There is provided a control device including: an autofocus control section configured to execute an autofocus operation by moving at least one optical member; and an autofocus operation determination section configured to determine whether it is possible for the autofocus operation to bring biological tissue into focus, the biological tissue serving as an object. In a case where the autofocus operation determination section determines that it is not possible for the autofocus operation to bring the object into focus, the autofocus control section moves the at least one optical member to a predicted focal position set in advance in accordance with a purpose of imaging to make it possible to further improve convenience of a user.

An imaging apparatus includes a large imaging section, a plurality of small imaging sections, and an image processing section. The plurality of small imaging sections are smaller in optical size than the large imaging section. The large imaging section captures an image of a subject outside the imaging apparatus. The plurality of small imaging sections are provided at positions around the large imaging section to capture images of the subject. The image processing section generates data to be output on the basis of the image captured by the large imaging section and the images captured by the plurality of small imaging sections.

This invention provides a removably mountable lens assembly for a vision system camera that includes an integral auto-focusing liquid lens unit, in which the lens unit compensates for focus variations by employing a feedback control circuit that is integrated into the body of the lens assembly. The feedback control circuit receives motion information related to the bobbin of the lens from a position sensor (e.g. a Hall sensor) and uses this information internally to correct for motion variations that deviate from the lens setting position at a desired lens focal distance setting. Illustratively, the feedback circuit can be interconnected with one or more temperature sensors that adjust the lens setting position for a particular temperature value. In addition, the feedback circuit can communicate with an accelerometer that reads a direction of gravity and thereby corrects for potential sag in the lens membrane based upon the spatial orientation of the lens.

The focus detection accuracy is improved in an imaging apparatus that detects focus of each of a plurality of lenses. A main side focus control section detects, as a main side in-focus position, a main side lens position where focus is achieved in a main side detection region inside a main side image. A parallax acquisition section acquires parallax proportional to a distance by finding the distance on the basis of the main side in-focus position. A subordinate side detection region setup section sets a subordinate side detection region position in a subordinate side image on the basis of the parallax and the main side detection region position. A subordinate side focus control section detects, as a subordinate side in-focus position, a subordinate side lens position where focus is achieved in the subordinate side detection region.

The present disclosure relates to a portable scanner capable of increasing the precision of focus and a scanning method using the same. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the portable scanner, which generates a three dimensional (3D) image from a subject, includes a focus state output device to determine a present focus state with respect to a set focal length from a subject and to output the present focus state such that a user recognizes the present focus state.

This invention provides a removably mountable lens assembly for a vision system camera that includes an integral auto-focusing liquid lens unit, in which the lens unit compensates for focus variations by employing a feedback control circuit that is integrated into the body of the lens assembly. The feedback control circuit receives motion information related to the bobbin of the lens from a position sensor (e.g. a Hall sensor) and uses this information internally to correct for motion variations that deviate from the lens setting position at a desired lens focal distance setting. Illustratively, the feedback circuit can be interconnected with one or more temperature sensors that adjust the lens setting position for a particular temperature value. In addition, the feedback circuit can communicate with an accelerometer that reads a direction of gravity and thereby corrects for potential sag in the lens membrane based upon the spatial orientation of the lens.

An imaging apparatus includes a large imaging section, a plurality of small imaging sections, and an image processing section. The plurality of small imaging sections are smaller in optical size than the large imaging section. The large imaging section captures an image of a subject outside the imaging apparatus. The plurality of small imaging sections are provided at positions around the large imaging section to capture images of the subject. The image processing section generates data to be output on the basis of the image captured by the large imaging section and the images captured by the plurality of small imaging sections.

An imaging apparatus includes: a focus controller configured to adjust focus by driving a lens; a relative tilt angle controller configured to incline a focus surface by controlling a relative tilt angle of the lens to an image sensor; and an acquisition unit configured to acquire an installation angle of the imaging apparatus based on a relative tilt angle and a distance from a standard surface on the focus surface inclined in accordance with the standard surface. The acquisition unit acquires a relative tilt angle when the focus surface is inclined in accordance with a height of a subject based on the installation angle and a distance between the standard surface and height information of the subject, and outputs the relative ti It angle to the relative tilt angle controller.

Embodiments of the present application provide an automatic focusing method and a PTZ camera. The method is applicable to the PTZ camera and comprises: calculating a current target object distance from a lens of the PTZ camera to a monitored target monitoring plane based on a pre-established spatial object distance parameter; wherein, the spatial object distance parameter contains a spatial plane equation of a reference monitoring plane; the reference monitoring plane is an equivalent plane of the target monitoring plane; searching in a preset relation table based on the current target object distance, a current magnification of the PTZ camera, determining a position information corresponding to a focus motor of the PTZ camera, the preset relation table including the relationship of the object distance, the magnification and the position information of the focus motor, and driving the focus motor to a position corresponding to the determined position information. Embodiments of the present application are applied to realize fast automatic focusing of the PTZ camera.

The present disclosure relates to a portable scanner capable of increasing the precision of focus and a scanning method using the same. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the portable scanner, which generates a three dimensional (3D) image from a subject, includes a focus state output device to determine a present focus state with respect to a set focal length from a subject and to output the present focus state such that a user recognizes the present focus state.