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. 17, 2015
Filed:
Jun. 30, 2009
Kazunori Ishii, Yokohama, JP;
Kazunori Ishii, Yokohama, JP;
CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image pickup apparatus which is capable of performing stable and high-speed focusing on an object intended by a photographer. In a video camera as the image pickup apparatus, an image pickup element picks up an object image formed by a photographic optical system including a focus lens and thereby outputs a video signal. A face-detecting section detects a face detection area based on the video signal. An AF signal processing circuit generates an AF evaluation value signal. An external ranging unit generates object distance information. A microcomputer performs a TV-AF process using an AF evaluation value of the AF evaluation value signal and an external ranging AF process using the object distance information. The microcomputer controls execution of the two focus control processes according to a result of the detection by the face-detecting section.