US 9,804,357 B2Granted

Phase detection autofocus using masked and unmasked photodiodes

AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated

InventorsMicha Galor Gluskin, Ruben Manuel Velarde, Jisoo Lee

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Abstract

Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for using imaging pixels (that is, non-phase detection pixels) in addition to phase detection pixels for calculating autofocus information. Imaging pixel values can be used to interpolate a value at a phase detection pixel location. The interpolated value and a value received from the phase difference detection pixel can be used to obtain a virtual phase detection pixel value. The interpolated value, value received from the phase difference detection pixel, and the virtual phase detection pixel value can be used to obtain a phase difference detection signal indicating a shift direction (defocus direction) and a shift amount (defocus amount) of image focus.

Claims30

Dependent claims

An imaging apparatus comprising:

a plurality of diodes each configured to capture one of
image information representing a target scene, the image information received from a first subset of the plurality of diodes, or
phase detection information, the phase detection information received from a second subset of the plurality of diodes;
and
a processor configured with instructions to
for each diode of the second subset of the plurality of diodes
access the phase detection information received from the diode,
determine, using image information received from a predetermined plurality of diodes around a location of the diode, a center value corresponding to the location of the diode, and
determine, from the center value and the accessed phase detection information, a virtual phase detection value corresponding to the location, construct at least two of
a phase detection image from the phase detection information from at least some of the second subset of the plurality of diodes,
a center image from the center value for each of the second subset of the plurality of diodes, and
a virtual phase detection image from the virtual phase detection value for the at least some of the second subset of the plurality of diodes,
calculate a phase difference between two of the constructed images, and
determine an autofocus adjustment based on the phase difference.

11 more elements

A processor configured with instructions for performing a process for phase detection autofocus, the process comprising:

accessing image information representing a target scene from a plurality of imaging diodes;
for each phase detection diode of a plurality of phase detection diodes positioned at a corresponding plurality of locations within a two-dimensional arrangement of the plurality of imaging diodes
accessing phase detection information received from the phase detection diode,
determining, using image information received from a predetermined plurality of diodes around a location of the phase detection diode, a center value corresponding to the location of the phase detection diode, and
determining, from the center value and the accessed phase detection information, a virtual phase detection value corresponding to the location;
constructing at least two of
a phase detection image from the phase detection information for each of the plurality of phase detection diodes,
a center image from the center value for each of the plurality of phase detection diodes, and
a virtual phase detection image from the virtual phase detection value for each of the plurality of phase detection diodes;
calculating a phase difference between two of the constructed images;
and
determining an autofocus adjustment based on the phase difference.

9 more elements

A phase detection autofocus process comprising:

accessing image information representing a target scene from a plurality of imaging diodes;
for each phase detection diode of a plurality of phase detection diodes positioned at a plurality of locations corresponding to locations within a two-dimensional arrangement of the plurality of imaging diodes
accessing phase detection information received from the phase detection diode,
determining, using image information received from a predetermined neighborhood of the plurality of imaging diodes around a location of the phase detection diode, a center value corresponding to the location of the phase detection diode, and
determining, from the center value and the accessed phase detection information, a virtual phase detection value corresponding to the location;
constructing a first image using the phase detection information and a second image using the virtual phase detection value of each phase detection diode;
calculating a phase difference between the first image and the second image;
and
determining an autofocus adjustment based on the phase difference.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/865,629Filed 25 Sep 2015
Published: US 2017/0090149 A130 Mar 2017
Granted: 31 Oct 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

G02B 7/285
Systems for automatic generation of focusing signals: including two or more different focus detection devices, e.g. both an active and a passive…
G02B 7/34
Systems for automatic generation of focusing signals: using different areas in a pupil plane
G02B 7/365
Using image sharpness techniques , e.g. image processing techniques for generating autofocus signals: by analysis of the spatial frequency…
H04N 23/672
Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals: based on the phase difference signals