Automatic focusing apparatus and optical device

• US 7,911,526 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd. (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Kageyama, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannett; James M
• Application Number:
  US11/921,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20100194970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 348/349
• US Class Current: 348/349
• 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 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method

Abstract

The present invention is directed to the provision of an automatic focusing apparatus that can detect a focusing point at a sufficiently high speed for practical use and can achieve a lens condition having good focusing performance. The automatic focusing apparatus of the present invention includes a liquid crystal lens which forms a refractive index profile, an optical-to-electrical conversion unit which converts an optical image focused through the liquid crystal lens into an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal as an image signal, a focus signal extracting unit which causes the refractive index profile to change by applying a first range of voltage to the liquid crystal lens, and extracts a plurality of focus signals based on the image signal, a focusing point identifying unit which identifies a focus signal corresponding to a focusing point from among the plurality of extracted focus signals, and a focusing point adjusting unit which adjusts the focusing point by applying to the liquid crystal lens a second voltage that is capable of generating the refractive index profile corresponding to the focus signal identified by the focusing point identifying unit and that is smaller than the first range of voltage applied to the liquid crystal lens in order to obtain the focus signal identified by the focusing point identifying unit.

Claims

1. An automatic focusing apparatus comprising:

a liquid crystal lens which forms a refractive index profile;

an optical-to-electrical conversion unit which converts an optical image focused through said liquid crystal lens into an electrical signal and outputs said electrical signal as an image signal;

a focus signal extracting unit which causes said refractive index profile to change by applying a first range of voltage to said liquid crystal lens, and extracts a plurality of focus signals based on said image signal;

a focusing point identifying unit which identifies a focus signal corresponding to a focusing point from among said plurality of extracted focus signals;

a focusing point adjusting unit which adjusts the focusing point by applying to said liquid crystal lens a second voltage that is capable of generating the refractive index profile corresponding to the focus signal identified by said focusing point identifying unit and that is smaller than said first range of voltage applied to said liquid crystal lens in order to obtain the focus signal identified by said focusing point identifying unit; and

a storage unit which stores said first range of voltage and said second voltage corresponding to each individual voltage in said first range of voltage by establishing an association therebetween.

2. The automatic focusing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first range of voltage includes a plurality of voltages prespecified for each preset focal length.

3. The automatic focusing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said focus signal extracting unit acquires said focus signal for every preset focal length.

4. The automatic focusing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said focus signal extracting unit compares a previously detected focus signal corresponding to a first focal length with a currently detected focus signal corresponding to a second focal length to check whether said focus signal has increased or decreased, and then proceeds to extract a focus signal corresponding to a third focal length, thereby successively comparing one focus signal with the next, and when the focus signal corresponding to said focusing point is identified by said focusing point identifying unit, the extraction of said focus signals is stopped.

5. The automatic focusing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature detection unit for detecting temperature near said liquid crystal lens.

6. The automatic focusing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said focus signal extracting unit causes said refractive index profile to change by applying said first range of voltage to said liquid crystal lens based on the temperature detected by said temperature detection unit, and extracts said plurality of focus signals based on said image signal, and

said focusing point adjusting unit, based on the temperature detected by said temperature detection unit, applies to said liquid crystal lens said second voltage that is capable of generating the refractive index profile corresponding to the focus signal identified by said focusing point identifying unit and that is smaller than said first range of voltage applied to said liquid crystal lens in order to obtain the focus signal identified by said focusing point identifying unit.

7. The automatic focusing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said storage unit stores said first range of voltage and said second voltage corresponding to each individual voltage in said first range of voltage by establishing an association therebetween for each designated temperature.

8. The automatic focusing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal lens comprises a plurality of ring-shaped zones and a liquid crystal layer.

9. The automatic focusing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an optical lens cooperating with said liquid crystal lens.

10. An automatic focusing apparatus comprising;

a liquid crystal lens which forms a refractive index profile;

an optical-to-electrical conversion unit which converts an optical image focused through said liquid crystal lens into an electrical signal and outputs said electrical signal as an image signal;

a focus signal extracting unit which causes said refractive index profile to change by applying a first range of voltage to said liquid crystal lens, and extracts a plurality of focus signals based on said image signal;

a focusing point identifying unit which identifies a focus signal corresponding to a focusing point from among said plurality of extracted focus signals;

a focusing point adjusting unit which adjusts the focusing point by applying to said liquid crystal lens a second voltage that is capable of generating the refractive index profile corresponding to the focus signal identified by said focusing point identifying unit and that is smaller than said first range of voltage applied to said liquid crystal lens in order to obtain the focus signal identified by said focusing point identifying unit; and

a switching voltage applying unit which, prior to applying said second voltage, applies to said liquid crystal lens a switching voltage whose potential difference relative to said first range of voltage is greater than said second voltage.

11. The automatic focusing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a storage unit which stores said first range of voltage and said second voltage corresponding to each individual voltage in said first range of voltage by establishing an association therebetween, wherein said storage unit stores said first range of voltage, said second voltage corresponding to each individual voltage in said first range of voltage, and said switching voltage corresponding to said each individual voltage in said first range of voltage and to said second voltage by establishing an association therebetween.

12. The automatic focusing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a temperature detection unit for detecting temperature near said liquid crystal lens.

13. The automatic focusing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said focus signal extracting unit causes said refractive index profile to change by applying said first range of voltage to said liquid crystal lens based on the temperature detected by said temperature detection unit, and extracts said plurality of focus signals based on said image signal,

said focusing point adjusting unit, based on the temperature detected by said temperature detection unit, applies to said liquid crystal lens said second voltage that is capable of generating the refractive index profile corresponding to the focus signal identified by said focusing point identifying unit and that is smaller than said first range of voltage applied to said liquid crystal lens in order to obtain the focus signal identified by said focusing point identifying unit, and

prior to the application of said second voltage, said switching voltage applying unit, based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit, applies to said liquid crystal lens said switching voltage whose potential difference relative to said first range of voltage is greater than said second voltage.

14. The automatic focusing apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a storage unit which stores said first range of voltage and said second voltage corresponding to each individual voltage in said first range of voltage by establishing an association therebetween, wherein said storage unit stores said first range of voltage, said second voltage corresponding to each individual voltage in said first range of voltage, and said switching voltage corresponding to said each individual voltage in said first range of voltage and to said second voltage by establishing an association therebetween for each designated temperature.