# US 12,120,425 B2 · Information processing device, imaging device, information processing method, and program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,120,425 B2 - Document ID: US12120425B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/829,078 - Filed: 2022-05-31 - Published: 2022-09-15 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-17 - Assignees: FUJIFILM Corporation - Applicants: FUJIFILM Corporation - Inventors: Tomonori Masuda; Kenkichi Hayashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120425B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/671: {in combination with active ranging signals, e.g. using light or sound signals emitted toward objects} - G01C 3/06: Use of electric means to obtain final indication - G01S 17/10: using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves (determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32) - G01S 17/87: Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves - G01S 17/89: for mapping or imaging - G02B 7/28: Systems for automatic generation of focusing signals - G02B 7/30: using parallactic triangle with a base line - G02B 7/32: using active means, e.g. light emitter {(including both an active and a passive focus detecting device G02B7/285; using ultrasound G02B7/40)} - G02B 7/34: using different areas in a pupil plane - G02B 7/36: using image sharpness techniques {, e.g. image processing techniques for generating autofocus signals (image data processing per se G06T; in cameras having a solid state image sensor H04N23/67)} - G03B 13/36: Autofocus systems - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - H04N 23/631: {Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters} - H04N 23/633: {for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera} - H04N 23/672: {based on the phase difference signals} - H04N 23/673: {based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method} - H04N 25/131: including elements passing infrared wavelengths - H04N 25/704: Pixels specially adapted for focusing, e.g. phase difference pixel sets - H04N 25/705: Pixels for depth measurement, e.g. RGBZ - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) ## Abstract A processor measures a first distance to an object in a distance measurement target region on the basis of an irradiation timing when a light irradiator performs surface irradiation on the distance measurement target region with light and a light receiving timing when a light receiver receives reflected light of the light from distance measurement target region. In a case in which a specific pixel included in the light receiver generates a plurality of signals at different timings within a light receiving period corresponding to the surface irradiation by the light irradiator, the processor measures the first distance on the basis of a relationship between the plurality of signals. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information processing device comprising: a processor; and a memory that is connected to or provided in the processor, wherein the processor is configured to: measure a first distance to an object in a distance measurement target region on the basis of an irradiation timing when a light irradiator performs surface irradiation on the distance measurement target region with light and a light receiving timing when a light receiver receives reflected light of the light from the distance measurement target region; and in a case in which a specific pixel included in the light receiver generates a plurality of signals at different timings within a light receiving period corresponding to the surface irradiation, measure the first distance on the basis of a relationship between the plurality of signals above a reference threshold value generated by the specific pixel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the relationship between the plurality of signals is a time-series distribution of intensities of the plurality of signals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein, in a case in which the plurality of signals include a plurality of signals having an intensity greater than the reference threshold value, the processor is configured to measure the first distance on the basis of the light receiving timing when the light receiver receives the reflected light corresponding to a signal having a second highest intensity among the plurality of signals. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to perform a specific process in a case in which the plurality of signals include a first signal having a first intensity equal to or greater than a first threshold value and a second signal having a second intensity that is less than the first threshold value and is equal to or greater than a second threshold value less than the first threshold value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the first threshold value and the second threshold value are determined on the basis of a noise component caused by ambient light. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the first threshold value is a value that decreases as the light receiving timing is delayed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the specific process is a process that measures the first distance on the basis of the light receiving timing when the specific pixel receives the reflected light corresponding to the second signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the specific process includes a process of notifying that a first intensity is included in the intensities of the plurality of signals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the specific process includes image-based distance measurement that measures a second distance to the object on the basis of an image obtained by imaging the distance measurement target region. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to perform image-based distance measurement that measures a second distance to the object on the basis of an image obtained by imaging the distance measurement target region, in parallel to an operation of measuring the first distance on the basis of the irradiation timing and the light receiving timing, and the specific process includes a process based on a distance measurement result of the image-based distance measurement. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The information processing device according to claim 9, wherein the image-based distance measurement is at least one of phase-difference-image-based distance measurement that measures the second distance according to a phase difference image obtained as the image from a phase difference pixel, stereo-image-based distance measurement that measures the second distance according to a stereo image obtained as the image by a stereo imaging method, or object-image-based distance measurement that measures the second distance according to an object image which is detected from the image and indicates an object whose size is known. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein the specific process includes focus control for an imager based on a contrast of a subject image obtained by imaging a subject included in the distance measurement target region with the imager. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the distance measurement target region is a specific real space region that is limited in response to a given instruction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the distance measurement target region is a specific real space region corresponding to a target subject image detected by the processor from a captured image obtained by imaging. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to perform the focus control for the imager, using the first distance measured on the basis of the irradiation timing and the light receiving timing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the intensities of the plurality of signals are adjusted according to the light receiving timing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the specific pixel is one of a plurality of specific pixels disposed two-dimensionally in the light receiver, and the processor is configured to measure the first distance for the plurality of specific pixels on the basis of the irradiation timing and the light receiving timing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) An imaging device comprising: the information processing device according to claim 1; and a focus lens, wherein the processor is configured to perform focus control to move the focus lens to a focus position determined according to the first distance. ### Claim 19 An information processing method comprising: causing a light irradiator to perform surface irradiation on a distance measurement target region with light; causing a light receiver to receive reflected light of the light from the distance measurement target region; and measuring a first distance to an object in the distance measurement target region on the basis of an irradiation timing when the light irradiator performs the surface irradiation on the distance measurement target region with the light and a light receiving timing when the light receiver receives the reflected light, wherein, in a case in which a specific pixel included in the light receiver generates a plurality of signals at different timings within a light receiving period corresponding to the surface irradiation, the first distance is measured on the basis of a relationship between the plurality of signals above a reference threshold value. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute a process comprising: causing a light irradiator to perform surface irradiation on a distance measurement target region with light; causing a light receiver to receive reflected light of the light from the distance measurement target region; and measuring a first distance to an object in the distance measurement target region on the basis of an irradiation timing when the light irradiator performs the surface irradiation on the distance measurement target region with the light and a light receiving timing when the light receiver receives the reflected light, wherein, in a case in which a specific pixel included in the light receiver generates a plurality of signals at different timings within a light receiving period corresponding to the surface irradiation, the first distance is measured on the basis of a relationship between the plurality of signals above a reference threshold value.