Focus adjustment unit and focus adjustment method

1. A focus adjustment unit, having a photographing lens that includes a focus lens, for carrying out a focus adjustment operation based on image data that is generated by receiving light of a pupil divided subject image by means of the photographing lens and subjecting the received light to photoelectric conversion, comprising:

a phase difference detection section for detecting extreme values having a high degree of correlation, based on the image data,

a periodicity-containing subject determination section for determining a periodicity-containing subject in the case where the phase difference detection section detects many extreme values having a high degree of correlation, and

a control section for, when a periodicity-containing subject has been determined, determining whether or not a difference between a position of the focus lens shown by an extreme value corresponding to a position that is closest to a current focus lens position, among extreme values having a high degree of correlation, and the current focus lens position, is outside a specified range, and if it is determined that the difference is outside the specified range, carrying out a focus adjustment operation based on the extreme value corresponding to the position that is closest to the current position of the focus lens.

2. The focus adjustment unit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a subject change detection section for detecting whether or not a subject has changed from a subject at the time of previous focus, based on the image data, and wherein

the control section, in the case where a difference between position of the focus lens represented by an extreme value, among extreme values having a high degree of correlation, corresponding to a position that is closest to the current focus lens position, and current position of the focus lens is within a specified range, if it is detected by the subject change detection section that the subject has changed, carries out a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value, among extreme values having a high degree of correlation, corresponding to a position that is second closest to the current focus lens position.

3. The focus adjustment unit of claim 2 , wherein

the subject change detection section detects whether or not there has been change based on a contrast evaluation value that has been calculated based on the image data.

4. The focus adjustment unit of claim 2 , wherein

the subject change detection section determines whether or not there has been change based on numerical values of extreme values having a high degree of correlation, or a number of the extreme values, in the case where a periodicity-containing subject has been determined by the periodicity-containing subject determination section.

5. The focus adjustment unit of claim 2 , wherein

the subject change detection section detects whether or not there has been change based on edge components of the image data.

6. The focus adjustment unit of claim 2 , wherein

the control section, in the case where a difference between position of the focus lens represented by an extreme value, among extreme values having a high degree of correlation, corresponding to a position that is closest to the current focus lens position, and current position of the focus lens is within a specified range, if it is detected by the subject change detection section that the subject has changed, carries out a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value, among extreme values having a high degree of correlation, corresponding to a position that is closest to the current focus lens position.

7. The focus adjustment unit of claim 2 , further comprising:

a contrast evaluation value detection section for detecting contrast evaluation value based on the image data, wherein

the control section, in the event that a periodicity-containing subject is determined again by the periodicity-containing subject detection section, after executing a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value corresponding to a position closest to the current lens position, or an extreme value corresponding to a position that is second closest, determines change of the contrast evaluation value, and if the contrast evaluation value has decreased carries out a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value corresponding to a position that is closest to the current focus lens position or an extreme value corresponding to reverse direction focus offset with respect to an extreme value corresponding to the second closest position to the current focus lens position.

8. The focus adjustment unit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a contrast evaluation value detection section for detecting contrast evaluation value based on the image data, wherein

the control section, in the event that a periodicity-containing subject is determined again by the periodicity-containing subject detection section, after executing a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value corresponding to a position closest to the current lens position, or an extreme value corresponding to a position that is second closest, determines change of the contrast evaluation value, and if the contrast evaluation value has decreased carries out a focus adjustment operation based an extreme value corresponding to reverse direction focus offset with respect to an extreme value corresponding to a position that is closest to the current focus lens position.

9. The focus adjustment unit of claim 1 , wherein:

the control section is capable of carrying out a scan operation to repeatedly acquire image data while moving the focus lens within a movable range between a close-up and an infinity end, and executing phase difference detection using the phase difference detection section, and

the control section, in the event that a periodicity-containing subject has been determined after carrying out the scan operation, carries out a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value corresponding to a position that is closest to the current focus lens position, among the plurality of extreme values having a high degree of correlation, where a corresponding focus lens position is positioned more towards the close-up end than a current position of the focus lens.

10. The focus adjustment unit of claim 9 , wherein:

the control section, in the event that a periodicity-containing subject has been determined after moving the focus lens to the close-up end when carrying out a scan operation, carries out a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value, for which a corresponding focus lens position is positioned more towards the infinity end than a current position of the focus lens, among a plurality of extreme values having a high degree of correlation, and which is the closest to the current focus lens position.

