Automatic focus control camera

• US 4,671,640 A
• Filed: 08/09/1985
• Issued: 06/09/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha Osaka Kokusai Building 2-30 Azuchi-Machi Higashi-Ku Osaka-Shi Osaka Japan
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Norio, Taniguchi, Nobuyuki, Egawa, Takeshi, Akada, Yasuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W. B.
• Application Number:
  US06/764,742
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 354/400-409, 354/412, 354/195.1, 354/430, 354/266, 352/140
• US Class Current: 396/135
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/36 using image sharpness techniques , e.g. image processing techniques for generating autofocus signals image data processing per se G06T; in cameras having a solid state image sensor H04N23/67
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/005 Blur detection

Abstract

In an automatic focus control camera capable of obtaining a focus control information during focus adjustment comprising focus control information obtaining means requiring a time between the sensing of the focus condition and the generation of data indicative of the necessary degree of focus adjustment, and modifying means for modifying the data with a degree of focus adjustment expected to occur with a predetermined speed during the time, there is provided means for interrupting the operation of the obtaining means and the modifying means for a period beginning from the initiation of focus adjustment.

Claims

1. An automatic focus control camera having means for varying the focus condition comprising:

means for obtaining information necessary for automatic focus control, including means for sensing a focus condition and means for generating a data signal indicative of the necesary degree of focus adjustment required in response to the sensing means, said obtaining means requiring a time period from the sensing of the focus condition until the generation of the data signal;

means for providing a driving power for varying the focus adjustment in accordance with the data signal;

means for directing said obtaining means to operate when the driving power is not being provided and also when the driving power is being provided;

means operative when the driving power is being provided, for modifying the effect of the data signal with the degree of focus adjustment expected to be required during a predetermined application of driving power to the means for varying the focus condition; and

means for interrupting the operation of said obtaining means and said modifying means for a period of time beginning from an initiation of providing the driving power, the period of time being greater than the time required from the initiation of the focus adjustment until an attainment of a predetermined speed of a focus adjustment movement caused by the driving power.

2. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 1, further comprising means for subtracting the actual degree of focus adjustment caused by the driving power from the degree of focus adjustment represented by the data signal generated before the provision of the driving power, and means for preparing a reference data signal, wherein said providing means includes means responsive to any remainder value resulting from the subtraction and the reference data signal for reducing the driving power when the remainder value becomes less than the reference data signal, and wherein said preparing means includes means for changing the reference data signal in accordance with the data signal generated by said generating means before the provision of the driving power.

3. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 1, further comprising means for preparing a first reference level and a second reference level greater than the first one, and wherein said providing means includes means for varying the driving power with a selected one of the first and second reference levels and for reducing the driving power when the data signal is less than the selected reference level, and means for selecting the first reference level with the driving power not reduced, and the second reference level with the driving power reduced, respectively.

4. The automatic focus camera according to claim 1, further comprising means for deciding whether the data signal of said obtaining means is reliable, means for controlling said providing means to provide the driving power in accordance with a predetermined signal in place of the data signal when said deciding means decides that the data signal is not reliable, means for investigating whether the driving power is provided, and means responsive to said investigating means for disabling said controlling means when the driving power is provided.

5. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 1, wherein said directing means includes means for repeatedly directing said obtaining means to operate, means for finding a difference between a pair of successively generated data signals and means responsive to said finding means for causing said providing means to respond to the later one of the pair of data signals when the difference is within a predetermined range and for causing said providing means to respond to next data signal generated in succession to the pair of data signals when the difference is over the predetermined range.

6. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 1, further comprising means for preparing a first reference level representative of a first level of defocusing degree and a second reference level representative of a second level of defocusing degree greater than the first one, means for informing whether or not a teleconverter is used with the camera, and means responsive to said informing means for selecting the first reference level when the teleconverter is not used, and for selecting the second reference level when the teleconverter is used, wherein said providing means includes means for comparing the data signal with the selected one of the first and second reference levels and for deciding when the focus adjustment is in the infocus condition when a level of the defocusing degree represented by the data signal is less than the level of the defocusing degree represented by the selected reference level.

7. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 1, further comprising means for performing a camera exposure operation, first means for controlling the operation of said obtaining means, second means for controlling the operation of said obtaining means, sequence control means for controlling said performing means and said first controlling means, and means for selecting between said first and second controlling means, whereby the obtaining means operates under the control of said sequence control means in a accordance with a total camera operation sequence when said first controlling means is selected, and the obtaining means also operates independently from the control of said sequence control means when said second controlling means is selected.

8. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 1, further comprising means for informing of the focus condition in response to said obtaining means and for switching between an automatic focus control mode in which said providing means is operative and a manual focus control mode in which said providing means is inoperative, means for calculating an exposure control data, a first manually operable member for a shutter release operation, a second manually operable member for setting an exposure information, first means for enabling said calculating means in response to a manipulation of either of said first and second manually operable members in either of the automatic and manual focus control modes, second means for enabling said providing means in response to a manipulation of said first manually operable member with no response to that of said second manually operable member in the automatic focus control mode, and third means for enabling said informing means in response to a manipulation of either of said first and second manually operable members in the manual focus control mode.

9. An automatic focus control camera comprising:

means for obtaining information necessary for automatic focus control, the information being indicative of the necessary degree of focus adjustment;

means for providing a driving power for focus adjustment in accordance with the information;

means for directing said obtaining means to operate when the driving power is not provided;

means for detecting a remainder value obtainable by subtracting the actual degree of focus adjustment caused by the driving power from the degree of focus adjustment represented by the information obtained before the provision of the driving power;

means for preparing a reference data;

means responsive to the remainder value and the reference data for reducing a speed of focus adjustment caused by the driving power when the remainder value becomes less than the reference data; and

means for changing the reference data in accordance with the information obtained before the provision of the driving power.

10. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 9, wherein said changing means includes means for comparing a predetermined information with the information obtained before the provision of the driving power and means responsive to said comparing means for maintaining the reference data at a constant value when the information from the obtaining means is greater than the predetermined information and for reducing the reference data from the constant value when the information from the obtaining means is than the predetermined information.

11. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 10 further including means for braking the driving power, wherein the constant value corresponds to the degree of focus adjustment expected to occur from the time of the braking of the focus adjustment at its maximum speed until a complete stopping of the focus adjustment.

12. An automatic focus control camera comprising:

means for obtaining information necessary for automatic focus control, the information relating to a level of the defocusing degree and a direction of the defocus;

means for providing a driving power for focus adjustment in accordance with the information;

means for preparing a first reference level and a second reference level greater than the first one, both the first and second reference levels being greater than a level of defocusing degree which is regarded as an in-focus condition;

means for comparing the information with a selected one of the first and second reference levels and for reducing the driving power of said providing means when the level of the defocusing degree represented by the information is less than the level of the defocusing degree represented by the selected reference level; and

means for selecting the first reference level with the driving power not reduced, and the second reference level with the driving power reduced, respectively.

13. An automatic focus control camera having means for varying the focus condition of the camera comprising:

means for obtaining information necessary for automatic focus control;

means for providing a driving power in accordance with the information to the means for varying the focus condition;

means for repeatedly directing said obtaining means to operate when the driving power is not provided and also when the driving power is provided;

means for deciding whether the information of said obtaining means is reliable;

means for controlling said providing means to provide the driving power in accordance with a predetermined signal in place of the information when said deciding means decides that the information is not reliable, so as to seek another position of focus adjustment at which the information of said obtaining means is reliable;

means for investigating whether the driving power is provided in accordance with the information; and

means reponsive to said investigating means for disabling said controlling means when the driving power is provided.

14. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 13, wherein said obtaining means includes means for sensing a contrast of the image, and wherein said deciding means includes means for regarding the information unreliable when the contrast is less than a predetermined required level.

15. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 13, wherein said disabling means includes means for interrupting the provision of the driving power, and for directing said obtaining means to operate with the focus adjustment stopped, and also for enabling said providing means again, in place of the operation of said controlling means.

16. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 13, wherein said disabling means includes means for enabling said providing means to continue the provision of driving power in accordance with the information obtained before the deciding means functions, in place of the operation of said controlling means.

17. An automatic focus control camera comprising:

means for obtaining information necessary for automatic focus control;

means for providing a driving power for focus adjustment in accordance with the information;

means for repeatedly directing said obtaining means to operate;

means for finding a difference between a pair of successively obtained informations; and

means responsive to said finding means for causing said providing means to respond to the later one of the pair of informations when the difference is within a predetermined range and for causing said providing means to respond to the next information obtained in succession to the pair of informations when the difference is over the predetermined range.

18. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 17, wherein said finding means includes means for storing the information from said obtaining means, and means for comparing the stored information with the information obtained in succession to the stored information to find the difference therebetween.

19. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 17, further comprising means responsive to said finding means for interrupting the provision of the driving power when the difference is over the predetermined range so that the next information is obtained without the provision of the driving power.

20. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 17, further comprising means for measuring light from an object to be focused to make said directing means prolong a repetition period of its directions as the measured light intensity decreases, and means for detecting whether the measured light intensity is less than a predetermined level, wherein said causing means is further responsive to said detecting means for causing said providing means to respond to the later one of the pair of informations when the less intensity is detected even if the difference is over the predetermined range.

21. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 20, further comprising means responsive to said finding means and said detecting means for interrupting the provision of the driving power when the difference is over the predetermined range and the measured intensity is greater than the predetermined level, so that the next information is obtained without the provision of the driving power.

22. An automatic focus control camera comprising:

means for obtaining information necessary for automatic focus control, the information being indicative of a level of the defocusing degree;

means for providing a driving power of focus adjustment in accordance with the information;

means for directing said obtaining means to operate;

means for preparing a first reference level representative of a first level of defocusing degree and a second reference level representative of a second level of defocusing degree greater than the first one;

means for informing whether or not a teleconverter is used with the camera;

means responsive to said informing means for selecting the first reference level when the teleconverter is not used, and for selecting the second reference level when the teleconverter is used; and

means for comparing the information with the selected one of the first and second reference levels and for deciding that the focus adjustment is in an in-focus condition when the level of the defocusing degree represented by the information is less than the level of the defocusing degree represented by the selected reference level.

23. The automatic focus control camera according to claim 22, wherein said preparing means includes means for determining the first reference level in accordance with data representative of aperture value, and for determining the second reference level in accordance with the data representative of aperture value with a predetermined value added.

24. A camera capable of automatically detecting the focus condition comprising:

means for obtaining information necessary for automatic detecting of the focus condition;

means for starting a camera exopsure operation;

first means for controlling the operation of said obtaining means;

second means for controlling the operation of said obtaining means;

sequence control means for controlling said starting means and said first controlling means; and

means for selecting between said first and second controlling means,

whereby said obtaining means operates under the control of said sequence control means in accordance with a total camera operation sequence when said first controlling means is selected, and said obtaining means also operates without the control of said sequence control means when said second controlling means is selected.

25. The camera according to claim 24, further comprising means for providing a driving power for automatic focus adjustment in accordance with the information, said providing means being also under the control of one of said first and second controlling means selected by said selecting means.

26. An automatic focus control camera comprising:

means for obtaining information necessary for focus control;

means for providing a driving power for automatic focus adjustment in accordance with the information;

means for providing information from said obtaining means;

means for switching between an automatic focus control mode in which said driving power providing means is operative and a manual focus control mode in which said driving power providing means is inoperative;

means for calculating an exposure control data;

a first manually operable member for a shutter release operation;

a second manually operable member for setting exposure information;

first means for enabling said calculating means in response to a manipulation of either of said first and second manually operable members in either of the automatic and manual focus control modes;

second means for enabling said providing means in response to a manipulation of said first manually operable member with no response to that of said second manually operable member in the automatic focus control mode; and

third means for enabling said information providing means in response to a manipulation of either of said first and second manually operable members in the manual focus control mode.