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:
Aug. 24, 2010
Filed:
Jun. 08, 2007
Hisashi Ishiwata, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoshito Terashima, Tokyo, JP;
Tetsuo Mise, Tokyo, JP;
Masakazu Koyanagi, Chiba, JP;
Hisashi Ishiwata, Kanagawa, JP;
Yoshito Terashima, Tokyo, JP;
Tetsuo Mise, Tokyo, JP;
Masakazu Koyanagi, Chiba, JP;
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An imaging apparatus includes a face detecting unit that detects a face area from an input image inputted in the imaging apparatus and a control unit that executes a focus operation according to adjustment of a focus lens. The control unit judges whether, during the focus operation, a new face has appeared in a position closer to the imaging apparatus than a position of a face closest to the imaging apparatus among faces detected before the start of the focus operation on the basis of the number and sizes of the faces detected and performs processing for re-executing or stopping the focus operation on the basis of a judgment result indicating that a new face has appeared in a position closer to the imaging apparatus.