Focus detection apparatus using neural network means

• US 4,965,443 A
• Filed: 09/29/1989
• Issued: 10/23/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Itoh, Junichi, Yamasaki, Masafumi, Toyofuku, Toshiyuki, Kodama, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Que Tan
• Application Number:
  US07/414,943
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 250/201.7, 250/201.6, 250/204, 356/1, 356/4, 354/402, 354/406, 354/407, 354/408, 354/431, 354/433, 354/410, 354/31
• US Class Current: 250/201.7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/36 using image sharpness techniques , e.g. image processing techniques for generating autofocus signals image data processing per se G06T; in cameras having a solid state image sensor H04N23/67
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals

Abstract

An optical image transmitted through a photographing lens is incident on a light-receiving unit of a two-dimensional matrix. An output from the light-receiving unit is input to a first arithmetic logic unit, and the first arithmetic logic unit calculates actual object brightness values in consideration of an aperture value of an aperture. An output from the first arithmetic logic unit is supplied to a multiplexer and a neural network. The neural network determines a main part of the object from a pattern of brightness values of the respective photoelectric transducer elements and outputs a position signal of the main part. The multiplexer selectively passes the brightness value of the photoelectric transducer element corresponding to the main part of the object from the outputs generated by the first arithmetic logic unit. An output from the multiplexer is supplied to a second arithmetic logic unit. The second arithmetic logic unit performs a focus detection calculation based on only the brightness of the main part. The photographing lens is moved along the optical axis, thereby performing a focusing operation.

Claims

1. A focus detection apparatus comprising:

light-receiving means having a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in a two dimensional matrix;

an optical system for focusing an object image on said light-receiving means and outputting analog signals representing brightnesses of respective parts of an object;

means for converting the analog signals output from said light-receiving means into digital signals;

neural network means for receiving the digital signals output from said converting means and determining a main part of the object;

means for selecting a signal representing the brightness of the main part determined by said neural network means from the digital signals output from said converting means; and

focus detecting means for performing focus detection on the basis of an output from said selecting means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said neural network means comprises:

an input layer having a plurality of units, connected to an output of said converting means, for respectively receiving outputs from said photoelectric transducer elements;

one or a plurality of intermediate layers having a plurality of units coupled to individual units of said input layer at predetermined coupling strengths; and

an output layer having a plurality of units coupled to individual units of said intermediate layer at predetermined coupling strengths.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, in which said neural network means further comprises a coefficient memory for storing coefficients representing the coupling strengths of the units.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said neural network means comprises a plurality of microprocessors connected in parallel with each other to perform distributed processing.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for moving said optical system along an optical axis in accordance with an output of said focus detecting means.

6. A focus detection apparatus comprising:

light-receiving means having a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements arranged in a two-dimensional matrix;

an optical system for focusing an object image on said light-receiving means;

neural network means for receiving brightnesses output from said light-receiving means and determining a position of a main part of an object, said neural network means comprising an input layer having a plurality of units for respectively connected to a group of said photoelectric transducer elements, one or a plurality of intermediate layers having a plurality of units coupled to individual units of said input layer at predetermined coupling strengths, an output layer having a plurality of units coupled to individual units of said intermediate layer at predetermined coupling strengths, and

means for causing learning of each unit of said input layer; and

means for performing a focus detection calculation of the object main part.

7. A focus detection apparatus comprising:

light-receiving means having a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements;

an optical system for focusing an object image on said light-receiving means;

neural network means, connected to an output of said light-receiving means, for outputting a signal representing a position of a main part of an object; and

means for performing a focus detection on the basis of a signal selected on the basis of an output of said neural network means from outputs of said light-receiving means.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, in which said neural network means comprises:

an input layer having a plurality of units connected to the output of said light-receiving means;

one or a plurality of intermediate layers having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said input layer at predetermined coupling strengths; and

an output layer having a plurality of units coupled to the individual units of said intermediate layer at predetermined coupling strengths.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, in which said neural network means further comprises:

means for learning the coupling strengths; and

a memory for storing learning results.

10. A focus detection apparatus comprising:

a plurality of photoelectric transducer elements, arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, for detecting a brightness of an object; and

a back projection model type neural network, having a large number of units coupled to each other at predetermined coupling strengths determined by prelearning, for receiving outputs from said plurality of photoelectric transducer elements and performing a focus calculation.