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 10,203,586 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2018
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• 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 W
• Application Number:
  US16/051,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20180341168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 195 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 specific target object, 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 at least one reference image, before the photographing button is pressed, of the specific target object through the lens to generate a feature of the specific target object;

storing the feature of the specific target object in a storage circuit;

capturing a real-time image through the lens;

comparing images of a plurality of image areas of the real-time image with the feature of the specific target object for identifying an image area in the real-time image corresponding to the feature of the specific target object and identifying, after the photographing button is pressed, a location of the specific target object; and

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

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

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

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising capturing the real-time image for each time point according to a capture rate.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising continuously focusing on the specific target object in the real-time image at each time point.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the photographing button is a physical button or a virtual button.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising

averaging multiple reference images when the multiple reference images being photographed for generating the feature.

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

a photographing button;

a storage circuit;

a lens configured to capture a real-time image therethrough; 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 of a specific target object to identify an image area in the real-time image corresponding to the feature of the specific target object and identify, after the photographing button is pressed, a location of the specific target object;

wherein

the lens is further configured to capture at least one reference image, before the photographing button is pressed, of the specific target object, and the processing circuit is configured to generate the feature of the specific target object to be stored in the storage circuit, and

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

8. The photographic apparatus of claim 7, wherein the photographic apparatus is disposed on a mobile communication apparatus or a camera apparatus.

9. The photographic apparatus of claim 7, wherein the images of the plurality of image areas comprises images corresponding to a plurality of image objects, and the processing circuit is configured to identify the feature of the specific target object from the images corresponding to the plurality of image objects.

10. The photographic apparatus of claim 7, wherein the lens is further configured to capture the real-time image for each time point according to a capture rate.

11. The photographic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the focus of the lens is continuously focused on the specific target object in the real-time image at each time point.

12. The photographic apparatus of claim 7, wherein the photographing button is a physical button or a virtual button.

13. The photographic apparatus of claim 7, wherein the lens is configured to capture multiple reference images to be averaged for generating the feature of the specific target object.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, storing a computer program for performing an automatic focus function upon a specific target object, 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 specific target object through the lens to generate a feature of the specific target object;

storing the feature of the specific target object in a storage circuit;

capturing a real-time image through the lens;

comparing images of a plurality of image areas of the real-time image with the feature of the specific target object for identifying an image area in the real-time image corresponding to the feature of the specific target object and identifying, after the photographing button is pressed, a location of the specific target object; and

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

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the images of the plurality of image areas comprises images corresponding to a plurality of image objects, and said identifying the image area corresponding to the feature of the specific target object comprises:

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