Automatic focusing apparatus

• US 5,664,239 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 09/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Nakata, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US08/466,889
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 354/402, 354/406, 354/407, 354/408, 354/409, 250/201.2, 250/201.8, 396/104, 396/128, 396/125
• US Class Current: 396/104
• 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

Abstract

A focus detecting apparatus that includes an optical system having a group of focusing lenses. An object distance measuring device measures a defocus amount for a specific object imaged by the optical system. A focus judging device determines a focus state in accordance with a measurement of the object distance measuring device. A lens driver then drives the focusing lens group to a focal position, in accordance with the amount of defocus, wherein the apparatus includes a controller for repeatedly operating the object distance measuring device and the lens driver. A moving object judging device determines that the specific object is a moving object when the focus judging device determines an out-of-focus state more than one time during the repeated operations.

Claims

1. A focus detecting apparatus that includes an optical system having a group of focusing lenses, and means for measuring a defocus amount for an image of a specific object formed by said focusing lens group, comprising:

means for determining a contrast of said image of said specific object; and

means for selecting a defocus amount such that, when said contrast determining means determines that said contrast of said specific object image is not low, said measured defocus amount is selected, and when said contrast determining means determines that said contrast of said specific object defocus amount is low, said defocus amount measuring means operates to re-measure said defocus amount, so that said re-measured defocus amount is compared with a previously obtained defocus amount to select a smaller defocus amount.

2. The focus detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein said defocus amount measuring means comprises a phase difference detecting sensor.

3. The focus detecting apparatus of claim 2, further comprising means for driving said focusing lens group in accordance with said defocus amount selected by said defocus amount selecting means.

4. The focus detecting apparatus of claim 3, further comprising means for determining whether said specific object is in-focus, in accordance with said defocus amount measured by said defocus amount measuring means, so that said defocus amount selecting means selects said measured defocus amount regardless of said contrast when said focus determining means determines that said specific object is in-focus.

5. The focus detecting apparatus of claim 4, further comprising means for driving said focusing lens group in accordance with said defocus amount selected by said defocus amount selecting means.

6. The focus detecting apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an indicator that indicates said in-focus state when said focus determining means determines that said specific object is in-focus.

7. A focus detecting apparatus that includes an optical system having a group of focusing lenses, measuring device that measures a defocus amount for an image of a specific object formed by said focusing lens group, comprising:

a contrast device that determines a contrast of said image of said specific object; and

a selecting device that;

selects said measured defocus amount when said contrast device determines that said contrast of said specific object image is not low; and

re-measures said defocus amount so that said re-measured defocus amount is compared with a previously obtained defocus amount in order to select a smaller defocus amount when said contrast device determines that said contrast of said specific object defocus amount is low.

8. The focus detecting apparatus of claim 7, wherein said measuring device comprise a phase difference detecting sensor.

9. The focus detecting apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a lens driver that drives said focusing lens group in accordance with said defocus amount selected by said selecting device.

10. The focus detecting apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an indicator that indicates when said focusing lens group is driven to an in-focus state by said lens driver.