Circuit and method providing wide dynamic-range operation of auto-focus(AF) focus state sensor elements, digital imaging device, and computer system including same
US9392160B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 20, 2014 |
| Grant date | Jul 12, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 4, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N25/778
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus performing scene-adaptive auto-focusing for image capture with a variable-focus lens. The array of color pixels includes a array of half-covered light sensors to obtain lens-focus state information. The exposure time of the plurality of partially-covered light sensors is dynamically selected as long-exposure or short-exposure, based upon a current measurement of a property (e.g., brightness, or color-specific brightness) of a selected region of interest within a scene to be captured by the array. Then, focus state information corresponding to the selected region of interest is obtained by capturing light from the selected region of interest with first and second partially-covered light sensors. The exposure time of the partially-covered light sensors can be changed based on whether the brightness is greater than a predetermined threshold value.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.