IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,025,835
Granted Patent B2
US 11,025,835 · App. 15/963,263 · Granted Jun 1, 2021

Imaging device, endoscope apparatus, and method for operating imaging device

Inventors: Naoya Kuriyama (Tokyo, JP); Koichiro Yoshino (Tokyo, JP); Satoshi Takekoshi (Hachioji, JP)
Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
H04N5/2628A61B1/00009A61B1/00039A61B1/00105A61B1/00126A61B1/00188A61B1/313H04N5/23212H04N5/23245H04N5/23293H04N5/232123H04N5/232945A61B1/055H04N2005/2255
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,025,835
App. No.
15/963,263
Granted
Jun 1, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An imaging device includes a processor. The processor, in a manual focus mode, sets a focus evaluation area to have a larger size than the focus evaluation area set in an auto focus mode, generates assist information assisting adjustment of the in-focus object plane position based on a focus evaluation value obtained from an image of the focus evaluation area, and outputting the assist information to a display section.

Claims (18)

1. An imaging device comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:

set a focus evaluation area in an object image obtained by an imaging section including an optical system in which an in-focus object plane position is changeable,

control the in-focus object plane position based on operation input information in a manual focus mode, and control the in-focus object plane position based on a focus evaluation value obtained from an image of the focus evaluation area in an auto focus mode,

output the object image to a display section, and

detect an object shape from the object image,

wherein the processor is configured to implement, in the manual focus mode, setting the focus evaluation area such that a ratio of the focus evaluation area to the object image is greater than the ratio in the auto focus mode,

obtaining the focus evaluation value from an image of the set focus evaluation area,

generating assist information assisting adjustment of the in-focus object plane position based on the obtained focus evaluation value, and

outputting the assist information on an area, in the object image, for which at least one of a position, a size, and a shape is controlled based on the object shape detected from the object image, to the display section.

2. The imaging device as defined in claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to set the focus evaluation area satisfying at least one of MH>LH×50% and MV>LV×50% in the manual focus mode, where LH represents a size of the object image in a horizontal scanning direction, LV represents a size of the object image in a vertical scanning direction, MH represents a size of the focus evaluation area in the horizontal scanning direction, and MV represents a size of the focus evaluation area in the vertical scanning direction.

3. The imaging device as defined in claim 1 ,

wherein the processor is configured to set the focus evaluation area to have a center positioned at a center of the object image, in the manual focus mode.

4. An endoscope apparatus comprising the imaging device as defined in claim 1 .

5. A method for operating an imaging device, the method comprising:

in a manual focus mode in which an in-focus object plane position of an imaging section is controlled based on operation input information, setting a focus evaluation area such that a ratio of the focus evaluation area to the object image is greater than the ratio in an auto focus mode in which the in-focus object plane position is controlled based on a focus evaluation value, to an object image obtained by the imaging section;

obtaining the focus evaluation value from an image of the set focus evaluation area, generating assist information assisting adjustment of the in-focus object plane position based on the obtained focus evaluation value;

detecting an object shape from the object image; and

outputting the assist information on an area, in the object image, for which at least one of a position, a size, and a shape is controlled based on the object shape detected from the object image, and the object image to the display section, in the manual focus mode.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 26, 2018
From: KURIYAMA, NAOYA; YOSHINO, KOICHIRO; TAKEKOSHI, SATOSHI
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 045648/0677 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2015080245 · Oct 27, 2015
Related Publication 20180249092A1 · Aug 30, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,232,690