JPH0832863A - Electronic image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an image pickup device in which acquisition of information relating to optimum focusing is realized in the electronic image pickup device where image information to plural partial areas is combined and processed to obtain one object image. CONSTITUTION:The image pickup device is an OA camera where sets of information representing a partial image depending on outputs of an image pickup element CCD 3 corresponding to plural image pickup fields relating to the scanning of a rotary mirror 24 rotated in the image pickup field of the CCD 3 respectively are combined to obtain information representing one total image and provided with a focus calculation circuit 16 which obtains information relating to the focusing based on the information representing each partial image corresponding to the valid field being a definite field obtained by excluding an undesired field from the field corresponding to the entire image.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic image pickup apparatus, and more particularly to an electronic image pickup apparatus which divides a subject region into a plurality of regions for photographing and combines the image pickup signals of the respective divided regions to obtain a high-definition image. The present invention relates to an imaging device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Image pickup means for picking up an image of a subject that spreads in two dimensions is widely used in devices such as flying spot scanners, facsimiles, and copying machines. These image pickup means do not scan the subject area purely electronically but purely mechanically, or electronically scan one dimension using a line sensor and mechanically scan the other one dimension. To scan.

By the way, in recent years, at conferences and lectures, information such as characters and figures written on a whiteboard or a blackboard is collectively photographed by a camera incorporating an image pickup element, and information can be collected very easily. Incorporating a single image pickup device, one image pickup device is used for one subject.
Portable cameras called "OA cameras" and "blackboard cameras" that have an ordinary camera image pickup format for obtaining an image pickup screen have been developed.

Generally, image information such as characters is fine, and it is necessary to obtain a resolution such that the character information can be read when a conventional two-dimensional image pickup device is used to capture an image by pure electronic scanning. The number of pixels of the element becomes extremely large, manufacturing becomes difficult, and cost becomes high.

Further, the above-mentioned pure mechanical scanning or the combination of the line sensor and the mechanical scanning has a problem that not only the apparatus becomes complicated and large but also the image taking time becomes long. .

Therefore, in order to obtain a higher-definition image for an OA camera or the like which obtains one image-pickup screen for one subject, a CCD having a practical number of pixels which is easy to manufacture and relatively inexpensive, etc. An image-capturing OA camera in which an image-capturing system is configured by a single image-capturing device, and further, movable mirror means for scanning is arranged in the image-capturing optical system is considered. When the movable mirror is at each scanning rotation position, this split-screen OA camera captures an image of a divided subject portion corresponding to the rotation position by an image sensor, and displays the plurality of imaging screens. One piece of photographed image information is obtained by pasting.

In such a camera, the subject area is divided into a plurality of areas, for example, two to ten or more areas, and the subject area is scanned by the movable mirror means, so that the subject area is divided into a plurality of areas. The images are sequentially taken in a state of being divided into 2 to 10 or more areas. After shooting, the image information for the obtained plurality of partial areas is combined to perform 1
Acquire one subject image. As a result, it is possible to capture a high-definition image in a wide area in a relatively short time with a portable device. As such a camera, Japanese Patent Application No. 5-246390 filed by the applicant earlier
I have a camera.

Similarly, the image information for the plurality of partial areas is pasted, that is, the combination processing is performed, and
A split-screen OA camera that obtains a single image of a subject is provided with a half mirror that divides an optical path into a plurality of parts in an image pickup optical system, and an image pickup device having a plurality of relatively inexpensive practical pixels is used to pick up the image. It is also conceivable to configure.

[0009]

The above-mentioned screen division method O
In the A camera, the entire image of the subject is captured in a state of being divided into pieces. Therefore, it has not been clarified which range of the partial image to be captured is set as an AF (automatic focusing control) area as an area to be focused and an optimal AF area is realized as the entire image. In general silver-salt cameras, video cameras, etc., the center-focused AF area is known, but even in the above OA camera, the center-focused AF area is prevented in order to prevent focusing on the outside (background) of the white plate. I would like to adopt the AF area or the AF area with the background cut. However, in the above-mentioned conventional split-screen OA camera, no proposal has been made regarding the definition of such an AF area.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned inconvenience, and is most suitable for an electronic image pickup apparatus which obtains one subject image by performing a combination process of image information for the plurality of partial areas. An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device capable of obtaining information on the degree of focus.

[0011]

In the electronic image pickup apparatus of the present invention, each image pickup field of the image pickup section is switched to perform scanning, and each of the plurality of image pickup fields corresponding to a plurality of image pickup fields of the scanning is relied upon. An electronic imaging device adapted to obtain information representing one whole image by combining information representing partial images, each corresponding part of a limited visual field excluding a predetermined unnecessary visual field from the corresponding visual field of the whole image It is characterized by further comprising means for obtaining information relating to the degree of focusing based on the information representing each of the partial images corresponding to the respective effective partial visual fields.

In the electronic image pickup apparatus, information on the degree of focusing is obtained based on the information representing each of the partial images corresponding to the effective partial field of view in the entire image, and the degree of focusing is obtained. Focusing is performed based on the information.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Prior to the detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention, the outline thereof will be described below. The OA camera, which is the electronic image pickup apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, is provided in FIG. 1, FIG. 3, or FIG.
As shown in the figure, the entire screen G0, G1, and G2 corresponding to the entire field of view of all the subjects is displayed in a plurality of fields R01, R02, R03, R04 of the field of view, or R11, R12, R.
13, R14, or R21, R22, R23, R24, and the image of each divided area is photographed by an image pickup device for obtaining an individual partial image having a lower definition than the whole image, and each divided area is photographed. The electronic image pickup apparatus obtains a high-definition image as one whole image by synthesizing the image pickup signals of.

In particular, the camera of the embodiment of the present invention is characterized by a method of fetching focus information relating to the degree of focus for photographing each divided area. That is, when capturing the focus information, the background of each divided area screen is cut as an unnecessary field of view from the fields of view corresponding to all the shooting screens,
An AF (automatic focusing control) area, which is an area for detecting appropriate focusing information, is defined by using the effective area as an effective visual field portion. The portion cut as the background is a portion where the image information in the portion is not treated as a target when the focus information and the luminance information are extracted.

Now, some forms of AF areas applicable to the above-mentioned embodiment will be described. In the example of defining the form of the AF area shown in the photographing screen of FIG. This is a pattern example in which the AF area A0 is defined by cutting the background portion (shown by diagonal lines). Then, the image pickup information of the main entire screen G0 is such that the region R01 of the divided screen is first, the region R02 is second, and the region R03 is third.
It is assumed that the fourth region R04 is acquired by dividing the fourth region R04 into the fourth region.

