Automatic focus system
AssigneeNikon Corporation
InventorNaoki Kitaoka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides an automatic focus system which can pursue a subject beyond established limits when the subject is moving. This invention is an automatic focus system equipped with a drive mechanism which automatically drives the focus adjustment lens and which contains a control mechanism which controls the drive range of the drive mechanism, a movement determination mechanism which determines whether the subject is moving, and a control release mechanism which releases the control of the control mechanism when it is determined by the movement determination mechanism that the subject is moving.
Claims26
A drive mechanism for an automatic focus system which automatically drives the focus adjustment lens, comprising:
- a control mechanism to control the drive range of the drive mechanism;
- a movement determination mechanism which determines whether a photographic subject is moving;
- and
- a control release mechanism which releases control through the control mechanism when it is determined by the movement determination mechanism that the photographic subject is moving.
A drive mechanism for an automatic focus system of a camera, comprising:
- a focusing lens;
- lens driving means for moving said focusing lens;
- range setting means for setting a focusing range;
- movement detection means for detecting movement of a photographic subject;
- control means for controlling operations of the drive mechanism;
- and
- release means for overriding range limits defining the focusing range when the photographic subject is moving.
A method of focusing an automatic focus camera, comprising the steps of:
- establishing a focusing range defined by upper range limit and a lower range limit;
- determining the movement state of a photographic subject;
- determining whether the photographic subject is within the focusing range;
- and
- permitting an override of the focusing range when the photographic subject is moving.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.