Multiple points distance measuring apparatus

A focusing state detecting or distance measuring apparatus which measures a focusing state or a distance of an object for a plurality of different areas in a scene, said apparatus comprising:

• light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving portions, each light receiving portion corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of different areas in the scene and receiving a light beam associated with that area, each light receiving portion comprising a plurality of pixels which provide outputs corresponding to the received light;
• and
• a processing circuit for performing a calculation processing operation on the plurality of pixel outputs output from the pixels of each light receiving portion, for obtaining a focusing state or a distance associated with each of the plurality of different areas by the calculation for each respectively corresponding light receiving portion and for determining a focusing state or distance associated with a light receiving portion whose output is insufficient for the calculation processing operation, based on a focusing state or distance obtained for a light receiving portion neighboring the insufficient light receiving portion.

A focusing state detecting or distance measuring apparatus which measures a focusing state or a distance of an object for a plurality of different areas in a scene, said apparatus comprising:

• light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving portions, each light receiving portion corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of different areas in the scene and receiving a light beam associated with that area, each light receiving portion comprising a plurality of pixels providing outputs corresponding to the received light;
• and
• a processing circuit for performing a calculation processing operation on the plurality of pixel outputs output from the pixels of each light receiving portion, for obtaining a focusing state or distance associated with each of the plurality of different areas by the calculation for each respectively corresponding light receiving portion and for determining a focusing state or distance associated with a light receiving portion whose output is insufficient for the calculation processing operation, based on a focusing state or a distance obtained for a light receiving portion different from the insufficient light receiving portion.

A camera having a focusing state detecting or distance measuring apparatus which measures a focusing state or a distance of an object from the camera for a plurality of different areas in a scene, said apparatus comprising:

• light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving portions, each light receiving portion corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of different areas in the scene and receiving a light beam associated with that area, each light receiving portion comprising a plurality of pixels providing outputs corresponding to the received light;
• and
• a processing circuit for performing a calculation processing operation on a plurality of pixel outputs output from the pixels of each light receiving portion, for obtaining a focusing state or a distance associated with each of the plurality of different areas by the calculation for each respectively corresponding light receiving portion, and for determining a focusing state or distance for a light receiving portion whose outputs are insufficient for the calculation processing operation, based on a focusing state or a distance obtained for a light receiving portion different from the insufficient light receiving portion.

A focusing state detecting or distance measuring apparatus which measures a focusing state or a distance of an object for a plurality of different areas in a scene, said apparatus comprising:

• light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving portions, each receiving portion corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of different areas in the scene and receiving a light beam associated with that area, each light receiving portion comprising a plurality of pixels providing outputs corresponding to the received light;
• and
• a processing circuit for performing a calculation processing operation on the plurality of pixel outputs output from the pixels of each light receiving portion, for obtaining a focusing state or distance associated with each of the plurality of different areas by the calculation for each respectively corresponding light receiving portion and for determining a focusing state or distance associated with a light receiving portion which is in a state in which detection of an appropriate focusing state or distance by the calculation processing operation is disabled, based on a focusing state or distance obtained for a light receiving portion different from the light receiving portion which is in the state in which detection of an appropriate focusing state or distance by the calculation processing operation is disabled.

A focusing state detecting or distance measuring apparatus which measures a focusing state or a distance of an object for a plurality of different areas in a scene, said apparatus comprising:

• light receiving means having a plurality of light receiving portions, each receiving portion corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of different areas in the scene and receiving a light beam associated with that area, each light receiving portion comprising a plurality of pixels providing outputs corresponding to the received light;
• and
• a processing circuit for performing a calculation processing operation on the plurality of pixel outputs output from the pixels of each light receiving portion, for obtaining a focusing state or distance associated with each of the plurality of different areas by the calculation for each respectively corresponding light receiving portion and for determining a focusing state or distance associated with a light receiving portion which is in a state in which a focusing state or distance is not decided by the calculation processing operation, based on a focusing state or distance obtained for a light receiving portion different from the light receiving portion which is in the state in which a focusing state or distance is not decided by the calculation processing operation.