Since it is desired to cut the upper, lower, left and right background portions purely as described above, the morphology type of the AF area as shown in FIG. 2 is a region in which the upper and lower portions of the divided image and the left side portion are cut as the background B1. Type T1 (A in FIG. 2) where A1 is the AF area, and type T2 (A in FIG. 2B) where AF2 is the area A2 that is cut with the upper and lower sides of the divided image as the background B2. There are three types of type T3 ((C) in FIG. 2) in which an area A3 obtained by cutting the upper and lower sides and the right side of the image as the background B3 is the AF area.

As described above, in the example of defining the AF area shown in FIG. 1 above, the background of the entire screen is cut vertically and horizontally, so that the type of AF area differs depending on the partial image to be captured as described above. Further, in this example, there are a plurality of AF areas as a whole, and in this case, there are four AF areas, but the AF areas extend over four partial images.

The form definition example of the AF area of the photographing screen shown in FIG. 3 is the whole screen G1 which is a photographing screen of one whole image.
For each of the split screens, cut the top, bottom, left and right sides (indicated by diagonal lines) around the background as background parts, and
It is an example of a form that defines the F area. Regarding the imaging information of the entire screen G1, the area R11 of the divided screen is the first area and the area R12 is 2 areas.
The region R13 is divided into four partial regions such that the region R13 is the third region and the region R14 is the fourth region.

Then, in each divided area, areas A11, A1 obtained by cutting the upper and lower side areas B11, B12, B13, B14
Although AF areas A2 and A13 are AF areas, these AF areas are areas of the same shape in which the same portion of each area is cut. The application example of FIG. 3 described above is a simple background cutting process, but there is an advantage that the AF area for each of the divided images captured four times has the same form and the process is easy.
Also in this case, the AF area is also an AF area extending over four partial images.

An example of defining the AF area on the photographing screen of FIG.
This is a pattern example in which an AF area is defined by cutting the entire upper and lower sides (shown by diagonal lines) of the entire screen G2, which is a shooting screen of one entire image, as the background portion. The image pickup information of the entire screen G2 is also captured by dividing the area R21 of the divided screen into the first area, the area R22 into the second area, the area R23 into the third area, and the area R24 into the fourth area. To do. Then, in each divided area, the peripheral area B2
Areas A21, A22, A2 in which 1, B22, B23, B24 are deleted
3, A24 is the AF area. Also in this example, there is an advantage that the shapes of the AF areas for each of the divided images captured four times are the same. In this case, the upper, lower, left and right sides of the entire image can be cut as the background.

The details of each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an OA camera as an electronic image pickup apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the camera of this embodiment, the field of view corresponding to the entire photographed image is divided into a plurality of divided regions by the rotational displacement of the mirror 24 (see FIG. 5) which is an optical element inserted in the incident optical path to the image sensor, Images of ¼ divided areas as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are captured. The partial image information is pasted together and 1
It is a camera that obtains the shooting screen information of two whole images.

First, the structure of the OA camera of this embodiment will be described. In the present camera, the photographing light is reflected by the mirror 24, passes through the diaphragm 1 and the photographing lens 2, and is incident on the image pickup device CCD 3 as an image pickup means. The image pickup processing circuit 4 converts the output signal of the CCD 3 into a video signal, and a BPF (bandpass filter) 5 converts an AF high-frequency contrast signal, that is, a high-frequency component to be an AF signal, into an LPF.
A (low-pass filter) 6 extracts a luminance signal for AE (automatic exposure control), that is, a low-frequency component that becomes an AE signal.

Changeover switch (hereinafter, the switch is SW
The above AF signal / AE signal is switched with 7.
Area integration circuit 9 as means for adding focus information / luminance information
CPU with built-in area shape effective partial visual field defining means
The data in the area designated by the area form designation signal from 0 is integrated.

The area integrating circuit 9 switches the switching SW7 for each mirror rotation position M1, M2, M3, M4 of the mirror 24, which will be described later.
Area integration of signals is performed and the result is written in the memory 15. The area integration circuit 9 has a built-in memory for the AF signals and AE signal area integration results for the 1/4 split screen, while the memory 15 stores the AF signals and AE signal area integration results for the entire screen. It is a memory.

The focus calculation circuit 16 is means for obtaining information relating to the degree of focus, and includes means for adding and weighting image information in the corresponding field of view, and brightness distribution detecting means for detecting brightness distribution. Built-in, 1/4 based on the AF and AE signal area integration results written in the memory 15.
By performing simple addition, weighted addition, etc., of the AF signals for the four divided screens, the focus value, that is, the contrast data for the AF processing is obtained. Note that this focusing value calculation is performed by the CPU 1
It may be calculated within 0.

The CPU 10 performs overall sequence control and AF / AE calculation. Then, based on the AF signal input to the input terminal P5, a hill-climbing AF calculation process for calculating the peak point of the contrast data indicating the in-focus position is performed. Then, the motor drive signal output from the output terminal P6 is used to output A through the AF motor drive circuit 17.
The F motor 18 is driven to move the taking lens 2 to the in-focus position, and the focus is adjusted. Similarly, based on the AE signal, the diaphragm motor drive signal output from the output terminal P7 drives the diaphragm 1 by the diaphragm motor 20 via the diaphragm motor drive circuit 19 to set the proper exposure state.

Further, a mirror drive signal output from the output terminal P8 causes a mirror motor drive circuit 21 to rotate a mirror 24 which is an optical element by a mirror motor 22 which is an optical element drive means. The rotation position is a divided area when the field of view of the entire shooting screen is divided into four, for example,
Sequential rotation positions M1 at which images corresponding to the respective regions R01, R02, R03, and R04 in FIG.
There are four positions of M2, M3, and M4.

The ROM 12 is a storage means for storing information that defines the effective partial field of view, and stores one or a plurality of area forms. The form instruction is made by the CPU 10 to instruct the area integration circuit 9 of the area form. Output a signal.

The form setting SW 11 is a switch for the photographer to set the form of the subject. Based on the output of this switch, the form recognition means in the CPU 10 recognizes the form of the subject. Further, the AF area corresponding to the effective partial visual field in the CPU 10 is defined. The form setting SW11
Is composed of, for example, a switch for switching between the normal mode and the white plate mode. In this case, in normal mode, A
As shown in FIG. 1, the peripheral background is cut as the F area to define the AF area corresponding to the effective partial field of view. In the white plate mode, the white plate shape is often horizontally long,
An AF area is defined by cutting only the upper and lower sides as shown in FIG.

As a modified example, a document such as characters may be used as a subject, and a horizontal document / vertical document mode SW may be applied as the form setting SW 11 to set the area form according to the direction of the document. . In the present embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the setting of the subject form is performed by the form setting S.
Although W11 is manually set and set, it is also possible to determine the above-mentioned subject shape based on the AF information and AE information fetched by the CPU, and automatically determine by the CPU. .

