IMAGING APPARATUS

• US 20130016245A1
• Filed: 07/13/2012
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yuba, Motohiro
• Application Number:
  US13/548,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20130016245A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/36 Autofocus systems
• 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 includes an imager which acquires an image signal of a subject. A first filter processer performs a filer process on a luminance signal included in the image signal in a focus area. A second filter processor performs a filter process on the luminance signal included in the image signal in the focus area and to which a cutoff frequency different from the cutoff frequency of the first filter processor is set. A first determiner determines whether or not a point light source is included in the subject. A calculator calculates an evaluation value from the luminance signal included in the image signal in the focus area. A focuser performs focus control based on the evaluation value. When it is determined that the point light source is included in the subject, the calculator calculates the evaluation value based on outputs of the first and second filter processor.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

an imager which acquires an image signal of a subject by imaging;

a setter which sets a focus area to the image signal;

a first filter processer which performs a filer process on a luminance signal included in the image signal in the focus area;

a second filter processor which performs a filter process on the luminance signal included in the image signal in the focus area and to which a cutoff frequency different from the cutoff frequency of said first filter processor is set;

a first determiner which determines whether or not a point light source is included in the subject;

a calculator which calculates an evaluation value from the luminance signal included in the image signal in the focus area; and

a focuser which performs focus control based on the evaluation value, wherein when it is determined by said first determiner that the point light source is included in the subject, said calculator calculates the evaluation value based on output of said first filter processor and output of said second filter processor.

2. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a focus lens; and

a driver which drives said focus lens along an optical axis direction, wherein

said calculator calculates the respective evaluation values at different focus lens positions while driving said focus lens by said driver, and

said focuser arranges said focus lens at a position at which the evaluation value is at maximum.

3. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the focus area is formed of a plurality of small regions, and said calculator calculates the evaluation value for each of the plurality of small regions.

4. An imaging apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a second determiner which determines, when it is determined by said first determiner that a point light source is included in the subject, whether or not each of the plurality of small regions is a small legion that is influenced by the point light source, wherein said evaluation value calculator calculates the evaluation value based on output by said first filter processor in a small region that is determined, by said second determiner, to be influenced by the point light source, and calculates the evaluation value based on the output by said first filter processor and output by said second filter processer in a small region that is determined not to be influenced by the point light source.