Focus Control Apparatus Using Distance Histogram for Touch Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging apparatuses face difficulties in accurately focusing on an intended object due to perspective conflicts and cumbersome multi-touch operations, making it challenging to set the autofocus point effectively.
Innovation Solution
An imaging apparatus equipped with an imaging optical system, distance information acquisition, map generation, and position detection units that allow for accurate focus point setting by analyzing distance information and displaying an enlarged image of the touched area, simplifying the operation through touch panel interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the AF point is designated by a finger on the screen, then the focus area can be set, but perspective conflict occurs and the intended object may not be focused
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an enlarged image display as an intermediary between the user's touch input and the actual focus setting. When the user touches the screen, the system displays an enlarged view of that area, allowing the user to confirm the exact focus point before finalizing. This intermediary step resolves the contradiction by ensuring measurement precision (focus accuracy) while maintaining ease of operation through the familiar touch interface.
2Measurement precision
If the entire screen is displayed to check the focus, then the focus can be verified, but the operation becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the relevant portion of the image (the area around the touched point) and displays it in an enlarged view. Instead of requiring the user to review the entire screen to verify focus, the system selectively displays only the critical area that needs attention. This extraction principle reduces operation time while maintaining focus verification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional full-screen view to an enlarged detailed view, effectively using dimensional transformation to enhance focus verification. By displaying the image at a larger scale in a localized area, the system enables precise focus checking without requiring the user to navigate through the entire screen, thus reducing operation time.
3Measurement precision
If multi-touch operation is used to enlarge the image, then the image can be zoomed in, but the operation becomes difficult to perform during imaging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where a single touch automatically triggers the enlarged image display. The system anticipates the user's need to verify focus by automatically providing the enlarged view without requiring additional multi-touch gestures. This self-service approach maintains measurement precision through image enlargement while dramatically improving ease of operation during imaging.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging optical system, an imaging element acquiring an image of an object, a unit that acquires distance information corresponding to distance between the imaging optical system and the object, a unit that generates a map information corresponding to the image based on the distance information, a unit that is able to detect touch operation of a user on a display unit displaying the image and that detects a position in the image corresponding to a position touched by the user, and a control unit configured to acquire the distance information at the position of the acquired image from the map information to set the position as a focus point according to the acquired distance information, or configured to display, on the display unit, an enlarged image obtained by cutting an area of part of the image including the position.