# US 11,310,431 B2 · Control apparatus, image pickup system, and storage medium for changing in-focus range > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,310,431 B2 - Document ID: US11310431B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/816,550 - Filed: 2020-03-12 - Published: 2020-09-24 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-20 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Atsuto Sugaya - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310431B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof - H04N 23/633: {for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera} - H04N 23/62: Control of parameters via user interfaces - H04N 23/635: {Region indicators; Field of view indicators} - H04N 23/67: Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals - H04N 23/671: {in combination with active ranging signals, e.g. using light or sound signals emitted toward objects} - H04N 23/695: Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects - H04N 23/71: Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation - H04N 23/72: Combination of two or more compensation controls - H04N 23/75: by influencing optical camera components - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract In an image pickup apparatus that can change an in-focus range by driving an aperture stop and changing a tilt angle, the in-focus range can be easily changed. A control apparatus of an image pickup apparatus includes a tilt changing unit that changes a tilt angle that is a relative angle between a lens and an image pickup element and an aperture driving unit that drives an aperture stop. The control apparatus comprises a request unit configured to request the image pickup apparatus to provide any one of at least the tilt angle, an aperture value, and a focus position; and a display controller configured to display an in-focus range of the image pickup apparatus on a display unit, wherein the display controller changes a content to be displayed on the display unit based on the information acquired by the request unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control apparatus of an image pickup apparatus including a tilt changing unit that changes a tilt angle that is a relative angle between a lens and an image pickup element and an aperture driving unit that drives an aperture stop, the control apparatus comprising: a hardware processor; and a memory for storing instructions to be executed by the hardware processor, wherein, when the instructions stored in the memory are executed by the hardware processor, the control apparatus functions as: a request unit configured to request the image pickup apparatus to provide any one of at least the tilt angle, an aperture value, and a focus position; and a display controlling unit configured to cause a display unit to display a graphic showing an in-focus range of the image pickup apparatus based on the tilt angle, the aperture value, and the focus position, wherein the in-focus range is changed by performing any one of at least rotating, enlarging and/or reducing, and moving the graphic. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display controlling unit causes the display unit to display an imaging direction or an imaging range of the image pickup apparatus. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the instructions stored in the memory are executed by the hardware processor, the control apparatus further functions as a setting unit configured to set any one of at least the tilt angle, the aperture value, and the focus position in the image pickup apparatus, and wherein the display controlling unit changes the graphic displayed on the display unit based on any one of at least the tilt angle, the aperture value, and the focus position set by the setting unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display controlling unit causes the display unit to display a range in which noise of an image shot by the image pickup apparatus exceeds a predetermined amount together with the graphic, and provides a warning if the in-focus range is changed to a range in which noise exceeds the predetermined amount. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in acquiring a settable range for each of the tilt angle, the aperture value, and the focus position and performing any one of rotating, enlarging/reducing, and moving the graphic, the display controlling unit causes the display unit to display a possible range for the rotation, the enlargement/reduction, and the moving of the graphic in accordance with the settable range. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display controlling unit includes a storage unit configured to store settings related to a plurality of in-focus ranges in accordance with a predetermined condition, and sets the in-focus range stored in the storage unit in accordance with the predetermined condition. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup apparatus includes a distance measurer measuring a distance from the image pickup apparatus to an object, and wherein the display controlling unit superimposes the in-focus range on an image output from the image pickup apparatus and displays the image having the in-focus range on the display unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising the display unit. ### Claim 9 A control method of an image pickup apparatus that includes a tilt changing unit that changes a tilt angle that is a relative angle between a lens and an image pickup element and an aperture driving unit that drives an aperture stop, the method comprising: requesting the image pickup apparatus to provide any one of at least a tilt angle, an aperture value, and a focus position; and performing display-control by causing a display unit to display a graphic showing an in-focus range of the image pickup apparatus based on the tilt angle, the aperture value, and the focus position, wherein the in-focus range is changed by performing any one of at least rotating, enlarging and/or reducing, and moving the graphic. ### Claim 10 A non-transitory storage medium on which is stored a computer program for making a computer execute a method for controlling an image pickup apparatus that includes a tilt changing unit that changes a tilt angle that is a relative angle between a lens and the image pickup apparatus and an aperture driving unit that drives an aperture stop, the method combining: requesting the image pickup apparatus to provide any one of at least a tilt angle, an aperture value, and a focus position; and performing display-control by causing a display unit to display a graphic showing an in-focus range of the image pickup apparatus based on the tilt angle, the aperture value, and the focus position, wherein the in-focus range is changed by performing any one of at least rotating, enlarging and/or reducing, and moving the graphic.