# US 9,438,786 B2 · Focus adjustment apparatus, focus adjustment method and program, and imaging apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,438,786 B2 - Document ID: US9438786B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/279,790 - Filed: 2014-05-16 - Published: 2014-11-20 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-05-20 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Koichi Fukuda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438786B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/673: {based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method} - H04N 23/672: {based on the phase difference signals} - H04N 25/615: involving a transfer function modelling the optical system, e.g. optical transfer function [OTF], phase transfer function [PhTF] or modulation transfer function [MTF] - H04N 25/704: Pixels specially adapted for focusing, e.g. phase difference pixel sets - H04N 25/61: the noise originating only from the lens unit, e.g. flare, shading, vignetting or "cos4" - H04N 2101/00: Still video cameras - H10F 39/1825: {Multicolour image sensors having stacked structure, e.g. NPN, NPNPN or multiple quantum well [MQW] structures} - H10F 39/8053: {Colour filters} - H10F 39/8063: {Microlenses} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract A focus detection apparatus has an obtaining unit for obtaining a first image signal corresponding to object light passing through a first pupil area of a focusing optical system and a second image signal corresponding to object light passing through a pupil area different from the first pupil area of the focusing optical system, a combination unit for generating a combination signal by combining the first and second image signals at least one of which is shifted by a predetermined step, wherein the shift and the generation of the combination signal are performed for a plurality of predetermined steps and a plurality of combination signals are generated, a calculation unit for calculating a contrast evaluation value from the plurality of combination signals, and a focus detection unit for detecting a defocus amount on the basis of the contrast evaluation value and the shift amount of the shift. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A focus detection apparatus comprising: at least one processor, configured to function as: an obtaining unit configured to obtain first and second image signals having a mutual parallax; a combination unit configured to generate a combination signal obtained by combining the first and second image signals at least one of which is shifted by a predetermined step, wherein the shift and the generation of the combination signal which are performed by the combination unit are executed for a plurality of predetermined steps and a plurality of combination signals are generated; a calculation unit configured to calculate a contrast evaluation value from the plurality of combination signals; and a focus detection unit configured to detect a defocus amount on the basis of the contrast evaluation value and a shift amount of the shift. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the focus detection unit detects the defocus amount from the shift amount of the shift by which the contrast evaluation value peaks. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second image signals is constructed by a plurality of pixel signals. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a high-pass filtering processing is performed to each of the first and second image signals. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to function as a phase difference detection unit configured to detect a defocus amount on the basis of a phase difference between the first and second image signals. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a focus actuator configured to position the focusing optical system so as to perform a focus adjustment in such a manner that in a case where a magnitude of the defocus amount detected by the phase difference detection unit is larger than a first predetermined amount, the phase difference detection unit is controlled such that the focus adjustment is performed on the basis of the defocus amount detected by the phase difference detection unit, and when the magnitude of the defocus amount detected by the phase difference detection unit is smaller than the first predetermined amount, the focus detection unit is controlled such that the focus adjustment is performed on the basis of the defocus amount detected by the focus detection unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first image signal corresponds to object light which passes through a first pupil area of a focusing optical system, and the second image signal corresponds to object light which passes through a second pupil area different from the first pupil area of the focusing optical system. ### Claim 8 A focus adjustment apparatus for performing a focus adjustment of an object by using pixel signals obtained by photoelectrically converting object light which passes through different pupil areas of a focusing optical system for forming an optical image of the object, comprising: at least one processor, configured to function as: an obtaining unit configured to obtain the pixel signals; a signal generation unit configured to generate a plurality of focus detection signals corresponding to the different pupil areas by using the pixel signals; a first focus detection unit configured to detect a first defocus amount on the basis of a correlation amount which is generated from the plurality of focus detection signals; a second focus detection unit configured to detect a second defocus amount on the basis of a contrast evaluation value which is generated from the plurality of focus detection signals; and a control unit configured to control the first focus detection unit and the second focus detection unit and control the focus adjustment in accordance with a focus adjustment state of the object on the basis of one of the first defocus amount and the second defocus amount. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the at least one processor functioning as the first focus detection unit is further configured to function as a first filtering processing unit configured to execute a first filtering processing to the plurality of focus detection signals and an image shift amount detection unit configured to calculate the correlation amount by executing a first shift processing of the plurality of focus detection signals subjected to the first filtering processing and detect an image shift amount on the basis of the correlation amount, wherein the at least one processor functioning as the second focus detection unit is further configured to function as a second filtering processing unit configured to execute a second filtering processing to the plurality of focus detection signals and an evaluation value calculation unit configured to generate a refocus signal by executing a second shift processing to the plurality of focus detection signals subjected to the second filtering processing and adding resultant signals and calculate a contrast evaluation value of the refocus signal, and detects the second defocus amount from the contrast evaluation value, and wherein a shift range of the second shift processing is equal to or smaller than a shift range of the first shift processing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a passband of the second filtering processing includes a higher frequency band than a passband of the first filtering processing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein in a case where an iris value of the focusing optical system is equal to or smaller than a predetermined iris value, the control unit detects the second defocus amount by the second focus detection unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first focus detection unit executes a first pixel addition processing to each of the plurality of focus detection signals, wherein the second focus detection unit executes a second pixel addition processing to each of the plurality of focus detection signals, and wherein a pixel addition number of the second pixel addition processing is equal to or smaller than a pixel addition number of the first pixel addition processing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the at least one processor functioning as the first focus detection unit is further configured to function as an optical correction processing unit configured to execute an optical correction processing to the plurality of focus detection signals. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second focus detection unit corrects the second defocus amount on the basis of the contrast evaluation value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: until a magnitude of the first defocus amount becomes equal to or smaller than a first predetermined value, the control unit controls the first focus detection unit and performs the focus adjustment on the basis of the first defocus amount, and in a case where the magnitude of the first defocus amount is equal to or smaller than the first predetermined value, the control unit controls the second focus detection unit and performs the focus adjustment on the basis of the second defocus amount until a magnitude of the second defocus amount becomes equal to or smaller than a second predetermined value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit controls the first focus detection unit and the second focus detection unit and detects the first defocus amount and the second defocus amount, and on the basis of the second defocus amount in a case where the second defocus amount is detected, and on the basis of the first defocus amount in case where the second defocus amount is not detected, the control unit performs the focus adjustment of the object until a magnitude of the second or first defocus amount becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined value. ### Claim 17 An imaging apparatus comprising: a focusing optical system that includes one or more optical elements and is configured to form an optical image of an object; an image sensor configured to receive, through a pupil division unit, object light which passes through different pupil areas of the focusing optical system and photoelectrically convert the received object light, thereby generating pixel signals corresponding to the object light which passes through the different pupil areas; and at least one processor, configured to function as: a signal generation unit configured to generate a plurality of focus detection signals corresponding to the different pupil areas by using the pixel signals; a first focus detection unit configured to detect a first defocus amount on the basis of an image shift amount of the plurality of focus detection signals; a second focus detection unit configured to detect a second defocus amount on the basis of a shift amount of the focus detection signal for generating a refocus signal from the plurality of focus detection signals; and a control unit configured to control the first focus detection unit and the second focus detection unit and controls the driving of the focusing optical system in accordance with a focus adjustment state of the object on the basis of one of the first defocus amount and the second defocus amount. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein until a magnitude of the first defocus amount becomes equal to or smaller than a first predetermined value, the control unit controls the first focus detection unit, drives the focusing optical system on the basis of the first defocus amount, and performs a focus adjustment, and in a case where the magnitude of the first defocus amount is equal to or smaller than the first predetermined value, until a magnitude of the second defocus amount becomes equal to or smaller than a second predetermined value, the control unit controls the second focus detection unit, drives the focusing optical system on the basis of the second defocus amount, and performs the focus adjustment. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the control unit controls the first focus detection unit and the second focus detection unit and detects the first defocus amount and the second defocus amount, and on the basis of the second defocus amount in a case where the second defocus amount is detected, and on the basis of the first defocus amount in a case where the second defocus amount is not detected, the control unit drives the focusing optical system and performs the focus adjustment until a magnitude of the second or first defocus amount becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined value. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the imaging sensor includes a first focus detection pixel for receiving a ray of light passing through a first pupil partial area of the focusing optical system and a second focus detection pixel for receiving a ray of light passing through a second pupil partial area of the focusing optical system different from the first pupil partial area, and wherein the first focus detection pixel and the second focus detection pixel construct an image pickup pixel for receiving the ray of light passing through a pupil area in which the first pupil partial area and the second pupil partial area of the focusing optical system are combined. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the focusing optical system includes a focus lens, and wherein the control unit controls a driving of the focus lens. ### Claim 22 A focus detection method comprising: an obtaining step of obtaining first and second image signals having a mutual parallax; a combining step of generating a combination signal obtained by combining the first and second image signals at least one of which is shifted by a predetermined step, wherein the shift and the generation of the combination signal in the combining step are executed for a plurality of predetermined steps and a plurality of combination signals are generated; a calculation step of calculating a contrast evaluation value from the plurality of combination signals; and a focus detection step of detecting a defocus amount on the basis of the contrast evaluation value and a shift amount of the shift. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A focus detection method according to claim 22, wherein the first image signal corresponds to object light which passes through a first pupil area of a focusing optical system, and the second image signal corresponds to object light which passes through a second pupil area different from the first pupil area of the focusing optical system. ### Claim 24 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for controlling a focus detection apparatus, wherein the program comprises code for causing a computer to function as: an obtaining unit configured to obtain first and second image signals having a mutual parallax; a combination unit configured to generate a combination signal obtained by combining the first and second image signals at least one of which is shifted by a predetermined step, wherein the shift and the generation of the combination signal which are performed by the combination unit are executed for a plurality of predetermined steps and a plurality of combination signals are generated; a calculation unit configured to calculate a contrast evaluation value from the plurality of combination signals; and a focus detection unit configured to detect a defocus amount on the basis of the contrast evaluation value and a shift amount of the shift. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 24, wherein the first image signal corresponds to object light which passes through a first pupil area of a focusing optical system, and the second image signal corresponds to object light which passes through a second pupil area different from the first pupil area of the focusing optical system. ### Claim 26 A focus adjustment method of performing a focus adjustment of an object by using pixel signals obtained by photoelectrically converting object light which passes through different pupil areas of a focusing optical system for forming an optical image of the object, comprising: an obtaining step of obtaining the pixel signals; a signal generation step of generating a plurality of focus detection signals corresponding to the different pupil areas by using the pixel signals; a first focus detection step of detecting a first defocus amount on the basis of an image shift amount of the plurality of focus detection signals; a second focus detection step of detecting a second defocus amount on the basis of a shift amount of a focus detection signal to generate a refocus signal from the plurality of focus detection signals; and a control step of controlling the first focus detection step and the second focus detection step and controlling the focus adjustment in accordance with a focus adjustment state of the object on the basis of one of the first defocus amount and the second defocus amount. ### Claim 27 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for controlling a focus adjustment apparatus for performing a focus adjustment of an object by using pixel signals obtained by photoelectrically converting object light which passes through different pupil areas of a focusing optical system for forming an optical image of the object, wherein the program comprises code for causing a computer to function as: an obtaining unit configured to obtain the pixel signals; a signal generation unit configured to generate a plurality of focus detection signals corresponding to the different pupil areas by using the pixel signals; a first focus detection unit configured to detect a first defocus amount on the basis of an image shift amount of the plurality of focus detection signals; a second focus detection unit configured to detect a second defocus amount on the basis of a shift amount of a focus detection signal to generate a refocus signal from the plurality of focus detection signals; and a control unit configured to control the first focus detection unit and the second focus detection unit and control the focus adjustment in accordance with a focus adjustment state of the object on the basis of one of the first defocus amount and the second defocus amount.