IMAGING APPARATUS

• US 20110304765A1
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yogo, Takanori, Murayama, Masato, Konjo, Kenichi, Shintani, Dal
• Application Number:
  US13/202,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20110304765A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/345
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/34 using different areas in a pupil plane
• 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 23/611 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 23/672 based on the phase difference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method

Abstract

An imaging apparatus which allows selection of a preferable measurement point. An imaging apparatus (100) includes: an imaging device (10) configured to perform photoelectric conversion to convert light from an object into an electrical signal; a phase difference detection section (20) having a plurality of distance measurement points and configured to receive the light from the object to the imaging device (10) while the imaging device receives the light; a feature point extraction section (50) configured to extract a position or an area of a feature point of the object, based on an output from the imaging device; and a control section (50) configured to select at least one distance measurement point from the plurality of distance measurement points, based on the position or the area of the feature point, and control autofocus using a signal from the selected distance measurement point.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

an imaging device configured to perform photoelectric conversion to convert light from an object into an electrical signal;

a phase difference detection section having a plurality of distance measurement points which are configured to receive the light from the object to perform phase difference detection while the imaging device receives the light;

a feature point extraction section configured to extract a position or an area of a feature point of the object, based on an output from the imaging device; and

a control section configured to select at least one distance measurement point from the plurality of distance measurement points, based on the position or the area of the feature point, and control autofocus using a signal from the selected distance measurement point.

2. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the control section selects a distance measurement point at which light from an object corresponding to the position or the area of the feature point is received.

3. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the control section selects a distance measurement point at which light from an object located vertically below the object corresponding to the position or the area of the feature point and also located in an area overlapping the object in the horizontal direction is received

4. The imaging apparatus of any one of claims 1-3,

the control section controls autofocus further using an output from the imaging device corresponding to the position or the area of the feature point.

5. The imaging apparatus of claim 2, wherein

when a moving picture is shot and there is no distance measurement point at which light from an object corresponding to the position or the area of the feature point is received, the control section detects movement of the feature point and calculates, based on the movement, an estimated point to which the feature point moves, and if there is a distance measurement point at which light from an object corresponding to the estimated point is received, a focus lens group is put in a standby state.

6. The imaging apparatus of any one of claims 1-5, wherein

the imaging device is configured so that light passes through the imaging device, and

the phase difference detection section is configured to receive light which has passed through the imaging device.