AUTO FOCUS SPEED ENHANCEMENT USING OBJECT RECOGNITION AND RESOLUTION
First Claim
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1. An autofocus digital camera comprising:
- a moveable lens system;
an image sensor coupled with the moveable lens system;
a processor coupled with the image sensor; and
data storage coupled with the processor and having stored therein a table, the table having a plurality of entries, each entry including a stored face size and a corresponding stored lens focus position,wherein the processor is to perform an autofocus operation when taking a picture, wherein in the autofocus operation, the processor is to detect a face in an image captured by the image sensor, calculate size of the face, select a stored lens focus position from the table based on the calculated face size, and signal the moveable lens system to move to the selected stored lens focus position,and wherein the processor is to signal the image sensor to take the picture once the moveable lens system is at the selected stored lens focus position.
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Abstract
Autofocus operations in a digital camera are described. In one embodiment, a processor detects a face in an image captured by the camera, and calculates the size of the face. It selects from amongst a number of previously stored face sizes, one that is closest to the calculated face size. It retrieves a previously stored lens focus position that is associated with the selected, previously stored face size. It signals a moveable lens system of the digital camera to move to a final focus position given by the retrieved, previously stored lens focus position. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
30 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An autofocus digital camera comprising:
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a moveable lens system; an image sensor coupled with the moveable lens system; a processor coupled with the image sensor; and data storage coupled with the processor and having stored therein a table, the table having a plurality of entries, each entry including a stored face size and a corresponding stored lens focus position, wherein the processor is to perform an autofocus operation when taking a picture, wherein in the autofocus operation, the processor is to detect a face in an image captured by the image sensor, calculate size of the face, select a stored lens focus position from the table based on the calculated face size, and signal the moveable lens system to move to the selected stored lens focus position, and wherein the processor is to signal the image sensor to take the picture once the moveable lens system is at the selected stored lens focus position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for performing an autofocus operation in a digital camera, comprising:
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capturing an image of a scene; detecting a face in the captured image; calculating size of the detected face; selecting from amongst a plurality of previously stored face sizes one that is closest to the calculated face size; retrieving a previously stored lens focus position that is associated with the selected one of the previously stored face sizes; and signaling a moveable lens system of the digital camera to move to a final focus position given by the retrieved, previously stored lens focus position. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An article of manufacture for use when performing an autofocus method using a moveable lens system, comprising:
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storage that stores a first table having a plurality of entries, each entry containing a different face size and an associated lens focus position for the moveable lens system, wherein the storage stores machine code which programs a processor to select one of the entries in the first table based on a calculated face size, retrieve the associated lens focus position from the selected entry, and signal the moveable lens system to move to a final focus position given by the retrieved lens focus position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for building a look up table, comprising:
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a) capturing an image of a face using a moveable lens system that is set to a lens focus position; b) evaluating sharpness of the captured face in the image; c) when the sharpness is sufficient, storing the lens focus position in a first look up table and storing size of the captured face in the look up table in association with the stored lens focus position; d) when the sharpness is not sufficient, signaling the lens system to move to a different lens focus position and repeating a)-b) with the moveable lens system set to the different lens focus position; and e) repeating c)-d) at least once. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification