting luminance signals of each pixel from the image data picked up by the image element, and a controller for computing contrast value under the luminance signals of each pixel extracted by the image processor, for computing moving quantity of the focus lens by using inverse number of the contrast value, and for controlling the drive means according to the moving quantity.

Abstract: A digital camera comprises two photographing systems which are independent of and substantially identical to each other, and each of which includes a photographing optical system and an image pickup device. The photographing optical system is configured to include a photographing lens, a focusing lens and an aperture stop. The focusing lens of one of the photographing systems is driven stepwise from a first predetermined position at which it is to be located when a focusing position lies at an infinite distance, toward a second predetermined position at which it is to be located when the focusing position lies at the closest distance, while the focusing lens of the other photographing system is driven stepwise from the second predetermined position toward the first predetermined position every step width.

Abstract: A solid state image pickup device is provided which can reduce crosstalks between range finding photoelectric conversion elements (AF sensor) and photometry photoelectric conversion elements (AE sensor). The solid state image pickup device has an n-type epitaxial semiconductor region, a p-type first well region formed in the semiconductor region, a p-type second well region formed in the semiconductor region and electrically separated from the first well, an n-type first impurity doped region formed in the first well region and an n-type second impurity doped region formed in the second well, wherein a photometry photoelectric conversion element is formed by using the p-type first well region and n-type first impurity doped region, and a range finding photoelectric element is formed by using the p-type second well region and n-type impurity doped region.

Abstract: An automatic focus adjusting device is provided with a focus evaluation value detecting circuit for detecting a focus evaluation value indicative of a focusing state of a lens, a focus control part for performing a focus adjusting operation by causing the lens to move in an optical axis direction whereby the focus evaluation value becomes a maximum value, a luminance detecting circuit for detecting luminance of an object or an illuminance detecting circuit for detecting an illuminance to an object, and a control circuit for lowering a response characteristic of the focus adjusting operation according to the luminance or illuminance detected by the luminance or illuminance detecting circuit.

Abstract: This invention provides an image processing apparatus/method characterized by inputting image data, detecting an object in the input image data, measuring the distance from the detected object to a predetermined position, and detecting a predetermined object on the basis of the measurement result.

Abstract: The present invention, employing a method of obtaining a final focus position by re-driving a lens before an actual image sensing operation in the vicinity of a focus position which has been obtained by the hill-climbing focusing method, has as its object to enable accurate focusing even in a case where a focus position is not yet obtained by the hill-climbing focusing method. To achieve this object, the driving range of the focus lens at the time of actual exposure is changed in accordance with whether or not AF operation in the hill-climbing mode has been completed and a peak position has been detected. Furthermore, a focus evaluation value is compared with a predetermined value, and the driving range of the focus lens at the time of actual exposure is changed in accordance with the comparison result.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the correction of planar focus in an electronic still or video camera. The camera includes: a detector array an objective lens arranged to direct optical radiation from an object plane onto the detector the lens defining an optical axis of the camera and the object plane being at an oblique angle to the optical axis movement device to change the relative orientation of the detector with respect to the lens so that the detector and lens may be moved relatively toward or away from each other along the optical axis and also tilted with respect to each other with at least one degree of freedom and focus detection device connected to the detector to detect when a portion of an image falling on the detector is in focus.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling focus using an adaptive filter are provided. The apparatus includes an adaptive low-pass filter for covering an image signal captured through the lens with a mask of a predetermined size, comparing brightness level differences between a central pixel located in the center of the mask and pixels adjacent to the central pixel with a threshold value, multiplying a weight calculated in response to the comparison result by the brightness level of a concerned pixel in the mask, adding together the multiplication results of all the pixels, and outputting the addition result as an adaptively low-pass filtered image signal. A high-pass filter filters a high-frequency component of the adaptively low-pass filtered image signal.

Abstract: A lens control device is arranged such that, in deciding a direction in which a focus lens is to be driven on the basis of the amount of change caused to take place in the level of a video signal by causing the focus lens to vibrate at a predetermined amplitude, the amplitude of the vibration of the focus lens is controlled according to the state of an AGC circuit.

