Focus Tracking Control After Manual Focus in Imaging Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging systems burden users with manual focus operations, especially in one-man operations, leading to momentary time lags and difficulty in adjusting focus, angle of view, and exposure simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
An imaging apparatus that senses the termination of a manual focus operation based on a non-operation state, sets the in-focus region as a tracking target, and initiates auto focus control, reducing user burden by automatically switching to tracking AF mode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual focus operation is used, then focus adjustment precision is improved, but operation burden and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the in-focus region during manual focus operation, and automatically sets this region as the tracking target before the user completes the focus adjustment. This preliminary action prepares the system for automatic tracking, reducing the user's subsequent operation burden while maintaining precise focus control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the autofocus mechanism to serve itself by automatically detecting the in-focus region during manual operation and using it as the tracking target. Once the user completes manual focus adjustment, the system autonomously switches to tracking autofocus mode, allowing the focus system to maintain itself without continuous user intervention.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual focus operation is used, then focus control flexibility is improved, but productivity and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between manual focus mode and automatic tracking mode based on the user's operational state. During manual focus adjustment, the system remains in manual mode to provide flexibility; once adjustment is complete (detected via non-operation state timing), it automatically transitions to tracking mode to maintain focus on moving subjects, thereby improving operational efficiency without sacrificing control flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to the user by detecting the termination of manual focus operation through timing the non-operation state. This feedback mechanism automatically triggers the switch to tracking mode, allowing the system to adapt its behavior based on user actions and improve overall operational efficiency while maintaining focus control flexibility when needed.
3Productivity
If automatic tracking mode is activated, then operational efficiency is improved, but manual control capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic switching between manual and automatic tracking modes based on detected user operations. When the user performs focus adjustment, the system operates in manual mode; when no operation is detected for a predetermined time, it switches to automatic tracking mode. This periodic action allows the system to maintain manual control capability when needed while achieving operational efficiency during automatic tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the detection of non-operation state timing as an intermediary mechanism to mediate between manual control and automatic tracking. This intermediary detection method determines when to switch modes, ensuring that manual control capability is preserved when the user is actively adjusting focus, while automatic tracking efficiency is achieved when the user has completed adjustments.
4Speed
If focus operation is continuously monitored, then responsiveness is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuously monitoring all focus parameters, the system performs partial monitoring by detecting only the termination state of manual focus operation through timing the non-operation state. This partial action approach achieves sufficient responsiveness to switch to automatic tracking mode without implementing complex continuous monitoring of all focus-related variables, thereby maintaining relatively simple system architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging optical system, an imaging element, and a processor, in which, in a first focus mode, the processor outputs moving image data captured by the imaging element via the imaging optical system to a display destination, detects an in-focus region in an image represented by the moving image data based on the moving image data, senses, in a case where a focus operation is performed, a termination of the focus operation based on a time related to the focus operation, sets, in a case where the termination of the focus operation is sensed, a subject present in the in-focus region as a tracking target to continuously perform tracking processing and auto focus control, and terminates, in a case where the focus operation is performed again after the tracking processing and the auto focus control are started, the tracking processing and the auto focus control.