By Analyzing High Frequency Component Patents (Class 348/354)
  • Patent number: 8502912
    Abstract: A focusing apparatus is configured to execute a focusing operation without using any auto-focus evaluation value obtained from an auto-focus evaluation value detection area set for an object other than that of an intended object when a plurality of objects is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsuya Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 8497930
    Abstract: An automatic focusing method and device in a high-noise environment are used for determining a focusing distance between a digital imaging device and an object to be photographed. The automatic focusing method includes the steps of capturing M pre-photographed images at different object distances respectively; loading the pre-photographed images; superposing every N (N<M) pre-photographed images to create (M?N+1) composite images; redefining the object distances corresponding to the (M?N+1) composite images; calculating high-frequency signals in the focusing regions of the (M?N+1) composite images; determining an optimum focusing object distance based on the relation between the high-frequency signals and corresponding object distances; and adjusting an automatic focusing lens to the optimum focusing object distance and accomplishing focusing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Altek Corporation
    Inventors: Ming-Jiun Liaw, Shih-Yuan Peng
  • Patent number: 8488022
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic camera which images an object image and records image data. Particularly, the present invention relates to technology to record image data in a good shooting state, such as with little blurring due to hand shaking. The invention has an image pick-up means which continuously images an object, a temporary memory means which temporarily stores a plurality of frames of image data which are continuously imaged by the image pick-up means, a shooting evaluation means which evaluates a good or bad shooting state of the image data imaged by the image pick-up means, a still image selection means which selects the image data with the highest evaluation of the shooting evaluation means among the image data which are stored in the temporary memory means, and an image saving means which saves the image data which is selected by the still image selection means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotake Nozaki, Satoshi Ejima
  • Patent number: 8471954
    Abstract: An electronic camera includes an imager which outputs an object scene image in a designated cycle. The first changer changes a distance from a focus lens to the imaging surface. The first adjustor adjusts the designated cycle to a length corresponding to an illuminance of the object scene in association with a process of the first changer. The first specifier specifies a distance range including a focal point in parallel with the process of the first changer. The second changer changes the distance from the focus lens to the imaging surface in the distance range specified by the first specifier. The second adjustor adjusts the designated cycle to a length corresponding to a contrast of the object scene in association with a process of the second changer. The second specifier specifies the distance corresponding to the focal point in parallel with the process of the second changer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Hori
  • Patent number: 8451369
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to photoelectrically convert light of an object image formed by an imaging optical system to generate a signal, a first detection unit configured to detect a focusing state of the imaging optical system based on the signal generated by the imaging unit, a sensor configured to generate a signal different from the signal generated by the imaging unit without using the imaging optical system, and a second detection unit configured to detect an in-focus position of the imaging optical system based on the signal generated by the sensor. The sensor is located such that an amount of overlap between a detection range of the first detection unit and a detection range of the second detection unit at a first object distance is equal to an amount of overlap between those at a second object distance that is close to an infinite distance side compared to the first object distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroto Okawara
  • Patent number: 8436932
    Abstract: A digital camera and method or algorithm that quickly determines if there are objects in a focus region of the camera that are nearer to or farther from the current focus position. Multiple focusing zones are used along with a technique that compares data from each of the focusing zones to determine distance relationships between objects in different zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Gregory Hofer
  • Patent number: 8427573
    Abstract: A method for focussing a film scanner provides for selecting a plurality of partial regions of the picture to be scanned for the purpose of focus monitoring. During the focussing of one of the selected partial regions, the focussing of the other partial regions is simultaneously monitored. The monitoring is effected for example by simultaneous representation of the partial regions on a monitor screen, and/or by evaluation of the frequency and amplitude conditions of the partial regions. An optimum focal point is set if all the selected partial regions are simultaneously set sharply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: GVBB Holdings S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Klaus Anderle, Markus Hasenzahl
  • Patent number: 8422878
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus and an auto focusing method are provided. A plurality of focus signal values are calculated for a plurality of frequency bands of a captured image signal. An amount of defocus of a focus lens is calculated based on focus signal values calculated for two positions. A position of the focus lens is controlled depending on the calculated amount of defocus. Thereby, the imaging apparatus can detect a focus at higher speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kyong-Tae Park, Jeong-Won Lee, Kyoung-Hwan Moon
  • Patent number: 8401232
    Abstract: Disclosed are an object detection method and an object detection device. The object detection method comprises a step of obtaining plural detection results of a current frame according to plural object detection methods; a step of setting initial probabilities of the plural detection results of the current frame; a step of calculating a movement frequency distribution diagram representing movement frequencies of respective pixels in the current frame; a step of obtaining detection results of a previous frame; a step of updating the probabilities of the plural detection results of the current frame; and a step of determining a final list of detected objects based on the updated probabilities of the plural detection results of the current frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shengyin Fan, Hong Yi, Yu Deng, Xin Wang
  • Patent number: 8368802
    Abstract: An automatic focusing method for a camera, including scanning in a macro mode, scanning in a normal mode, and additional scanning. In the scanning in the macro mode, a region within a first distance is scanned if the macro mode is set by a user. In the scanning in the normal mode, a region beyond the first distance is scanned if the normal mode is set by the user. In the additional scanning, the scanning in the normal mode is performed additionally if it is determined that the position of the focus lens found in the scanning in the macro mode does not have the largest focus value, and the scanning in the macro mode is performed additionally if it is determined that the position of the focus lens found in the scanning in the normal mode does not have the largest focus value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Byoung-kwon Lee
  • Patent number: 8363154
    Abstract: Provided are a digital image processing device and an operation method therefor, and more particularly, a focus error adjusting apparatus and a method therefor whereby a focus error can be adjusted when a digital image processing device is manufactured or used. The focus error adjusting apparatus includes a photographing unit photographing a first image whose focus is adjusted, and photographing a plurality of images by changing movement values of a focus motor by referring to the first image; and a digital signal processing unit outputting a focus motor control signal to the photographing unit for the photographing, detecting an image having the greatest evaluation value of a high frequency component from among the first image and the plurality of images, and adjusting movement of the focus motor by as little as a variation value of the focus motor with respect to the image having the greatest evaluation value of the high frequency component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young-geol Kim
  • Patent number: 8330849
    Abstract: When a face is detected from image signals, stability determination time is set for determining if the face is recognized in a stable manner, and a period of time for which the face is consecutively detected starts to be measured. Until the measured period of time exceeds the stability determination time, an AF evaluation value acquired from a normal frame set to include a face frame corresponding to the face is used to exercise TV-AF control. Once the measured time exceeds the stability determination time, TV-AF control is exercised based on AF evaluation values acquired from each of the face frame and the normal frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazunori Ishii
  • Patent number: 8330851
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus including a half mirror, a phase difference detecting AF sensor, an image pickup device, and a display is provided. The half mirror is provided so as to be movable between a first position on an optical path of the subject image light from the photographing optical system and a second position to which the half mirror is evacuated from the optical path of the subject image light. When the half mirror is in the second position, the image pickup device generates an actual photographing image on the basis of the subject image light reaching the image pickup device from the photographing optical system without passing through the half mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuharu Murashima
  • Patent number: 8279324
    Abstract: A control method of detecting an object image to be focused from a sensed image, setting a focus detection area in detecting an in-focus state of a photographing optical system, and exercising control such that the photographing optical system is moved based on a signal output in the focus detection area to carry out focus control, wherein, in the setting of the focus detection area, a first focus detection area corresponding to an object to be focused detected from the sensed image and a second focus detection area which is larger than the first focus detection area are set, and in the focus control, control is exercised such that the photographing optical system is moved based on output signals in the set first and second focus detection areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8279323
    Abstract: An image capturing apparatus performs autofocus control that uses a face detection function. The image capturing apparatus sets a face region as an AF frame if face detection is successful. However, if a state in which face detection is successful transitions to a state in which face detection has failed, and furthermore a variation between subject distances is less than or equal to a threshold value, the image capturing apparatus maintains the previous AF frame setting instead of changing the AF frame setting. If the variation in subject distances is greater than the threshold value, the image capturing apparatus sets the AF frame to a predetermined region that does not follow a face region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazunori Ishii
