Dynamic Eye Selection Region for Reliable Autofocus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing camera autofocus systems face challenges in accurately selecting the eye as a focus detection region, especially when the eye is near the edge of the face, leading to potential inclusion of background and reduced user intent reflection.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device with a processor and memory that detects faces and eyes, allows users to designate a position on a display screen, and dynamically adjusts the selection region for the eye based on reliability and edge proximity, ensuring the correct eye is selected as the focus detection region.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the selection region for an eye is widened to improve ease of selection, then the user can easily designate the eye as an AF target position, but the selection region may include background when the eye is at an edge of a face region, causing incorrect focus detection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of eye selectionVSAvoidaccuracy of focus detection region selection

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the selection region behavior based on eye position. When an eye is detected at the edge of a face region, the system selectively extends only the portion of the selection region that falls outside the face region, while maintaining precise boundaries within the face region. This localized adjustment allows easy selection for edge eyes without compromising the accuracy of focus detection by preventing background inclusion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If the selection region is extended to include edge eyes, then more eyes can be selected as AF targets, but background regions may be incorrectly included in the selection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapability to select edge eyesVSAvoidprecision of focus detection region

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the selection region into two distinct parts: a first selection region within the face region and a second selection region outside the face region. When an eye is detected at the edge, the system extends only the second region while maintaining the boundary of the first region. This segmentation allows the system to include edge eyes in the selection (improving adaptability) while preventing background inclusion (maintaining measurement precision).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11496670B2Electronic device with display screen capable of reliable detection of a user selected displayed eye region in a scene to be captured, and region selection method

Publication Date: 2022.11.08 CANON KK

AI summary

An electronic device is provided with a detecting unit for detecting a face and an eye from an image; an obtaining unit for obtaining a position designated by a user on a display screen on which the image is displayed; a setting unit for setting a left region for selecting a left eye of a face specified by the position designated and a right region for selecting a right eye of the face; and a selecting unit for selecting an eye region of a corresponding eye when the position designated is present in the left region or the right region. The setting unit extends a region for selecting, out of eyes of the specified face, an eye closer to an edge of the specified face when a predetermined condition is satisfied.