Mobile terminal and auto-focusing method using a lens position error compensation

• US 7,693,411 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2007
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Han, Chan Ho, Kwon, Seong Geun
• Primary Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ROCHELLE ANN J
• Application Number:
  US11/801,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20080124068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 396/127, 396/79, 396/80, 396/82, 396/93, 396/102, 396/103, 396/104, 396/131, 348/345, 348/347, 250/201.2, 250/201.4, 250/201.7, 250/201.8
• US Class Current: 396/127
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/38 measured at different points on the optical axis , e.g. focussing on two or more planes and comparing image data
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/36 Autofocus systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method

Abstract

A mobile terminal and auto-focusing method for the same are disclosed. The auto-focusing method uses a lens position error compensation and includes: detecting a target object during a photograph mode; determining a lens position at which a focus value gradient related to the detected target object changes sign while moving a lens of the camera module in units of one step size; and performing lens position compensation by moving the lens to the found lens position. As a result, the lens position errors caused by a conventional a voice coil motor are compensated, thereby providing rapid and fine auto-focusing.

Claims

1. An auto-focusing method using a lens position error compensation for a mobile terminal having a camera module, comprising:

detecting a target object during a photograph mode;

determining a lens position at which a focus value gradient related to the detected target object changes sign while moving a lens of the camera module in units of one step size; and

performing a lens position compensation by moving the lens to the determined lens position.

2. The auto-focusing method of claim 1, wherein determining the lens position comprises:

calculating focus values immediately before and after a recent lens move by the step size;

calculating the focus value gradient using a difference between the calculated focus values; and

checking whether the focus value gradient changes sign.

3. The auto-focusing method of claim 2, wherein determining the lens position further comprises finding, if the focus value gradient changes sign, a lens position corresponding to the focus value calculated immediately after the recent lens move.

4. The auto-focusing method of claim 3, wherein a lens movement direction for the lens position compensation is opposite to that for gradient sign change detection.

5. The auto-focusing method of claim 4, wherein the gradient sign change detection and the lens position compensation are iterated a number of times and a final lens position found through the iteration is selected as an optimum focus lens position.

6. The auto-focusing method of claim 5, wherein the lens movement direction is reversed and the step size is reduced for each iteration of the gradient sign change detection and the lens position compensation.

7. The auto-focusing method of claim 6, wherein the gradient sign change detection and the lens position compensation are iterated three times.

8. The auto-focusing method of claim 7, wherein the step size is +16, −

7, and +1, respectively, at first iteration, second iteration, and third iteration of the gradient sign change detection and the lens position compensation.

9. The auto-focusing method of claim 1, further comprising setting a search start point to a lens position at which focus values start to change.

10. An auto-focusing method using a lens position error compensation for a mobile terminal having a camera module, comprising:

setting a search start point to a lens position at which focus values start to change;

detecting a target object during a photograph mode;

determining a first lens position at which a focus value gradient related to the detected target object changes sign while moving forwards from the search start point a lens of the camera module in units of a first step size, and moving the lens to the determined first lens position;

determining a second lens position at which the focus value gradient changes sign while moving backwards from the first lens position the lens in units of a second step size less than the first step size, and moving the lens to the determined second lens position; and

determining an optimum focus lens position corresponding to a maximum focus value while moving forwards from the second lens position the lens in units of a third step size less than the second step size, and moving the lens to the determined optimum focus lens position.

11. The auto-focusing method of claim 10, wherein the focus value gradient is determined using a difference between focus values obtained immediately before and after a recent lens move.

12. The auto-focusing method of claim 11, wherein the found first or second lens position corresponds to a focus value obtained immediately after the recent lens move.

13. The auto-focusing method of claim 12, wherein the lens is moved backwards to the determined first lens position.

14. The auto-focusing method of claim 13, wherein the lens is moved forwards to the determined second lens position.

15. The auto-focusing method of claim 14, wherein the lens is moved backwards to the determined optimum focus lens position.

16. The auto-focusing method of claim 10, wherein the first step size is +16, the second step size is −

7, and the third step size is +1.

17. A mobile terminal capable of performing auto-focusing through lens position error compensation, comprising:

a camera module including a lens for detecting a target object during a photograph mode, a voice-coil motor for moving the lens, and an image signal processor for calculating a focus value and a focus value gradient related to the detected target object; and

a control unit for setting a search start point to a lens position at which focus values start to change, determining a lens position at which the gradient of the focus value curve changes sign while moving from the search start point the lens in units of one step size, and performing lens position compensation by moving the lens to the found lens position.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the image signal processor calculates focus values immediately before and after a recent lens move and also calculates the focus value gradient using a difference between the calculated focus values.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the determined lens position corresponds to the focus value calculated immediately after the recent lens move.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein a lens movement direction for lens position compensation is opposite to that for gradient sign change detection.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 20, wherein the control unit iterates a number of times the gradient sign change detection and the lens position compensation and then selects a final lens position determined through the iteration as an optimum focus lens position.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the control unit reverses the lens movement direction and reduces the step size for each iteration of the gradient sign change detection and the lens position compensation.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 22, wherein the control unit iterates three times the gradient sign change detection and the lens position compensation.

24. The mobile terminal of claim 23, wherein the control unit sets the step size to +16, −

7, and +1 at first iteration, second iteration, and third iteration of the gradient sign change detection and the lens position compensation, respectively.