Endoscope Focus Lens Control for Seamless Mode Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscope systems face challenges with shallow depth of field due to high-pixel image sensors, requiring detailed focus adjustments and often resulting in user operation inefficiencies, as auto focus control can be time-consuming and may lead to users switching back to manual focus before completion, potentially halting operations.
Innovation Solution
An image capturing device with a processor configured to switch between manual focus and auto focus modes, detecting scene changes and estimating distance changes to quickly adjust the focus lens, allowing seamless transitions between modes to reduce user operation load and minimize wait times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If auto focus control is used, then focus adjustment is automated, but operation time increases and may halt procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scene status determination and distance change estimation before executing focus lens driving, allowing the AF control to start with pre-calculated parameters rather than from scratch, thus reducing overall operation time
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors scene status and distance changes, using this feedback to dynamically adjust focus control parameters and switch between AF and MF modes based on real-time conditions, optimizing both automation and speed
2Speed
If manual focus mode is used, then focus adjustment speed is fast, but user operation load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic scene status determination and distance change estimation without user intervention, then uses these results to control the focus lens, making the system serve itself rather than requiring continuous user input while maintaining fast adjustment speeds
3Measurement precision
If scene change detection is performed, then mode switching accuracy improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs scene status determination and distance change estimation as preliminary actions before focus adjustment, pre-processing the information needed for accurate mode switching while reducing the critical path time during actual focus operations
Data Source
AI summary
An image capturing device includes a processor. The processor is configured to implement: a switching control process for switching between a manual focus (MF) mode and an auto focus (AF) mode of performing auto focus control; a process for controlling driving of a focus lens; scene status determination process for performing a detection process for detecting a scene change during the MF mode and an estimation process for estimating distance change information indicating distance change between the image capturing section and an object. The processor is configured to implement: controlling the driving of the focus lens based on lens drive information; switching control for switching from the MF mode to the AF mode when the scene change is detected; and controlling the driving of the focus lens to bring the object into focus based on the distance change information.