Multi-point distance measuring apparatus

Claim 2

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light flux from a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a foreseeing calculation circuit for finding data concerned with lens driving for focusing the lens on an object after a predetermined time on the basis of data concerning a past focus adjusting operation data and data conforming to the focusing state obtained by a new focus detection, said lens driving device driving the lens in conformity with the foreseeing-calculated data; and (b) a selection circuit for selecting one of the outputs of said plurality of light receiving portions on the basis of the past data conforming to said focusing state, the selected data being used for said foreseeing calculation.

Claim 3

An auto focusing device according to claim 1, wherein said selection circuit selects the output of one of said light receiving portions for an object suitable for foreseeing-calculating the data conforming to said focusing state.

Claim 4

An auto focusing device according to claim 2, wherein said selection circuit selects the output of one of said light receiving portions which is receiving the light flux form the same object as the object which has been the subject of a past focus adjusting operation.

Claim 5

An auto focusing device according to claim 1, wherein said auto focusing device is incorporated in a camera.

Claim 6

An auto focusing device according to claim 1, wherein said foreseeing calculation circuit determines the coefficients of a high-order functional equation based on the data concerning said past focus state and a new focus detection operation, and calculates data connected with said lens driving based on the high-order functional equation the coefificents of which are thus obtained.

Claim 7

An auto focusing device according to claim 5, wherein said high-order functional equation is represented by at 2 +bt+c where a, b, and c are the coefficients.

Claim 8

An auto focusing device provided with a focus detecting circuit for detecting the focusing states to objects at a plurality of different positions of a scene and outputting data conforming to said focusing states, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the data from said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a foreseeing calculation circuit for finding data concerned with lens driving for focusing the lens on an object after a predetermined time on the basis of data concerning a past focus state data and data conforming to the focusing state obtained by a new focus detection, said lens driving device driving the lens in conformity with said foreseeing-calculated data; and (b) a selection circuit for selecting the data conforming to said focusing state on the basis of the past data from among the data conforming to said focusing states found for said different positions, respectively, the selected data being used for said foreseeing calculation.

Claim 9

An auto focusing device provided with a focus detecting circuit for detecting the focusing states to objects at a plurality of different positions of a scene and outputting data conforming to said focusing states, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the data from said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a foreseeing calculation circuit for finding data concerned with lens driving for focusing the lens on an object after a predetermined time on the basis of data concerning a past focus state data and data conforming to the focusing state obtained by a new focus detection, said lens driving device driving the lens in conformity with said foreseeing-calculated data; and (b) a selection circuit for selecting the data conforming to said focusing state on the basis of the past data from among the data conforming to said focusing states found for said different positions, respectively, the selected data being used for said foreseeing calculation.

Claim 10

An auto focusing device according to claim 7, wherein said selection circuit selects data conforming to the focusing state at one of the different positions which is distance measuring an object suitable for effecting said foreseeing calculation.

Claim 11

An auto focusing device according to claim 8, wherein said selection circuit selects data conforming to the focusing state detected at one of the different positions which is distance-measuring the same object as the object which has been the subject of the past focus adjusting operation.

Claim 12

An auto focusing device according to claim 9, wherein said selection circuit judges the similarity between the characteristic of the object represented by said past focus state data and the characteristic of each object represented by the data at each of the different positions, on the basis of said past focus state data and the data conforming to the focusing states at said different positions, and selects data of high similarity.

Claim 13

An auto focusing device according to claim 10, wherein the characteristic of said object is a characteristic regarding the movement speed of the object.

Claim 14

An auto focusing device according to claim 10, wherein the characteristic of said object is a characteristic regarding the contrast of illuminance of the object.

Claim 15

An auto focusing device according to claim 7, wherein said auto focusing device is incorporated in a camera.

Claim 16

An auto focusing device according to claim 7, wherein said foreseeing calculation circuit determines the coefficients of a high-order functional equation based on the data concerning said past focus state and a new focus detection operation, and calculates data connected with said lens driving based on the high-order functional equation the coefificents of which are thus obtained.