After the focusing processing is completed, the output of the image pickup processing circuit 4 is connected to the memory 23, and the mirror 24 is driven to rotate again to M1, M2, M3, and M4, so that the focusing is performed. All the image information for each of the divided areas is loaded into the memory 23.

The laminating circuit 13 performs a laminating process as a combination process for matching the joints of the images of the 1/4 split screens. In this bonding process, since there is a possibility that the joints of the images may be displaced due to a mechanical error of the rotation of the mirror 24, camera shake during shooting, etc., the positioning for the bonding by taking the correlation between the images of the adjacent comrades. Perform processing. This alignment processing method is described in Japanese Patent Application No. 5-246.
In Japanese Patent No. 390, the subject area is divided and photographed,
The details are described as an image processing method of a camera that synthesizes divided area imaging signals. The image information combined as one whole image by the above-mentioned bonding process is recorded on a recording medium such as a memory card or a hard disk via the recording circuit 14.

The entire photographing sequence in the case of performing the mirror scan in the camera of the first embodiment of FIG. 5 configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step S1100, the mirror 24 is driven to the central rotation position. The center rotation position may be a center position of the entire rotation range for capturing an image four times, that is, a position between the rotation positions M2 and M3, or any one of the rotation positions M2 and M3. But it's okay.

Then, as described above, the mirror 24 is driven to the central rotation position or the rotation position M2 or M3, and the brightness data is fetched in that rotation state (step S1101). The exposure conditions of the AE are fixed based on this (step S1102).

Next, in step S1103, AF processing, that is, focusing processing is performed. Before performing the AF processing, it is necessary to determine and set exposure conditions for the AE. In other words, the images in the four areas are captured by four shots.
If the exposure condition of E is changed, the condition as the reference cannot be obtained when various AF processes are performed based on the image information for four times, and comparison cannot be performed. Therefore, it is necessary to fix the AE exposure condition in step S1102 before performing the AF process.

After the AF process is performed and focusing is performed, a recording process is performed in step S1104. In this recording process, the mirror 24 is rotated to display the image information of each divided area in the memory 23.
, The image combining circuit 13 performs the combining process based on an instruction from the CPU 10, generates image information as one whole image, and records the image information on a recording medium via the recording circuit 14. Then, the sequence of the main photographing is ended.

According to the flow chart of FIG. 7, the mirror 24
The AF processing when the form of the AF area differs depending on the scan position, that is, the rotation position will be described. In this processing, in the CPU 10, the form setting SW1
Although the state of the subject set in 1 is recognized and the form of the AF area is defined, the process will be described when the form setting SW 11 is in the state in which the normal mode is specified.

First, in step S100, the mirror is driven to the rotating position M1, and in step S101 area form recognition is performed. In this case, to explain using the example of the AF area in FIG. 1, the image information taken into the CCD 3 in the state where the mirror 24 is located at the rotation position M1 is the divided area R01.
Image data, and the AF area in that case is
The AF area A1 is defined by cutting the upper and lower parts and the left part to which the type T1 shown in FIG. 2A is applied, and the corresponding AF area A01 of FIG. 1 is set.

In the camera of this modification, as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 16, the focus value calculation circuit 16 calculates the focus value for each 1/4 split screen, and only the calculation result for each split screen is displayed. Since it is stored in the memory 15 ', the focus value is calculated each time the mirror is rotated, so the capture time will be a little longer, but the memory for the entire image is not required and the capacity of the memory 15' can be saved. It becomes possible to make extremely small.

After performing the area form recognition in step S101, the contrast data of the image information of the region R01 at the mirror rotation position M1 is fetched in step S102 and the data is stored as the contrast data D1.

After that, similarly, in steps S103 to S105, the mirror 24 is rotated to the rotation position M2 so that the AF area A2 of the type T2 (FIG. 2B) corresponding to the region R02 (FIG. 1) is formed. The specified contrast data of the image information of the AF area A02 in FIG. 1 is fetched and the data is stored as the contrast data D2.

In steps S106 to S108, the mirror 24 is rotated to the rotation position M3, and the area R03 is formed.
AF area A2 of type T2 corresponding to (Fig. 1) (Fig. 2
(B)) is defined, and the contrast data D3 of the image information of the AF area A03 is captured. In steps S109 to S111, the mirror 24 is rotated to the rotation position M4, and A of the type T3 corresponding to the region R04 (FIG. 1).
The F area A3 ((C) in FIG. 2) is defined, and the contrast data D4 of the image information of the AF area A04 is fetched.

Then, in step S112, the focus value is calculated. The focus value is a value related to the focus degree obtained by performing various calculations on the contrast data D1 to D4 captured so far.

After the focus value is calculated, step S1
At 13, a hill-climbing AF process is performed based on the focus value. In step S114, a focus point, that is, a peak point is detected in the hill-climbing AF process, and it is determined whether the process is completed. If AF (focusing) is not yet completed, the process returns to step S100. , Repeat acquisition of contrast data again. Then, when the in-focus point is detected, this routine ends. It should be noted that the type of the AF area form in this routine has been described in association with the examples of FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, but of course the same applies to types other than this form. Processing is executed.

Next, referring to the flow chart of FIG. 8, the AF processing in the case where the scanning position of the mirror 24, that is, the form of the AF area for each rotating position is the same will be described.
This AF process is, for example, a process in the case where the whiteboard mode is selected in the form setting SW 11 and a shooting screen as shown in FIG. 3 is shot, and the form of the AF area for each split screen is common. is there. In the case of this processing, the area shape recognition processing of FIG. 7 is omitted because the shape of the AF area is exactly the same when the partial images are captured four times.

That is, when performing the AF process, the subroutine of FIG. 8 is entered, and the mirror 24 is driven to the rotating position M1 in step S200. Next, the contrast data at the turning position M1 is fetched and the data is stored as the contrast data D1.

From step S202 to step S207, the same processing is performed when the mirror 24 is rotated to the rotation positions M2, M3, M4, and the contrast data D2, D is obtained.
Take in 3 and D4. In step S208, the focus value is calculated based on the information of the contrast data D1 to D4 which is captured in four steps. In step S209, hill-climbing AF is performed based on the focus value, it is determined in step S210 whether AF (focus) is completed, and step S20 is performed until AF is completed.
Step S209 is repeated from 0.

Next, step S112 of FIGS.
Alternatively, the focus value calculation process in step S208 will be described in detail. With the camera of the present embodiment, it is possible to know the brightness distribution of each part and the partial contrast information by area integration. That is, as shown in the schematic diagram of the image memory in FIG. 9, for example, the partial image of the divided region R01 is further divided into 32 small unit areas,
The hardware configuration is such that the contrast information and the brightness information can be fetched into the one unit area.

