# US 5,349,415 A · Photographic optical system controlling apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,349,415 A - Document ID: US5349415A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 07/969,577 - Filed: 1992-10-30 - Granted: 1994-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 1990-04-19 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yoshihiro Nishida - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5349415A ## CPC - H04N 23/675: {comprising setting of focusing regions} - H04N 23/71: Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation - H04N 23/635: {Region indicators; Field of view indicators} - H04N 23/673: {based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A photographic optical system controlling apparatus for carrying out an automatic focusing control and an exposure control. The apparatus comprises a motion vector detecting means for detecting the motion of the image and changes a gate area or a photometric area. The result is that the focusing or the exposure controlling operation can be carried out accurately following the motion of a main object, irrespective of the positional change of the object the screen. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An exposure controlling apparatus for controlling exposure in an optical system based on an image signal obtained at a photometric area designated on a photographic screen, said apparatus comprising: (a) motion vector detecting means for detecting the motion of an image in a motion vector detecting area from the correlation of two time continuous frames of image data; (b) photometric area controlling means for detecting the motion of a main object from the output of said motion vector detecting means, and for controlling this photometric area to follow the motion of the main object; (c) judging means for judging if the main object occupies a part or the majority of the screen; (d) area changing means, responsive to said judging means, for changing the motion vector detecting area and the photometric area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: (e) photometric superimposing means for superimposing a moveable photometric area on the image signal and displaying the superimposed signal; and (f) photometric designating means for allowing manual shifting of the moveable photometric area by a user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the photometric designating means is a rollerball. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the photometric designating means is a joystick. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the photometric area designating means includes a plurality of directional key switches. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the photometric area designating means is a rollerball. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the photometric area designating means is a joystick. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: (e) means for controlling exposure based on light intensity information in the photometric area. ### Claim 9 An exposure controlling apparatus for controlling exposure in an optical system based on an image signal obtained at a photometric area designated on a photographic screen, said apparatus comprising: (a) motion vector detecting means for detecting the motion of an image from the correlation of two time continuous frames of image data; and (b) photometric area controlling means for detecting the motion of a main object from the output of said motion vector detecting means, and for moving the photometric area to follow the motion of the main object. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: (c) means for controlling exposure based on light intensity information in the photometric area. ### Claim 11 An exposure controlling apparatus for controlling exposure in an optical system based on an image signal obtained at a photometric area designated on a photographic screen, said apparatus comprising: (a) motion vector detecting means for detecting the motion of an image from the correlation of two time continuous frames of image data; (b) photometric area controlling means for detecting the motion of a main object from the output of said motion vector detecting means, and for moving the photometric area to follow the motion of the main object; and (c) photometric area designating means for designating the photometric area in accordance with the main object to be followed. ### Claim 12 An exposure controlling apparatus for controlling exposure in an optical system based on an image signal obtained at a photometric area designated on a photographic screen, said apparatus comprising: (a) motion vector detecting means for detecting the motion of an image from the correlation of two time continuous frames of image data; (b) photometric area controlling means for detecting the motion of a main object from the output of said motion vector detecting means, and for moving the photometric area to follow the motion of the main object; and (c) photometric area superimposing means for superimposing the photometric area on the image signal, and displaying the superimposed signal. ### Claim 13 An exposure controlling apparatus for automatically controlling exposure in an optical system on the basis of image signals obtained in a photometric area designated on a photographic screen, said apparatus comprising: (a) motion vector detecting means for detecting motion of an image by correlating pixel density values of two time continuous frames of image data and accumulatively adding the correlated pixel density values to create a motion vector; and (b) photometric area controlling means for detecting the motion of a main object from the motion vector and for controlling the movement of the photometric area to follow the detected motion of the main object. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The exposure controlling of claim 13, further comprising: (c) photometric area designating means for designating the photometric area in accordance with the main object to be followed. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: (c) photometric superimposing means for superimposing the photometric area on the image signal, and displaying the superimposed signal; and (d) photometric area designating means for allowing manual shifting of the photometric area by a user. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: (c) judging means for judging the main object as occupying one of a part and a majority of the screen; and (d) area changing means for varying the area in which the motion vector is detected in accordance with contents of the image so as to detect the motion vector from the image of the entire screen when the main object is judged to occupy the majority of the screen, and from only a portion of the image in a vicinity of the parametric area when the main object is judged to occupy only a part of the screen less than a majority. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 15, wherein the photometric designating means includes a plurality of directional key switches. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 15, wherein the photometric designating means is a rollerball. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 15, wherein the photometric designating means is a joystick. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: (e) photometric superimposing means for superimposing a moveable photometric area on the image signal and displaying the superimposed signal; and (f) photometric designating means for allowing manual shifting of the moveable photometric area by a user. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the photometric designating means includes a plurality of directional key switches. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the photometric designating means is a rollerball. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the photometric designating means is a joystick. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 14, wherein the photometric area designating means includes a plurality of directional key switches. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 14, wherein the photometric area designating means is a rollerball. ### Claim 26 (depends on 14) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 14, wherein said photometric area designating means is a joystick. ### Claim 27 (depends on 13) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: (c) means for controlling exposure based on light intensity information in the photometric area. ### Claim 28 (depends on 15) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 15, further comprising: (e) means for controlling exposure based on light intensity information in the photometric area. ### Claim 29 (depends on 16) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: (e) means for controlling exposure based on light intensity information in the photometric area. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The exposure controlling apparatus of claim 25, wherein the photometric designating means includes a plurality of directional key switches. ### Claim 31 In a photographic instrument, a method for controlling exposure of an image, comprising: (a) measuring light intensity of each of a plurality of image areas selected from said image; (b) determining an average value of light intensity of the measured light intensities of a sub-group of image areas selected from said plurality of image areas; (c) determining the percentage of image areas of said plurality of image areas which fall within a continuous range of light intensities, said range including said average value; (d) controlling exposure in said photographic instrument in response to the determined percentage. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method for controlling exposure of claim 31, wherein step (a) measures the light intensity of image areas evenly distributed across the entire image. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The method for controlling exposure of claim 31 wherein step (b) determines the average value of light intensity of a sub-group of image areas bound within a single changeable area on the image. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method for controlling exposure of claim 33 further comprising: (e) changing the single changeable area in response to an object detected on said photographic screen. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method for controlling exposure of claim 34 wherein step (e) changes the single changeable area to follow and include at least part of said object. ### Claim 36 (depends on 31) The method for controlling exposure of claim 31 wherein step (c) determines a percentage of image areas of said plurality of image ares which equal said average value of light intensity plus or minus a second value. ### Claim 37 (depends on 31) The method for controlling exposure of claim 31 wherein said step (d) controls exposure as a function of the light intensities of each of the plurality of image areas or as a function of each of the light intensities of the image areas of said sub-group of image areas in response to the determined percentage. ### Claim 38 (depends on 31) The method for controlling exposure of claim 31 wherein step (d) includes: (d1) controlling exposure as a function of light intensities of said plurality of image areas evenly distributed across the entire image when said percentage determined in step (c) is greater than a predetermined threshold; and (d2) controlling exposure as a function of light intensities of said sub-group of image areas when said percentage determined in step (c) is less than said predetermined threshold. ### Claim 39 (depends on 31) The method for controlling exposure of claim 31 wherein said step (a) measures light intensities of each of a plurality of pixels selected from said image.