Imaging control apparatus and imaging control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10771675-B2
Application number	US-201716303547-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2017
Priority date	Sep 7, 2016
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

The present disclosure includes an imaging control apparatus, an imaging control method, and an imaging apparatus. The imaging control apparatus includes a focal point detection control circuitry configured to receive first information from a range-finding area of a dedicated phase difference detection sensor and second information from a range-finding area of an image plane phase difference detection sensor, and detect a focal point based on at least one of the first information or the second information.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An imaging control apparatus comprising:
a focal point detection control circuitry configured to
receive first information from a range-finding area of a dedicated phase difference detection sensor and second information from a range-finding area of an image plane phase difference detection sensor,
detect a focal point based on at least one of the first information or the second information, and
determine whether synchronous processing is to be carried out, in accordance with whether the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor is present in an imaging range.

2. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor and the range-finding area of the image plane phase difference detection sensor overlap with each other.

3. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first information from the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor and the second information from the range-finding area of the image plane phase difference detection sensor are output during a series of auto-focus control procedures.

4. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a selection circuitry that selects which one of the first information from the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor and the second information from the range-finding area of the image plane phase difference detection sensor to use, on a basis of a predetermined condition.

5. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the selection circuitry selects the first information or the second information in accordance with at least one condition among an f-number, an extent of blur, and an amount of gain.

6. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the focal point detection control circuitry carries out the synchronous processing in a case where the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor is present in a setting area set within the imaging range.

7. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the synchronous processing is processing to associate the first information from the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor with the second information from the range-finding area of the image plane phase difference detection sensor in accordance with a predetermined condition.

8. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
the predetermined condition is whether a timing of an exposure center of gravity of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor matches or is approximate to a timing of an exposure center of gravity of the image plane phase difference detection sensor.

9. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the setting area is an area set by a user.

10. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the setting area is an area set in accordance with one of a plurality of modes.

11. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the dedicated phase difference detection sensor and the image plane phase difference detection sensor are line sensors capable of detecting patterns in the same direction or patterns in directions perpendicularly intersecting with each other.

12. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the dedicated phase difference detection sensor is a sensor constituted by a pair of line sensors arranged in a cross form.

13. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the dedicated phase difference detection sensor is provided at a location different from a location of the image plane phase difference detection sensor.

14. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one pixel of the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor has a one-to-one correspondence with at least one pixel of the range-finding area of the image plane phase difference detection sensor.

15. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor corresponds to the range-finding area of the image plane phase difference detection sensor with respect to an object in the imaging range of an imaging unit.

16. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first information and the second information are based on a common light source.

17. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a size of the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor is smaller than a size of the range-finding area of the image plane phase difference detection sensor, and
wherein the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor overlaps in a vicinity of a center of the range-finding area of the image plane phase difference detection sensor.

18. An imaging control method, the method comprising:
receiving, with a focal point detection control circuitry, first information from a range-finding area of a dedicated phase difference detection sensor and second information from a range-finding area of an image plane phase difference detection sensor;
detecting, with the focal point detection control circuitry, a focal point on a basis of the first information and the second information; and
determining, with the focal point detection control circuitry, whether synchronous processing is to be carried out, in accordance with whether the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor is present in an imaging range.

19. The imaging control method according to claim 18 , wherein determining, with the focal point detection control circuitry, whether the synchronous processing is to be carried out, in accordance with whether the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor is present in the imaging range further includes
determining whether the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor is present in a setting area set within the imaging range; and
carrying out the synchronous processing in response to determining that the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor is present in the setting area set within the imaging range.

20. An imaging apparatus comprising:
a dedicated phase difference detection sensor;
an image plane phase difference detection sensor; and
a focal point detection control circuitry configured to
receive first information from a range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor and second information from a range-finding area of the image plane phase difference detection sensor,
detect a focal point based on at least one of the first information or the second information, and
determine whether synchronous processing is to be carried out, in accordance with whether the range-finding area of the dedicated phase difference detection sensor is present in an imaging range.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Hosokawa Takayuki

Classifications

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title

• H04N23/672

  based on the phase difference signals · CPC title

• H04N23/62

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title

• H04N25/704

  Pixels specially adapted for focusing, e.g. phase difference pixel sets · CPC title

• H04N23/63

  by using electronic viewfinders · CPC title