11. A focus adjustment method, for a focus adjustment unit having a photographing lens that includes a focus lens, for carrying out a focus adjustment operation based on image data that is generated by receiving light of a pupil divided subject image by means of the photographing lens and subjecting the received light to photoelectric conversion, comprising:

detecting extreme values having a high degree of correlation, based on the image data,

determining a periodicity-containing subject in the case where many extreme values having a high degree of correlation have been detected, and

when a periodicity-containing subject has been determined, determining whether or not a difference between a position of the focus lens represented by an extreme value corresponding to a position that is closest to a current focus lens position, among extreme values having a high degree of correlation, and the current focus lens position, is outside a specified range, and if it is determined that the difference is outside the specified range, carrying out a focus adjustment operation based on the extreme value corresponding to the position that is closest to the current position of the focus lens.

12. The focus adjustment method of claim 11 , further comprising:

when a difference between a position of the focus lens represented by an extreme value corresponding to a position that is closest to a current focus lens position, among extreme values having a high degree of correlation, and the current focus lens position, is within a specified range, detecting whether or not a subject has changed from the subject at the time of previous focus, based on the image data, and

if it has been detected that the subject has changed, carrying out a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value corresponding to a position that is second closest to the current focus lens position, among the extreme values having a high degree of correlation.

13. The focus adjustment method of claim 12 , further comprising:

detecting whether or not there has been change based on a contrast evaluation value that has been calculated based on the image data.

14. The focus adjustment method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining whether or not there has been change based on numerical values of extreme values having a high degree of correlation, or a number of the extreme values, in the case where a periodicity-containing subject has been determined.

15. The focus adjustment method of claim 12 , further comprising:

detecting whether or not there has been change based on edge components of the image data.

16. The focus adjustment method of claim 12 , further comprising:

when a difference between a position of the focus lens represented by an extreme value corresponding to a position that is closest to a current focus lens position, among extreme values having a high degree of correlation, and the current focus lens position, is within a specified range, detecting whether or not a subject has changed from the subject at the time of previous focus, based on the image data, and

if it has been detected that the subject has not changed, carrying out a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value corresponding to a position that is closest to the current focus lens position, among the extreme values having a high degree of correlation.

17. The focus adjustment method of claim 12 , further comprising:

executing a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value corresponding to a position that is closest to the current focus lens position, or an extreme value corresponding to the second closest position,

if a periodicity-containing subject is determined again after execution of the focus adjustment operation, detecting contrast evaluation value based on the image data, and determining change in the contrast evaluation value, and

if the contrast evaluation value has decreased, carrying out a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value corresponding to reverse direction focus offset with respect to an extreme value corresponding to a position that is second closest to the current focus lens position.

18. The focus adjustment method of claim 11 , further comprising:

executing a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value corresponding to a position that is closest to the current focus lens position, or an extreme value corresponding to the second closest position,

if a periodicity-containing subject is determined again after execution of the focus adjustment operation, detecting contrast evaluation value based on the image data, and determining change in the contrast evaluation value, and

if the contrast evaluation value has decreased, carrying out a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value corresponding to reverse direction focus offset with respect to an extreme value corresponding to a position that is closest to the current focus lens position.

19. The focus adjustment method of claim 11 , wherein:

it is possible to carryout a scan operation to repeatedly acquire image data while moving the focus lens within a movable range between a close-up and an infinity end, and execute phase difference detection using a phase difference detection section, and

in the event that a periodicity-containing subject has been determined after carrying out the scan operation, carrying out a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value corresponding to a position that is closest to the current focus lens position, among the plurality of extreme values having a high degree of correlation, where a corresponding focus lens position is positioned more towards the close-up end than a current position of the focus lens.

20. The focus adjustment method of claim 19 , wherein:

in the event that a periodicity-containing subject has been determined after moving the focus lens to the close-up end when carrying out a scan operation, carrying out a focus adjustment operation based on an extreme value corresponding to a position that is closest to the current focus lens position, among a plurality of extreme values having a high degree of correlation, where a corresponding focus lens position is positioned more towards the infinity end than a current position of the focus lens.