Claim 17

An auto focusing device according to claim 14, wherein said high-order functional equation is represented by at 2 +bt+c wherein a, b, and c are coefficients.

Claim 18

An auto focusing device provided with a focus detecting circuit for detecting the focusing states of objects at a plurality of different positions of a scene and outputting data conforming to said focusing states, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the data from said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a foreseeing calculation circuit for finding data concerned with lens driving for focusing the lens on an object after a predetermined time on the basis of data concerning a past focus and (b) a selection circuit for selecting the data conforming to the focusing state in conformity with the past data conforming to said focus state, the selected data being used for the foreseeing calculation.

Claim 19

An auto focusing device provided with a focus detecting circuit for detecting the focusing states of objects at a plurality of different positions of a scene and outputting data conforming to said focusing states, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the data from said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a foreseeing calculation circuit for finding data concerned with lens driving for focusing the lens on an object after a predetermined time on the basis of data concerning a past focus and (b) a selection circuit for selecting the data conforming to the focusing state in conformity with the past data conforming to said focus state, the selected data being used for the foreseeing calculation.

Claim 20

An auto focusing device according to claim 16, wherein said auto focusing device is incorporated in a camera.

Claim 21

An auto focusing device according to claim 16, wherein said foreseeing calculation circuit determines the coefficients of a high-order functional equation based on the data concerning said past focus state and a new focus detection operation, and calculates data connected with said lens driving based on the high-order functional equation the coefificents of which are thus obtained.

Claim 22

An auto focusing device according to claim 16, wherein said high-order functional equation is represented by at 2 +bt+c where a, b, and c are the coefficients.

Claim 23

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes at a plurality of different positions a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focus state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focus state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a foreseeing calculation circuit for finding data concerning lens driving for focusing the lens on an object after a predetermined time on the basis of the past focus state data and data conforming to the focusing state obtained by a new focus detection, said lens driving device driving the lens in conformity with said foreseeing-calculated data; and (b) a selection circuit for selecting the data conforming to the focus state, as the data obtained by the new focus detection, used for said foreseeing calculation, said selection circuit selecting data conforming to the focus state based of an output of a predetermined portion in accordance with amount of illuminance, contrast, or travelling speed of the object which are represented by outputs of each said light receiving portion.

Claim 24

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes at a plurality of different positions a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focus state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focus state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a foreseeing calculation circuit for finding data concerning lens driving for focusing the lens on an object after a predetermined time on the basis of the past focus state data and data conforming to the focusing state obtained by a new focus detection, said lens driving device driving the lens in conformity with said foreseeing-calculated data; and (b) a selection circuit for selecting the data conforming to the focus state, as the data obtained by the new focus detection, used for said foreseeing calculation, said selection circuit selecting data conforming to the focus state based of an output of a predetermined portion in accordance with amount of illuminance, contrast, or travelling speed of the object which are represented by outputs of each said light receiving portion.

Claim 25

An auto focusing device according to claim 20, wherein said auto focusing device is incorporated in a camera.

Claim 26

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes at a plurality of different positions, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a selection circuit for selecting one of the outputs of said light receiving portions at said different positions, causing the focusing state detection result based on said selected output to be output from said focus detecting circuit, and causing said lens driving device to drive the lens on the basis of said focusing state detection result, said selection circuit selecting an output having a similar characteristic to the characteristic of the object represented by a light reception output used in the past lens driving operation among each said light reception outputs, said characteristic concerning contrast, amount of illumination, or travelling speed of the object.

Claim 27

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes at a plurality of different positions, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a selection circuit for selecting one of the outputs of said light receiving portions at said different positions, causing the focusing state detection result based on said selected output to be output from said focus detecting circuit, and causing said lens driving device to drive the lens on the basis of said focusing state detection result, said selection circuit selecting an output having a similar characteristic to the characteristic of the object represented by a light reception output used in the past lens driving operation among each said light reception outputs, said characteristic concerning contrast, amount of illumination, or travelling speed of the object.