Abstract: Briefly, a camera for film photography and electronic photography in accordance with the present invention comprising film photography mechanism for exposing a subject image on a film; a digital photography mechanism for picking up the subject image with a CCD and converting it into a digital image signal; a photometry element for measuring the brightness of the subject; a photometry unit for obtaining the subject brightness based on the image signal obtained by the digital photography mechanism; first setting means for setting the exposure conditions of the film based on the photometry results of the photometry element; second setting means for setting the image-pickup pickup conditions of the digital photography mechanism based on the photometry results of the photometry unit; control means for controlling the film photography mechanism based on the exposure conditions and controlling the digital photography mechanism based on the image-pickup conditions during a release operation; and initial conditions se

Abstract: A lens control device comprising a variator lens, a compensation lens for compensating for the displacement of the focal plane associated with the movement of the variator lens, a conversion lens disposed in an optical path in a detachable manner for limiting the area of the movement of the variator lens, and correction means for modifying the area of the movement of the compensation lens in response to the mounting of the conversion lens.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a digital camera with an adjusting device coupled with the lens and holes of the digital camera. The digital camera comprises a housing with a front opening installed at its front end for receiving incident light, a sensor installed at a rear end of the housing for recording the incident light, an iris strip moveably installed in the housing having a plurality of irises of different sizes for adjusting the amount of the incident light emitted to the sensor, a lens moveably installed in the housing for concentrating the incident light onto the sensor, and an adjusting device rotatably installed in the housing for adjusting positions of the lens and the iris strip. The adjusting device is rotated to move the lens to a plurality of lens positions to change the distance between the lens and the sensor.

Abstract: In an image sensing system having an image sensing optical system, and an image sensing element for photoelectrically converting incoming light from the image sensing optical system, a predetermined pattern image for adjustment, which is specified in advance, is read by the image sensing element, and the image sensing element is driven to adjust its position on the basis of an output from said image sensing element, thereby adjusting the relative position of the image sensing element with respect to the image sensing optical system prior to an image sensing operation.

Abstract: A digital camera is provided with, a voltage detection unit for a driving power supply, a temperature detection unit which detects an inner temperature and an outer temperature of the apparatus, a power supply detection unit which detects whether the power supply is an AC power supply or a DC power supply (battery), a power-supply condition control unit which makes a determination as to a power-supply state of the apparatus based upon a voltage, a temperature and the kind of the power supply that have been respectively detected by the respective detection and monitoring unit; and a focusing unit which automatically focuses a focus lens system onto a subject, and in this arrangement, the gap of automatic focusing timing is varied by an output from the power-supply condition control unit.

Abstract: An auto-focusing device and an electronic image pickup apparatus facilitates realizing a high focusing accuracy and a quick focusing operation simultaneously using an inexpensive plastic lens mount. The auto-focusing device according includes a means for correcting the conversion reference, if necessary, for converting the object distance measured by the open-control range finding means to a focusing position of the focusing lens based on the conversion reference and for moving the focusing lens to the converted focusing position. The electronic image pickup apparatus includes the auto-focusing device.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus has a lens unit detachably mounted on a camera body. A zoom ring is rotatably arranged on the lens unit. A magnification varying action of a zooming lens is controlled by a lens microcomputer according to the rotation of the zoom ring detected by a rotation detecting circuit. The magnification varying action can be controlled also by a camera-body microcomputer according to the operation of a zoom switch disposed on the side of the camera body. The magnification varying action by the zoom ring has priority over the magnification varying action by the zoom switch.

Abstract: A focus control technique for use in a video camera or the like. An image of an object passes through a focus lens and an electric signal corresponding thereto is formed. High frequency components are extracted from the electric signals to generate estimation values indicative of focus states. A plurality of estimation values that are changed as the focus lens moves are stored in a storage device. A plurality of the stored estimation values are selected and along with the lens positions corresponding to the selected estimation values are used to calculate the just focus position. As a result, even if the estimation value includes noise or the estimation value constantly includes noise when the luminance is low, focus control may be performed with high accuracy. Furthermore, even if the focus lens is passed by the just focus position only once, it is possible to calculate the just focus position. Therefore, the just focus position may be determined at a high speed.

Abstract: A chassis has plate supporting pillars, insertion holes with engagement pegs, and an aperture brim connected to a lens holding unit. A photographic element package is attached to a plate. Contact surfaces are formed in the aperture brim so that distances from a center axis of a lens holding unit to the two adjacent contact surfaces of the aperture brim are the same as the distances from adjacent standard surfaces of the photographic element package to the center of the photographic element. Plate springs are provided on the mounting member, so that the photographic element package standard surfaces press against the contact surfaces. Plate springs press the plate against the plate supporting pillars. Insertion plates with engagement holes are provided on the mounting member, so that the insertion plates are inserted into the insertion holes and the engagement pegs engage the engagement holes, thereby completing the mounting of the plate on the chassis.

Abstract: An image blur prevention apparatus includes a device that varies the sampling period of a signal used in image blur prevention. In an exposure operation, the sampling period is shortened to achieve image blur prevention with high precision (in the exposure operation, image blur prevention with high precision is required). In a non-exposure operation, the sampling period is set to be relativelylong to reduce the load on a calculation circuit (in the non-exposure operation; before exposure, a calculation for determining the exposure conditions is performed, and the load on the calculation circuit becomes great).

