Method for automatically focusing on specific movable object, photographic apparatus including automatic focus function, and computer readable storage medium for storing automatic focus function program

• US 10,067,407 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2013
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PixArt Imaging Incorporated
• Inventors: Chang, Yen-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Fosselman, Joel
• Application Number:
  US13/737,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20140139723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,064 Days
• Field of Search: 348349, 3482221, 396153
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/28 Systems for automatic generation of focusing signals
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/36 Autofocus systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals

Abstract

A method capable of performing an automatic focus function upon a specific movable object in a real-time manner, the method being applicable to a photographic apparatus with the automatic focus function, includes: capturing real-time image within a field of view (FOV) of a lens; comparing images of a plurality of image areas of the real-time image with a feature image of the specific movable object to identify an image area corresponding to the feature image of the specific movable object; and, performing automatic focus on the identified image area.

Claims

1. A method of performing an automatic focus function upon a single specific movable target object in a real-time manner, the method being applicable to a photographic apparatus, which comprises a photographing button and a lens and has the automatic focus function, the method comprising:

photographing a reference image, before the photographing button is pressed, of the single specific movable target object through the lens to generate a feature image of the single specific movable target object;

storing the feature image of the single specific movable target object in a database;

capturing a real-time image within a field of view (FOV) of the lens;

comparing images of a plurality of image areas of the real-time image with the feature image of the single specific movable target object for identifying an image area corresponding to the feature image of the single specific movable target object and identifying, after the photographing button is pressed, a location of the single specific movable target object, wherein the feature image of the single specific movable target object is identified within the real-time image and corresponds to at least a portion of a dressing characteristic of a person, an accessory characteristic of a person, a non-physiological possession characteristic of a person, or an animal characteristic without including human characteristic; and

performing automatic focus of the lens, after the photographing button is pressed, upon the identified location of the single specific movable target object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the images of the plurality of image areas comprise images corresponding to a plurality of movable objects, and said identifying the image area corresponding to the feature image of the single specific movable target object comprises:

identifying the feature image of the single specific movable target object from the images corresponding to the plurality of movable objects.

3. A photographic apparatus with an automatic focus function, comprising:

a photographing button;

a storage circuit configured to store images;

a lens configured to capture a real-time image within a field of view (FOV) of the lens; and

a processing circuit electrically coupled to the lens, and configured to compare images of a plurality of image areas of the real-time image with a feature image of a single specific movable target object to identify an image area corresponding to the feature image of the single specific movable target object and identify, after the photographing button is pressed, a location of the single specific movable target object, wherein the feature image of the single specific movable target object is identified within the real-time image and corresponds to at least a portion of a dressing characteristic of a person, an accessory characteristic of a person, a non-physiological possession characteristic of a person, or an animal characteristic without including human characteristic;

wherein

the lens is configured to capture a reference image, before the photographing button is pressed, of the single specific movable target object, and the processing circuit is configured to generate the feature image of the single specific movable target object to be stored in a database in the storage circuit, and

a focus of the lens is focused on, after the photographing button is pressed, the identified location of the single specific movable target object through performing automatic focus.

4. The photographic apparatus of claim 3, being disposed on a mobile communication apparatus or a camera apparatus.

5. The photographic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the images of the plurality of image areas comprises images corresponding to a plurality of movable objects, and the processing circuit is configured to identify the feature image of the single specific movable target object from the images corresponding to the plurality of movable objects.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, storing a computer program for performing an automatic focus function upon a single specific movable target object in a real-time manner, the computer program, when executed by a photographic apparatus, which comprises a photographing button and a lens and has the automatic focus function, causing the photographic apparatus to execute:

photographing a reference image, before the photographing button is pressed, of the single specific movable target object through the lens to generate a feature image of the single specific movable target object;

storing the feature image of the single specific movable target object in a database;

capturing a real-time image within a field of view (FOV) of the lens;

comparing images of a plurality of image areas of the real-time image with the feature image of the single specific movable target object for identifying an image area corresponding to the feature image of the single specific movable target object and identifying, after the photographing button is pressed, a location of the single specific movable target object, wherein the feature image of the single specific movable target object is identified within the real-time image and corresponds to at least a portion of a dressing characteristic of a person, an accessory characteristic of a person, a non-physiological possession characteristic of a person, or an animal characteristic without including human characteristic; and

performing automatic focus of the lens, after the photographing button is pressed, upon the identified location of the single specific movable target object.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the images of the plurality of image areas comprises images corresponding to a plurality of movable objects, and said identifying the image area corresponding to the feature image of the single specific movable target object comprises:

identifying the feature image of the single specific movable target object from the images corresponding to the plurality of movable objects.