Abstract: An autofocus device and method for a camera that can process statistically the tracking and focusing of an object in high velocity motion. The device and method corrects the acceleration of the motion and computes a lens forwarding amount and an absolute position of the object. This is achieved by a camera system including a camera body and a focus lens. The camera body includes an autofocus detector, an autofocus processor section and a main CPU. The focus lens includes a lens, a lens driving gear, a lens CPU, and a motor. This structure, having an improved autofocus processor, enables highly accurate prediction tracking and autofocus control that accommodates fluctuations in an autofocus operation.

Abstract: A camera equipped with a data processing device with memory to execute stored data and program instructions for a plurality of metering modes, which analyze light data input from a light metering device. The output of the data processing device is connected to a viewfinder, to an audio output device and to relevant camera settings. The processor executes instructions based on a main metering mode, such as matrix metering, to determine exposure settings of camera, and to display results in the viewfinder. The processor then executes instructions based a second auxiliary--metering mode--which is set to an available mode, such as spot metering, and associates a sequence of sound types to the resulting exposure information. The sequence is then output to the audio output device, thereby enabling a photographer to meter a scene by "listening".

Abstract: To shoot a still picture and a moving picture simultaneously, a light beam having passed through a taking lens is split by a half-mirror into two light beams so that one of the split light beams is directed to silver halide film and the other is directed to a CCD. An image captured by the CCD is displayed on a viewfinder. Focus condition of an image on the silver halide film is detected by the phase-difference detection method and focus condition of an image on CCD is detected by the contrast detection method so that, based on detection results, the focus of the taking lens or of a relay optical system is adjusted to obtain a well-focused image. When focus condition detection by one method is impossible, results of focus condition detection by the other method are used to adjust the focus.

Abstract: A light beam passing a photographing lens is divided into two portions by a mirror in a camera body. One of the two divided light beams is directed to an eyepiece via a screen and pentagonal prism. The other divided light beam is reflected from a mirror and directed to a focus detection optical system constructed by a field view diaphragm, condenser lens, diaphragm mask and re-imaging lens, and an image in position corresponding to the range-finding field view is divided into two images by the optical system. An image sensor is arranged near the re-imaging surface which receives the two images formed by the focus detection optical system to photoelectrically convert a received signal and transfer data to a CPU. The CPU effects the focus detection operation containing the operation of interpolating the value of correlation between the two images by use of the self-correlation value of one of the two images based on detection data and drives the photographing lens to a focused position.

Abstract: An automatic focusing system comprises a focus detecting circuit arranged to detect the state of focus on the basis of a signal component which is extracted from an image signal and varies with the state of focus, a speed control circuit arranged to collate detected information on the signal component with preset conditions and to set a focus adjusting speed on the basis of a degree to which the detected information conforms with the conditions, and a circuit arranged to vary the setting of the conditions according to the level of the signal component of the image signal.

Abstract: A focus adjustment device for a camera includes a focus detection system, a controller including a drive amount calculation section that calculates the amount of lens movement required to focus on a photographic object based on a detected defocus amount, a memory section that stores the detected defocus amount, and an adjusted drive amount calculation section that statistically processes a plurality of stored defocus amounts. The adjusted drive amount calculation section calculates the adjusted drive amount required to properly focus the photographic lens on the subject and prevents unstable movements of the photographic lens in the vicinity of the focus position. The controller drives the photographic lens according to the adjusted drive amount after the commencement of a shutter release operation and before film exposure.

Abstract: In a camera and an autofocus controlling method thereof, displacement amounts between intensity distributions of light at corresponding first and second areas of an image sensing device are detected, and a plurality of displacement detection signals are generated. A high contrast area of an object to be photographed is also detected, and a contrast detection signal corresponding to that area is produced. A focus detection signal is produced based on one of the plurality of displacement detection signals corresponding to the contrast detection signal.

Abstract: A focus state detection device accurately detects in a short period of time the defocus amount of an arbitrary subject even when a plurality of subjects having different photographic distances are intermixed within the focus state detection region. Normally, the defocus amount is calculated on the basis of electric signal strings from each of a plurality of blocks. However, if one of the blocks is a perspective conflict block in which are intermixed a plurality of subjects having different photographic distances, new blocks are established containing at least part of the perspective conflict block. The defocus amount is calculated on the basis of the electric signal strings corresponding to these new blocks.

Abstract: An electrographic copying machine in which an image projected on an original glass stand by a film projector is read out by a scanner and copied is provided with a color scanner including a CCD for reading out a projected image, a smoothing processing unit for averaging the tone data of pixels outputted from the color scanner every four pixels, a difference value totaling unit for totaling the difference values between the averaged tone data, and a control unit for performing focusing of the film projector so that the total of the difference values is maximum. The focusing of the projected image is automatically performed.

Abstract: A data processing device for a camera wherein a parity bit is provided in data of an EEPROM, and when a parity error is caused by destruction of data or the like, data previously prepared in a ROM is employed, or when data before and after a specific abnormal data are normal, an interpolation calculation is performed by using these normal data. When data memorized in the EEPROM are destructed by an unexpected accident such as by static electricity, the data are prevented from using and picture taking can be continued without applying a serious influence on the picture-taking operation by performing an approximation calculation by using the other normal data memorized in the ROM.

Abstract: A manual focusing circuit of a camera comprising a rotation ring having a plurality of projections, wherein the ring is manually rotated forward and rearward by a user. The manual focusing circuit further comprises a first sensing element, which is coupled to one of the projections of the rotation ring, for producing a first signal; a second sensing element, which is coupled to another of the projections of the rotation ring, for producing a second signal having a phase difference of 90 degrees against the first signal; a signal stabilizer, which is coupled to the second sensing element, for removing a noise from the second signal to produce a stabilized signal representing a rotation number of the rotation ring; and circuitry, which is coupled to the first sensing element and the signal stabilizer, for producing an output signal representing a rotation direction of the rotation ring based on the first signal and the stabilized signal.

Abstract: A focus state detection device having a shooting lens, a mirror which guides light rays which have passed through the shooting lens to the photoelectric conversion element array, a focus state detection algorithm circuit which detects the focus state of the shooting lens through a focus state detection algorithm on the basis of output signals from the photoelectric conversion element array, and an accumulation control circuit which controls the electric charge accumulation time in the photoelectric conversion element array that, when it is detected by the focus state detection algorithm circuit that the shooting lens is in focus or near focus, the accumulation control circuit conducts accumulation control by fixing the next accumulation time to be the accumulation time at the time when focus or near focus is detected.

Abstract: An automatic focus adjustment device and method is used after focussing a shooting lens so as to maintain both stability and focussing precision. Shooting lens defocus amounts are calculated based on focus state detection signals repeatedly output from an electric charge type photosensitive device that receives light rays from a subject. Focus adjustment is accomplished until the shooting lens is in the predetermined focussing state based on these defocus amounts. After the shooting lens has reached the predetermined focussing state, the calculated defocus amounts are statistically processed. The determination to resume focus adjustment of the shooting lens is made based on this processing.

Abstract: An auto focus detecting device capable of focus detection by a contrast detecting method and a phase-difference detecting method. In accordance with a condition of an object, either one of detecting method is selected, and then an amount of defocus is calculated based on a result obtained by the selected detecting method.

Abstract: To improve the responsiveness of an automatic focus adjustment camera in which focus adjustment of the photographic lens is performed based on the results of focus detection in multiple regions, defocus amounts of the photographic optical system in multiple focus detection regions are detected asynchronously and independently of one another in multiple focus detection regions that are established on the photographic screen of the photographic optical system. The value of the defocus amounts in the various focus detection regions are compensated at times T3, T5, T8 and T9 when the defocus amounts are detected in the various focus detection regions, or at preset time intervals W, and the final defocus amount is set from among these multiple compensated defocus amounts in order to drive the photographic optical system.

Abstract: In a focus detecting apparatus, comprising a focus detecting optical system which leads two images created by the light passing through two different points of an objective lens onto a pair of one-dimensional image sensor arrays, a divider for dividing the pair of image sensor arrays into small blocks to take out the image output from each block, a focus detection calculator for shifting, from each other, the image outputs obtained from the pair of image sensor arrays to calculate the relative shift amount of the two images, and a modifier for changing the width of the blocks; a focus detecting apparatus further comprising a decider which decreases the width of the blocks through the modifier when it analyzes the space frequency component of the subject and determines that the subject includes a high-frequency component, or increases the width of the blocks when it determines that the subject includes a low-frequency component.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion unit includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices for receiving light from an object and storing charge corresponding to the quantity of the received light. A monitor unit outputs a monitor signal corresponding to the received light quantity from the start of the charge storage by the photoelectric conversion unit. When a predetermined time elapses from the start of the charge storage by the photoelectric conversion unit, a monitor read unit reads out the output monitor signal from the monitor unit. A time determining unit determines a charge storage end time on the basis of the monitor signal read out by the monitor read unit. When the charge storage end time determined by the time determining unit elapses, a signal read unit reads out charge signals stored in the photoelectric conversion devices of the photoelectric conversion unit.

Abstract: In an image pick-up device including an image forming lens, a focal condition of the image forming lens is detected by means of a focus detecting optical system including a condenser lens arranged near a predetermined focal plane of the image forming lens, a plurality of aperture stops which divides a light flux emanating from an object into a plurality of light fluxes, a plurality of image reforming lenses each corresponding to respective aperture stops and a plurality of light receiving element arrays each corresponding to respective image reforming lenses. Output characteristics of the light receiving element arrays are are expressed as three dimensional information, while an image position is expressed on X axis, a pupil position through which a light flux is transmitted is expressed on Y axis, and an intensity of light is expressed on Z axis. The three dimensional image is distorted on X-Z plane in accordance with defocus.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an image defocusing apparatus for defocusing an image formed on a screen by modeling an object in a boundary box by updating pixel values on the image to approximate a lens's focusing effects and a method thereof. The apparatus comprises a unit for computing data related to a circle of confusion for each point in the boundary box, the circle of confusion being a measure how defocused an out-of-focus point is on the screen, a unit for checking a reference pixel whose corresponding point's circle of confusion overlaps a pixel selected as a target pixel, and a unit for updating an original value of the target pixel by taking into account a value of the reference pixel and the data of the target pixel's circle of confusion.

Abstract: An automatic focusing system is arranged to use as a parameter a signal component which is extracted from an image signal and varies with the state of focus, to compute an evaluation value on the basis of a degree to which the signal component satisfies preset conditions or rules, and to adjust focus on the basis of the result of the computing operation.

Abstract: A focus detection device and method for a camera or the like detects focus adjustment conditions in a strip type focus detection areas. The areas do not contain an intersection of the image field and the optical axis of the photo-optical system but are radially and tangentially oriented with respect to concentric circles centered at the intersection. At least two strip-type areas are provided. The focus detection operation in a first focus detection area has a high accuracy of focus detection and a smaller chance for an eclipse to occur in the focus detection light rays. This area has priority over the focus detection operation of a second focus detection area. The device may also mathematically process the focus detection.