Abstract: A focus control circuit (34) which controls the focus of a video camera is provided with a horizontal-direction evaluation value generating circuit (62) which generates a plurality of evaluation values for the horizontal direction, a vertical-direction evaluation value generating circuit (63) which generates a plurality of evaluation values for the vertical direction, and a microcomputer (64) which performs a prescribed operation upon receiving the evaluation values for the horizontal and vertical directions. The circuit (62) generates the evaluation values corresponding to preset evaluation windows of different sizes. The microcomputer (64) selects evaluation values corresponding to an appropriate evaluation window for judging the contrast of an object out of the supplied evaluation values and controls the focus of the video camera based on the selected evaluation values. Therefore, appropriate evaluation values of the object can be obtained.

Abstract: An automatic focus adjusting device is provided with an AF evaluation value detecting circuit for detecting an AF evaluation value indicative of a focusing state of a lens, a lens driving part for moving the lens in an optical axis direction, a control circuit for controlling the lens driving part on the basis of the AF evaluation value detected by the AF evaluation value detecting circuit in such a way as to cause the lens to move back and forth by a predetermined amount of movement at a time until the AF evaluation value becomes a maximum value, an inversion detecting circuit for detecting inversion of a direction of movement of the lens, and an altering circuit for altering the predetermined amount of movement of the lens in response to detection of the inversion by the inversion detecting circuit.

Abstract: In a still photographic camera, the focal plane is determined by a matrix-like transducer arrangement (7) of optoelectronic sensor elements (9). The viewfinder image is directly generated by evaluation of the electric output signals (e.sub.9) from the transducerelements (9) that form the transducer arrangement (7).

Abstract: An electronic camera comprises a lens for imaging an object on an image plane. At least one object area is selected, and a microcomputer calculates the displacement parameters needed to achieve sharp focusing of the selected object area. An image sensor is provided in the image plane of the camera which is moveable in five degrees of freedom. A positioning structure automatically moves the image sensor in response to displacement parameters calculated by the microcomputer so that a sharply focused image of the selected object area is obtained in the image plane.

Abstract: Focus control is provided by estimating an estimation value by extracting a high-frequency component of a video signal for each focus lens position. The correct focus lens position for focusing a target object is determined as that focus lens position where the estimation value for a plurality of conditions at a particular focus lens position becomes maximum. The estimation value is determined to be maximum when, for successive focus lens positions, the estimation value decreases continuously. The various conditions for imaging, according to an aspect of the focus control, includes the filter coefficients for extracting the high-frequency component of the video signal and the size of the windows from which the video signal is imaged.

Abstract: In a still video camera or the like which employs a solid-state image sensor, such as a CCD, a first calculation of the amount of correlation in an AF sensor is executed by using a smaller number of pixels and a larger amount of shifting, and second and subsequent calculations of the amount of correlation are executed by using a larger number of pixels and a smaller amount of shifting. Accordingly, it is possible to reliably detect a large-defocus state through the first calculation, whereby it is possible to omit an unnecessary calculation to reduce the required calculation time. The automatic focusing device uses a phase difference detection method in which a focus state is detected by detecting the deviation between two incident images. The device includes two sensor portions for receiving two images which are each a variable in their image forming portions according to a focus state.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus has an AF function which determines a focus state of an object using an image signal obtained from a signal output of an image pickup device and detects the lens position in an in-focus state. The apparatus includes an image-region setting circuit for selectively extracting an image region for detecting the lens position in an in-focus state, an optimum-exposure-amount calculation circuit for calculating an optimum amount of exposure for the image region using an image signal within the image region set by the image-region setting circuit, and a focus detection circuit for calculating the lens position in an in-focus state using an image signal within the image region exposed with the optimum amount of exposure calculated by the optimum-exposure-amount calculation circuit.

Abstract: An automatic focusing apparatus to be used for an optical system comprises an image pickup device for picking up an image of the subject supported on a support by way of the optical system and transmitting video signals for the subject, an extracting device for extracting only the video signals corresponding to the pitch of movement of focus adjustment from the signals transmitted from the image pickup device and an in-focus state detecting device for determining the in-focus position of the subject with the area for in-focus detection determined by the pitch setting device and a drive for moving either the support or the optical system for focus adjustment depending on the result of detection of the in-focus state detecting device.

