US5164835A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic focusing device
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1992-03-02
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Granted: 1992-11-17
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Expires: 2012-03-02
Abstract
Abstract An automatic focusing device for a camera is arranged to binary-code luminance levels obtained in a plurality of areas set on an image sensing plane; to detect any change in the binary coded inforamtion between timewise different fields; and to compute a degree and range of the change. An automatic focusing action is brought to a stop when the computed degree of change exceeds a predetermined value on the assumption that the change results from a movement of the camera due to camera shake or panning. In case that the degree of change is less than the predetermined value, the change is considered to have resulted from a movement of an object to be photographed. In that event, the focusing action is allowed to continue by tracing the moving object witha focus detecting zone.
Inventors
- 👤 Kunihiko Yamada
- 👤 Akihiro Fujiwara
- 👤 Masamichi Toyama
- 👤 Hirofumi Suda
- 👤 Kitahiro Kaneda
- 👤 Katsuji Yoshimura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 12:19
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/14; H04N5/144; H04N5/145; G; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G02B7/28; G02B7/36
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
An automatic focusing device comprising: a) binary coded information producing means for producing binary coded information by comparing the levels of a predetermined frequency component in each of a plurality of areas set on an image sensing plane of image sensing means with a predetermined value; b) first detecting means for comparing binary coded information in each of the plurality of areas in one field with that in another field among a plurality of fields differing timewise from each other to produce a signal based on the difference between the two binary coded information; c) computing means for obtaining a degree of relative variations in information on images formed on said image sensing plane in different fields by computing the result of detection made by said detecting means; and d) control means for controlling a focus adjusting action on the basis of an output of said computing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
An automatic focusing device comprising: a) binary coded information producing means for producing binary coded information by comparing the levels of a predetermined frequency component in each of a plurality of areas set on an image sensing plane of image sensing means with a predetermined value; b) first detecting means for comparing binary coded information in each of the plurality of areas in one field with that in another field among a plurality of fields differing timewise from each other to produce a signal based on the difference between the two binary coded information; c) computing means for obtaining a degree of relative variations in information on images formed on said image sensing plane in different fields by computing the result of detection made by said detecting means; and d) control means for controlling a focus adjusting action on the basis of an output of said computing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined frequency component is a luminance component included in a video signal produced from said image sensing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device according to claim 2, wherein said image sensing means is a CCD.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said control means is arranged to lock said focus adjusting action into a stopped state when the output of said computing means is above a predetermined value.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device according to claim 4, wherein said control means is arranged to allow said focus adjusting action to continue when the output of said computing means is less than said predetermined value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device according to claim 4, further comprising second detecting means for detecting a cluttered degree of information on images formed on said image sensing plane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device according to claim 6, wherein said computing means is arranged to produce information obtained by normalizing an output of said first detecting means with an output of said second detecting means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said first detecting means includes a memory arranged to store binary information on each of said plurality of areas in an amount covering one image plane.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device according to claim 7, wherein said second detecting means is arranged to produce a total, for one image plane, of differences in said predetermined frequency component between adjacent areas among said plurality of areas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device according to claim 7, wherein said second detecting means is arranged to detect a total value of differences in said predetermined frequency component between horizontally adjacent areas of said image sensing plane.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of areas are set in a lattice-like form on said image sensing plane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
179 words
An image movement detecting device comprising: a) binary coding means arranged to sample information on an image formed on an image sensing plane of image sensing means in a plurality of areas of said image sensing plane, and to binary-code the sampled information in accordance with a predetermined law to produce binary coded information; b) first detecting means for comparing binary coded information in each of the plurality of areas in one field with that in another field among a plurality of fields differing timewise from each other to detect a change in the binary coded information; c) computing means for computing information on a position on the image sensing plane of an area in which the change in the binary coded information has been detected by said first detected means to detect a moved position of image information formed on said image sensing plane; and d) discriminating means for discriminating a status of motion of the image or a photographing condition, on the basis of an information of position of movement of image outputted from said computing means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
179 words
An image movement detecting device comprising: a) binary coding means arranged to sample information on an image formed on an image sensing plane of image sensing means in a plurality of areas of said image sensing plane, and to binary-code the sampled information in accordance with a predetermined law to produce binary coded information; b) first detecting means for comparing binary coded information in each of the plurality of areas in one field with that in another field among a plurality of fields differing timewise from each other to detect a change in the binary coded information; c) computing means for computing information on a position on the image sensing plane of an area in which the change in the binary coded information has been detected by said first detected means to detect a moved position of image information formed on said image sensing plane; and d) discriminating means for discriminating a status of motion of the image or a photographing condition, on the basis of an information of position of movement of image outputted from said computing means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device according to claim 12, wherein said binary coding means is arranged to binary-code a luminance component included in a video signal produced by said image sensing means in each of said plurality of areas.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device according to claim 13, wherein said image sensing means is a CCD.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device according to claim 12, further comprising second detecting means for detecting a cluttered degree of image information formed on said image sensing plane.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device according to claim 15, wherein said computing means is arranged to produce information obtained by normalizing an output of said first detecting means with an output of said second detecting means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device according to claim 16, wherein said second detecting means is arranged to produce a total, for one image plane, of luminance differences obtained between horizontally adjacent areas among said plurality of areas.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