Claim 28

An auto focusing device according to claim 22, wherein said auto focusing device is incorporated in a camera.

Claim 29

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes at a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a selection circuit for selecting a predetermined one of the light reception outputs at said different positions, causing the focusing state detection result based on said selected output to be output from said focus detecting circuit, and causing said lens driving device to drive the lens on the basis of said focusing state detection result; and (b) said selection circuit selecting one of said light receiving outputs based on a travelling speed of the object at each position, which is represented by the output of said each light receiving portion.

Claim 30

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes at a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a selection circuit for selecting a predetermined one of the light reception outputs at said different positions, causing the focusing state detection result based on said selected output to be output from said focus detecting circuit, and causing said lens driving device to drive the lens on the basis of said focusing state detection result; and (b) said selection circuit selecting one of said light receiving outputs based on a travelling speed of the object at each position, which is represented by the output of said each light receiving portion.

Claim 31

An auto focusing device according to claim 24, wherein said selection circuit selects an output representing a travelling speed close to the travelling speed of the object represented by the output selected by said selection circuit at a preceding operation.

Claim 32

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes at a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a selection circuit for selecting a predetermined one of the light reception outputs at said different positions, causing the focusing state detection result based on said selected output to be output from said focus detecting circuit, and causing said lens driving device to drive the lens on the basis of said focusing state detection result; and (b) said selection circuit selecting the light reception output of one of the different positions which is measuring an object whose image at an imaging plane moves at the highest speed.

Claim 33

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes at a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a selection circuit for selecting a predetermined one of the light reception outputs at said different positions, causing the focusing state detection result based on said selected output to be output from said focus detecting circuit, and causing said lens driving device to drive the lens on the basis of said focusing state detection result; and (b) said selection circuit selecting the light reception output of one of the different positions which is measuring an object whose image at an imaging plane moves at the highest speed.

Claim 34

An auto focusing device according to claim 26, wherein said auto focusing device is incorporated in a camera.

Claim 35

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes from a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception output of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a foreseeing calculation circuit for determining lens driving data to make an object, after a predetermined period of time has passe, in-focus on the basis of focus adjusting operation data obtained in the past and focus adjusting operation data conforming to the focusing state obtained in a new focus detection operation; and (b) a selection circuit for selecting one of the outputs of said plurality of light receiving portions, said selecting circuit selecting an output having a characteristic suitable for the foreseeing calculation on the basis of characteristics of outputs of each portion, said foreseeing calculation circuit determining said lens driving data by using, as said focus adjusting operation data, a focusing state obtained by said detecting circuit corresponding to the output selected by said selection circuit, said lens driving device driving a lens in accordance with said lens driving data thus determined.

Claim 36

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes from a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception output of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a foreseeing calculation circuit for determining lens driving data to make an object, after a predetermined period of time has passe, in-focus on the basis of focus adjusting operation data obtained in the past and focus adjusting operation data conforming to the focusing state obtained in a new focus detection operation; and (b) a selection circuit for selecting one of the outputs of said plurality of light receiving portions, said selecting circuit selecting an output having a characteristic suitable for the foreseeing calculation on the basis of characteristics of outputs of each portion, said foreseeing calculation circuit determining said lens driving data by using, as said focus adjusting operation data, a focusing state obtained by said detecting circuit corresponding to the output selected by said selection circuit, said lens driving device driving a lens in accordance with said lens driving data thus determined.

Claim 37

An auto focusing device according to claim 28, wherein said selection circuit selects the output of one of said light receiving portions which is receiving the light flux from the same object as the object which has been the subject of the past focus adjusting operation.

Claim 38

An auto focusing device according to claim 29, wherein the lens driving by said lens driving device based on the data determined by said foreseeing calculation circuit is prohibited when the selection circuit cannot select the light receiving portion which receives light flux from the same object.

Claim 39

An auto focusing device according to claim 28, wherein said selection circuit judges the similarity between the characteristic of the object represented by the past focus adjusting operation data and the characteristic of each object represented by the data corresponding to an output at each of a plurality of different positions, and selects a data whose similarity is higher than that of the other.

Claim 40

An auto focusing device according to claim 31, wherein the lens driving by said lens driving device based on the data determined by said foreseeing calculation circuit is prohibited when said selection circuit is not capable of selecting the data whose similarity is high.

Claim 41

An auto focusing device according to claim 28, wherein said selection circuit defines a difference between the travelling speed of the imaging plane of the object represented by the past focus adjusting operation data and the travelling speed of the imaging plane of the object at said each position obtained by considering the outputs of the different positions obtained in a new focus detection operation, and selects the output of a data of a particular position whose said difference is small.

Claim 42

An auto focusing device according to claim 33, wherein said selection circuit determines the outputs from the positions whose difference between the travelling speed of the imaging plane of the object at each position and the travelling speed of the imaging plane of the object represented by the past focus detection operation data is smaller than a predetermined amount and selects, among the determined outputs, an output which represents a high travelling speed.

Claim 43

An auto focusing device according to claim 33, wherein the lens driving by said lens driving device based on the data determined by said foreseeing calculation circuit is prohibited when said selection circuit is not capable of selecting the position whose said difference of the travelling speed is small.

Claim 44

An auto focusing device according to claim 28, wherein said selection circuit defines a difference between the contrast or the illumination state based on the output of a light receiving portion selected in the past and the contrast or the illumination state of each position based on each output of different positions obtained in the new focus detection operation, and selects the contrast or the illumination state whose said difference is smallest.

Claim 45

An auto focusing device according to claim 36, wherein the lens driving by said lens driving device based on the data determined by said foreseeing calculation circuit is prohibited when said selection circuit is not capable of selecting the position whose said difference in the contrast or the illumination state is smallest.

Claim 46

An auto focusing device according to claim 28, wherein said foreseeing calculation circuit determines coefficients of a high-order functional equation based on said past focus adjusting operation and focus adjusting operation data of a new focus detection operation, and obtains the lens driving data in accordance with the high-order functional equation whose coefficients are thus determined.

Claim 47

An auto focusing device according to claim 38, wherein said high-order functional equation is represented by at 2 +bt+c where a, b, and c are the coefficients.

Claim 48

An auto focusing device according to claim 28, wherein said selection circuit selects the output of one of said light receiving portions for an object suitable for foreseeing calculation.

Claim 49

A camera having an auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes from a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a foreseeing calculation circuit for determining lens driving data to make an object, after a predetermine period of time has passed, in-focus on the basis of focus adjusting operation data obtained in the past and focus adjusting operation data conforming to the focusing state obtained in a new focus detection operation; and (b) a selection circuit for selecting one of the outputs of said plurality of light receiving portions, said selecting circuit selecting an output having a characteristic suitable for the foreseeing calculation on the basis of characteristics of outputs of each portion, said foreseeing calculation circuit determining said lens driving data by using, as said focus adjusting operation data, a focusing state obtained by said detecting circuit corresponding to the output selected by said selection circuit, said lens driving device driving a lens in accordance with said lens driving data thus determined.

Claim 50

A camera having an auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes from a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a foreseeing calculation circuit for determining lens driving data to make an object, after a predetermine period of time has passed, in-focus on the basis of focus adjusting operation data obtained in the past and focus adjusting operation data conforming to the focusing state obtained in a new focus detection operation; and (b) a selection circuit for selecting one of the outputs of said plurality of light receiving portions, said selecting circuit selecting an output having a characteristic suitable for the foreseeing calculation on the basis of characteristics of outputs of each portion, said foreseeing calculation circuit determining said lens driving data by using, as said focus adjusting operation data, a focusing state obtained by said detecting circuit corresponding to the output selected by said selection circuit, said lens driving device driving a lens in accordance with said lens driving data thus determined.

Claim 51

An auto focusing device according to claim 41, wherein said selection circuit selects the output of one of said light receiving portions which is receiving the light flux from the same object as the object which has been the subject of the past focus adjusting operation.

