Focus Control Method and Unit

A focus control method that carries out focusing control by sensing a plurality of images of an object while moving a position of a focusing lens and determining in-focus positions of auto focusing areas that are located at a plurality of positions, comprising:

• a first acquisition step of acquiring read times at which image signals of the respective auto focusing areas are read;
• a second acquisition step of acquiring a focusing lens position and a time at which the focusing lens position is acquired;
• a position calculation step of determining focusing lens positions at the read times of the image signals of the respective auto focusing areas based on the read times of the respective auto focusing areas that are acquired in said first acquisition step and the focusing lens position and time that are acquired in said second acquisition step;
• an evaluation value calculation step of calculating evaluation values that represent degrees of focused states of the respective auto focusing areas based on the image signals of the respective auto focusing areas;
• and
• an in-focus position calculation step of calculating an in-focus position of the focusing lens based on the focusing lens positions that are determined in said position calculation step and the evaluation values of the respective auto focusing areas that are calculated in said evaluation value calculation step.

A focus control method that carries out focusing control by sensing a plurality of images of an object while moving a position of a focusing lens and determining in-focus positions of auto focusing areas that are located at a plurality of positions, comprising:

• a first acquisition step of acquiring read times at which image signals of the respective auto focusing areas are read;
• a second acquisition step of acquiring a focusing lens position and a time at which the focusing lens position is acquired;
• an evaluation value calculation step of calculating evaluation values that represent degrees of focused states of the respective auto focusing areas based on the obtained image signals;
• an in-focus position calculation step of calculating in-focus positions of the focusing lens of the respective auto focusing areas based on the focusing lens position acquired in said second acquisition step and the evaluation values of the respective auto focusing areas that are calculated in said evaluation value calculation step;
• a correction step of correcting the in-focus positions of the respective auto focusing areas based on the read times of image signals of the respective auto focusing areas that are acquired in said first acquisition step, the focusing lens position and time that are acquired in said second acquisition step, and the in-focus positions of the auto focusing respective areas calculated in said in-focus position calculation step;
• and
• an in-focus position determination step of determining an in-focus position of the focusing lens based on the in-focus positions that are corrected in said correction step.

A focus control unit that carries out focusing control by sensing a plurality of images of an object while moving a position of a focusing lens and determining in-focus positions of auto focusing areas that are set at a plurality of positions, comprising:

• a position calculation unit that acquires read times at which image signals of the respective auto focusing areas are read and a focusing lens position and a time at which the focusing lens position is acquired, and determines focusing lens positions at the read times of the image signals of the respective auto focusing areas based on the read times of the auto focusing areas and the focusing lens position and time;
• an evaluation value calculation unit that calculates evaluation values that represent degrees of focused states of the respective auto focusing areas based on the image signals of the respective auto focusing areas;
• and
• an in-focus position determination unit that determines an in-focus position of the focusing lens based on the focusing lens position that is acquired by said position calculation unit and the evaluation values of the respective auto focusing areas that are calculated by said evaluation value calculation unit.

A focus control unit that carries out focusing control by sensing a plurality of images of an object while moving a position of a focusing lens and determining in-focus positions of auto focusing areas that are set at a plurality of position, comprising:

• an acquisition unit that acquires read times at which image signals of the respective auto focusing areas are read and a focusing lens position and a time at which the focusing lens position is acquired;
• an evaluation value calculation unit that calculates evaluation values that represent degrees of focused states of the respective auto focusing areas based on the obtained image signals;
• an in-focus position determination unit that determines in-focus positions of the focusing lens of the respective auto focusing areas based on a focusing lens position acquired by said acquisition unit and evaluation values of the respective auto focusing areas that are calculated by said evaluation value calculation unit;
• and
• an in-focus position correction unit that corrects the in-focus positions of the respective auto focusing areas based on the read times of the image signals of the respective auto focusing areas and the focusing lens position and time that are acquired by said acquisition unit and an in-focus positions of the respective auto focusing areas that are determined by said in-focus position determination unit, and determines an in-focus position of the focusing lens based on the corrected in-focus positions.