A device according to claim 12, wherein said discriminating means makes a discrimination between a movement of an object and a movement of said device on the basis of a degree of the detected change in the binary coded information between the different fields.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
57 words
A device according to claim 18, wherein said discriminating means is arranged to determine said change to be caused by a movement of said device if the degree of said change exceeds a predetermined value and to be caused by a movement of the object if the degree of said change is less than said predetermined value.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
191 words
An automatic focusing device comprising: a) binary coding means arranged to sample information on an image formed on an image sensing plane of image sensing means in a plurality of areas on said image sensing plane, and to binary-code the sampled information in accordance with a predetermined law to produce binary coded information; b) first detecting means for comparing binary coded information in each of said plurality of areas in one field with that in another field among a plurality of fields differing timewise from each other to detect a change in the binary coded information; (c) computing means for computing information on a position on the image sensing plane of an area in which the change in the binary coded information has been detected by said first detecting means to detect a moved position of image information formed on said image sensing plane; d) zone setting means for setting a focus detecting zone on said image sensing plane; and e) control means for controlling a position of said focus detecting zone on said image sensing plane by controlling said zone setting means according to an output of said computing means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
191 words
An automatic focusing device comprising: a) binary coding means arranged to sample information on an image formed on an image sensing plane of image sensing means in a plurality of areas on said image sensing plane, and to binary-code the sampled information in accordance with a predetermined law to produce binary coded information; b) first detecting means for comparing binary coded information in each of said plurality of areas in one field with that in another field among a plurality of fields differing timewise from each other to detect a change in the binary coded information; (c) computing means for computing information on a position on the image sensing plane of an area in which the change in the binary coded information has been detected by said first detecting means to detect a moved position of image information formed on said image sensing plane; d) zone setting means for setting a focus detecting zone on said image sensing plane; and e) control means for controlling a position of said focus detecting zone on said image sensing plane by controlling said zone setting means according to an output of said computing means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
52 words
A device according to claim 20, wherein said computing means is arranged to obtain a range of the change in the image information by computing said binary coded information, and wherein said control means is arranged to set said focus detecting zone in a middle part of said range of the change.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
53 words
A device according to claim 21, wherein said computing means is arranged to detect the size of an object by computing a change in image information through a computing operation on said binary coded information and to set the size of said focus detecting zone according to the detected size of the object.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device according to claim 20, wherein said binary coding means is arranged to binary-code a luminance component included in a video signal produced by said image sensing means in each of said plurality of areas.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device according to claim 20, further comprising second detecting means for detecting a cluttered degree of image information formed on said image sensing plane.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device according to claim 24, wherein said computing means is arranged to produce information obtained by normalizing an output of said first detecting means with an output of said second detecting means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device according to claim 25, wherein said second detecting means is arranged to produce a total, for one image plane, of luminance differences obtained between horizontally adjacent areas among said plurality of areas.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
193 words
An automatic object tracing device comprising: a) binary coding means arranged to sample information on an image formed on an image sensing plane of image sensing means in a plurality of areas set on said image sensing plane, and to binary-code the sampled information in accordance with a predetermined law to produce binary coded information; b) detecting means for comparing binary coded information in each of the plurality of areas in one field with that in another field among a plurality of fields differing timewise from each other to detect a change in the binary coded information; c) computing means for computing information on a position on the image sensing plane of an area in which the change in the binary coded information has been detected by said detecting means to detect a moved position of image information formed on said image sensing plane; d) zone setting means for setting a tracing zone for tracing an object on said image sensing plane; and e) control means for controlling a position of said tracing zone on said image sensing plane by controlling said zone setting means according to an output of said computing means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
193 words
An automatic object tracing device comprising: a) binary coding means arranged to sample information on an image formed on an image sensing plane of image sensing means in a plurality of areas set on said image sensing plane, and to binary-code the sampled information in accordance with a predetermined law to produce binary coded information; b) detecting means for comparing binary coded information in each of the plurality of areas in one field with that in another field among a plurality of fields differing timewise from each other to detect a change in the binary coded information; c) computing means for computing information on a position on the image sensing plane of an area in which the change in the binary coded information has been detected by said detecting means to detect a moved position of image information formed on said image sensing plane; d) zone setting means for setting a tracing zone for tracing an object on said image sensing plane; and e) control means for controlling a position of said tracing zone on said image sensing plane by controlling said zone setting means according to an output of said computing means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
51 words
A device according to claim 27, wherein said computing means is arranged to obtain a range of the change in the image information by computing said binary coded information, and wherein said control means is arranged to set said tracing zone in a middle part of said range of the change.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
58 words
A device according to claim 27, wherein said computing means is arranged to detect the size of said object by computing a change in image information through a computing operation on said binary coded information, and wherein said control means is arranged to set the size of said tracing zone according to the detected size of the object.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-11-17 | 1996-05-18 | 1996-11-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-11-17 | 2000-05-18 | 2000-11-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-11-17 | 2004-05-18 | 2004-11-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |