JPH07191256A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the image pickup device which is so constituted that various control such as automatic focus control(AF) can accurately be performed even when the position of a gaze point in a viewfinder no longer matches the position of a main subject. CONSTITUTION:When control signals for various control in a subject tracking area set on the basis of the output of a line of sight detection device ED is deficient, the size of the subject tracking area is so set as to enable the various control and control such as AF is performed on the basis of it. Then an object area to be controlled is made as small as possible while a high frequency component value is monitored nearby the gaze point of a photographer to prevent focusing on a subject that the photographer does not intends, i.e. a far-near conflict. Further, if the high frequency component value can not be brought under AF control at the gaze point position of the photographer, the object area to be controlled is expanded to the level where the control is enabled, thereby improving the possibility of focusing.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup device having a viewfinder.

More specifically, the present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus applicable to a camera-integrated VTR having a video camera, a video recorder, and a viewfinder for a monitor, for example.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various devices for detecting which position on an observation surface an observer is observing, that is, a device for detecting a so-called line of sight (visual axis) have been proposed.

For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-172552, a parallel light flux from a light source is projected onto the anterior eye part of an observer's eyeball, and a corneal reflection image by the reflected light from the cornea and an image forming position of a pupil are used. I am seeking the visual axis.

FIG. 19 is a diagram explaining the principle of the visual axis detection method. Here, FIG. 7A is a schematic diagram of the visual axis detection optical system, and FIG. 7B is an intensity diagram of the output signal from the photoelectric element array 6. Further, in the figure, reference numeral 5 denotes a light source such as a light emitting diode which emits infrared light insensitive to an observer, and is arranged on the focal plane of the light projecting lens 3. The infrared light emitted from the light source 5 becomes parallel light by the light projecting lens 3 and is reflected by the half mirror 2 to illuminate the cornea 21 of the eyeball 201. At this time, the corneal reflection image d by a part of the infrared light reflected on the surface of the cornea 21 is transmitted through the half mirror 2, is condensed by the light receiving lens 4, and is re-imaged at the position Zd ′ on the photoelectric element array 6. To do.

The luminous fluxes from the ends a and b of the iris 23 are
Through the half mirror 2 and the light receiving lens 4, images of the end portions a and b are formed at positions Za ′ and Zb ′ on the photoelectric element array 6. When the rotation angle θ of the optical axis a of the eyeball with respect to the optical axis (optical axis a) of the light receiving lens 4 is small, the end portion a of the iris 23,
When the Z coordinate of b is Za and Zb, the coordinate Zc of the central position c of the iris 23 is

[0007]

## EQU1 ## Zc = (Za + Zb) / 2 (1)

When the Z coordinate of the corneal reflection image generation position D is Zd and the distance between the center of curvature O of the cornea 21 and the center C of the iris 23 is OC, the rotation angle θ of the optical axis a of the eyeball is

[0009]

## EQU00002 ## The relational expression of OC * sin .theta. = Zc-Zd (2) is substantially satisfied.

Here, the Z coordinate Zd of the position d of the corneal reflection image
And the Z coordinate Zo of the center of curvature O of the cornea 21 match. Therefore, in the calculating means 9, each singular point (corneal reflection image d) projected on the surface of the photoelectric element array 6 as shown in FIG.
And by detecting the positions of the edges a, b) of the iris,
The rotation angle θ of the eyeball optical axis a can be obtained. At this time, equation (2) is

[0011]

[Equation 3] β * OC * sin θ = (Za ′ + Zb ′) / 2−Zd ′ (3) However, β is a magnification determined by the distance L1 between the corneal reflection image generation position and the light receiving lens 4 and the distance L0 between the light receiving lens 4 and the photoelectric element array 6, and is usually a substantially constant value.

On the other hand, in the camera-integrated VTR, when the photographer wants to input various functions during photographing, he / she has to look through the viewfinder and perform the operation. Further, in order to operate while checking the switches of various functions, it is necessary to take an eye away from the viewfinder, and as a result, the shooting screen may be disturbed or the subject may be lost. Further, in recent years, various functions attached to the camera-integrated VTR have been increasing due to diversification of user applications.

In view of such a background, for example, if the line-of-sight detection device described above is used to detect the line-of-sight in the viewfinder and various functions are input using a menu screen or the like, the viewfinder can be used. It is possible to easily perform function input without keeping an eye on it.

Further, for example, a camera-integrated VTR has an auto focus (hereinafter referred to as AF), an auto iris control (hereinafter referred to as AE), an auto white balance (hereinafter referred to as AWB), and an automatic camera shake correction (hereinafter referred to as A).
When performing various controls for supplementing the shooting operation such as (S), it is assumed that the position of the main subject that changes from moment to moment and the position the photographer is gazing match, Therefore, if the main subject can be tracked more accurately, more accurate AF, AE, AWB, and AS that do not violate the photographer's intention can be realized.

[0015]

However, since the subject intended by the photographer is not always present at the gazing point position, control of AF, AE, AWB, AS, etc. becomes extremely difficult in such a case. The drawback occurs.

Therefore, in view of the above points, the object of the present invention is to provide the AF, AE, AW even when the position of the gazing point in the viewfinder and the position of the main subject do not match.
An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device configured so that various controls such as B and AS can be accurately executed.

[0017]

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides, in an image pickup apparatus having a viewfinder, a gaze point detecting means for detecting a gaze point in the viewfinder, and the detected note point. Control frame setting means for setting a predetermined area including a viewpoint as a control target area,
The size and / or the position of the control target area is determined based on the signal processing means that performs a predetermined process on the display image in the control target area and extracts a specific signal, and the extracted specific signal. And area control means for changing the area. That is, as one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to change only the size of the control target region centered on the gazing point based on the extracted specific signal. Alternatively, as another form, it is possible to move only the position of the control target in the vicinity of the gazing point based on the extracted specific signal without changing the size of the control target region.

In addition, it is preferable to include means for performing any of automatic focus control, automatic iris control, automatic white balance control, and automatic camera shake correction control by inputting the specific signal.

[0019]

According to the above configuration of the present invention, AF, AE, AW
In order to execute various controls such as B and AS for supplementing the shooting operation, the position of the subject that changes from moment to moment is detected as the position gazed by the photographer, and when the above control is performed by tracking, The size of the subject tracking area (that is, the control target area) surrounding the gazing point position detected by the viewpoint detecting means is changed, or the vicinity of the first gazing point position is searched without changing the size of the subject tracking area. However, AF, AE, AWB, AS, etc. can be accurately executed based on various control signals obtained from the area. Thus, according to the present invention, even if there is no subject at the gazing point position, or if there is another subject not intended by the photographer, the correct AF, A
E, AWB and AS are possible and comfortable shooting can be realized.

[0020]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below.

Embodiment 1 Each of the embodiments described in detail below is a camera-integrated VTR equipped with a video camera, a video lens, and a viewfinder for a monitor, and a visual axis detecting device around the viewfinder. By providing, AF, AE, AW
In various controls such as B and AS for supplementing the photographing operation of the photographer, the position of the subject that changes from moment to moment is detected as the position the photographer is gazing, and tracking is performed.
In a device that can optimally perform the various controls described above, if the control signal for performing the various controls described above is insufficient within the subject tracking area set based on the output of the line-of-sight detection device, The size is set so that the above various controls can be performed, and AF, AE,
It controls the AWB and AS.

FIG. 1 shows a camera-integrated VTR according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 101 is an electronic viewfinder (hereinafter abbreviated as EVF), and 102 is a finder screen.

The ED is a line-of-sight detecting device, and is composed of a photoelectric element array 6 as a light receiving means, infrared light emitting diodes 5a and 5b as an illuminating means, a finder optical system 100, and a signal processing circuit 109. .

The viewfinder optical system 100 is composed of a half mirror 2 for splitting the optical path, an eyepiece lens 1, and a light receiving lens 4, as enlarged in FIG. Light (image) from the finder screen 102 passes through the half mirror 2 that transmits visible light and reflects infrared light, and also passes through the eyepiece lens 1 to be guided to an eye point E in the eyepiece 105. Here, the axis of light incident on the eyepoint E from the viewfinder screen 102 is defined as the X axis.

The infrared light emitting diodes 5a and 5b are disposed symmetrically with respect to the X axis near the upper end of the eyepiece 1 on the eyeball 201 side, and the center of the eyeball 201 where infrared light is located near the eyepoint E. It is designed to be incident on. The infrared light reflected from the eyeball 201 is reflected by the eyepiece lens 1.
A half mirror 2 that transmits visible light and reflects infrared light is guided to a light receiving lens 4 and enters a photoelectric element array 6.

FIG. 6 shows an example of an eyeball reflection image on the surface of the photoelectric element array 6.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the Y-axis is an axis which is orthogonal to the X-axis and is parallel to the axis of the light which is guided to the light-receiving lens 4 by the half mirror 2 and is incident on the photoelectric element array 6.
An axis orthogonal to a plane including the X axis and the Y axis is the Z axis. In the photoelectric element array 6, a plurality of photoelectric element arrays are arranged on a straight line parallel to the Z axis (see FIG. 6).

The signal processing circuit 109 shown in FIG. 1 is composed of an eyeball optical axis detection circuit, an eyeball discrimination circuit, a line-of-sight correction circuit, a gazing point detection circuit, etc. (none of which are shown).
Here, the eyeball optical axis detection circuit obtains the rotation angle of the eyeball optical axis. Also, the eye discriminating circuit uses the finder screen 10
It is to determine whether the eyeball gazing at 2 is on the left or right. The visual axis correction circuit corrects the visual axis based on the rotation angle of the optical axis of the eyeball and the eyeball discrimination information. Further, the gazing point detection circuit calculates the gazing point based on the optical constant. The signal processing circuit 109 is executed according to software of a microcomputer, for example.

As shown in FIG. 4, the infrared light emitting diode 5
Regarding the light fluxes from a and 5b, the corneal reflection image e and the corneal reflection image d are formed in the directions parallel to the Z axis.
Further, the Z coordinate of the midpoint of the corneal reflection image e and the corneal reflection image d is
It coincides with the Z coordinate of the center of curvature o of the cornea 21.

As shown in FIG. 5, the optical axis of the eyeball of the observer is Y.
The corneal reflection image e (when the optical axis of the eyeball and the X axis are not coincident with each other about the axis (the center of curvature o of the cornea and the center C ′ of the pupil are on the X axis)) d) is formed with a shift in the + Y direction from the X axis.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a visual axis detection procedure by the signal processing circuit 109. The steps S1 to S11 shown in this figure will be described below.

First, the rotation angle of the eyeball optical axis is detected by the eyeball optical axis detection circuit built in the signal processing circuit 109,
When the image signal is read from the photoelectric element column 6, the row Yp 'of the photoelectric element column 6 in which the corneal reflection images e', d'are formed is sequentially read from the -Y direction in FIG. 6 (S1).
Next, the photoelectric element array 6 on which the corneal reflection images e'and d'are formed
Generation positions Zd 'and Ze' in the column direction are detected (S
2).

FIG. 7 shows an example of the output signal obtained from the row Yp 'of the photoelectric element column 6.

Next, the interval of corneal reflection images | Zd'-Ze '
The imaging magnification β of the optical system is obtained from | (S3). The image forming magnification β of the reflected image from the eyeball is on the photoelectric element array 6 because the interval between the corneal reflected images e and d changes in proportion to the distance between the infrared light emitting diodes 5a and 5b and the eyeball of the observer. It can be obtained by detecting the positions e ′ and d ′ of the re-formed cornea reflection image.

Then, the boundary points Z2b 'and A2a' between the iris 23 and the pupil 24 on the row Yp 'of the photoelectric element array 6 on which the cornea reflection images e and d are re-imaged are detected (S4), and the row Yp' is detected. The upper pupil diameter | Z2d'-Z2a '| is calculated (S5).

Normally, the row Yp 'of the photoelectric element column 6 on which the corneal reflection image is formed has the photoelectric element column 6 having the pupil center C'.
The row Y0 'is shifted in the -Y direction in FIG. The row Y1 'of the other photoelectric element column from which the image signal is to be read out is calculated from the imaging magnification β and the pupil diameter (S6). Row Y1 '
Is sufficiently far from row Yp '.

Next, the iris 23 on the row Y1 'of the photoelectric element column.
And the boundaries Z1b 'and Z1a' of the pupil 24 are detected (S
7), boundary point (Z1a ', Y1'), boundary point (Z1
b ', Y1'), the boundary point (Z2a ', Yp'), and the boundary point (Z2b ', Yp'), at least three points are used to determine the center position C '(Zc', Yc ') of the pupil.

Next, the position of the corneal reflection image (Zd ', Y
From p '), (Ze', Yp ') and the following equations (4), (5), the rotation angles θz, θy of the optical axis of the eyeball are obtained (S8).

[0040]

## EQU4 ## β * OC * sin θz≈Zc ′ − (Zd ′ + Ze ′) / 2 (4)

[0041]

## EQU00005 ## .beta. * OC * sin.theta.y.apprxeq.Zc'-Yp '+. Delta.Y' (5) where .delta.Y 'is orthogonal to the light receiving lens 4 in the row direction of the photoelectric element row 6 when the infrared light emitting diodes 5a and 5b are arranged. Correction for correcting the re-imaging positions e ′, d ′ of the corneal reflection image on the photoelectric element array 6 with respect to the Y coordinate of the center of curvature of the cornea 21 in the Y-axis direction by arranging in the direction. It is a value.

Then, the eyeball discrimination circuit built in the signal processing circuit 109 discriminates, for example, whether the eye of the observer looking into the EVF 101 is right or left from the distribution of the calculated rotation angles of the eyeball optical axis ( S9), the visual axis is corrected by the visual axis correction circuit based on the eyeball discrimination information and the rotation angle of the eyeball optical axis (S10), and the gazing point built in the signal processing circuit 109 based on the optical constant of the finder optical system 100. The gazing point is calculated by the detection circuit (S11).

The electrical signal output from the CCD image sensor 118 of the video camera section shown in FIG. 1 becomes a video signal through the camera signal processing circuit 116, and is sent to the bandpass filter (BPF) 114 and the video signal processing circuit 141. Supplied. The output signal from the video signal processing circuit 141 is a VTR (video tape recorder) as a recording signal.
It is sent to 140 and recorded on a magnetic tape.

On the other hand, the gazing point information detected by the gazing point detection circuit in the signal processing circuit 109 is sent to the AF control circuit 110. In the AF control circuit 110, the focusing lens 120 is driven via the lens drive circuit 131 via the lens drive circuit 131 so that the signal amplitude becomes maximum due to the time series change of the high frequency component signal in the imaging screen detected by the band pass filter 114. Driven),
I am focusing.

Further, the AF control circuit 110 also detects the peak position of the high frequency component signal within the image pickup screen, and at the same time also performs subject tracking for detecting the high frequency component within a predetermined range centered on the peak position. The detection range set in the AF control circuit 110 is actually displayed on the viewfinder in the EVF 101 via the ranging frame display circuit 112 and the EVF display circuit 111 (see FIG. 11).

FIG. 8 is an operation flowchart showing the AF control procedure by the AF control circuit 110. Hereinafter, each of the illustrated steps S802 to S812 will be described.

In step S802, gazing point information obtained from the gazing point processing circuit included in the signal processing circuit 109, that is, a signal indicating which position on the finder screen the photographer is currently gazing at is determined by the coordinate value in the finder. X (IP _X ,
This is a routine received by IP _Y ) (see FIG. 11).

Step S804 is a routine for setting an initial control target area W (see FIG. 11) of a predetermined size centered on the gazing point position coordinate X (IP _X , IP _Y ) received in step S802.

In step S806, it is determined whether the high frequency component in the area set in step S804 is larger than a predetermined magnitude,
When it is larger, it is a routine to shift the control to the ranging frame setting 1 routine of S808, and when it is smaller, to the ranging frame setting 2 routine of S810. These steps S808 and S810 are the main object of the present embodiment as a ranging frame setting routine, and will be described in detail later.

In step S812, a high frequency component is detected in the distance measuring area set in steps S808 and S810, and AF control is performed.

Next, the ranging frame setting routine of S808 and S810 described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11.

In FIG. 11, W, W1 and W2 are control target areas, and X is a gazing point coordinate. Less than,
I will explain using this symbol.

FIG. 9 shows a processing procedure of the ranging frame setting 1 when it is determined in the routine of S806 that the high frequency component in the initial control target area W is larger than a predetermined value.

In FIG. 9, S900 is a routine for reducing the initial control target area W by a predetermined amount.

In step S902, it is determined whether or not the new control target area set in step S900 is smaller than the minimum control target area W1. If the new control target area is smaller than the minimum control target area W1, the subsequent control is stopped and the control is shifted to the routine in step S908. Is.

In step S904, it is determined whether the high frequency component value in the new control target area is larger than a predetermined value, and if it is larger, the control target area is further reduced.
The routine shifts the control to the routine of 0, and when it is smaller, shifts to the next ranging frame final setting routine S906.

S906 is a routine for setting the control target area as the distance measurement frame when the value of the high frequency component finally becomes smaller than the predetermined value.

Step S908 is a routine for setting the minimum control target area W1 as the distance measuring frame.

FIG. 10 shows a processing procedure of the ranging frame setting 2 when it is determined in the S806 routine shown in FIG. 8 that the high frequency component in the initial control target region W is smaller than the predetermined value. In FIG. 10, S1000 is a routine for expanding the control target region W by a predetermined amount.

In step S1002, it is determined whether the control target area set in step S1000 is larger than the maximum control target area W2. If it is larger, the transition control is stopped and step S100 is executed.
8 is a routine for transferring control to the routine of FIG.

In step S1004, it is determined whether or not the high frequency component value in the new control target area is larger than a predetermined value. If it is smaller, the control target area is further enlarged.
This routine is for shifting the control to the routine of No. 00, and if it is larger, for shifting to the next ranging frame final setting routine (S1006).

Step S1006 is a routine for setting the control target area when the value of the high frequency component finally becomes larger than the predetermined value as the distance measuring frame.

S1008 is a routine for setting the maximum control target area W2 as the distance measuring frame.

As described above, according to the distance measuring frame setting 1 (S808) in FIG. 9, that is, in FIG. 8, the control target area is made as small as possible while monitoring the high frequency component value in the vicinity of the gazing point of the photographer, thereby performing the photographing. It is possible to prevent a so-called near-far conflict in which an object that is not intended by a person is focused. Further, the distance measurement frame setting 2 in FIG. 10 or FIG. 8 (S81
According to 0), the high frequency component value is A at the position of the gazing point of the photographer.
When the F control is not possible, the control target area can be enlarged and the possibility of focusing can be increased until a level at which the F control is possible is reached.

As described above, in this embodiment, in the video camera equipped with the gazing point tracking type AF mechanism, the size of the distance measuring frame is large even when the photographer does not have an intended subject at the gazing point position. By setting the optimum
It is possible to prevent a distance competition and an inability to focus, and perform comfortable AF shooting.

Embodiment 2 In the first embodiment, the amount of expansion and contraction of the control target area per control is constant, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the high frequency component value in the control target area. It may be variable by.

Third Embodiment In the first embodiment, the distance measuring frame setting is changed depending on the magnitude of the high frequency component in the control target area, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the subject edge component or the high frequency component. The ranging frame setting may be changed according to the amount of change in the component.

Fourth Embodiment In the first embodiment, the case where the object tracking is applied to the AF control has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in order to perform the AS control, the object tracking by the line of sight is manually performed. Even if it is applied to the detection of the shake correction area, the same effect can be obtained.
Even in this case, the correction area may be set by detecting the magnitude of the high frequency component in the control target area. That is, the area in focus is the correction target.

FIG. 12 shows an example of a circuit for performing the AS control. The difference from the circuit shown in FIG. 1 is that the A / D converter 214, the 1-field delay circuit 215, and the camera signal processing circuit 116 are provided after the circuit. The memory 212 and the AS control circuit 210 are provided to set the size of the correction frame based on the gazing point information (see S1308 and 1310 in FIG. 13). The other operations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[ Embodiment 5 ] Each of the embodiments described in detail below is a camera-integrated VTR equipped with a video camera, a video lens, and a viewfinder for a monitor, and detects a line of sight around the viewfinder. By installing the device, AF, AE,
Among various controls such as AWB and AS for supplementing the photographing operation of the photographer, the position of the subject that changes from moment to moment is detected as the position the photographer is gazing, and the tracking is performed to perform the above various controls. In a device capable of optimally performing, if the control signal for performing the various controls in the subject tracking area set based on the output of the eye gaze detection device is insufficient, the size of the subject tracking area itself is The neighborhood of the position of the first point of gaze is searched without changing, and reset so that the above various controls can be performed.
E, AWB, AS, etc. are controlled.

In the fifth embodiment described here, AF control is performed by the block configuration shown in FIG.

FIG. 14 shows the AF control by the AF control circuit 110.
It is an operation | movement flowchart which shows a control procedure. S1402
Is the gazing point information obtained from the gazing point processing circuit 109 built in the signal processing circuit 109, that is, the signal indicating which position on the finder screen the photographer is currently gazing at is the coordinate value in the finder (IP _X , This is a routine received by IP _Y ).

S1404 is a routine for setting an initial control target area W (see FIG. 16) of a predetermined size centering on the gazing point position coordinate X (IP _X , IP _Y ) received in S1402.

In step S1406, it is determined whether or not the high frequency component in the area set in step S1404 is larger than a predetermined size. If large, the process proceeds to step S1401.
This is a routine for transferring control to the distance measurement frame setting routine.

Step S1408 is the main object of the present embodiment as a ranging frame setting routine when it is determined in step S1406 that the high frequency component in the initial control target area W is smaller than a predetermined value, and will be described in detail later.

S1410 is a routine for setting a high-frequency component in the initial control target area W as a distance-measuring frame when it is determined in S1406 that the high-frequency component is larger than a predetermined value.

S1412 is S1408 and S141.
This is a routine for detecting a high frequency component and performing AF control in the distance measurement area set by 0.

Next, the ranging frame setting routine of S1408, which is the main object of this embodiment, will be described with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 16, W and W1 to W8 are control target areas, and X is the gazing point coordinates. Here, the control target areas are all the same size. Less than,
I will explain using this symbol.

In FIG. 15, S1500 is a routine for moving the initial control target area W to W1.

S1502 is a routine for storing the high frequency component value in the controlled area at the moved position.

S1504 is a routine for confirming whether or not the moved position is the final position (W8) of the search range. In the case of the final position, the routine proceeds to the next maximum value detection routine, and if not, the control target area is returned again. To the next area.

S1506 is the W stored so far.
This is a routine for detecting the maximum value of the high frequency component in the controlled area from 1 to W8 and clarifying its position.

S1508 is a routine for setting the control target region at the position of the maximum value of the high frequency component clarified in S1506 as the distance measurement frame.

As described above, according to the ranging frame setting algorithm (S1408) of FIG. 15, that is, FIG. 14, when the high frequency component value cannot be controlled by AF at the position of the gazing point of the photographer,
It is possible to increase the possibility of focusing by searching for a level that enables this by moving the control target area in the vicinity of the gazing point and setting the distance measurement frame at the position where the high frequency component value is the maximum value.

As described above, in this embodiment, in the video camera equipped with the gazing point tracking type AF, the position of the distance measuring frame is set even if the photographer does not have an intended subject at the gazing point position. By optimally setting, it becomes possible to prevent the inability to focus and to perform comfortable AF shooting.