  • Patent number: 8274566
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining a modulation of a CATV channel, the modulation being one of a digital modulation and an analog modulation. The method includes passing at least a portion of a tuner output from a tuner to a RF detector, and passing a RF detector output from the RF detector to a sync detector. The method further includes attenuating at least a portion of a sync detector output to create a remaining portion of the sync detector output, and passing the remaining portion of the sync detector output to a peak detector. The method further includes passing an output of the peak detector to a subsequent device, the output of the peak detector indicating whether the modulation of the CATV channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: David Kelma
  • Patent number: 8248518
    Abstract: An optical apparatus is disclosed which achieves high focusing accuracy and favorable responsiveness in AF control. The apparatus includes a signal generator which extracts signals in a plurality of frequency bands from an output from an image-pickup part and generates focus signals from the extracted signals, and a controller which performs focus control such that the focus signal approaches the highest value. The controller uses a first focus signal and a second focus signal in the focus control. The second focus signal is a synthesis signal formed by synthesizing a focus signal in a relatively high or the highest frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands and a focus signal in another frequency band and contains a component of the focus signal in the relatively high or highest frequency band at a higher ratio as compared with the first focus signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Seiya Ohta
  • Patent number: 8237848
    Abstract: This invention is directed to easily set the image sensing conditions of an image sensing apparatus. The image sensing apparatus includes a first control means for controlling to change the image sensing conditions, an image sensing means to sense an image sensing target at every first time interval, and to calculate the evaluation value of the sensed image, and a second control means for controlling to change the image sensing conditions within the range where the evaluation value obtained by the first control means changes from increase to decrease, the image sensing means to sense the image sensing target at every second time interval smaller than the first time interval, and to calculate the evaluation value of the sensed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masafumi Takimoto, Yusuke Mitarai
  • Patent number: 8233077
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed wherein a depth map is generated using a single camera (e.g., single lens of a camera) and multiple images are captured by the camera. In some embodiments, a single digital camera is used to capture a set of images corresponding to a set of lens positions based on uniform or nonuniform lens position data. The method and apparatus determines focus metric information for each of a plurality of regions of interest in each image of a set. A determination is made of a best lens position for each of the regions of interest based on the focus metric information from the images in the set and are stored as data in a depth map. Image generation operations are then performed based on the generated depth map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Reza Safaee-Rad, Milivoje Aleksic
  • Patent number: 8233075
    Abstract: Methods and systems for adjusting a video imaging system that includes an auto-focus mechanism wherein an input from a user of the video imaging system invokes an auto-focus procedure. Responsive to the input, the auto-focus mechanism is scanned over a range of focal distance from a first setting to a second setting indicated by the input. A sequence of images using the video imaging system is captured while scanning the auto-focus mechanism over the range. The images in the sequence are processed so as to compute a measure of focal quality with respect to each of the images. The measure of the focal quality is analyzed so as to select an optimal focal distance, and the auto-focus mechanism is set to the selected focal distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Lavrentiev, Stuart Wolf, Doron Adler, Albert M. Juergens, III
  • Patent number: 8203642
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an imaging device receiving light from an object through an imaging lens at a predetermined imaging plane and performing photoelectric conversion of an object image to generate a captured image; a phase-difference detector for receiving the light from the object and generating a phase-difference detection signal corresponding to a focus level of the object image; an evaluation-value calculator for calculating a predetermined evaluation value corresponding to a contrast of the object image on the basis of the captured image; and a determining unit for selecting an optimum AF method from among a plurality of AF methods in which the phase-difference detection signal obtained by the phase-difference detecting unit and the predetermined evaluation value based on the captured image are used selectively or in combination, the optimum AF method being selected in accordance with image-capturing conditions of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hisamo Sogawa, Shinichi Fujii, Kazumi Kageyama, Toshio Katayama, Masato Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8203645