When an AF area in which the upper and lower and left and right backgrounds of the entire image are cut is applied as described with reference to the shooting screen of FIG. 1, the shaded portion of FIG. 18 pieces of data a0 to a17 are fetched as the contrast data D1 for the area R0, and the contrast data D1 for the area R02 are acquired.
2, except for the cut part, 2 from b0 to b23
Four pieces of data are fetched, and as contrast data D3 for the region R03, c0
This means that 24 pieces of data from c0 to c23 are captured, and further, as contrast data D4 for the area R04, data of 18 unit areas from d0 to d17 are also captured, except for the cut portion.

Therefore, as a first method of calculating the first focus value, a simple addition method can be considered.
The calculation formula in this case is: focus value = ΣDai + ΣDbi + ΣDci + ΣDdi (1) The contrast data Dai-Ddi of all the unit areas from a0 to a17, b0 to b23, c0 to c23, and d0 to d17 are added, respectively, and the result is taken as a focus value.

Next, as a method of calculating the second focus value, a method of lowering the reliability of the information of the high brightness portion can be considered. That is, the OA camera as in the present embodiment often photographs a white plate or the like, but if the object is a white plate or the like and the surface is glossy, the high brightness area portion C0 shown in the photographing screen G0 of FIG. As described above, there may be a part where the light of a fluorescent lamp or the like is directly reflected on a part of the surface of the subject, and the reliability of the contrast data based on the surrounding brightness AF information becomes low. According to this calculation method, when the high-intensity part C0 that the fluorescent lamp or the like directly reflects is present on the AF area A01 as described above, the part is weighted low and the reliability as AF information is improved. The focus value is calculated with the idea of lowering it.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart of the AF process when the above focus value calculation method is applied. It should be noted that the divided state of the photographing screen and the AF area to be handled are the same as those shown in FIG. When executing the AF processing, the above routine is entered. First, in step S400, the mirror rotation position M
Drive to 1. Then, the area form is recognized in step S401. Next, in step S402, the contrast data of the AF area of the region R01 at the mirror rotation position M1 is fetched and used as the contrast data D1. The processing up to this point is the same as the processing in FIG. 7. Subsequently, since the brightness information is also required, the brightness data in the AF area of the region R01 at the turning position M1 is also fetched in step S403.

Further, steps S404 to S4
Up to 15, what has been done for the mirror rotation position M1 is similarly performed for the mirror rotation position M2, the mirror rotation position M3, and the mirror rotation position M4.
2, D3, D4, and each luminance data are captured. The contrast data D1, D2, D3, D4
Indicates a set of individual contrast data corresponding to each unit area as described above.

In step S416, the in-focus value is obtained based on the above calculation method, and the hill-climbing AF process is performed in step S417 based on the in-focus value. The acquisition of each data described above is repeated until it is determined in step S418 that the AF (focusing) process is completed.

The calculation of the focus value in step S416 will be described with reference to the flow chart of the focus value calculation process in FIG. As shown in this flowchart, the focus value is calculated for each partial image of each divided area. That is, in step S700, the focus value which is the contrast value in the divided region R01 at the turning position M1 is calculated and set as the focus value DA, and similarly, in step S701, the focus value DB of the turning position M2 is In step S702, the focus value DC of the rotation position M3 is calculated, in step S703, the focus value DD of the rotation position M4 is calculated, and finally, in step S704, the four focus values DA, DB, DC, and DD are calculated. Is added to obtain the overall focus value.

The calculation process of the focus value DA of the divided area R01 at the turning position M1 in step S700 will be specifically described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Focus value D
A indicates the total sum of the contrast values of the AF area of the corresponding divided area (R01), which is first reset to 0 in step S800. The variable i is a subscript existing in the unit areas a0 to a17 of the partial image of the AF area shown in FIG. 9, and the variable i is reset to 0 in step S801.

The brightness data Kai input in step S802 is a value indicating the brightness of the image data in the unit area ai in FIG. Also, steps S804 and S8
The contrast value Dai of 05 is the unit area a in FIG.
The contrast value at i is shown, and the focus value DA is the sum of the above values Dai. Also, step S80
The value α used for 3 indicates a threshold value for high brightness determination.

Therefore, in step S802, the brightness data Kai is input. In step S803, the input luminance data Kai is compared with the threshold value α. When the brightness data Kai is larger than the threshold value α, it is determined that the unit area has high brightness. If it is determined in step S803 that the brightness Kai of the unit area ai is less than or equal to the threshold value α, it means that the unit area is not high in brightness, and the process proceeds to step S804.
The contrast value Dai is added to the brightness value DA.

On the contrary, if it is determined that the luminance value Kai is not less than the threshold value α, it means that the unit is determined to be a high luminance portion, and therefore the contrast data D there is determined.
Ai is multiplied by the weighting coefficient p and added. In the case of this embodiment, the weighting coefficient p is set to a value smaller than 1, since the weighting coefficient p is set based on the idea of reducing the reliability of the high-luminance portion.

This processing is repeatedly performed until it is determined in step S807 that the rotation position M1 is variable 0 to 1
Since there are 18 data up to 7, if i is determined to be 17 or more, this subroutine is finished.

The processing of FIG. 13 shows only the focus value calculation processing when the mirror 24 is at the turning position M1, and the processing at the other mirror turning positions M2, M3 and M4 is also shown in FIG. The same calculation as that of the above process is performed, and the focus value D
B, DC and DD are calculated. After those calculations are performed, the process returns to the process of FIG.

In the processing described above, the mirror 24 is driven to the rotation position M1 and both the contrast data and the brightness data there are fetched and stored, and the contrast data from step S404 to step S407 is stored. All the contrast data and the brightness data are stored in the memory 15 in such a manner that the brightness data is fetched, and finally, in step S416, the focus value calculation circuit 16
The focus value was calculated by.

However, since the contrast data and the brightness data for one image of the entire image must be stored, there is a problem that a large capacity memory must be provided. Therefore, an AF process of obtaining a focus value for each divided image so that it is not necessary to store the entire contrast data and brightness data may be considered as a modified example.

Of the above modifications, the first modification is A
The F process will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 16 and the flowchart of FIG. The routine of FIG. 14 is called when performing AF (focusing) processing when weighting is performed based on the idea of lowering the reliability of the high-luminance portion. First, in step S500, the mirror 24 is rotated. Drive to position M1. In step S501, area form recognition is performed. In step S502, the contrast data D1 for the image of the split screen at the rotation position M1 is fetched. In step S503, the brightness information at the turning position M1 is fetched.

