Detection apparatus, detection method, detection program, and imaging apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018196221-A1
Application number	US-201615741307-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 27, 2016
Priority date	Aug 31, 2015
Publication date	Jul 12, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A detection apparatus has a detector for detecting, on the basis of an object area that is an area corresponding to an object in an image, an effective focus area from two or more focus areas set to the image.

First claim

1 . A detection apparatus comprising:
a detector configured to detect, on the basis of an object area that is an area corresponding to an object in an image, an effective focus area from a plurality of focus areas set to said image.

2 . The detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
said effective focus area is detected on the basis of a value of said each object area of defocus information of said focus area.

3 . The detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
said effective focus area is detected on the basis of depth information of said each object area of said focus area.

4 . The detection apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
said depth information is computed on the basis of defocus information.

5 . The detection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
a degree of existence of a plurality of objects having different distances in said focus area is computed from a value for said each object area of said defocus information and said effective focus area is detected on the basis of said degree.

6 . The detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
said effective focus area denotes, among said plurality of focus areas, a focus area in which there are no plurality of objects having different distances.

7 . The detection apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
said effective focus area denotes, among said plurality of focus areas, a focus area in which a degree of mixture of a plurality of objects having different distances is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold value.

8 . The detection apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
said focus area is sorted on the basis of a degree of existence of a plurality of objects having different distances within said focus area.

9 . The detection apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
focus areas other than said effective focus area are sorted into an ineffective focus area and an intermediate focus area.

10 . The detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
information indicative of said effective focus area is externally outputted.

11 . The detection apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
information indicative of said effective focus area, said ineffective focus area, and said intermediate focus area is externally outputted.

12 . The detection apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
only said effective focus area is used for auto focus processing in an imaging apparatus.

13 . The detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
display control processing is a display block is executed on the basis of a result of detection of an effective focus area, an ineffective focus area, and an intermediate focus area.

14 . The detection apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein
displaying of said focus area in said display block is changed according to said result of detection.

15 . The detection apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein
a transparency degree of a display color of a frame of said focus in said display block is changed.

16 . The detection apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein
displaying of a focused area among a plurality of areas corresponding to an object in an image displayed on said display block is changed.

17 . The detection apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein
a color of a focused area among a plurality of areas corresponding to said object in said image displayed on said display block is changed.

18 . The detection apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein
a monitoring image and information indicative of a value of said each object area of defocus information in said focus area are displayed on said display block.

19 . The detection apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein,
if a value of each object area of defocus information in said focus area is approximately equal between said focused object area and another object area, said focused object area and said another object area are displayed in a same mode.

20 . A detection method comprising:
detecting, on the basis of an object area that is an area corresponding to an object in an image, an effective focus area from a plurality of focus areas set to said image.

21 . A detection program for a computer to execute a detection method comprising:
detecting, on the basis of an object area that is an area corresponding to an object in an image, an effective focus area from a plurality of focus areas set to said image.

22 . An imaging apparatus having a detector comprising:
an image pickup element configured to take an image; and a detector configured to detect, on the basis of an object area that is an area corresponding to an object in an image to be taken with said image pickup element, an effective focus area from a plurality of focus areas arranged on said image.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Sun Legong
• Inaba Seijiro

Classifications

• H04N23/61

  based on recognised objects · CPC title

• H04N23/611

  where the recognised objects include parts of the human body · CPC title

• H04N23/675 Primary

  comprising setting of focusing regions · CPC title

• H04N23/635

  Region indicators; Field of view indicators · CPC title

• G03B13/20

  Rangefinders coupled with focusing arrangements, e.g. adjustment of rangefinder automatically focusing camera · CPC title