    Abstract: An image-pickup apparatus includes an image-pickup element including first pixels photoelectrically converting an object image formed by a light flux from an image-pickup optical system and second pixels including plural focus detection pixels photoelectrically converting a light flux divided from the light flux from the image-pickup optical system, a focus detector detecting a focus state of the image-pickup optical system based on outputs from the second pixels, a frequency component detector detecting a spatial frequency component of the object image formed on the first pixels, an image generator generating, based on outputs from the first pixels, a partial image corresponding to the second pixels of an image obtained by an output from the image-pickup element. The apparatus includes a controller switching whether or not to cause the image generator to generate the partial image according to the spatial frequency component detected by the frequency component detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Kawarada
  • Patent number: 8180169
    Abstract: A first sigma filtering circuit sigma filters an image to produce a filtered image. An analysis circuit processes the sigma filtered image to produce an approximation part and a detail part. A second sigma filter circuit filters the approximation part to produce a sigma filtered approximation part. Another analysis circuit process the sigma filtered approximation part to produce a second approximation part and a second detail part. A third sigma filter circuit sigma filters the second approximation part to produce a sigma filtered second filtered approximation part. A first synthesizer synthesizes the sigma filtered second filtered approximation part and the second detailed part to produce a first reconstructed image, and a second synthesizer synthesizes the first reconstructed image and the first detail part to produce a final filtered image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Stuart A. Schweid
  • Patent number: 8125560
    Abstract: A method for automatically focusing a camera including the steps of (A) recording a first topology and a second topology, where the second topology occurs temporally after the first topology, and (B) comparing the first topology with the second topology. A focus of the camera is automatically adjusted based upon one or more similarities between the first topology and the second topology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsiang-Chun Huang, ChiHong John Ju
  • Patent number: 8120697
    Abstract: A hill-climbing scheme of an automatic focusing process performed in a digital video camera obtains a moving speed Vj and an AGC gain Gj of a compensator lens every time an AF evaluation value AFj is detected corresponding to the position of the compensator lens. Adjustment factors ? and ? are computed with the moving speed Vj and the AGC gain Gj as parameters, where 0<?<1 and 0<?<1. The adjustment factor ? is set to increase with an increase of the moving speed Vj, while the adjustment factor ? is set to increase with a decrease of the AGC gain Gj. The automatic focusing process determines an in-focus position, based on the result of comparison between each detected AF evaluation value AFj and a threshold value TH. The threshold value TH is computed by multiplying a maximum value AFmax of the AF evaluation value AFj detected in the course of the hill-climbing scheme by the computed adjustment factors ? and ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Elmo Company, Limited
    Inventor: Masaaki Toguchi
  • Patent number: 8107806
    Abstract: A focus adjustment apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to capture an object image input via a focus lens to output image data, a focus adjustment unit configured to perform focus adjustment by controlling a position of the focus lens based on the image data, a motion detection unit configured to detect a motion of the object image based on the image data, and a control unit configured to control the focus adjustment unit to perform a first focus adjustment operation if motion of the object image is not detected by the motion detection unit, and to control the focus adjustment unit to perform a second focus adjustment operation different from the first focus adjustment operation if motion of the object image is detected by the motion detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaaki Uenishi
  • Patent number: 8102464
    Abstract: An automatic focusing method in a high-noise environment and a digital imaging device using the same are used for determining an object distance. The method includes taking two digital images at a farthest object distance and taking two digital images at a nearest object distance, under a first exposure condition and a second exposure condition; capturing digital images under the first exposure condition at a plurality of different object distances other than the farthest and nearest object distances; selecting at least two images captured at adjacent object distances to create a composite image; calculating an object distance of the composite image; calculating high-frequency signals of the second farthest object distance image, the second nearest object distance image, and the composite image in the focusing frame; determining from the images an object distance corresponding to the maximum high-frequency signal; and moving an automatic focusing lens to the object distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Altek Corporation
    Inventors: Ming-Jiun Liaw, Shih-Yuan Peng
  • Publication number: 20110310291
