The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 11, 2008
Filed:
Dec. 05, 2005
Fumikazu Kobayashi, Tokyo, JP;
Fumikazu Kobayashi, Tokyo, JP;
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Disclosed herein is an imaging device having a lens including a zoom lens and a focus lens; an image sensor for outputting an imaging result of an optical image formed by the lens; a signal processor for processing the imaging result to output a video signal; a detector for processing the video signal to output an evaluation value indicative of the degree of focusing; a memory for storing data of an imaging range where a focused image is ensured, by using a cam curve of the lens; and a controller for moving the focus lens in concert with the zoom lens; wherein when a focal depth detected according to a current position of the zoom lens is less than the imaging range at the current position of the zoom lens, the controller performs autofocus control using the evaluation value to move the focus lens; and when the focal depth is greater than the imaging range at the current position of the zoom lens, the controller performs focus control by the cam curve to move the focus lens. Thus, the autofocus control and the focus control by the cam curve are switched to each other according to the result of comparison between the focal depth and the imaging range at the current position of the zoom lens.