# US 2013/0278809 A1 · Image capturing device and image capturing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0278809 A1 - Document ID: US20130278809A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/978,452 - Filed: 2012-01-10 - Published: 2013-10-24 - Earliest claimed: 2011-01-13 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Kei Itoh; Yoichi Ito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130278809A1 ## CPC - H04N 23/635: {Region indicators; Field of view indicators} - G02B 7/38: measured at different points on the optical axis {, e.g. focussing on two or more planes and comparing image data} - G03B 13/20: Rangefinders coupled with focusing arrangements, e.g. adjustment of rangefinder automatically focusing camera - G03B 13/36: Autofocus systems - G03B 17/18: Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light (indicating depth of field G03B13/30) - H04N 23/61: based on recognised objects - H04N 23/611: where the recognised objects include parts of the human body - H04N 23/62: Control of parameters via user interfaces - H04N 23/675: {comprising setting of focusing regions} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - 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 An image capturing device includes: an image capturing unit that captures a subject image through a lens and converts the subject image into an electric signal; an image displaying unit that displays an image; a designation accepting unit that is provided on a display surface of the image displaying unit and that accepts designation of a plurality of positions on the image displayed on the image displaying unit; a range-finding unit that performs range finding of a distance to a subject by using a plurality of two-dimensional image sensors; an area setting unit that sets a range-finding area obtained from a range finding result for a region that includes the plurality of positions designated through the designation accepting unit; a position determining unit that determines in-focus positions based on distances of the range-finding areas; and a continuous shooting unit that performs image capturing at the in-focus positions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image capturing device comprising: an image capturing unit that captures a subject image through a lens and converts the subject image into an electric signal; an image displaying unit that displays an image based on the electric signal from the image capturing unit; a designation accepting unit that is provided on a display surface of the image displaying unit and that accepts designation of a plurality of positions on the image displayed on the image displaying unit; a range-finding unit that performs range finding of a distance to a subject by using a plurality of two-dimensional image sensors; an area setting unit that sets a range-finding area obtained from a range finding result that is output from the range-finding unit for a region that includes the plurality of positions designated through the designation accepting unit; a position determining unit that determines a plurality of in-focus positions based on distances of the range-finding areas set by the area setting unit; and a continuous shooting unit that performs image capturing at the plurality of the in-focus positions determined by the position determining unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image capturing device according to claim 1, further comprising a face-area detecting unit that detects a face area of the subject, wherein the area setting unit sets, when the face-area detecting unit has detected a face area, an area that overlaps the detected face area as the range-finding area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image capturing device according to claim 1, wherein the designation accepting unit accepts, at once, designation of a plurality of positions designated by a touch-and-drag operation performed on the designation accepting unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image capturing device according to claim 3, wherein when a plurality of positions designated by the touch-and-drag operation are accepted by the designation accepting unit, the plurality of the positions are determined by first performing a touch operation that determines a first position, subsequently by performing a drag operation that determines the plurality of the positions so that the plurality of the positions except the first position are included in a track generated by the drag operation, and finally by performing a detach operation that determines a last position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image capturing device according to claim 1, wherein a frame that indicates a focus area in which an in-focus position is to be determined within a region that includes a plurality of positions designated at once through the designation accepting unit from a user is displayed on the image that is displayed on the image displaying unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image capturing device according to claim 1, wherein the designation accepting unit includes a touch panel. ### Claim 7 An image capturing method for capturing an image in an image capturing device that includes: an image capturing unit that captures a subject image through a lens and converts the subject image into an electric signal; an image displaying unit that displays an image based on the electric signal from the image capturing unit; a designation accepting unit that is provided on a display surface of the image displaying unit and that accepts designation of a plurality of positions on the image displayed on the image displaying unit; and a range-finding unit that performs range finding of a distance to a subject by using a plurality of two-dimensional image sensors, the image capturing method comprising: causing a control unit that controls the image capturing device to perform: setting, as an area setting unit, a range-finding area obtained from a range finding result that is output from the range-finding unit for a region that includes the plurality of positions designated through the designation accepting unit; determining, as a position determining unit, a plurality of in-focus positions based on distances of the range-finding areas set by the area setting unit; and performing, as a continuous shooting unit, image capturing at the plurality of in-focus positions determined by the position determining unit.