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus of the invention includes: an optical imaging system; an image pickup device; a defocus quantity calculation section for calculating a defocus quantity based on a phase difference between signals for focus detection obtained from pixels for focus detection; a high-frequency component quantity detection section for detecting a quantity of high-frequency component contained in a pixel signal outputted from a pixel other than the pixels for focus detection; a region determination section for determining in accordance with which of the defocus quantity and the high-frequency component quantity the optical imaging system is to be driven, according to a detection result of detecting in which of a plurality of divided blocks of the image pickup device an object of interest is present; and a focusing section for driving the optical imaging system in accordance with a determination result of the region determination section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Shingo Kato, Keigo Matsuo, Hisashi Goto
  • Patent number: 8077252
    Abstract: An electronic camera includes an image sensor having an imaging surface for capturing an object scene through a focus lens. When the object scene captured by the imaging surface includes a face portion of a human, a CPU designates, as a focal-point search area a first imaging area for covering an outline of the face portion. The CPU also designates, as a frequency-component detection area, a second imaging area that is smaller than the first imaging area and is for capturing an inner side of the outline of the face portion. Subsequently, the CPU obtains a high-frequency AF evaluation value and a mid-frequency AF evaluation value detected corresponding to the frequency-component detection area, and designates, as a lens moving range, a range different depending upon a relative ratio between the high-frequency AF evaluation value and the mid-frequency AF evaluation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Fukugawa, Kazuhiro Tsujino
  • Patent number: 8077253
    Abstract: An analog signal photo-electrically converted in a pixel of a light receiving area is converted to a digital signal by an ADC. The digital signal is processed by a digital signal processing circuit, and then, successively output as a digital video signal. The digital signal processing circuit has a first signal processing block for detecting and correcting a pixel defect and preventing a noise, and a second signal processing block for restoring apparent resolution lost by the processing by the first signal processing block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Junichi Hosokawa, Yuuki Koguchi, Keizo Tashiro, Teppei Nakano
  • Patent number: 8049813
    Abstract: A method for automatically focusing a camera including the steps of (A) recording a first topology and a second topology, where the second topology occurs temporally after the first topology, and (B) comparing the first topology with the second topology. A focus of the camera is automatically adjusted based upon one or more similarities between the first topology and the second topology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Ambarella, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsiang-Chun Huang, ChiHong John Ju
  • Patent number: 8040427
    Abstract: In a digital video camera according to one aspect of the invention, a black level of a video signal is specified during an initialization process. An autofocusing process obtains an AF evaluation value and a brightness evaluation value at each current position of a compensator lens and updates a maximum AF evaluation value and a corresponding position of the compensator lens based on the obtained data. The autofocusing process also detects an AGC gain, computes an offset value of the AF evaluation value from the detected AGC gain, the obtained brightness evaluation value, and the specified black level, and calculates a threshold value from the computed offset value and the updated maximum AF evaluation value. When the obtained AF evaluation value is less than the calculated threshold value, the lens position corresponding to the maximum AF evaluation value is specified as the focus position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Elmo Company, Limited
    Inventor: Masaaki Toguchi
  • Patent number: 8040429
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus including a drive mechanism, a signal processing section, an image pickup lens, an image pickup device and a focus control section is described. The drive mechanism changes a position of the image pickup lens relative to the image pickup device. The image pickup device outputs an electric signal of an image at each of a plurality of relative positions. The signal processing section processes the electric signal and generates a digital image signal corresponding to the plurality of relative positions. The focus control section extracts, from the digital image signal, high-frequency components for pixels selected from a focus area set in the image of the digital image signal, calculates a focus evaluation value corresponding to each relative position, identifies a maximum focus evaluation value among the calculated focus evaluation values, and moves the image pickup lens to the relative position that provides the maximum focus evaluation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Hidemitsu Senoo
  • Patent number: 8026973
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises a focusing unit configured to focus an object to be shot by an imaging unit, a first shooting control unit configured to control the imaging unit in order to continuously shooting at first time intervals upon detecting a shooting instruction, a determining unit configured to determine whether the object moves in a distance direction during a control operation of the first shooting control unit, and a second shooting control unit configured to control the imaging unit in order to continuously shoot at second time intervals and to control the focusing unit in order to focus the object when the determining unit determines that the object moves in the distance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Onoda
  • Patent number: 8026975
