IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,684,225
Granted Patent B2
US 12,684,225 · App. 18/180,426 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Electronic apparatus, method for controlling electronic apparatus, and storage medium

Inventor: Yoshihiro Funatsu (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
H04N23/62H04N23/61H04N23/695
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,684,225
App. No.
18/180,426
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic apparatus includes a step of controlling first processing for setting a tracking start position at a tracking position immediately before and second processing for setting the tracking start position at a predetermined tracking start position. The electronic apparatus switches and performs the first processing and the second processing depending on a state when the tracking is stopped.

Claims (47)

1 . An electronic apparatus comprising:

an operation member to which a predetermined function is able to be assigned by a user, and

at least one processor configured to:

track a tracking object in an image; and

control a tracking start position,

wherein tracking is performed while the operation member is being operated by a user, and

wherein, in a case where tracking a first tracking object is stopped after the tracking the first tracking object, the tracking start position is set to either a first position based on a position where the tracking the first tracking object was stopped, or a second position corresponding to a predetermined position, depending on a state at a time of stopping the tracking of the first tracking object.

2 . The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the tracking object is at least any one of a human figure, an animal, and a vehicle.

3 . The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the tracking is started while automatic focus (AF) processing is performed.

4 . The electronic apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the AF processing is started in a state where an imaging preparation instruction is given.

5 . The electronic apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the state where the imaging preparation instruction is given is a state where a shutter button is half-pressed.

6 . The electronic apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is configured to, in a state where the imaging preparation instruction is held on, perform continuous AF on the tracking object.

7 . The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image is a live-view image captured by an image sensor.

8 . The electronic apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising the image sensor.

9 . The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to set whether to perform the second processing based on the user operation,

and to, if a setting to not perform the second processing is made, perform the first processing regardless of the state when the tracking is stopped.

10 . A method for controlling an electronic apparatus, comprising:

tracking a tracking object in an image;

controlling a tracking start position,

wherein the tracking is performed while an operation member, to which a predetermined function is able to be assigned by a user, is being operated by the user, and

wherein, in a case where tracking a first tracking object is stopped after the tracking the first tracking object, the tracking start position is set to either a first position based on a position where the tracking the first tracking object was stopped, or a second position corresponding to a predetermined position, depending on a state at a time of stopping the tracking of the first tracking object.

11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform a method for controlling an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

tracking a tracking object in an image;

controlling a tracking start position,

wherein the tracking is performed while an operation member, to which a predetermined function is able to be assigned by a user, is being operated by the user, and

wherein, in a case where tracking a first tracking object is stopped after the tracking the first tracking object, the tracking start position is set to either a first position based on a position where the tracking the first tracking object was stopped, or a second position corresponding to a predetermined position depending on a state at a time of stopping the tracking of the first tracking object.

12 . An electronic apparatus comprising:

an operation member to which a predetermined function is able to be assigned by a user, and

at least one processor configured to:

track a tracking object in an image; and

control a tracking start position, where tracking is stopped while the operation member is being operated by a user, and

wherein, in a case where tracking a first tracking object is stopped after the tracking the first tracking object, the tracking start position is set to either a first position based on a position where the tracking the first tracking object was stopped, or a second position corresponding to a predetermined position, depending on a state at a time of stopping the tracking of the first tracking object.

13 . The electronic apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the tracking object is at least any one of a human figure, an animal, and a vehicle.

14 . The electronic apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the image is a live-view image captured by an image sensor.

15 . The electronic apparatus according to claim 14 , further comprising the image sensor.

16 . The electronic apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to set whether to perform the second processing based on the user operation,

and to, if a setting to not perform the second processing is made, perform the first processing regardless of the state when the tracking is stopped.

17 . A method for controlling an electronic apparatus, comprising:

tracking a tracking object in an image;

controlling a tracking start position,

wherein the tracking is stopped while an operation member, to which a predetermined function is able to be assigned by a user, is being operated by the user, and

wherein, in a case where tracking a first tracking object is stopped after the tracking the first tracking object, the tracking start position is set to either a first position based on a position where the tracking the first tracking object was stopped, or a second position corresponding to a predetermined position, depending on a state at a time of stopping the tracking of the first tracking object.

18 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform a method for controlling an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

tracking a tracking object in an image;

controlling a tracking start position,

wherein the tracking is stopped while an operation member, to which a predetermined function is able to be assigned by a user, is being operated by the user, and

wherein, in a case where tracking a first tracking object is stopped after the tracking the first tracking object, the tracking start position is set to either a first position based on a position where the tracking the first tracking object was stopped, or a second position corresponding to a predetermined position, depending on a state at a time of stopping the tracking of the first tracking object.