Here, in the case of the above embodiment, the mirror 24 is immediately driven to the turning position M2, but as described above, many memories are used. In the process of this modification, the focus value at the rotational position M1 is calculated in step S504 based on the contrast data and the brightness data captured in steps S502 and 503. This calculation process is similar to the focus value calculation process of FIG.

Then, from step S505 to step S
Up to 519, the partial focus value of the image of the split screen at the rotation positions M2, M3, and M4 is calculated similarly. After the focus value is calculated for each divided image, the total focus value is calculated based on the focus values for the four divided screens in step S520. Then, the hill-climbing AF process is performed in step S521 based on the overall focus value. The above processing is repeated until it is determined in step S522 that AF is completely completed.

Next, as a second modification of the focus value calculation process, a focus value calculation process of focusing on the center and performing focus value addition can be considered. This focus value calculation process is a process of cutting the background because there is often an important subject in the center and then calculating the focus value by placing more weight on the center.

That is, the mirror rotation positions M1, M2, M3,
The contrast data for each unit area in the divided screen in M4 is set to Dai, Dbi, Dci, Ddi, respectively, and a weighting coefficient for weighting the contrast data in the divided screens of the mirror rotating positions M2, M3 located at the center is q. Then, the focus value becomes the focus value = ΣDai + q × ΣDbi + q × ΣDci + ΣDdi ... (2), and the contrast data Dbi is added when the focus values are added.
The weighting factor q is applied only to the contrast data Dci of No and C.
To increase the weight in the center. In this case, the center is judged to be important, so the value of q in this case is set to be larger than 1.

Further, as a third modified example of the focusing value calculation processing, it is possible to propose a method to apply the following arithmetic expression. That is, this is a modified example in which the focus value is calculated by the following arithmetic expression, and the focus value is set as follows: focus value = q1 × ΣDai + q2 × ΣDbi + q3 × ΣDci + q4 × ΣDdi (3) In the case of this modification, for example, if q1 and q4 are set to 0, and q2 and q3 are set to 1, the contrast values of only the partial images of the split screens of the second and third central parts are added. It is also possible to calculate the combined focus value. The calculation of the weighted focus value in each of the above modifications is performed by the focus calculation circuit 16 or the CPU 10.
Will be held in.

Next, as a fourth modification of the calculation of the focus value, a modification in which the weighting of the center point is performed when the brightness is less than a predetermined value will be described. In this modified example, normally, it is desired to perform weighting with center emphasis, but when direct reflected light from a fluorescent lamp or the like enters and there is a high-intensity part as an image, that is, an overexposed part If there is such a value, the AF information in that portion has low reliability, and therefore the focus value calculation is an example in which the focus is stopped and the focus value calculation is switched to the calculation of the focus value that lowers the reliability of the high-luminance portion. The focus value calculation process capable of switching the weighting will be described with reference to FIG.

In step S900, the subscript i of each unit area of the split screen is reset to 0. Step S901
Then, one luminance data Kai of the unit area, which is a partial image of the divided screen corresponding to the mirror rotation position M1, is input. In step S902, the brightness data Kai is compared with the threshold value β for high brightness determination.

If it is determined that the luminance data Kai is less than or equal to the threshold value β, it is determined that the luminance is not high. Then, since there are 18 partial images in total, the process returns to step S901 to check all the partial images, and the second The process of sequentially inputting data for the third and the third unit areas and determining the data one by one in step S902 is repeated.

Steps S900 to S90
Up to 3, the luminance data Kai of the unit area on the divided image at the mirror rotation position M1 is calculated. Similarly, the processing from step S905 to step S909 is performed on the divided screen image at the mirror rotation position M2, and whether each of the brightness data Kbi for each unit area of the divided screen image is larger than the threshold value β. This is a process of comparing somehow. Further, steps S910 to S914 are processing for determining whether or not the brightness data Kci of the unit area of the divided screen at the mirror rotation position M3 is larger than the threshold value β, and further, steps S915 to S919. Up to the above, the process is to compare the brightness data Kdi of the unit area at the mirror rotation position M4 with the threshold value β.

If the luminance data Kai, Kbi, Kci, Kdi
Are all smaller than the threshold value β, it means that there is no high-intensity part in the image of all divided screens, and the process proceeds to step S920, and the focus value of the center weight is calculated. If even one of the brightness data of the unit area has a value larger than the threshold value β, it means that it is determined that the high brightness part exists in the captured image, so the process jumps to step S921, The focus value is calculated when the brightness distribution is used.

In the processing of this modification, by performing the above processing, it is possible to determine whether the center emphasis should be performed or the focus value should be calculated using the luminance distribution, and more appropriate and high accuracy can be obtained. Focus value calculation is possible. In addition, the above determination is C
The focus value is calculated by the focus mode selection means built in the PU 10, and the focus value is calculated by either the center-weighted mode execution means or the brightness distribution corresponding mode execution means.

Next, an OA camera which is an electronic image pickup apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 17, the OA camera of the present embodiment has three half mirrors 25, 2 instead of the rotatable mirror.
6, 27, and first, second, third, fourth CCDs 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, which are a plurality of image pickup devices for obtaining individual partial images having a definition lower than that of the entire image. It Then, the electric scanning means built in the CPU 10A sequentially switches the output of each CCD to effectively switch the imaging field of view for scanning, and divides the entire screen G3 as shown in FIG. 18A into four parts. It is a camera that captures an image and combines the partial images to obtain a screen of one entire image.

Explaining the details of the configuration of this camera, in this camera, the incident light that has passed through the diaphragm 1 and the taking lens 2 is split into two by the first half mirror 25, and further,
Second half mirror 26 and third half mirror 2 respectively
It is divided into 2 by 7. Then, as shown in FIG. 18A, the entire screen G3 is divided into four areas, and the divided areas R31, R32,
The first, second, and the corresponding partial images of R33 and R34, respectively.
Enter the 3,4 CCD 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d. The image pickup signals are converted into video signals by the image pickup processing circuits 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d, and then data of the entire screen is stored in the memory 23.

The image signals of the memory 23 are BPF5 and LPF.
6, and the focus value for each split screen is obtained. On the other hand, the image signal is output to the laminating circuit 13 ', subjected to a laminating process, and recorded as one whole image. The processing circuit other than the above is the same as the circuit configuration of the camera of the first embodiment of FIG. However, first to fourth
Since images can be simultaneously captured in the CCDs 3a to 3d, the image pasting circuit 13 'does not need to correct the deviation due to camera shake, but only corrects the mounting error of each CCD.

FIG. 19 shows a photographing sequence for capturing four images by the half mirror method in the camera of this embodiment which does not perform mirror scan. In the shooting sequence process, shooting is started in step S1200, and in step S1200, brightness data of the divided screen of the second CCD 3b is captured. Since this divided screen is the screen in the substantially central portion of the entire screen in this state similarly to the turning position M2 in the first embodiment, in this case, the brightness data of the region R32 is fetched.