Abstract: An automatic focus adjusting apparatus comprises: a focus detecting circuit for detecting a focusing state and generating a signal according to the focusing state; a speed control circuit to switch a focus adjusting speed to a plurality of stages on the basis of an output of the focus detecting circuit; a depth detecting circuit to detect a depth of field; and a control circuit to change a threshold value of a speed switching point in the speed control circuit on the basis of an output of the depth detecting circuit.

Abstract: To transfer an image signal from a electronic camera head to a personal computer, a PC card provides the interface between the camera head and the personal computer. The PC card is removably attached to the personal computer. As instructed by the personal computer, the PC card operates the camera head, sets its states, writes image data into a memory, reads the image data from the memory for transmission to the personal computer, generates control signals for a light refracting member, and informs the personal computer of the state of the camera head.

Abstract: There is provided an image pickup apparatus capable of operating only at the time of occurrence of moire and reducing the moire without the need to use an optical low-pass filter and without degrading image quality. The image pickup apparatus is provided with a circuit for detecting, from an output signal of an image sensor, the amount of aliasing distortion (moire) which occurs when sampling is performed at the pitch of pixels of the image sensor, and determining whether moire has occurred. On the basis of the detected amount of moire, the distance between a photographic lens and the image sensor is made to vary or electrical processing is applied to the output signal from the image sensor, thereby reducing the moire.

Abstract: A calculation circuit compares a current focus evaluation value provided from a focus evaluation value generation circuit, with a focus evaluation value, of one preceding field stored in a memory, to determine whether a CCD is in-focus or not. The calculation circuit provides a driving signal VD to a linear motor so that the CCD moves toward the in-focus position. A position prediction circuit predicts the position where the CCD arrives after a predetermined time period according to the driving signal VD. A comparator circuit compares a predicted result from the position prediction circuit with the actual moved position of the CCD detected by a position detection circuit to provide a signal Dpr corresponding to an amount of load according to the comparison result. A correction value determination circuit and a bias determination circuit correct the level of driving signal VD in response to signal Dpr to supply a second corrected driving signal VD2 to a voice coil.

Abstract: This specification discloses a lens position control device in which the focusing lens of a zoom lens is moved on the basis of the output signal of image pickup means provided on the image plane of the zoom lens to thereby effect focus adjustment and which achieves flange back adjustment in such a manner as to change the reference position of a wobbling lens wobbling back and forth in the direction of an optical axis having a predetermined position as the reference in order to detect the focus state, and the automatization of the flange back adjustment.

Abstract: A camera having an image plane which is adjustable with respect to the optical axis is used to determine range information from focus. This imaging geometry eliminates the usual focusing need of image plane movement by replacing the two standard mechanical actions of focusing and panning by panning alone. Range estimation or generation of a focused image of a scene can therefore be performed substantially at the speed of panning.

Abstract: A camera in which a T lens and a wide lens are respectively mounted on their respective lens holders which can be freely rotated and the T and W lenses are rotated to thereby switch over the T and w lenses to each other. The T and W lenses are supported such that they are freely rotatable. A CCD reference plate, on which a CCD can be mounted, is inserted over a lens support shaft and the mutual positional accuracy between the lenses and CCD can be enhanced through the lens support shaft. Also, the switching of the T and W lenses is executed in link with the movement of a plate cam, which is movable in a direction perpendicular to the lens support shaft for the T and W lenses, and a cam portion provided in the plate cam is used to move the T and W lenses in the axial direction of the lens support shaft to thereby adjust the focusing of the lenses.

Abstract: There is provided an image pickup apparatus with zooming function, which is equipped with a photoelectric converter for converting an image of an object to be taken by an optical system into an electric signal. The optical system and photoelectric converter are provided as separately slidable on an optical axis. A high frequency component of the electric signal is extracted to determine if the image is in focus by means of level of the high frequency component. Responding to the result of the judgement, the optical system and photoelectric converter are respectively slid to click stop points on the optical axis where the image is in focus.

Abstract: An automatic focusing device including a focus detection circuit for detecting a focus state, and a motor for driving a focusing lens in accordance with an output from the focus detection circuit. The device controls the driving state of the motor in accordance with a result of comparing the amplitude of hunting of the focusing lens with a predetermined value when the direction of the drive of the focusing lens is reversed.

Abstract: In a camera system including a camera unit and a lens unit which is detachably mounted on the camera unit, an automatic focusing apparatus comprises a focus signal forming circuit which forms a focus detection signal for indicating a focusing state of the lens unit, a focal length information outputting circuit which produces absolute focal length information on the absolute focal length of the lens unit, a transmission circuit which transmits the absolute focal length information to the camera unit, and a control circuit which controls the focus signal forming circuit on the basis of the absolute focal length information.