Electronic camera with rapid automatic focus of an image upon a

Details Electronic camera with rapid automatic focus of an image upon a Electronic camera with rapid automatic focus of an image upon a

1994-12-30

1997-09-16

Tran, Thai

Television

Camera, system and detail

Optics

348315, 348353, H04N 5232

Patent

active

056685971

ABSTRACT:
A technique for automatically focusing the lens of an electronic still camera employs a progressive scan image sensor 20 with a fast dump structure 62. The image sensor 20 itself is operated first in a "fast flush " mode to focus a lens 22, and then in a normal readout mode to obtain the final still image. To focus the lens 22, an image is integrated on the sensor 20. The average contrast of a central region 66 of the image is used to determine how well the image is focused. The portion of the image surrounding a central focusing area 66 is rapidly read out and discarded, using "fast flush" clocking where the vertical and horizontal registers are continuously clocked and lines of image charge are dumped to the substrate through the fast dump structure 62. In the central focusing area 66, a pattern of lines are eliminated through the fast dump structure 62, and the intervening lines are transferred out to generate a focus adjustment signal. The process is repeated numerous times as the lens focus is adjusted until the maximum average contrast is obtained. At this point, the entire sensor is cleared using "fast flush" clocking, and the final image is then captured and read out.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4047187 (1977-09-01), Mashimo et al.
patent: 4614975 (1986-09-01), Kaite
patent: 4752831 (1988-06-01), Biber et al.
patent: 4876608 (1989-10-01), Eaton
patent: 4974092 (1990-11-01), Kawamura et al.
patent: 5051833 (1991-09-01), Tsuji
patent: 5164756 (1992-11-01), Hirasawa
patent: 5182649 (1993-01-01), Miyazaki
patent: 5196939 (1993-03-01), Elabbl et al.
patent: 5233431 (1993-08-01), Yoshida et al.
patent: 5347371 (1994-09-01), Nishimura et al.
patent: 5363137 (1994-11-01), Suga et al.
patent: 5394187 (1995-02-01), Shipp
patent: 5432331 (1995-07-01), Wertheimer
patent: 5452004 (1995-09-01), Roberts
patent: 5563658 (1996-10-01), Parulski et al.
"KAI-0310 648(H).times.484(V) Pixel Interline CCD Image Sensor Performance Specification", Eastman Kodak Company, Revised Apr. 26, 1994.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Electronic camera with rapid automatic focus of an image upon a does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Electronic camera with rapid automatic focus of an image upon a , we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electronic camera with rapid automatic focus of an image upon a will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-221907