In step S1201, AE is fixed based on the image pickup information of the second CCD 3b. Further, step S1
AF processing is performed in 202, and in the state of being focused by the AF processing, a shooting screen is recorded in step S1203, and the shooting routine ends.

The half mirror type AF processing in step S1202 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In this modification, when the AF process is performed, the routine of FIG. 20 is entered, and first, step S99.
At 9, all the images from the first CCD 3 a to the fourth CCD 3 d are taken into the memory 23. In step S1000, the first CCD 3a
Read out the image. The area form is recognized in step S1001, and step S1 is performed based on the area form.
At 002, the contrast data is fetched. The data is called contrast data D1. Same process as step S
The second CCD 3b from 1000 to step S1011,
The contrast data D2, the contrast data D3, and the contrast data D4 are read out for the third CCD 3c and the fourth CCD 3d.

In step S1012, the focus value is calculated based on the four contrast data.

The calculation of the focus value is performed by the first method described above.
This can be performed in the same manner as in the mirror scan method of the camera of the embodiment. AF in the mountain climbing in step S1013
The process is performed, and the same process is repeated until it is determined in step S1014 that the focusing process is completed.

In the camera of this embodiment described above, it is not necessary to rotate the mirror to capture the image of the split screen, and the image information of the split screen can be captured from a plurality of CCDs. Therefore, mechanical fine adjustment of the rotating mirror is not necessary, and parallax or the like that occurs when the mirror is displaced does not occur. Further, since the image of the full screen can be taken by one shot, there is no difference in the shooting time of the images of the individual split screens.

In the camera of the above embodiment, the divided area of the photographing screen is divided in the left and right direction as shown in FIG. 18A, but as another example of this dividing method, As shown in 18B, half mirror and CC
Depending on the arrangement of D, it is also possible to propose one that is divided in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.

Next, the AF of the cameras of the first and second embodiments will be described.
A modified example of the processing will be described. In the cameras of the first and second embodiments, the AF operation is always performed during the AF processing while performing the mirror scan or capturing all four images.

During the AF process, for example, in the mirror scan system, the mirror is moved, so that the power consumption increases. Also, after the mirror has acquired the data for four times, A
Since the F operation is performed once, the speed becomes slow.
Similarly, even in the half mirror method, if all four CCDs are driven, power consumption increases. In the AF processing of this modification, in the case of the mirror scan method, the mirror scan is stopped and fixed to one place during the AF processing. Further, in the half mirror method, one of a plurality of image pickup devices is used.
The above-mentioned problems can be eliminated by performing the AF processing so that the data is taken in only from one of the two.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart of the AF process of this modification. In step S300, the mirror 24 is driven to the rotation position M1. In step S301, the form of the area is recognized. In step S302, the contrast data is fetched and used as the contrast data D1. In step S303, 1 is calculated using the contrast data D1.
With respect to the partial image captured once, the focus value is calculated only at the rotation position M1.

Similarly from step S304 to step S315, the focus values D2, D3, D4 in the partial images are calculated also at the turning positions M2, M3, M4.
In step S316, the obtained four focus values are compared, the mirror rotation position with the maximum focus value is detected, and the position is stored as focus rotation position MN information. Step S3
At 17, the mirror 24 is driven to the rotation position MN which shows the maximum value.

In step S318, the contrast data is taken in while the mirror is fixed at the rotating position at that position, and the contrast data is directly set to the focus value. Based on the focus value, hill climbing AF is performed, and step S3
The same process is repeated until it is determined in 20 that the AF process is completed.

According to the AF processing described above, the mirror 2
4 does not have to be driven each time the focus value of one screen image is calculated, so the AF speed is increased and the power consumption is reduced. Although the case of the mirror scan method has been described with reference to FIG. 21, the half mirror method can also be supported by replacing the process of driving the mirror with the process of fetching information from the CCD.

Next, the camera of the electronic image pickup apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The camera of the present embodiment is a camera that uses a rotatable mirror 24 for capturing captured image information, but the mirror rotational displacement during AF processing is relative to the mirror rotational displacement range during recording of the captured image information. The camera is characterized in that the range is limited to a small range.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a rotational displacement state of the object area of the photographing screen and the mirror 24 of the optical element at the time of recording in the camera of this embodiment. The mirror angle is the rotational position from M1 to M4. It is taken in by moving the mirror to. Figure 2
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the rotational displacement state of the intermediate rotational positions M5, M6, M7 of the mirror 24 during the AF operation of the camera of this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 23, when defining the AF area during the AF processing, it is possible to realize background cutting in the vertical and horizontal directions without changing the shape of the area depending on the rotation angle of the mirror 24. In this example, since the AF information can be captured by the three mirror scans, the AF process is faster than the AF information is captured by the four mirror scans as in the camera of the first embodiment. There is also the effect of being able to do it.

In FIG. 23, the mirror rotation position M
Although it is illustrated that the AF information is acquired at three positions of 5, M6, and M7, for example, 2 of the rotational positions M2 and M3 in FIG.
It is also possible to stop the mirror 24 at a location and obtain AF information. In this case, the AF area becomes smaller, but the speed can be further increased.

FIG. 24 shows the AF in the camera of this embodiment.
It is a flowchart of a process. First, step S600
The mirror is driven to the rotation position M5. Step S601
Then, the contrast data at the turning position is fetched, and the value is set as the contrast data D5.

In step S602, the mirror 24 is driven to the rotation position M6 to similarly capture the contrast data D6. Further, the contrast data D7 is fetched in steps S604 and S605. Then, step S6
At 06, the focus value is calculated from the contrast data D5 to D7. In step S607, mountain climbing AF is performed. In step S608, the completion of AF is confirmed, and the AF process is repeated until the completion.

[0098]

As described above, the electronic image pickup device according to the first aspect of the present invention has a conventional image pickup device which has a high contrast in the case where a subject having a high contrast exists in the background or the main subject has a higher contrast than the background. When the focus is low, the auto-focus is pulled to the background and the main subject is not focused, but this is a solution to that point, and the main subject can be focused without being affected by the background.

According to the electronic image pickup device of the second aspect of the present invention, the image pickup device for capturing the whole image is not required, and only the image pickup device for capturing the partial image is provided.

According to the electronic image pickup device of the third aspect of the present invention, mechanical fine adjustment is unnecessary. Further, parallax or the like that occurs when displacing the optical element does not occur. Further, since the entire image can be captured by one shooting, there is no time difference between the individual partial images.

