AF FRAME AUTO-TRACKING SYSTEM

• US 20110019066A1
• Filed: 07/09/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: TAKANO, Yoshijiro, Yata, Kunio
• Application Number:
  US12/833,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20110019066A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/345
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/20 Rangefinders coupled with focusing arrangements, e.g. adjustment of rangefinder automatically focusing camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/36 Autofocus systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions

Abstract

Disclosed is an AF frame auto-tracking system that does not require a complicated operation when starting AF frame auto-tracking, is capable of setting the face of a person as a tracking target with a simple operation, and reduces the load of an operator.

A CPU of an image processing unit determines whether the face of a person is included in an image captured by a camera body. If it is determined that the face of the person is included in the captured image, the CPU automatically sets the face of the person included in the captured image as an object, which is a tracking target. When a plurality of faces of persons is included in the captured image, the CPU automatically sets a face with the largest size among the plurality of faces of persons as the object, which is the tracking target.

Claims

1. An AF frame auto-tracking system comprising:

an imaging unit that captures an object image formed by an optical system;

an auto focus unit that adjusts the focus of the optical system such that an object in the range of a predetermined AF frame in the image captured by the imaging unit is in focus;

an AF frame auto-tracking unit that controls the AF frame to automatically track an object, which is a predetermined tracking target, such that the object, which is the tracking target, is in focus;

a determining unit that determines whether the face of a person is included in the image captured by the imaging unit; and

a tracking target automatic setting unit that automatically sets the face of the person included in the captured image as the object, which is the tracking target, when the determining unit determines that the face of the person is included in the captured image,

wherein, when a plurality of faces of persons is included in the captured image, the tracking target automatic setting unit automatically sets a face with the largest size among the plurality of faces of persons as the object, which is the tracking target.

2. The AF frame auto-tracking system according to claim 1,

wherein, when the plurality of faces of persons included in the captured image has the same size, the tracking target automatic setting unit automatically sets a face that is disposed at the center of the captured image among the plurality of faces of persons as the object, which is the tracking target.

3. The AF frame auto-tracking system according to claim 1,

wherein, when the determining unit determines that the face of the person is not included in the captured image, the tracking target automatic setting unit automatically sets an object in the range of the AF frame as the object, which is the tracking target.

4. The AF frame auto-tracking system according to claim 1,

wherein the AF frame auto-tracking system is provided in a portable camera.

5. The AF frame auto-tracking system according to claim 4,

wherein an AF frame operating device that changes the position of the AF frame is not provided.