Camera and auto-focusing method of the camera

• US 8,837,932 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2013
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Hou-Hsien, Lee, Chang-Jung, Lo, Chih-Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): FULLER, RODNEY EVAN
• Application Number:
  US13/900,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20130322863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 396/125
• US Class Current: 396/125
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/40 Optical focusing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/20 Rangefinders coupled with focusing arrangements, e.g. adjustment of rangefinder automatically focusing camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions

Abstract

A camera includes a depth-sensing lens, an auto-focusing apparatus, and a display screen. In an auto-focusing method of the camera, a focusing position of the depth-sensing lens is determined when an image of the scene is shown on the display screen. The depth-sensing lens senses a depth between the object and the camera, and determines a distance between the object and the focusing position of the depth-sensing lens. An optimal focus of the camera is calculated according to the depth and the distance. The auto-focusing apparatus controls the depth-sensing lens to move from the focusing position to the optimal focus of the camera. The camera controls the depth-sensing lens to capture an image of the scene based on the optimal focus when a user presses a button of the camera.

Claims

1. A camera, comprising:

a depth-sensing lens, an auto-focusing apparatus, and a display screen;

at least one microprocessor; and

a storage device for storing one or more computer-readable programs, which when executed by the at least one microprocessor, cause the at least one microprocessor to;

drive the auto-focusing apparatus to move the depth-sensing lens aiming at a scene, and show images of one or more objects in the scene on the display screen;

determine a focusing position of the depth-sensing lens when an object is selected from the scene shown on the display screen;

sense a depth between the object in the scene and the camera using the depth-sensing lens;

determine a distance between the object in the scene and the focusing position of the depth-sensing lens;

calculate an optimal focus of the camera according to the depth and the distance;

drive the auto-focusing apparatus to move the depth-sensing lens from the focusing position of the depth-sensing lens to the optimal focus of the camera; and

controlling the depth-sensing lens to capture an image of the scene based on the optimal focus of the camera when a button of the camera is pressed.

2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the one or more computer-readable programs further cause the at least one microprocessor to activate a function setting interface of the camera when the camera is powered on, and set a focus mode of the camera through the function setting interface.

3. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the depth-sensing lens is a time of flight (TOF) camera lens having a 3D image capturing functionality for capturing stereoscopic images of the scene and sensing the depth between the object in the scene and the camera.

4. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the display screen is a light-emitting diode (LED) screen that is touchable with user'"'"'s fingers or a stylus.

5. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the auto-focusing apparatus is a driving motor that drives the depth-sensing lens to automatically adjust the focusing position of the depth-sensing lens to the optimal focus of the camera.

6. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the function setting interface includes a plurality of icons for showing different modes that include a focus mode, an image mode, a flash light mode, a light balance adjustment mode, an exposure mode and a resolution adjustment mode.

7. An auto-focusing method of a camera, the camera comprising a depth-sensing lens, an auto-focusing apparatus and a display screen, the auto-focusing method comprising:

driving the auto-focusing apparatus to move the depth-sensing lens aiming at a scene, and showing images of one or more objects in the scene on the display screen;

determining a focusing position of the depth-sensing lens when an object is selected from the scene shown on the display screen;

sensing a depth between the object in the scene and the camera using the depth-sensing lens;

determining a distance between the object in the scene and the focusing position of the depth-sensing lens;

calculating an optimal focus of the camera according to the depth and the distance;

driving the auto-focusing apparatus to move the depth-sensing lens from the focusing position of the depth-sensing lens to the optimal focus of the camera; and

controlling the depth-sensing lens to capture an image of the scene based on the optimal focus of the camera when a button of the camera is pressed.

8. The auto-focusing method according to claim 7, further comprising:

activating a function setting interface of the camera when the camera is powered on; and

setting a focus mode of the camera through the function setting interface.

9. The auto-focusing method according to claim 7, wherein the depth-sensing lens is a time of flight (TOF) camera lens having a 3D image capturing functionality for capturing stereoscopic images of the scene and sensing the depth between the object in the scene and the camera.

10. The auto-focusing method according to claim 7, wherein the display screen is a light-emitting diode (LED) screen that is touchable with user'"'"'s fingers or a stylus.

11. The auto-focusing method according to claim 7, wherein the auto-focusing apparatus is a driving motor that drives the depth-sensing lens to automatically adjust the focusing position of the depth-sensing lens to the optimal focus of the camera.

12. The auto-focusing method according to claim 7, wherein the function setting interface includes a plurality of icons for showing different modes that include a focus mode, an image mode, a flash light mode, a light balance adjustment mode, an exposure mode and a resolution adjustment mode.

13. A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by at least one microprocessor of a camera, causes the camera to perform an auto-focusing method, the camera comprising a depth-sensing lens, an auto-focusing apparatus and a display screen, the auto-focusing method comprising:

driving the auto-focusing apparatus to move the depth-sensing lens aiming at a scene, and showing images of one or more objects in the scene on the display screen;

determining a focusing position of the depth-sensing lens when an object is selected from the scene shown on the display screen;

sensing a depth between the object in the scene and the camera using the depth-sensing lens;

determining a distance between the object in the scene and the focusing position of the depth-sensing lens;

calculating an optimal focus of the camera according to the depth and the distance;

driving the auto-focusing apparatus to move the depth-sensing lens from the focusing position of the depth-sensing lens to the optimal focus of the camera; and

controlling the depth-sensing lens to capture an image of the scene based on the optimal focus of the camera when a button of the camera is pressed.

14. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

activating a function setting interface of the camera when the camera is powered on; and

setting a focus mode of the camera through the function setting interface.

15. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the depth-sensing lens is a time of flight (TOF) camera lens having a 3D image capturing functionality for capturing stereoscopic images of the scene and sensing the depth between the object in the scene and the camera.

16. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the display screen is a light-emitting diode (LED) screen that is touchable with user'"'"'s fingers or a stylus.

17. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the auto-focusing apparatus is a driving motor that drives the depth-sensing lens to automatically adjust the focusing position of the depth-sensing lens to the optimal focus of the camera.

18. The storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the function setting interface includes a plurality of icons for showing different modes that include a focus mode, an image mode, a flash light mode, a light balance adjustment mode, an exposure mode and a resolution adjustment mode.