Imaging apparatus having object detection function and method for controlling imaging apparatus

• US 9,191,569 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakagawara, Naoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Geroleo, Francis G
• Application Number:
  US13/532,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20130002884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 348/169
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/20 visible in viewfinder
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/099 Arrangement of photoelectric elements in or on the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation

Abstract

An imaging apparatus having a function of detecting a face from an image signal on which a focusing frame is superimposed is configured so that a face selected to be a main object can continue being selected to be a main object even if a focusing frame is displayed as superimposed on the face. A central processing unit moves a position of a focusing frame to be displayed by a display unit to a position corresponding to a detected object if a ratio of a size of the detected object to a size of the focusing frame displayed on the display unit is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, and does not move the position of the focusing frame to be displayed by the display unit to a position corresponding to the detected object if the ratio is less than the threshold.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a display unit configured to display a focusing frame;

a light metering unit on which light is incident;

a detection unit configured to detect a predetermined object from an image signal obtained by the light metering unit; and

a processing unit configured to select at least one of a plurality of focusing frames displayable by the display unit according to a result of detection by the detection unit, and to cause the display unit to display the selected focusing frame,

wherein the light is incident on the light metering unit after the light is transmitted though the display unit, and

wherein the processing unit moves a position of a focusing frame to be displayed by the display unit to a position corresponding to the detected object if a ratio of a size of the detected object to a size of the focusing frame displayed on the display unit is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold and the position of the focusing frame displayed by the display unit doesn'"'"'t correspond to the position corresponding to the detected object, and does not move the position of the focusing frame to be displayed by the display unit to a position corresponding to the detected object if the ratio is less than the threshold and the position of the focusing frame displayed by the display unit doesn'"'"'t correspond to the position corresponding to the detected object.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit changes the threshold between when the focusing frame is not displayed on the display unit and when the focusing frame is displayed on the display unit.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit moves the position of the focusing frame to be displayed by the display unit to a position corresponding to the object if the ratio of the size of the detected object to the size of the focusing frame displayed on the display unit is greater than or equal to the threshold and the detected object lies in a position within a predetermined range from the position of the currently-selected focusing frame.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the processing unit sets the predetermined range according to the size of the detected object.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit performs tracking processing of extracting an area highly correlative with an image signal of a position indicated by a focusing frame from another image signal, and

wherein the processing unit moves the position of the focusing frame to be displayed by the display unit to a position corresponding to the area extracted by the tracking processing if the ratio of the size of the detected object to the size of the focusing frame displayed on the display unit is less than the threshold and the position of the focusing frame displayed by the display unit doesn'"'"'t correspond to the position corresponding to the detected object.

6. A method for controlling an imaging apparatus including a display unit configured to display a focusing frame, the method comprising:

detecting a predetermined object from an image signal obtained by a light metering unit on which light is incident, wherein the light is incident on the light metering unit after the light is transmitted though the display unit;

determining whether a ratio of a size of the object to a size of the focusing frame is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold; and

moving a position of a focusing frame to be displayed by the display unit to a position corresponding to the object if the ratio of the size of the object to the size of the focusing frame is greater than or equal to the threshold and the position of the focusing frame displayed by the display unit doesn'"'"'t correspond to the position corresponding to the detected object, and not moving the position of the focusing frame to be displayed by the display unit to a position corresponding to the object if the ratio is less than the threshold and the position of the focusing frame displayed by the display unit doesn'"'"'t correspond to the position corresponding to the detected object.

7. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing a program for controlling an imaging apparatus including a display unit configured to display a focusing frame, the program causing a computer of the imaging apparatus to perform a method comprising:

detecting a predetermined object from an image signal obtained by a light metering unit on which light is incident, wherein the light is incident on the light metering unit after the light is transmitted though the display unit;

determining whether a ratio of a size of the object to a size of the focusing frame is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold; and

moving a position of a focusing frame to be displayed by the display unit to a position corresponding to the object if the ratio of the size of the object to the size of the focusing frame is greater than or equal to the threshold and the position of the focusing frame displayed by the display unit doesn'"'"'t correspond to the position corresponding to the detected object, and not moving the position of the focusing frame to be displayed by the display unit to a position corresponding to the object if the ratio is less than the threshold and the position of the focusing frame displayed by the display unit doesn'"'"'t correspond to the position corresponding to the detected object.