Imaging method using multifocal lens

• US 9,270,878 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2014
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ono, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe, Aung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cowan, Euel
• Application Number:
  US14/262,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20140232928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0075 with means for altering, e.g. increasing, the depth of field or depth of focus
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/10 Bifocal lenses; Multifocal lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/34 using different areas in a pupil plane
• 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 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

An aspect of the present invention is an imaging method using a multifocal lens having a plurality of regions, the plurality of regions having different focal lengths, and the imaging method includes a focusing state control step of controlling a focusing state of the multifocal lens, and an imaging step of obtaining an image of a subject in the controlled focusing state. In the focusing state control step, the focusing state is controlled so that a main subject is focused via a region with a shortest required focusing time among the plurality of regions in response to a picture taking instruction.

Claims

1. An imaging method using a multifocal lens having a plurality of regions, the plurality of regions having different focal lengths, the method comprising:

controlling a focusing state of the multifocal lens;

obtaining an image of a subject in the controlled focusing state; and

calculating required focusing times required for focusing at each of the respective regions,

wherein in the controlling the focusing state, the focusing state is controlled so that a main subject is focused via a region with a shortest required focusing time of the calculated required focusing times among the plurality of regions in response to input of a picture taking instruction.

2. The imaging method according to claim 1, wherein in the controlling the focusing state, control is performed so that the main subject is focused via a main region having a largest area among the plurality of regions.

3. The imaging method according to claim 1, wherein after the picture-taking instruction is inputted and before the controlling the focusing state, an image is obtained in all of the plurality of regions with the focusing state being kept at the picture-taking instruction.

4. The imaging method according to claim 1, further comprising recording the obtained image and imaging time information indicating a time from input of the picture-taking instruction to image obtainment in association with each other.

5. The imaging method according to claim 1, further comprising recording the obtained image and focusing degree information indicating a focusing degree of the obtained image in association with each other.

6. The imaging method according to claim 1, further comprising recording the obtained image and imaging region information indicating from which area the obtained image is obtained in association with each other.

7. An imaging method using a multifocal lens having a plurality of regions, the plurality of regions having different focal lengths, the method comprising:

controlling a focusing state of the multifocal lens;

obtaining an image of a subject in the controlled focusing state; and

calculating required focusing times required for focusing at each of the respective regions,

wherein in response to input of a picture taking instruction,

in the controlling the focusing state, control is performed so that a main subject is focused via a region with a shortest required focusing time of the calculated required focusing times among the plurality of regions, and the image of the subject is obtained, and subsequently

in the controlling the focusing state, control is performed so that the main subject is focused via a main region having a largest area among the plurality of regions, and the image of the subject is obtained.

8. The imaging method according to claim 7, wherein after the picture-taking instruction is inputted and before the controlling the focusing state, an image is obtained in all of the plurality of regions with the focusing state being kept at the input of the picture-taking instruction.

9. The imaging method according to claim 7, further comprising recording the obtained image and imaging time information indicating a time from the input of the picture-taking instruction to image obtainment in association with each other.

10. The imaging method according to claim 7, further comprising recording the obtained image and focusing degree information indicating a focusing degree of the obtained image in association with each other.

11. The imaging method according to claim 7, further comprising recording the obtained image and imaging region information indicating from which area the obtained image is obtained in association with each other.

12. An imaging method using a multifocal lens having a plurality of regions, the plurality of regions having different focal lengths, the method comprising:

controlling a focusing state of the multifocal lens;

obtaining an image of a subject in the controlled focusing state; and

calculating required focusing times required for focusing at each of the respective regions,

wherein in response to input of a picture-taking instruction, a first imaging is continuously performed, a second imaging is continuously performed subsequent to the first imaging, and a moving image of the subject is obtained when a region with a shortest required focusing time of the calculated required focusing times among the plurality of regions is not a main region having a largest area among the plurality of regions,

otherwise, in response to the input of the picture-taking instruction,

the first imaging is continuously performed to obtain the moving image of the subject,

in the first imaging, control is performed so that a main subject is focused via the region with the shortest required focusing time in the focusing state control to obtain an image of the subject, and

in the second imaging, control is performed so that the main subject is focused via the main region in the focusing state control to obtain the image of the subject.

13. The imaging method according to claim 12, further comprising recording the obtained image and imaging time information indicating a time from the input of the picture-taking instruction to image obtainment in association with each other.

14. The imaging method according to claim 12, further comprising recording the obtained image and focusing degree information indicating a focusing degree of the obtained image in association with each other.

15. The imaging method according to claim 12, further comprising recording the obtained image and imaging region information indicating from which area the obtained image is obtained in association with each other.