Imaging apparatus, imaging module, and control method of imaging apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10848660-B2
Application number	US-201716303253-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2017
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

The focus detection accuracy is improved in an imaging apparatus that detects focus of each of a plurality of lenses.
A main side focus control section detects, as a main side in-focus position, a main side lens position where focus is achieved in a main side detection region inside a main side image. A parallax acquisition section acquires parallax proportional to a distance by finding the distance on the basis of the main side in-focus position. A subordinate side detection region setup section sets a subordinate side detection region position in a subordinate side image on the basis of the parallax and the main side detection region position. A subordinate side focus control section detects, as a subordinate side in-focus position, a subordinate side lens position where focus is achieved in the subordinate side detection region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:
a main side focus control section adapted to detect, as a main side in-focus position, a main side lens position where focus is achieved in a main side detection region inside a main side image, the main side detection region having a main side detection region position in the main side image;
a parallax acquisition section adapted to acquire parallax proportional to a distance by finding the distance on a basis of the main side in-focus position;
a subordinate side detection region setup section adapted to set a subordinate side detection region position in a subordinate side image on a basis of the parallax and the main side detection region position; and
a subordinate side focus control section adapted to detect, as a subordinate side in-focus position, a subordinate side lens position where focus is achieved in the subordinate side detection region, wherein the subordinate side focus control section detects the subordinate side in-focus position in a case where, of the subordinate side detection region, an area of a region outside a boundary of the subordinate side image data does not exceed a given value.

2. The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the main side lens and the subordinate side lens have different view angles, and
the subordinate side detection region setup section sets the position and size of the subordinate side detection region on a basis of a magnification of one of the main side image and the subordinate side image relative to another, the parallax, and the main side detection region position.

3. The imaging apparatus of claim 2 , wherein
a main side search range, a range of the distance within which focus can be achieved by driving the main side lens, and a subordinate side search range, a range of the distance within which focus can be achieved by driving the subordinate side lens, are different, and
the subordinate side focus control section detects the subordinate side in-focus position in a case where the area of the region outside the boundary of the subordinate side image data does not exceed a given value and the distance corresponding to the main side in-focus position falls within the subordinate side search range.

4. The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a main side solid-state imaging element adapted to capture the main side image; and
a subordinate side solid-state imaging element adapted to capture the subordinate side image, wherein
the main side solid-state imaging element captures a new main side image when the main side in-focus position is detected, and
the subordinate side solid-state imaging element captures a new subordinate side image when the subordinate side in-focus position is detected.

5. The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the main side focus control section detects the main side lens position where contrast is the highest in the main side detection region as the main side in-focus position, and
the subordinate side focus control section detects the subordinate side lens position where the contrast is the highest in the subordinate side detection region as the subordinate side in-focus position.

6. The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the main side focus control section detects the main side in-focus position on a basis of a phase difference, and
the subordinate side focus control section detects the subordinate side in-focus position on a basis of a phase difference.

7. An imaging module comprising:
a main side focus control section adapted to detect, as a main side in-focus position, a main side lens position where focus is achieved in a main side detection region inside a main side image, the main side detection region having a main side detection region position in the main side image;
a parallax acquisition section adapted to acquire parallax proportional to a distance by finding the distance on a basis of the main side in-focus position;
a subordinate side detection region setup section adapted to set a subordinate side detection region position in a subordinate side image on a basis of the parallax and the main side detection region position;
a subordinate side focus control section adapted to detect, as a subordinate side in-focus position, a subordinate side lens position where focus is achieved in the subordinate side detection region, wherein the subordinate side focus control section detects the subordinate side in-focus position in a case where, of the subordinate side detection region, an area of a region outside a boundary of the subordinate side image data does not exceed a given value; and
an image output section adapted to output an image obtained by processing at least either the main side image or the subordinate side image.

8. A control method of an imaging apparatus, the control method comprising:
detecting, as a main side in-focus position, a main side lens position where focus is achieved in a main side detection region inside a main side image, the main side detection region having a main side detection region position in the main side image;
acquiring parallax proportional to a distance by finding the distance on a basis of the main side in-focus position;
setting a subordinate side detection region position in a subordinate side image on a basis of the parallax and the main side detection region position; and
detecting, as a subordinate side in-focus position, a subordinate side lens position where focus is achieved in the subordinate side detection region, including detecting the subordinate side in-focus position in a case where, of the subordinate side detection region, an area of a region outside a boundary of the subordinate side image data does not exceed a given value.

Assignees

• Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp

Inventors

• Saito Keisuke
• Akabane Takeshi

Classifications

• H04N23/673

  based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method · CPC title

• H04N23/671

  in combination with active ranging signals, e.g. using light or sound signals emitted toward objects · CPC title

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title

• H04N23/45

  for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images · CPC title

• H04N23/69

  Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming · CPC title