Claim 52

An auto focusing device according to claim 40, wherein the lens driving by said lens driving device based on the data determined by said foreseeing calculation circuit is prohibited when the selection circuit cannot select the light receiving portion which receives light flux from the same object.

Claim 53

An auto focusing device according to claim 41, wherein said selection circuit judges the similarity between the characteristic of the object represented by the past focus adjusting operation data and the characteristic of each object represented by the data corresponding to an output at each of a plurality of different positions, and selects a data whose similarity is higher than that of the other.

Claim 54

An auto focusing device according to claim 44, wherein the lens driving by said lens driving device based on the data determined by said foreseeing calculation circuit is prohibited when said selection circuit is not capable of selecting the data whose similarity is high.

Claim 55

An auto focusing device according to claim 41, wherein said selection circuit defines a difference between the travelling speed of the imaging plane of the object represented by the past focus adjusting operation data and the travelling speed of the imaging plane of the object at said each position defined by considering the outputs of the different positions obtained in a new focus detection operation, and selects the output of a data of a particular position whose said difference is small.

Claim 56

An auto focusing device according to claim 46, wherein said selection circuit determines the outputs from the positions whose difference between the travelling speed of the imaging plane of the object at each position and the travelling speed of the imaging plane of the object represented by the past focus detection operation data is smaller than a predetermined amount and selects, among the determined outputs, an output which represents a high travelling speed.

Claim 57

An auto focusing device according to claim 46, wherein the lens driving by said lens driving device based on the data determined by said foreseeing calculation circuit is prohibited when said selection circuit is not capable of selecting the position whose said difference of the travelling speed is small.

Claim 58

An auto focusing device according to claim 41, wherein said selection circuit defines a difference between the contrast or the illumination state based on the output of a light receiving portion selected in the past and the contrast or the illumination state of each position based on each output of different positions obtained in the new focus detection operation, and selects the contrast or the illumination state whose said difference is smallest.

Claim 59

An auto focusing device according to claim 49, wherein the lens driving by said lens driving device based on the data determined by said foreseeing calculation circuit is prohibited when said selection circuit is not capable of selecting the position whose said difference in the contrast or the illumination state is smallest.

Claim 60

An auto focusing device according to claim 41, wherein said foreseeing calculation circuit determines coefficients of a high-order functional equation based on said past focus adjusting operation and focus adjusting operation data of a new focus detection operation, and obtains the lens driving data in accordance with the high-order functional equation whose coefficients are thus determined.

Claim 61

An auto focusing device according to claim 51, wherein said high-order functional equation is represented by at 2 +bt+c where a, b, and c are the coefficients.

Claim 62

An auto focusing device according to claim 41, wherein said selection circuit selects the output of one of said light receiving portions for an object suitable for foreseeing calculation.

Claim 63

A camera having an auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes from a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a foreseeing calculation circuit for finding data concerned with lens driving for focusing the lens on an object after a predetermined period of time on the basis of data concerning a past focus state and data conforming to the focusing state obtained in a new focus detection, said lens driving device driving the lens in conformity with said foreseeing-calculated data; and (b) a selection circuit for selecting one of the outputs of said plurality of light receiving portions on which the past data conforming to said focusing state used for the foreseeing calculation is based, said foreseeing calculation circuit determining said lens driving data by using, as said focus adjusting operation data, a focusing state obtained by said detecting circuit corresponding to the output selected by said selection circuit, said lens driving device driving a lens in accordance with said lens driving data thus determined.

Claim 64

A camera having an auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes from a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a foreseeing calculation circuit for finding data concerned with lens driving for focusing the lens on an object after a predetermined period of time on the basis of data concerning a past focus state and data conforming to the focusing state obtained in a new focus detection, said lens driving device driving the lens in conformity with said foreseeing-calculated data; and (b) a selection circuit for selecting one of the outputs of said plurality of light receiving portions on which the past data conforming to said focusing state used for the foreseeing calculation is based, said foreseeing calculation circuit determining said lens driving data by using, as said focus adjusting operation data, a focusing state obtained by said detecting circuit corresponding to the output selected by said selection circuit, said lens driving device driving a lens in accordance with said lens driving data thus determined.

