Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and vision measuring apparatus with high speed autofocus

An information processing apparatus, comprising:

• an obtaining unit configured to obtain a manually-taken object image group, the manually-taken object image group including a plurality of object images, the plurality of object images being generated by taking images of an object while moving a focal position of an image pickup device manually;
• a first calculator capable of calculating, based on pieces of contrast information on the plurality of object images in the obtained manually-taken object image group, a first in-focus position of the image pickup device relative to the object by performing fitting using a predetermined function;
• a selecting unit configured to select a normal mode and a high accuracy mode regarding autofocus in a switchable manner;
• a driver capable of moving, based on an autofocus instruction input by a user, (i) if the normal mode is being selected, the focal position of the image pickup device to the calculated first in-focus position, and (ii) if the high accuracy mode is being selected, the focal position of the image pickup device to one of end points a search range with reference to the calculated first in-focus position;
• and
• a third calculator capable of calculating, if the high accuracy mode is being selected, a third in-focus position of the image pickup device relative to the object based on pieces of contrast information on a plurality of object images generated by taking images of the object while moving the focal position automatically within the search range.

An information processing method, executed by a computer, comprising:

• obtaining a manually-taken object image group, the manually-taken object image group including a plurality of object images, the plurality of object images being generated by taking images of an object while moving a focal position of an image pickup device manually;
• obtaining an automatically-taken object image group, the automatically-taken object image group including a plurality of object images, the plurality of object images being generated by taking images of the object while moving the focal position of the image pickup device automatically;
• calculating, based on pieces of contrast information on the plurality of object images in the obtained manually-taken object image group, a first in-focus position of the image pickup device relative to the object by performing fitting using a predetermined function;
• calculating reliability of the calculated first in-focus position;
• moving, based on an autofocus instruction input by a user, if the reliability of the calculated first in-focus position has a value larger than a predetermined threshold, the focal position of the image pickup device to the calculated first in-focus position;
• and
• calculating, if the reliability of the calculated first in-focus position has a value smaller than the predetermined threshold, a second in-focus position of the image pickup device relative to the object, based on the calculated first in-focus position and based on pieces of contrast information on the plurality of object images in the obtained automatically-taken object image group.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program, causing a computer to execute the steps of:

• obtaining a manually-taken object image group, the manually-taken object image group including a plurality of object images, the plurality of object images being generated by taking images of an object while moving a focal position of an image pickup device manually;
• obtaining an automatically-taken object image group, the automatically-taken object image group including a plurality of object images, the plurality of object images being generated by taking images of the object while moving the focal position of the image pickup device automatically;
• calculating, based on pieces of contrast information on the plurality of object images in the obtained manually-taken object image group, a first in-focus position of the image pickup device relative to the object by performing fitting using a predetermined function;
• calculating reliability of the calculated first in-focus position;
• moving, based on an autofocus instruction input by a user, if the reliability of the calculated first in-focus position has a value larger than a predetermined threshold, the focal position of the image pickup device to the calculated first in-focus position;
• and
• calculating, if the reliability of the calculated first in-focus position has a value smaller than the predetermined threshold, a second in-focus position of the image pickup device relative to the object, based on the calculated first in-focus position and based on pieces of contrast information on the plurality of object images in the obtained automatically-taken object image group.

A vision measuring apparatus, comprising:

• an image pickup unit capable of generating object images by taking images of an object;
• an obtaining unit configured to obtain a manually-taken object image group, the manually-taken object image group including a plurality of object images, the plurality of object images being generated by taking images of the object while moving a focal position of the image pickup device manually, the obtaining unit being capable of obtaining an automatically-taken object image group, the automatically-taken object image group including a plurality of object images, the plurality of object images being generated by taking images of the object while moving the focal position of the image pickup device automatically;
• a first calculator capable of calculating, based on pieces of contrast information on the plurality of object images in the obtained manually-taken object image group, a first in-focus position of the image pickup device relative to the object by performing fitting using a predetermined function;
• a reliability calculator configured to calculate reliability of the calculated first in-focus position;
• a driver capable of moving, based on an autofocus instruction input by a user, if the reliability of the calculated first in-focus position has a value larger than a predetermined threshold, the focal position of the image pickup device to the calculated first in-focus position;
• and
• a second calculator capable of calculating, if the reliability of the calculated first in-focus position has a value smaller than the predetermined threshold, a second in-focus position of the image pickup device relative to the object, based on the calculated first in-focus position and based on pieces of contrast information on the plurality of object images in the obtained automatically-taken object image group.