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US 6,686,966 B1Granted
Electronic imaging system
AssigneeOlympus Optical Co., Ltd.
InventorHitoshi Hashimoto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an electronic imaging system, the focal point control is performed on the basis of the output of the high frequency component detecting means 14 when the brightness of the scene is higher than a predetermined brightness, and the focal point control is performed on the basis of the output of the light detecting means 30 when the brightness of the scene is lower than the predetermined brightness. The output of the light detecting means 30 is obtained by controlling a power supply to cut off current or supply a relatively low current flowing in the imaging means 5 and then driving the light detecting means 30 for emission of light toward the scene and reception of light reflected light from the scene.
Claims17
An electronic imaging system comprising:
- a photographic optical system for focusing a scene image;
- an imaging means for converting the scene image focused by the photographic optical system to an image signal;
- a high frequency component detecting means for detecting high frequency components of the image signal obtained by the imaging means;
- a light detecting means including a light-emitting means for emitting light toward the scene and a light-receiving means for receiving light emitted by the light-emitting means and reflected from the scene;
- a driving means for controlling the focal point of the photographic optical system;
- a brightness detecting means for detecting the brightness of the scene;
- and
- a drive control means for controlling the driving means on the basis of the output of the high frequency detecting means or the light detecting means;
- wherein the focal point control is performed on the basis of the output of the high frequency component detecting means when detecting, from the result of detection in the brightness detecting means, that the brightness of the scene is higher than a predetermined brightness, and the focal point control is performed on the basis of the output of the light detecting means when detecting, from the result of detection in the brightness detecting means, that the brightness of the scene is lower than the predetermined brightness, the output of the light detecting means being obtained by controlling a power supply to cut off current or supply a relatively low current flowing in the imaging means and then driving the light detecting means for emission of light toward the scene and reception of light reflected light from the scene.
6 more elements
An electronic imaging system comprising:
- a photographic optical system for focusing a scene image;
- an imaging means for converting the scene image focused by the photographic optical system to an image signal;
- a high frequency component detecting means for detecting high frequency components of the image signal obtained by the imaging means;
- a light detecting means including a light-emitting means for emitting light toward the scene and a light-receiving means for receiving light emitted by the light-emitting means and reflected from the scene;
- a driving means for controlling the focal point of the photographic optical system;
- a brightness detecting means for detecting the brightness of the scene;
- and
- a drive control means for controlling the driving means on the basis of the output of the high frequency detecting means or the light detecting means;
- and
- a battery voltage detecting means for detecting the voltage of a power supply battery;
- wherein the focal point control is performed on the basis of the output of the high frequency component detecting means when detecting, from the result of detection in the brightness detecting means, that the brightness of the scene is higher than a predetermined brightness, and the focal point control is performed on the basis of the output of the light detecting means when detecting, from the result of detection in the brightness detecting means, that the brightness of the scene is lower than the predetermined brightness, and if it is detected that the result of detection in the battery voltage detecting means is lower than a predetermined value, the output of the light detecting means being obtained by controlling the power supply battery to cut off current or supply a relatively low current flowing in the imaging means and then driving the light detecting means for emission of light toward the scene and reception of light reflected from the scene.
8 more elements
A method, for use with an electronic imaging system having
- an optical system for focusing a scene image,
- means for converting the scene image, focused by the optical system, to an image signal,
- a brightness detector for detecting a brightness of the scene image,
- a high frequency component detector for detecting high frequency components of the scene image, and
- an active auto-focus signal generator for generating a signal based on a distance to the scene image,
- for generating a focus control signal, the method comprising steps of:
- a) determining a brightness with the brightness detector;
- b) comparing the brightness detected in step (a) with a predetermined brightness threshold value;
- c1) if the brightness detected in step (a) is greater than the predetermined brightness threshold value, then generating the focus control signal based on high frequency components of the scene image detected by the high frequency component detector;
- and
- c2) if the brightness detected in step (a) is less than the predetermined brightness threshold value, then
- i) decreasing power supplied to the means for converting the scene image to an image signal,
- ii) generating the focus control signal based on the signal generated by the active auto-focus signal generator, and
- iii) increasing the power supplied to the means for converting the scene image to an image signal.
11 more elements
A method, for use with an electronic imaging system having
- an optical system for focusing a scene image,
- means for converting the scene image, focused by the optical system, to an image signal,
- a brightness detector for detecting a brightness of the scene image,
- a high frequency component detector for detecting high frequency components of the scene image
- an active auto-focus signal generator for generating a signal based on a distance to the scene image,
- a battery power supply, and
- means for determining a residual capacity of the battery power supply,
- for generating a focus control signal, the method comprising steps of:
- a) determining a brightness with the brightness detector;
- b) comparing the brightness detected in step (a) with a predetermined brightness threshold value;
- c1) if the brightness detected in step (a) is greater than the predetermined brightness threshold value, then generating the focus control signal based on high frequency components of the scene image detected by the high frequency component detector;
- and
- c2) if the brightness detected in step (a) is less than the predetermined brightness threshold value, then
- i) determining a residual capacity of the battery power supply,
- ii) if it is determined that the residual capacity of the battery power supply is greater than a predetermined threshold, then generating the focus control signal based on the signal generated by the active auto-focus signal generator, and
- iii) if it is determined that the residual capacity of the battery power supply is less than the predetermined threshold, then
- A) decreasing power supplied to the means for converting the scene image to an image signal,
- B) generating the focus control signal based on the signal generated by the active auto-focus signal generator, and
- C) increasing the power supplied to the means for converting the scene image to an image signal.
16 more elements
A method, for use with an electronic imaging system having
- an optical system for focusing a scene image,
- means for converting the scene image, focused by the optical system, to an image signal,
- a brightness detector for detecting a brightness of the scene image,
- a high frequency component detector for detecting high frequency components of the scene image,
- an active auto-focus signal generator for generating a signal based on a distance to the scene image,
- a memory for storing an image based on the image signal, and
- a display for displaying the image stored in the memory,
- for generating a focus control signal, the method comprising steps of:
- a) determining a brightness with the brightness detector;
- b) comparing the brightness detected in step (a) with a predetermined brightness threshold value;
- c1) if the brightness detected in step (a) is greater than the predetermined brightness threshold value, then generating the focus control signal based on high frequency components of the scene image detected by the high frequency component detector;
- and
- c2) if the brightness detected in step (a) is less than the predetermined brightness threshold value, then
- i) storing an image based on the image signal in the memory,
- ii) reading the stored image from the memory,
- iii) displaying the stored image read on the display,
- iv) decreasing power supplied to the means for converting the scene image to an image signal,
- v) generating the focus control signal based on the signal generated by the active auto-focus signal generator, and
- vi) increasing the power supplied to the means for converting the scene image to an image signal.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.