# US 2014/0153915 A1 · Image pickup apparatus

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- Number: US 2014/0153915 A1
- Document ID: US20140153915A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/172,813
- Filed: 2014-02-04
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-02-24
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Yasuyuki Suzuki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153915A1

## CPC

- G03B 3/10: Power-operated focusing
- G02B 7/28: Systems for automatic generation of focusing signals
- G03B 13/36: Autofocus systems
- G03B 15/16: for photographing the track of moving objects (high-speed photography G03B39/00)
- H04N 23/67: Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
- H04N 23/6815: {by distinguishing pan or tilt from motion}
- H04N 2101/00: Still video cameras
- 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)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An image pickup apparatus which changes focal point adjustment by a focal point adjusting unit in accordance with the panning state detected by a panning detecting unit and a focal point state detected by a focal point detecting unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image pickup apparatus comprising:
a detecting unit which detects a focusing state of an imaging lens;
an adjusting unit which performs a focusing adjustment operation on the imaging lens in accordance with the focusing state;
a panning detecting unit which detects a panning state; and
a controller which changes the focusing adjustment operation by the adjusting unit in accordance with the panning state detected by the panning detecting unit and a focusing information,
wherein the focusing information is related to information about whether an amount of change of the focusing state detected by the detecting unit is lower than a predetermined amount.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller changes the focusing adjustment operation by the adjusting unit if an amount of panning of the panning state detected by the panning detecting unit is equal to or larger than a predetermined amount and a time period of the panning state detected by the panning detecting unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined period of time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit detects the focusing state of the imaging lens based on a change in image surface positions of a subject, and
wherein the controller changes the focusing adjustment operation by the adjusting unit if a dispersion value of the image surface positions is lower than a predetermined value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit detects the focusing state of the imaging lens based on a change in image surface positions of a subject, and
wherein the controller changes the focusing adjustment operation by the adjusting unit if the amount of change in image surface of the image surface position is lower than a predetermined value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit detects the focusing state of the imaging lens based on a change in image surface positions of a subject, and
wherein the focusing adjusting unit uses a predictive autofocusing result to perform focusing adjustment if the amount of change in an image surface of the image surface position is equal to or higher than a predetermined value and uses the latest focusing detection result to perform focusing adjustment if the image surface position has not changed by a predetermined value or higher.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when focusing adjustment is stopped, the adjusting unit uses the latest focusing detection result to perform focusing adjustment if a predetermined period of time has passed from the stop of the focusing adjustment.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the panning detecting unit detects a panning state of the imaging lens based on an output signal from a sensor in the imaging lens.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the panning detecting unit detects a panning state based on an output from a sensor in the image pickup apparatus.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit is configured to detect a focusing state of an imaging lens against object image.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the focusing state is a defocus amount of an imaging lens against object image.

### Claim 11

A control method for an image pickup apparatus, the method comprising:
a detecting step in which a focusing state of an imaging lens is detected;
an adjusting step in which a focusing adjustment operation is performed on the imaging lens in accordance with the focusing state;
a panning detecting step in which a panning state is detected; and
a control step in which a controller changes the focusing adjustment operation in accordance with the panning state detected at the panning detecting step and the focusing state detected at the detecting step,
wherein the focusing state is related to information about whether an amount of change of the focusing state is lower than a predetermined amount.