In the electronic image pickup device according to the fourth and fifth aspects of the present invention, in the conventional camera that obtains the whole image by combining partial images, the focusing area excluding the background is not defined. The point is solved, and according to claim 4,
By defining the focus area for each partial visual field, the focus area excluding the background as a whole can be applied. Claim 5
In this case, the focusing area excluding the background is realized as a whole, and the same focusing area can be set for each partial visual field.

According to the electronic image pickup device of the sixth aspect of the present invention, even when the aspect ratio differs depending on the subject and the background portion to be excluded is different, the focusing area in which the background is excluded is definitely defined. can do.

According to the electronic image pickup device of the seventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to instantly switch different effective partial visual field definitions for each form of the subject.

According to the electronic image pickup device of the eighth aspect of the present invention, even if the focusing degree is low only by the focusing information of each partial image, or even if the partial image has no contrast. It is possible to obtain the focus information of the entire image excluding the background portion.

The electronic image pickup device according to claims 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the present invention, in the conventional image pickup device, takes in a wide range of images because it is combined with a partial image to form one whole image. However, there is a high possibility that image information that is effective for focusing processing, image information that adversely affects focusing processing, and the like will also be mixed in one entire image. According to the ninth aspect, effective focusing information can be captured by weighted addition, and good focusing processing can be realized. Further, in the tenth aspect, since the main subject is located at the center in most cases, an image focused on the main subject can be obtained. In the eleventh aspect, a good focusing process can be realized without being affected by uneven brightness. Further, according to the twelfth aspect, a memory for temporarily recording the entire image is unnecessary.

In the electronic image pickup device according to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the conventional image pickup device, it is not possible to compare the luminance between different regions unless the exposure conditions are complete, and the exposure conditions are different. I had to do a comparison process with
By solving the problem, it is possible to compare the brightness between different areas without adding complicated processing.

According to the electronic image pickup device of the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the conventional image pickup device, a wide range of images can be taken in because a single whole image is combined with a partial image, and focusing is achieved. There was a high possibility that image information that is effective for processing and image information that adversely affects focusing processing would be mixed in one entire image as well, but that point was resolved and appropriate weighting was performed according to the brightness level of the subject. Can be realized, and good focus information can be captured.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in a conventional electronic image pickup apparatus for obtaining an entire image by combining partial images, a focusing area extending over a plurality of fields of view is defined. Although it was not, a wide range of focus areas corresponding to the subject to be photographed can be defined.

In the electronic image pickup device according to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the image pickup device for capturing the whole image is not required, and only the image pickup device for capturing the partial image may be provided.

According to the electronic image pickup device of the seventeenth aspect of the present invention, mechanical fine adjustment becomes unnecessary. Further, parallax or the like that occurs when displacing the optical element does not occur. Further, since the entire image can be captured by one shooting, there is no time difference between the individual partial images.

In the electronic image pickup device according to the eighteenth and nineteenth aspects of the present invention, in the conventional camera for obtaining the whole image by combining partial images, the focusing area suitable for the subject is not defined. The point is solved, and in the eighteenth aspect, by defining the focusing area for each partial visual field, the focusing area suitable for the subject as a whole can be realized. Further, in the electronic image pickup device according to the nineteenth aspect, a focusing area suitable for a subject is realized as a whole, and the same focusing area is provided for each partial visual field.

According to the electronic image pickup device of the twentieth aspect of the present invention, when the aspect ratio differs depending on the subject, the suitable focusing area differs depending on the subject, but the optimum focusing area can be surely obtained for any subject. realizable.

According to the electronic image pickup device of the twenty-first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to instantaneously switch different effective partial visual field definitions for each form of the subject.

According to the electronic image pickup device of the twenty-second aspect of the present invention, in the conventional image pickup device, autofocus is performed when a subject having a strong contrast exists in the background or when the main subject has a lower contrast than the background. Is difficult to focus on the main subject due to the background being drawn, and in the conventional camera that combines the partial images to obtain the entire image, the focusing area excluding the background was not specified. However, a simple background situation is possible by changing the mirror stop position without adding new processing.

According to the electronic image pickup apparatus of the twenty-third aspect of the present invention, in the photographing sequence of the conventional electronic image pickup apparatus which obtains one whole image by combining partial images, the timing of performing the combining means is clarified. Although it was not, it is possible to solve that point, and all the partial images are captured in a focused state, so that it is possible to obtain a reliably focused entire image.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a split screen of a shooting screen applied to an electronic image pickup apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and an example of its AF area.

FIG. 2 shows a type of form of an AF area with respect to the shooting screen of FIG.
The F area form is shown, (B) shows the AF area form of the central region, and (C) shows the AF area form of the right end region.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another example of a split screen of a shooting screen and its AF area in the electronic image pickup apparatus according to the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing still another example of a split screen of a shooting screen and its AF area in the electronic image pickup apparatus of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an electronic image pickup apparatus O according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The block block diagram of A camera.

6 is a flowchart of a shooting sequence in the OA camera shown in FIG.

7 is a flowchart of AF processing of a subroutine called in the shooting sequence of FIG.

8 is a flowchart of another AF process of a called subroutine in the shooting sequence of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a unit area division state of an AF area in the AF processing of FIGS.

10 is a diagram showing a shooting screen in which a high-brightness area exists in the AF area when shooting is performed by the OA camera in FIG.

11 is a flowchart of AF processing in the OA camera of FIG.

12 is a flowchart of a focus value calculation process applied in the AF process of FIG.

13 is a flowchart showing details of focus value calculation processing in one area of the focus value calculation processing in FIG.

14 is a flowchart of a modified example of the AF process of the OA camera shown in FIG.

15 is a flowchart of a focus value calculation process in the AF process of FIG.

16 is a block diagram showing a modification of the OA camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 17 is a block configuration diagram of an OA camera which is an electronic image pickup apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

18 is a diagram showing a relationship between a divided screen of a shooting screen and a corresponding CCD in the OA camera of FIG.
(A) shows a shooting screen when the image is divided into four in the left-right direction, and (B) shows a modification of the dividing method, in which the image is divided into upper and lower parts, left and right parts, and the whole is divided into 1/4. A shooting screen is shown.

19 is a flowchart of a shooting sequence in the OA camera shown in FIG.

20 is a flowchart of AF processing of a subroutine called in the shooting sequence of FIG.

21 is a flowchart of AF processing of a modified example of the AF processing of the OA camera of FIG.