Claim 65

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes from a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a selection circuit for selecting an output from a specific portion among said light receiving portions; (b) a foreseeing calculation circuit for predicting a position of the object a predetermined period of time in the future on the basis of the output selected by said selection circuit in a focus detection operation in the past and the output selected by said selection circuit in a new focus detection operation to obtain the lens driving amount to make the object in-focus, said lens driving device driving the lens based on the predicted position data; and (c) a control circuit for, when the output from the specific portion selected by said selection circuit in the new focus detection operation is not suitable for the foreseeing calculation, causing said selection circuit to select an output from another portion, and for performing said foreseeing calculation using said selected output as an output in the new focus detection operation, wherein said control circuit determines that the output from the specific portion is not suitable for the foreseeing calculation when it is determined that a characteristic of the object corresponding to the output from the specific portion is different from a characteristic of the object obtained by the output selected by the selection circuit in the past focus detection operation.

Claim 66

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes from a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a selection circuit for selecting an output from a specific portion among said light receiving portions; (b) a foreseeing calculation circuit for predicting a position of the object a predetermined period of time in the future on the basis of the output selected by said selection circuit in a focus detection operation in the past and the output selected by said selection circuit in a new focus detection operation to obtain the lens driving amount to make the object in-focus, said lens driving device driving the lens based on the predicted position data; and (c) a control circuit for, when the output from the specific portion selected by said selection circuit in the new focus detection operation is not suitable for the foreseeing calculation, causing said selection circuit to select an output from another portion, and for performing said foreseeing calculation using said selected output as an output in the new focus detection operation, wherein said control circuit determines that the output from the specific portion is not suitable for the foreseeing calculation when it is determined that a characteristic of the object corresponding to the output from the specific portion is different from a characteristic of the object obtained by the output selected by the selection circuit in the past focus detection operation.

Claim 67

An auto focusing device according to claim 55, wherein said characteristic of the object is the travelling speed of the imaging plane of the object.

Claim 68

An auto focusing device according to claim 55, wherein said characteristic of the object is contrast.

Claim 69

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes from a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a selection circuit for selecting data concerning an output from one portion among said plurality of light receiving portions; (b) a foreseeing calculation circuit for predicting a position of the object a predetermined period of time in the future on the basis of the data selected by said selection circuit in a focus detection operation in the past and the data selected by said selection circuit in a new focus detection operation to obtain the lens driving amount to make the object in-focus, said lens driving device driving the lens based on the predicted position data, said selection circuit selecting data suitable for said foreseeing calculation; and (c) a control circuit for, when the selection circuit is not capable of determining the data suitable for the foreseeing calculation, inhibiting the lens driving operation on the basis of the predicted position data.

Claim 70

An auto focusing device provided with a plurality of light receiving portions for receiving light fluxes from a plurality of different positions of a scene, a focus detecting circuit for repetitively detecting the focusing state on the basis of the light reception outputs of said light receiving portions, and a lens driving device for driving a lens in conformity with the focusing state detected by said focus detecting circuit, comprising: (a) a selection circuit for selecting data concerning an output from one portion among said plurality of light receiving portions; (b) a foreseeing calculation circuit for predicting a position of the object a predetermined period of time in the future on the basis of the data selected by said selection circuit in a focus detection operation in the past and the data selected by said selection circuit in a new focus detection operation to obtain the lens driving amount to make the object in-focus, said lens driving device driving the lens based on the predicted position data, said selection circuit selecting data suitable for said foreseeing calculation; and (c) a control circuit for, when the selection circuit is not capable of determining the data suitable for the foreseeing calculation, inhibiting the lens driving operation on the basis of the predicted position data.

Claim 71

An auto focusing device according to claim 58, wherein said selection circuit selects an output from a light receiving portion which receives a light flux form the same object.