Imaging apparatus

• US 7,301,579 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Shinohara, Junichi, Shiraishi, Kenji, Sugiura, Kohichi, Kajiyama, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Giles; Nicholas G
• Application Number:
  US10/636,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20040263633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 348/348, 348/353, 348/354, 348/349, 348/345, 396/102, 396/104, 396/125, 396/77, 396/79, 396/80, 396/82
• US Class Current: 348/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/671 in combination with active ranging signals, e.g. using light or sound signals emitted toward objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method

Abstract

An AF controlling unit (83) starts an outside light AF operation controlled by an outside AF unit (81) by a half-pressing of a shutter release button (61), and a change over between the outside AF operation and a CCDAF operation controlled by a CCDAF unit (82) is controlled corresponding to an elapsed time t (timer 84) from a starting of the operation of the outside light AF operation and a pressing condition (a detection of the half-pressing by a half-pressed detecting unit (62), the detection of a full-pressing by a full-pressed detecting unit (63) or a press-in releasing) of a shutter release button (61) after the starting of the outside light AF operation controlled by the outside AF unit (81) by the half-pressing of the shutter release button (61).

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a photographic optical system for projecting an image of a subject;

an imaging device for outputting the projected image of the subject by converting the projected image of the subject into an image signal;

a first auto focusing device for carrying out a first auto focusing operation which moves relatively at least one of a part or entire of said photographic optical system and said imaging device to a focusing position corresponding to a distance value obtained by measuring a distance to said subject;

a second auto focusing device for carrying out a second auto focusing operation which moves relatively said at least one of the part or entire of said photographic optical system and said imaging device while evaluating an image signal which is in a sequence obtained through the photographic optical system, and stops said at least one of the part or entire of said photographic optical system and said imaging device to a focusing position based on the evaluation;

a control device for controlling said first auto focusing operation and said second auto focusing operation;

a shutter release button;

a starting signal inputting device for inputting a command for starting a focusing operation;

a performing signal inputting device for inputting a command for performing a photographing operation; and

a timer, wherein

said starting signal inputting device inputs said command for starting at a half-pressed position of said shutter release button;

said performing signal inputting device inputs said command for performing at a full-pressed position of said shutter release button; and

said control device starts said first auto focusing operation when said command for starting is inputted into said starting signal inputting device and controls said first auto focusing operation and said second auto focusing operation corresponding to an elapsed time from the inputting of the command for starting clocked by said timer, a condition of inputting said command for starting into said starting signal inputting device and a condition of inputting said command for performing into said performing signal inputting device at a time after the command for starting is inputted.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said control device controls so as to maintain a completed condition of said first auto focusing operation prior to a period which said command for performing is inputted into said performing signal inputting device in a period which said elapsed time reaches to a predetermined criterion time from a time of completion of said first auto focusing operation when said first auto focusing operation is completed before said elapsed time reaches to the predetermined criterion time and the inputting of said command for starting to said starting signal inputting device is maintained and said command for performing is not inputted into said performing signal inputting device at the time of completion of said first auto focusing operation.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said control device controls so as to start said second auto focusing operation when said command for performing is not inputted into said performing signal inputting device during the period which said elapsed time reaches to said criterion time from the time of completion of said first auto focusing operation.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said control device controls so as to perform the photographing operation by ceasing said second auto focusing operation and returning to the completed condition of said first auto focusing operation when said command for performing is inputted into said performing signal inputting device after starting and before completion of said second auto focusing operation.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said control device controls so as to perform the photographing operation by comparing a time required for returning to the completed condition of said first auto focusing operation by ceasing said second auto focusing operation with an estimated time required for completion of said second auto focusing operation by continuing said second auto focusing operation, and by selecting and performing the operation that completes in shorter time between the two operations when said command for performing is inputted into said performing signal inputting device after starting and before completion of said second auto focusing operation.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said control device controls so as to perform the photographing operation by completion of said first auto focusing operation at a time of inputting said command for performing when said command for performing is inputted into said performing signal inputting device during the period which said elapsed time reaches to said criterion time from the time of completion of said first auto focusing operation.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said control device controls so as to start said second auto focusing operation from the focusing position of said at least one of the part or entire of said photographic optical system and said imaging device in said first auto focusing operation when said elapsed time reaches to a predetermined criterion time before completion of said first auto focusing operation.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said first auto focusing device sets a constant focusing position as the focusing position corresponding to said distance value when said distance value cannot be obtained with a predetermined accuracy;

said control device controls so as to start said second auto focusing operation from a position where said relative movement by said first auto focusing device is completed regardless of said elapsed time.