FIG. 22 is an operation diagram showing a mirror rotation state at the time of capturing captured image information in the OA camera which is the electronic image pickup apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is an operation diagram showing a mirror rotating state at the time of fetching focus information of a captured image in the OA camera of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart of AF processing in the OA camera of FIG. 22.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 ... CCD (imaging device) 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d ... First, second, third, fourth CC
D (plurality of image pickup devices) 10 ... CPU (recognition means, effective part defining means,
Weighting means, brightness distribution detection means, center weighted mode execution means, brightness distribution corresponding mode execution means, operation mode selection means) 10A ......... CPU (electrical scanning means) 12 ......... ROM (storage means) 16 ... Focusing calculation circuit (adding means, weighting means) 22 Mirror mirror (optical element driving means) 24 Mirror (optical elements) G0, G1, G2, G3 ...... Screen (screen of one whole image) R01, R02, R03, R04, R11, R12, R13, R14, R
21, R22, R23, R24 ... Split screen area (screen of partial image) A01, A02, A03, A04, A11, A12, A13, A14, A
21, A22, A23, A24, ... AF area (partial image area corresponding to the effective partial field of view)

Claims (23)

[Claims] 1. An entire image is formed by combining information representing respective partial images depending on the output of the image pickup means corresponding to a plurality of image pickup fields of view associated with the scanning. An electronic image pickup device adapted to obtain information representing, each of the partial images corresponding to an effective partial visual field, which is each corresponding portion of a limited visual field in which a predetermined unnecessary visual field is excluded from the corresponding visual field of the entire image. An electronic image pickup device comprising means for obtaining information relating to a degree of focus based on information indicating 2. A scanning is performed by switching the imaging field of view by displacing an optical element interposed in an optical path incident on the image pickup device to obtain individual partial images of the one entire image. The electronic image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising optical element driving means. 3. Effective extraction of outputs from a plurality of image pickup devices for obtaining individual partial images of the one whole image is performed by switching and selecting the corresponding devices in a predetermined order, or simultaneously extracting outputs. The electronic image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an electric scanning unit configured to perform scanning by switching the image pickup field of view. 4. The electronic image pickup apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the effective partial visual fields are defined respectively corresponding to a plurality of image pickup visual fields related to the scanning. 5. The electronic image pickup apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the effective partial field of view is defined to be equal to each of a plurality of image pickup fields of view related to the scanning. 6. A recognizing means for recognizing a form of a subject, and an effective partial visual field defining means for defining the effective partial visual field on the basis of the recognition by the recognizing means. Electronic imaging device. 7. The electronic image pickup apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a storage unit that stores information defining the effective partial field of view. 8. Addition means for adding and using focus information obtained based on the information representing the partial image when obtaining information relating to the degree of focus based on the information representing each of the partial images Claims 1 and 2 characterized by comprising
3. The electronic image pickup device according to 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7. 9. The electronic image pickup apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said adding means includes weighting means for adaptively performing weighted addition according to the state of the subject. 10. The electronic image pickup apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the weighting means weights the entire image relatively toward the center in the corresponding visual field. 11. The electronic image pickup device according to claim 9, wherein the weighting means weights the detection result of the brightness distribution detecting means for detecting the brightness distribution in the visual field corresponding to the entire image. . 12. The electronic image pickup apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the brightness distribution detecting means includes means for performing a process of detecting brightness for each area corresponding to each of the partial images. 13. The electronic image pickup apparatus according to claim 12, wherein when the brightness is detected for each of the areas, the exposure condition for each detection is made constant. 14. Addition means for adding and using focusing information obtained based on the information representing the partial image when obtaining information relating to the degree of focusing based on the information representing each of the partial images, Central weighted mode execution means for executing the operation in the central weighted mode in which the weighting is performed such that the weighting is performed relatively on the center side in the corresponding visual field of the entire image when performing the addition, and A luminance distribution corresponding mode executing means for executing an operation in a luminance distribution corresponding mode for performing weighting corresponding to the luminance distribution in the corresponding visual field of the entire image upon addition and corresponding to the entire image When the brightness level in the field of view is less than the predetermined value, the center-weighted mode execution means is caused to execute the operation in the center-weighted mode, and the brightness level is equal to or higher than the predetermined value. When it is, an electronic imaging device according to claim 8, further comprising a operation mode selecting means for allowing executing the operation of the luminance distribution corresponding mode to the luminance distribution corresponding mode executing means. 15. An image pickup field of an image pickup means is switched to perform scanning,
An electronic imaging device adapted to obtain information representing one whole image by combining information representing each partial image depending on the output of the imaging means corresponding to a plurality of imaging fields of view related to the scanning. An electronic image pickup apparatus comprising means for obtaining information relating to a degree of focusing based on information corresponding to one or a plurality of the partial images. 16. A scanning is performed by switching the imaging field of view by displacing an optical element interposed in an incident optical path to the image pickup device for obtaining an individual partial image of the one whole image. The electronic image pickup apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising: an optical element driving unit. 17. Extracting outputs from a plurality of image pickup devices for obtaining individual partial images of the one whole image,
The electronic scanning device according to claim 15, further comprising an electrical scanning unit configured to switch the selected elements in a predetermined order and, at the same time, extract the output to effectively switch the imaging field of view to perform scanning. Imaging device. 18. The electronic image pickup apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the effective partial visual fields are defined respectively corresponding to a plurality of image pickup visual fields related to the scanning. 19. A plurality of imaging fields of view related to the scanning and the effective partial fields of view corresponding thereto are defined as having the same form.
Electronic imaging device as described. 20. The electronic device according to claim 16, further comprising: a recognizing unit that recognizes information relating to the form of the subject, and an effective partial visual field defining unit that defines the effective partial visual field based on the recognition by the recognizing unit. Imaging device. 21. A storage means for storing information defining the effective partial field of view.
Electronic imaging device as described. 22. The imaging visual field of the imaging means is switched to perform scanning,
An electronic imaging device adapted to obtain information representing one whole image by combining information representing each partial image depending on the output of the imaging means corresponding to a plurality of imaging fields of view related to the scanning. , An optical element drive configured to perform scanning by switching the imaging field of view by displacing an optical element interposed in an incident optical path to the image pickup device to obtain an individual partial image of the one entire image Means for obtaining information on the degree of focusing based on information representing the partial image corresponding to the effective partial field of view, which is a limited field of view excluding a predetermined unnecessary field from the corresponding field of view of the entire image, An electronic image pickup device comprising: means for limiting the displacement range of the optical element by the driving means to a range smaller than that for obtaining the information representing the one whole image. 23. The imaging visual field of the imaging means is switched to perform scanning,
An electronic imaging device adapted to obtain information representing one whole image by combining information representing each partial image depending on the output of the imaging means corresponding to a plurality of imaging fields of view related to the scanning. , Means for obtaining information on the degree of focus based on information corresponding to one of the individual partial images or a plurality of pieces, and focus adjustment based on the information on the degree of focus. An electronic device comprising: a unit for performing the focus adjustment and a combining unit for obtaining the information representing one whole image by combining the information representing the individual partial images after the focus adjustment is performed. Imaging device.