    Abstract: In an image capturing apparatus for carrying out TV-AF type autofocus control, a difference is provided between an AF frame set for a particular object detected in an image, for example, for a person's face, and a normal AF frame in the band of frequency components for use in the generation of an AF evaluation value. Specifically, an AF evaluation value is generated for the AF frame set in the face region based on components in a frequency band with the highest frequency lower than for the normal AF frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hitoshi Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8018520
    Abstract: An imaging device includes an image obtaining unit configured to capture an image of a subject to obtain video data; an extraction unit configured to extract high-frequency components in at least one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction of the video data; a calculation unit configured to calculate a parameter based on the high-frequency components in the at least one of the horizontal direction and vertical direction extracted by the extraction unit, the parameter indicating a magnitude of a high-frequency component for every line or every group of lines in the at least one of the horizontal direction and vertical direction; and a combining unit configured to combine an indicator indicating a magnitude of the parameter with the video data at a predetermined position in the at least one of the horizontal direction and vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Kobayashi, Ryo Taki
  • Patent number: 7995131
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a capturing module with at least one lens for capturing an image from a scene, a driving module for driving the at least one lens to different focusing positions using different driving steps, a flat-scene judging module, and a step-judging module. The flat-scene judging module divides the image into a central area and a plurality of peripheral areas, and determines whether the captured scene is a flat scene according to the divided image. The step-judging module determines whether the driving steps corresponding to a maximum focusing value of the central area of the image are same as driving steps corresponding to respective maximum focusing values of the peripheral areas of image, and changes the driving steps corresponding to the maximum focusing value of the central area to the driving steps corresponding to the greatest one of the maximum focusing values of the peripheral areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun-Nan Yeh
  • Patent number: 7990460
    Abstract: A method of focusing a digital camera module with an image sensor including capturing an image of a test target with the digital camera module, determining a focus quality of the image with the image sensor, outputting a signal related to the focus quality of the image from the digital camera module to a focusing station external to the digital camera module, and determining whether a position of a lens from the image sensor within the digital camera module should be altered to improve a focus quality of subsequently captured images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Wenstrand, Patricia E. Johnson, Richard L. Baer
  • Patent number: 7945151
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Hirai
  • Patent number: 7940323
    Abstract: An image-pickup apparatus 100 includes a focus detecting part 7 that detects focus information indicating a focus state of an image-pickup optical system, a color measuring part 14a, 14b, and 15 that detects color measurement information related to a color of an object, a controlling part 6 that generates controlling information used in focus control using the focus information and the color measurement information, and a memory 9 that stores the color measurement information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideya Takanashi
  • Patent number: 7932950
    Abstract: An automatic focusing apparatus performs focusing using a first automatic focusing method in which lens drive control is performed based on a focus signal so that a focus lens is moved to an in-focus point, and a second automatic focusing method in which lens drive control is performed based on information corresponding to an object distance so that the focus lens is moved to an in-focus point. The direction in which the focus lens is moved to the in-focus point according to the second automatic focusing method is compared with the direction in which the focus lens is moved to the in-focus point according to the first automatic focusing method. Based on the result, it is determined whether to perform the lens drive control according to the second automatic focusing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuya Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7932949
    Abstract: According to the present invention, when a lens is moved in an operation of an operation device, the focal information calculated for each travel position of the lens can be graphed corresponding to the lens position, and the focal information about the current lens position can be identified from the focal information about another position. Thus, a manual focus adjustment can be made while checking the graph. Especially, since the history of the focal information calculated for each lens travel position can be graphed, the lens can travel to the lens position in which a desired peak can be obtained when there are a plurality of peaks of focal information on the graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Manabu Hyodo
  • Patent number: 7916207
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a focus data in an image sensor, the apparatus includes a green interpolation unit for generating a M×N green plane from the RGB bayer pattern of a predetermined selected image window through a green interpolation; and a focus data generation unit for extracting the focus data from the M×N green plane, wherein M and N are positive integers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Inventors: Ji-Hye Moon, Jang-Sik Moon, Jeong-Guk Lee
