Image sensor with fast intra-frame focus

摘要

A method of focusing an image sensor includes scanning a first portion of an image frame from an image sensor a first time at a first rate to produce first focus data. A second portion of the image frame from the image sensor is scanned at a second rate to read image data from the second portion. The first rate is greater than the second rate. The first portion of the image frame is scanned a second time at the first rate to produce second focus data. The first focus data and the second focus data are compared, and the focus of a lens is adjusted in response to the comparison of the first focus data and the second focus data.

主权项

1. A method of focusing an image system, the method comprising:
scanning a first portion of an image frame from an image sensor a first time at a first rate to produce first focus data; scanning a second portion of the image frame from the image sensor at a second rate to read image data from the second portion; scanning the first portion of the image frame a second time at the first rate to produce second focus data, wherein the first rate is N times greater than the second rate, wherein N is greater than or equal to two, and wherein the first portion is scanned M times for each time the second portion is scanned during a focus operation, wherein M is not equal to N; comparing the first focus data and the second focus data; and adjusting a focus of a lens in response to the comparison of the first focus data and the second focus data; wherein focusing the image system is accomplished within the image frame only.