Electronic device, control device for controlling electronic device, control program, and control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10638042-B2
Application number	US-201916416705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2019
Priority date	May 21, 2018
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

The present invention performs stable image capturing and prevents blurring. A control device (3) is configured to control an electronic device (10) including: an autofocus camera (1) having an auto-focus function; and a fixed-focus camera (2) having a fixed focal point, the control device including: a distance identifying section (31) configured to identify an image capturing distance between a subject and the electronic device (10); and an image capturing device determining section (32) configured to determine, according to the image capturing distance identified, which one of the autofocus camera (1) and the fixed-focus camera (2) is to be used for image capturing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
at least one first image capturing device having an auto-focus function;
at least one second image capturing device having a fixed focal point; and
at least one control device,
the at least one control device being configured to perform
(a) a process of identifying an image capturing distance between a subject and the electronic device and
(b) a process of determining, according to the image capturing distance identified, which one of the at least one first image capturing device and the at least one second image capturing device is to be used for image capturing,
the at least one control device being configured to
identify, in a case where a path of light entering an image capturing element from a lens of the at least one second image capturing device is pupil-divided into a first path and a second path, the image capturing distance by use of an amount by which the following positions of the image capturing element are shifted from each other: (i) a position onto which the subject is imaged by light in the first path and (ii) a position onto which the subject is imaged by light in the second path.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one distance measuring sensor,
the at least one control device being configured to identify the image capturing distance by use of a result of detection performed by the at least one distance measuring sensor.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one control device is configured to identify the image capturing distance by use of information on a position of a lens of the at least one first image capturing device when the at least one first image capturing device have a focus on the subject.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein
a distance between the at least one second image capturing device and a point of focus of the at least one second image capturing device is a hyperfocal length.

5. A control device configured to control an electronic device,
said electronic device comprising:
at least one first image capturing device having an auto-focus function;
at least one second image capturing device having a fixed focal point;
at least one processor; and
at least one storage medium readable by the processor,
the processor being configured to perform:
a process of identifying an image capturing distance between a subject and the electronic device; and
a process of determining, according to the image capturing distance identified, which one of the at least one first image capturing device and the at least one second image capturing device is to be used for image capturing,
in the process of identifying the image capturing distance, in a case where a path of light entering an image capturing element from a lens of the at least one second image capturing device is pupil-divided into a first path and a second path, the image capturing distance by use of an amount by which the following positions of the image capturing element are shifted from each other: (i) a position onto which the subject is imaged by light in the first path and (ii) a position onto which the subject is imaged by light in the second path.

6. A storage medium in which a control program for causing a computer to serve as the control device according to claim 5 is stored, the control program causing the computer to perform the process of identifying the image capturing distance and the process of determining, according to the image capturing distance identified, which one of the at least one first image capturing device and the at least one second image capturing device is to be used for image capturing.

7. A method of controlling an electronic device,
said electronic device comprising:
at least one first image capturing device having an auto-focus function; and
at least one second image capturing device having a fixed focal point,
said method comprising the steps of:
(a) identifying an image capturing distance between a subject and the electronic device; and
(b) determining, according to the image capturing distance identified, which one of the at least one first image capturing device and the at least one second image capturing device is to be used for image capturing,
in the process of identifying the image capturing distance, in a case where a path of light entering an image capturing element from a lens of the at least one second image capturing device is pupil-divided into a first path and a second path, the image capturing distance by use of an amount by which the following positions of the image capturing element are shifted from each other: (i) a position onto which the subject is imaged by light in the first path and (ii) a position onto which the subject is imaged by light in the second path.

Assignees

• Sharp Kk

Inventors

• Miyazaki Daishi

Classifications

• H04N5/2258

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/232121

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/23245 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N23/67

  Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals · CPC title

• H04N23/667 Primary

  Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes · CPC title