  • Patent number: 7916208
    Abstract: An image processor including an object extracting device extracting an object region from original image data; an object separating device separating the object region from the other region; a first filter subjecting the object region to out-of-focus filtering processing to output first image data; a second filter subjecting the other region to out-of-focus filtering processing to output second image data; an image synthesizing device synthesizing the first and second image data; a displaying device displaying the synthesized image data and original image data; a region splitting device splitting the synthesized image data into plural regions; a high-frequency component obtaining device obtaining high-frequency components in each of the plural regions; a high-frequency component analyzing device analyzing the high-frequency components; and a zooming device zooming a region among the plural regions having higher frequency components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Kanehiro
  • Patent number: 7898577
    Abstract: A light source device which causes a sufficiently bright subject image to be obtained is provided. The light source device includes a first light-emitting diode 10-1 which generates illumination light to be applied to a subject, a second light-emitting diode 10-2 which generates illumination light with wavelength different from the illumination light generated from the first light-emitting diode 10-1, and a light-emitting diode drive control section 3 which independently controls integrated output values (light emission intensities, light emission periods) of the first light-emitting diode 10-1 and second light-emitting diode 10-2 in synchronism with image pickup timing at which the subject is photographed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems, Corp.
    Inventors: Kyosuke Mizuno, Shinji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7889272
    Abstract: A high frequency component detection circuit detecting a high frequency component included in a video signal is provided. The high frequency component detection circuit includes a filter acquiring a group of a predetermined number of pixels including a focused pixel and pixels surrounding the focused pixel with respect to each of pixels constituting the video signal, rearranging the pixels constituting the group to be arrayed in the order of luminance values, determining the luminance value of the pixel positioned at the center in the rearranged order, and outputting the pixel positioned at the center among the rearranged pixels arrayed in the order of luminance values as the focused pixel. Further, the high frequency component detection circuit includes a detection circuit detecting a high frequency component included in the video signal based on the output from the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Nishide
  • Patent number: 7884878
    Abstract: A lens apparatus capable of carrying out a suitable AF control operation even when text or character information is superimposed on a video signal is provided. The lens apparatus is configured to generate first and second AF evaluation values from a video signal obtained from an imaging unit of a camera apparatus, and to perform focusing control based on the second AF evaluation value. In the lens apparatus, the first AF evaluation value is selectively output to a second AF evaluation value generating unit for every scanning line of the video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsumi Karasawa
  • Patent number: 7880804
    Abstract: A weighted gain generator sets a high frequency information detecting frame in an imaging screen of an image sensor, after that, sets a reference point in the high frequency information detecting frame, and sets such a weighting that has correspondence to a distance between a position of a targeted pixel in the imaging video signal and the reference point to a gain of the targeted pixel. A gain adjuster makes the gain weighted by the weighted gain generator act on the high frequency component of the imaging video signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshinobu Hatano, Yoshinori Okura
  • Patent number: 7864239
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a focus adjustment unit which controls a focusing lens such that the focusing lens is driven to an in-focus position using a signal obtained by photoelectric conversion of an image of an object, the image being formed by an optical system including the focusing lens; and a color temperature detection unit which detects a color temperature of the object. The manner in which the focusing lens is driven differs depending on the color temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiichiro Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20100295986
    Abstract: An electronic camera includes an imager which outputs an object scene image in a designated cycle. The first changer changes a distance from a focus lens to the imaging surface. The first adjustor adjusts the designated cycle to a length corresponding to an illuminance of the object scene in association with a process of the first changer. The first specifier specifies a distance range including a focal point in parallel with the process of the first changer. The second changer changes the distance from the focus lens to the imaging surface in the distance range specified by the first specifier. The second adjustor adjusts the designated cycle to a length corresponding to a contrast of the object scene in association with a process of the second changer. The second specifier specifies the distance corresponding to the focal point in parallel with the process of the second changer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiro Hori