Focus Adjusting Device Dual Detection Area Autofocus Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing autofocusing methods in image pickup apparatuses, such as digital cameras, face issues when the main object cannot be detected, leading to unnecessary setting of focus detection areas, resulting in flickering screens and increased background focus, as well as inefficiencies in detecting moving objects.
Innovation Solution
A focus adjusting device that sets a second focus detection area in addition to the first, based on the position of the first focus detection area, allowing the image pickup optical system to adjust focus without unnecessary area settings, ensuring continuous focusing on the main object.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the focus detection area is increased when the main object cannot be detected, then the main object can be set within the focus detection area, but the proportion of background in the focus detection area is increased, causing the background to be brought into focus
Solution Approach 1:
The screen is divided into multiple focus detection areas (first focus detection area and second focus detection area) instead of using a single large area. This segmentation allows the system to maintain a smaller total focus detection area while still having multiple opportunities to detect the main object, thus preventing background focus while ensuring detection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of setting one large focus detection area that covers the entire screen, the system sets multiple smaller focus detection areas at specific positions. This partial action approach ensures that the main object is detected within at least one of these smaller areas, maintaining focus precision while achieving detection reliability through multiple sampling points.
2Reliability
If multiple focus detection areas are set over the entire screen to detect moving objects, then moving objects can be detected, but it takes time to perform calculations corresponding to the number of focus detection areas, wasting time
Solution Approach 1:
The screen is divided into a limited number of specific focus detection areas (first and second focus detection areas) rather than analyzing the entire screen. This segmentation reduces the calculation burden while maintaining detection capability for moving objects within these key areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly analyzing the entire screen, the system concentrates computational resources on specific local areas (the first and second focus detection areas) where the main object is most likely to be located. This local quality approach reduces overall calculation time while maintaining detection reliability in critical regions.
3Ease of operation
If the focus detection area is set at the central area of the screen when the main object cannot be detected, then the focus detection area can be maintained, but the focus position moves between the main object and background object, resulting in flickering of the screen
Solution Approach 1:
The system preliminarily sets multiple focus detection areas (first and second focus detection areas) at positions where the main object is most likely to be located. This preliminary action ensures that when the main object is present, it will be detected within one of these pre-positioned areas, maintaining focus stability and preventing screen flickering while ensuring operation continuity.
Data Source
AI summary
A focus adjusting device in which, when a detecting unit that detects an object image to be focused from a picked up image is capable of detecting the object image to be focused, a setting unit that sets a focus detection area when a focused state of an image pickup optical system is detected sets a second focus detection area after setting a first focus detection area and in accordance with the position of the first focus detection area, corresponding to the object image that is detected by the detecting unit and that is to be focused. Then, on the basis of signal outputs at the set focus detection area, the image pickup optical system is driven to perform focus adjustment.