Sixth Embodiment In the fifth embodiment, the size of the control target area to be moved and the size of the initial control target area are the same, but there is no limitation to this, and for example, to the extent that they do not overlap, The size of the control target area to be moved may be larger than that of the initial control target area.

Seventh Embodiment In the fifth embodiment, the high frequency component is searched by moving the control target area, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a large area near the gazing point is sampled in advance, High frequency component values in a predetermined area may be compared with each other to find the maximum position.

Eighth Embodiment In the fifth embodiment, the distance measuring frame is set by the high frequency component value in the control target area, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the subject edge component or the high frequency component is set. The distance measurement frame may be set according to the change amount of.

Embodiment 9 In the fifth embodiment, the distance measuring frame is set at the position where the high frequency component shows the maximum value, but the present invention is not limited to this and, for example, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. In addition, the distance measurement frame may be set at a position that is closest to the high frequency component value that was adopted when the focus control was performed last time.

Embodiment 10 In the fifth embodiment, the case where the object tracking is applied to AF has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this.
Even if the circuit shown in FIG. 12 is used to perform the S control and the subject tracking by the line of sight is applied to the detection of the camera shake correction area, the same effect can be obtained. Also in this case, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 18, the correction area may be set by detecting the magnitude of the high frequency component in the control target area. That is, the area in focus is the correction target.

[0092]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In an image pickup apparatus having a gaze point tracking function, even if there is no intended subject at the gaze point position, various sizes that more faithfully reflect the photographer's intention can be obtained by setting the size or position of the control target area optimally. It becomes possible to execute the control of.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a camera-integrated VTR according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an arrangement example of a finder optical system 100 shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a line-of-sight detection means by the signal processing circuit 109 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an optical path diagram showing an example of a position of a corneal reflection image on a plane including an X axis and a Z axis.

FIG. 5 is an optical path diagram showing an example of a position of a corneal reflection image on a plane including an X axis and a Y axis.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an example of a reflected image from an eyeball.

7 is a waveform diagram showing an example of an output signal obtained from the row Yp 'of the photoelectric element column shown in FIG.

8 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the AF control circuit 110 shown in FIG.

9 is a detailed flowchart of distance measurement frame setting 1 (S808) shown in FIG.

10 is a detailed flowchart of distance measurement frame setting 2 (S810) shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating setting of a distance measuring frame according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an AS control procedure in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing AF control in the fifth embodiment.

15 is a detailed flowchart of distance measurement frame setting (S1408) shown in FIG.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating setting of a distance measurement frame in the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a distance measurement frame setting process in the ninth embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing an AS control procedure in the tenth embodiment.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 ED Line-of-sight detection device 5a, 5b Infrared light emitting diode 6 Photoelectric element array 100 Viewfinder optical system 101 Electronic viewfinder (EVF) 102 Viewfinder screen 109 Signal processing circuit 110 AF (autofocus) control circuit 111 EVF display circuit 112 Distance measurement frame display Circuit 114 Band pass filter (BPF) 116 Camera signal processing circuit 118 CCD image sensor 120 Focusing lens 131 Lens drive circuit 140 VTR 141 Video signal processing circuit

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Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup apparatus equipped with a viewfinder, wherein a gazing point detecting means for detecting a gazing point in the viewfinder, and a control frame setting for setting a predetermined area including the detected gazing point as a control target area. Means, a signal processing means for performing a predetermined process on the display image in the control target area to extract a specific signal, and a size of the control target area based on the extracted specific signal, and / or And an area control unit for changing the position. 2. The image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein only the size of the control target region centering on the gazing point is changed based on the extracted specific signal. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein only the position of the control target is moved in the vicinity of the gazing point based on the extracted specific signal without changing the size of the control target region. Image pickup device. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for performing any one of automatic focus control, automatic iris control, automatic white balance control, and automatic image stabilization control by inputting the specific signal. A characteristic imaging device.