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Automatic focus for image sensors

  • US 20060164934A1
  • Filed: 01/26/2005
  • Published: 07/27/2006
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An automatic focusing apparatus as a part of a digital imaging device, the apparatus comprising:

  • an optical system capable of forming an image of an object at a focal plane of the optical system;

    a two dimensional array of light sensors for generating pixel data representing the image;

    a windowing facility for;

    extracting the pixel data of at least one region of the image;

    computing at least one value corresponding to a focus condition of the region based on the region'"'"'s extracted pixel data; and

    computing at least one value corresponding to a scene activity of the region based on the region'"'"'s extracted pixel data;

    a focus condition change detection facility for computing an out-of-focus indicator value based on the scene activity value; and

    a tracking state-machine for computing a direction value and a magnitude value for adjusting and repositioning the optical system from a current position, based on the computed focus condition value and the out-of-focus indicator value.

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