Focus direction detection confidence system and method
AssigneeSony Corporation
InventorsPingshan Li, Kensuke Miyagi, Florian Ciurea, Masato Watanabe, Mamoru Sugiura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining confidence in focus direction detection, including the steps of capturing a plurality of images, calculating sets of matching errors and blur difference estimations relating to the images, capturing a plurality of object images; calculating sets of matching errors and blur difference estimations relating to the images, calculating a confidence indicator as a function of either the matching errors or blur difference estimations, and automatically adjusting a focus control element in response to said confidence indicator exceeding a threshold value.
Claims24
An apparatus for electronically capturing images, comprising:
- (a) an imaging device;
- (b) a focus control element coupled to the imaging device;
- (c) a processor coupled to the imaging device and the focus control element;
- (d) memory coupled to the computer processor and configured for retaining images captured from the imaging device and for retaining programming executable by the computer processor;
- and
- (e) programming executable by the computer processor for carrying out steps comprising:
- capturing a plurality of object images;
- calculating sets of matching errors and blur difference estimations relating to the images;
- calculating a confidence indicator as a function of either the matching errors or blur difference estimations;
- and
- automatically adjusting the focus control element in response to said confidence indicator exceeding a threshold value;
- wherein the confidence indicator is calculated according to the equation:
- E
- =
- E
- 1
- -
- E
- 2
- k
- E
- ·
- (
- E
- 1
- +
- E
- 2
- )
- +
- 1
- where E is the confidence indicator, E1 and E2 are estimations of error for first and second directions, and kE is a non-negative constant.
A method for electronically capturing images, comprising:
- (a) capturing a plurality of object images;
- (b) calculating, within an electronic device, sets of matching errors and blur difference estimations relating to the images;
- (c) calculating a confidence indicator, within the electronic device, as a function of either the matching errors or blur difference estimations;
- and
- (d) automatically adjusting a focus control element in response to said confidence indicator exceeding a threshold value;
- (e) wherein the confidence indicator is calculated according to the equation:
- E
- =
- E
- 1
- -
- E
- 2
- k
- E
- ·
- (
- E
- 1
- +
- E
- 2
- )
- +
- 1
- where E is the confidence indicator, E1 and E2 are estimations of error for first and second directions, and kE is a non-negative constant.
A non-transitory computer-readable media containing a computer program executable on a processer which is configured for automatically estimating camera focal depth of an object in response to steps comprising:
- (a) capturing a plurality of object images;
- (b) calculating sets of matching errors and blur difference estimations relating to the images;
- (c) calculating a confidence indicator as a function of either the matching errors or blur difference estimations;
- and
- (d) automatically adjusting a focus control element in response to said confidence indicator exceeding a threshold value;
- (e) wherein the confidence indicator is calculated according to the equation:
- E
- =
- E
- 1
- -
- E
- 2
- k
- E
- ·
- (
- E
- 1
- +
- E
- 2
- )
- +
- 1
- where E is the confidence indicator, E1 and E2 are estimations of error for first and second directions, and kE is a non-negative constant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.