EP2007135A2
Active / In Force
EP
⏱️ 1.6 years remaining
Imaging apparatus
Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
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Filing: 2008-06-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2028-06-18
Abstract
Abstract An imaging apparatus comprises an optical imaging system (13) obtaining a subject image; an electric imaging unit (8) converting the subject image obtained by the optical imaging system (13) into an electric signal; a focus evaluation value calculation unit (1) which calculates, using an output signal from the electric imaging unit (8), a focus evaluation value at plural points on the subject image in accordance with a contrast component; a focus bracket setting unit (1) which automatically sets at least one of number and interval of focus brackets in accordance with at least one of magnitude of the focus evaluation value and a peak steepness of a curve of the focus evaluation value calculated by the focus evaluation value calculation unit (1); and a processing unit (1) which performs image processing for the subject image in accordance with at least one of the number and interval of focus brackets set by the focus bracket setting unit (1).
Inventors
- 👤 Keiji c/o Ricoh Company Ltd. Himuro
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:12
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/60; H04N23/67; H04N23/673; H04N23/676; H04N23/70; H04N23/743
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
An imaging apparatus comprising: an optical imaging system (13) for obtaining an image of a subject; an electric imaging unit (8) for converting the subject image obtained by the optical imaging system (13) into an electric signal; a focus evaluation value calculation unit (1) for calculating, by use of an output signal from the electric imaging unit (8), a focus evaluation value at a plurality of points on the subject image in accordance with a contrast component; a focus bracket setting unit (1) for automatically setting at least one of a number of focus brackets to be shot and a focus interval in accordance with at least one of magnitude of the focus evaluation value and a peak steepness of a curve of the focus evaluation value calculated by the focus evaluation value calculation unit (1), the curve representing a relation between the focus evaluation value and a focus position; and a processing unit (1) for performing image processing for the subject image in accordance with at least one of the number of focus brackets to be shot and the focus interval set by the focus bracket setting unit (1).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a major subject designating unit (1) for designating on the subject image in advance an area or a point which is to be focused on.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
83 words
An imaging apparatus according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: when the focus evaluation value calculated by the focus evaluation value calculation unit (1) is larger than a first predetermined value, the number of focus brackets to be shot is set to be smaller than a predetermined number; and when it is smaller than a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value, the number of focus brackets to be shot is set to be larger than the predetermined number.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
An imaging apparatus according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: when the focus evaluation value calculated by the focus evaluation value calculation unit (1) is larger than a first predetermined value, the focus interval is set to be smaller than a predetermined interval; and when it is smaller than a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value, the focus interval is set to be larger than the predetermined interval.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
90 words
An imaging apparatus according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: when the peak steepness of the curve of the focus evaluation value calculated by the focus evaluation value calculation unit (1) is larger than a first predetermined value, the number of focus brackets to be shot is set to be smaller than a predetermined number; and when it is smaller than a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value, the number of focus brackets to be shot is set to be larger than the predetermined number.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
An imaging apparatus according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: when the peak steepness of the curve of the focus evaluation value calculated by the focus evaluation value calculation unit (1) is larger than a first predetermined value, the focus interval is set to be smaller than a predetermined interval; and when it is smaller than a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value, the focus interval is set to be larger than the predetermined interval.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
An imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising at least one of a display unit (7) and an audio generator which notifies at least one of a numeric value, a text, a graphic and audio data relative to the set number of focus brackets or focus interval.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
131 words
An imaging method comprising the steps of: obtaining an image of a subject; converting the image of the subject into an electrical signal; calculating from the electrical signal a focus evaluation value at a plurality of points on the image of the subject in accordance with a contrast component; setting at least one of a number of focus brackets to be shot and a focus interval in accordance with at least one of the magnitude of the focus evaluation value and a peak steepness of a curve representing a relation between the focus evaluation value and a focus position; and processing the image of the subject in accordance with at least one of the number of focus brackets to be shot and the focus interval as set in the setting step.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JP2004333924A
Cited
JP2004333411A
Cited
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