Camera, device for capturing object image, automatic focus adjusting system and method for adjusting automatic focus for the same

A camera comprising:

• a photographing optical system which forms image of an object to be photographed on an image forming surface;
• an means for capturing image to convert said image of the object to be photographed to image signal;
• a focus operating means to vary a focus adjusting state of the object image on said means for capturing image by moving at least any one of whole said photographing optical system, an optical means which is a portion of said photographing optical system and said means for capturing image along an optical axis direction;
• a focus adjusting evaluating value detecting means seeking evaluating value of focus adjusting which is indicative of focus adjusting state as a criterion from image data obtained by said means for capturing image;
• and
• a control means for adjusting focus which seeks a focus adjusted position where the focus adjusting evaluating value becomes a most appropriate value and drives said focus operating means to said focus adjusted position to perform a focus adjusting by scan in that said focus adjusting evaluating value detecting means is driven while said focus operating means is driven in at least any one of continuous way and intermittent way to obtain a plurality of said focus adjusting evaluating value;
• wherein
• said control means for adjusting focus includes an additional scan control means to set a scan starting point and a direction of the scan such that when in a case distance from an initial locating point of said focus operating means to an end point which is located nearer to the initial locating position Po between both end points of the focus adjusting scan range, is smaller than a second predetermined amount of distance, after the focusing lens is moved to the nearer end point, then the focus adjusting scan is initiated from the end point toward the other end point.

A device for capturing object image comprising:

• a means for capturing image to obtain object image;
• an image data obtaining means to obtain object information according to the object image from said object image;
• a focus operating means which varies a focus adjusting state of object image obtained by said means for capturing image;
• a focus adjusting evaluating value detecting means which seeks an evaluating value of focus adjusting as a criterion of focus adjusting state from the image data obtained by said image data obtaining means;
• a control means for adjusting focus which seeks a focus adjusted position where the focus adjusting evaluating value becomes a most appropriate value and drives said focus operating means to said focus adjusted position to perform a focus adjusting by scan in that said focus adjusting evaluating value detecting means is driven while said focus operating means is driven in at least any one of continuous way and intermittent way to obtain a plurality of said focus adjusting evaluating value;
• wherein
• said control means for adjusting focus includes a scan control means to set a scan starting point and a direction of the scan such that focus adjusting operation is initiated from a point that is shifted in a predetermined amount of distance in a predetermined direction from an initial locating position Po of said focus operating means toward an opposite direction to said predetermined direction.

A device for capturing object image comprising:

• a means for capturing image to obtain object image;
• an image data obtaining means to obtain object information according to the object image from said object image;
• a focus operating means which vies a focus adjusting state of object image obtained by said means for capturing image
• a focus adjusting evaluating value detecting means which seeks an evaluating value of focus adjusting as a criterion of focus adjusting state from the image data obtained by said image data obtaining means;
• a control means for adjusting focus which seeks a focus adjusted position where the focus adjusting evaluating value becomes a most appropriate value and drives said focus operating means to said focus adjusted position to perform a focus adjusting by scan in that said focus adjusting evaluating value detecting means is driven while said focus operating means is driven in at least any one of continuous way and intermittent way to obtain a plurality of said focus adjusting evaluating value;
• wherein
• said control means for adjusting focus includes an additional scan control means to set a scan starting point and a direction of the scan such that when in a case distance from an initial locating point of said focus operating means to an end point which is located nearer to the initial locating position Po between both end points of the focus adjusting scan range, is smaller than a second predetermined amount of distance, after the focusing lens is moved to the nearer end point, then the focus adjusting scan is initiated from the end point toward the other end point.

An automatic focus adjusting system comprising:

• a focus operating means to vary a focus adjusting state of the object image;
• a focus adjusting evaluating value detecting means seeking evaluating value of focus adjusting which is indicative of focus adjusting state as a criterion from object to be photographed image data corresponding to the object image;
• and
• a control means for adjusting focus which seeks a focus adjusted position where the focus adjusting evaluating value becomes a most appropriate value and drives said focus operating means to said focus adjusted position to perform a focus adjusting by scan in that said focus adjusting evaluating value detecting means is driven while said focus operating means is driven in at least any one of continuous way and intermittent way to obtain a plurality of said focus adjusting evaluating value;
• wherein
• said control means for adjusting focus includes a scan control means to set a scan starting point and a direction of the scan such that focus adjusting operation is initiated from a point that is shifted in a predetermined amount of distance in a predetermined direction from an initial locating position Po of said focus operating means toward an opposite direction to said predetermined direction.

Ai automatic focus adjusting system comprising:

• a focus operating means to vary a focus adjusting state of the object image;
• a focus adjusting evaluating value detecting means seeking evaluating value of focus adjusting which is indicative of focus adjusting state as a criterion from object to be photographed image data corresponding to the object image;
• and
• a control means for adjusting focus which seeks a focus adjusted position where the focus adjusting evaluating value becomes a most appropriate value and drives said focus operating means to said focus adjusted position to perform a focus adjusting by scan in that said focus adjusting evaluating value detecting means is driven while said focus operating means is driven in at least any one of continuous way and intermittent way to obtain a plurality of said focus adjusting evaluating value;
• wherein
• said control means for adjusting focus includes an additional scan control means to set a scan starting point and a direction of the scan such that when in a case distance from an initial locating point of said focus operating means to an end point which is located nearer to the initial locating position Po between both end points of the focus adjusting scan range, is smaller than a second predetermined amount of distance, after the focusing lens is moved to the nearer end point, then the focus adjusting scan is initiated from the end point toward the other end point.

A method for adjusting automatic focus comprising steps of:

• varying a focus adjusting state of an object image;
• seeking evaluating value of focus adjusting which is indicative of focus adjusting state as a criterion from object image information according to the object image;
• and
• performing a focus adjusting at which the focus adjusting evaluating value becomes a most appropriate value by scan in that said focus adjusting state is varied in at least any one of continuous way and intermittent way to obtain a plurality of said focus adjusting evaluating value;
• wherein
• the method further comprising steps of:
• scanning starting point setting step to shift a scan starting point in a first predetermined amount of distance in a predetermined direction from an initial locating position Po of said focus adjusting operation;
• and
• scanning initiating step to initiate the scan toward an opposite direction to said predetermined direction.

A method for adjusting automatic focus comprising steps of:

• varying a focus adjusting state of an object image;
• seeking evaluating value of focus adjusting which is indicative of focus adjusting state as a criterion from object image information according to the object image;
• and
• performing a focus adjusting at which the focus adjusting evaluating value becomes a most appropriate value by scan in that said focus adjusting state is varied in at least any one of continuous way and intermittent way to obtain a plurality of said focus adjusting evaluating value;
• wherein
• the method further comprising steps of:
• scanning position discriminating step to judge if a distance from an initial locating point of said focus operating means to an end point which is located nearer to the initial locating position Po between both end points of the focus adjusting scan range, is smaller than a second predetermined amount of distance;
• scanning starting point setting step to move the scan starting point to said nearer end point when in a case the distance from the initial locating point of said focus adjusting scan to the end point which is located nearer is shorter than the second predetermined amount of distance;
• and
• scanning initiating step to initiate the focus adjusting scan from the end point toward the other end point after the moving of said scan starting point has been completed.