JPH0675134B2 - Image detection method - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image detection method for an autofocus device that performs focus determination using an image sensor such as a CCD line sensor.

(Technical background of the invention) Various autofocus methods using an image sensor such as a CCD line sensor have been proposed. However, this autofocus operation is premised on that the projection light of the image area suitable for the operation is input to the image sensor. For example, a correct autofocus operation cannot be performed in an image area having a single lightness or an area in which the density changes less frequently, which causes a malfunction.

Therefore, a method of determining whether or not the image area is suitable for autofocus prior to the autofocus operation has been proposed. For example, there is a method in which the output signal of the line sensor is binarized at a predetermined binarization level, the number of times of polarity reversal, in other words, the number of black and white reversals is calculated, and if there is a predetermined number of times or more, an image exists. However, this method has a problem that autofocus cannot be performed when the number of black and white reversals does not reach the predetermined number of times in all focus zones.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and selects the best focus zone even in the case where the number of times of black-and-white inversion does not reach the predetermined number, and selects the best focus zone for autofocusing. It is an object to provide an image detection method that operates.

(Constitution of Invention) According to the present invention, an object of the present invention is to detect an image of an autofocus device which controls a projection lens to a focus position by using an output signal of the image sensor obtained by scanning an image projection light with the image sensor. In the method, each of the following steps,
That is, (a) the output signal of the image sensor is compared with each of the negative and positive binarization levels, and the number of polarity inversions for each binarization level is separately integrated, and the output signal is binarized. A step of accumulating the image lengths crossed by the conversion level; (b) a step of performing an autofocus operation assuming that an image exists if one of the polarity reversals is equal to or more than a certain value for negative and positive; If the number of polarity reversals is less than a fixed value for negative and positive, both the number of polarity reversals and each image length are stored together with the focus zone position, and the focus zone is changed to perform the operations (a) and (b). (D) If the number of polarity reversals is less than or equal to the fixed value for all focus zones, the step of obtaining the focus zone with the maximum number of polarity reversals is performed.

(E) In step (d), when there is a single focus zone with the maximum number of polarity reversals, the image sensor is returned to the focus zone to perform the autofocus operation; (f) the step (d) In the case where there are a plurality of focus zones having the maximum number of polarity reversals, the step of returning the image sensor to the position of the focus zone having the maximum image length to perform the autofocus operation; It is achieved by a detection method.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is an overall schematic view of a reader printer which is an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of its autofocus control device, FIG. 3 is a flow chart of operation, and FIG. The output waveform diagram and Fig. 5 are explanatory diagrams of the principle of obtaining the binarization level from the histogram. N-1 and N-2 are the output signal V and the histogram for the negative, and P-1 and P-2 are those for the positive. Is shown.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 10 is an original image of a micro photograph such as a micro fish or a micro roll film.
Reference numeral 12 denotes a light source, and the light from the light source 12 is guided to the lower surface of the original image 10 via a condenser lens 14, a heat insulating filter 16, and a reflecting mirror 18. In the reader mode, the transmitted light (image projection light) of the original image 10 is guided to the transmissive screen 28 by the projection lens 20 and the reflecting mirrors 22, 24 and 26, and the original image 10 is displayed on the screen 28.
To form an enlarged projection image of. In printer mode,
The reflecting mirror 24 is rotated to the position of the phantom line in FIG. 1, and the projection light is reflected by the reflecting mirror.
22、30、32 by PPC type slit exposure type printer 3
Guided by 4. The reflection mirrors 22 and 30 move in response to the rotation of the photosensitive drum 36 of the printer 34, and a latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 36. This latent image is visualized with toner charged to a predetermined polarity, and this toner image is transferred to the transfer paper 38.

A focus control optical system 50 includes a semi-transparent mirror 52 arranged on the optical axis of the image projection light, a projection lens 54, a CCD line sensor 56 as an image sensor, and a servo motor 58.
With. A part of the projection light that has passed through the projection lens 20 is guided to the line sensor 56 through the projection lens 54 by the semitransparent mirror 52. The line sensor 56 is movable by a motor 58 in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis. The projection lens 54
When the projection lens 20 is placed at a position where the projection light is focused on the projection surface of the screen 28 or the photosensitive drum 36, its focal length is determined so that it is accurately focused on the light receiving surface of the line sensor 56. ing.

The autofocus mechanism includes a servomotor 60 that moves the projection lens 20 back and forth in the optical axis direction, and the projection light is projected on the screen 28.
Alternatively, the focus is controlled by the control means 48 so that an image is correctly formed on the projection surface of the photosensitive drum 36.

The control means 48 is constructed as shown in FIG. That is, the CCD driver 64 drives the line sensor 56 in synchronization with the clock pulse output from the clock 62. The line sensor 56 outputs a pulse voltage that changes in voltage corresponding to the amount of incident light of each pixel for each scanning. This pulse voltage varies from pixel to pixel even if the same amount of light is projected due to variations in the characteristics of each pixel. The signal processing circuit 66 corrects the variation of this characteristic of each pixel and shapes the waveform to make the fourth signal.
It is assumed that the output signal V is N-1 and P-1 in FIGS.

The output signal V thus signal-processed is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 68 and input to the CPU 72 via the input interface 70.

In FIG. 2, 74 is a ROM for storing the control program of the CPU 72,
76 for RAM, 78 for output interface, 80 and 82 for D / A
Converters 84 and 86 are drivers for driving motors 58 and 60, respectively.

In FIG. 2, reference numerals 100 and 102 denote comparators. The output signal V is input to the non-inverting input terminal of each comparator 100 and 102, and the negative input terminal is obtained by the CPU 72 as described below. And the binarization levels a and b for positive are input (see FIG. 5). Therefore, the outputs of these comparators 100 and 102 are shown in FIG.
As shown by, the H level is set in the range of V> a and V> b. Ten
8 and 110 are monostable multivibrator, comparator 10
The polarity inversion pulses e and f having a constant time width are output in synchronization with the rising edges of the waveforms of the outputs c and d of 0 and 102. These polarity inversion pulses e and f are generated by the counter 112,
Accumulated at 114. These count values N _n and N _p respectively indicate the number of polarity inversions, and are compared with the constant values M _n and M _p set by the setters 116 and 118 in the comparators 120 and 122, respectively. Then, when the count values N _n and N _p reach the constant values M _n and M _p , the comparators 120 and 122 are signals of H level with the presence of an image.
Output g and h. Here, it is desirable to set the constant values M _n and M _p to values that include the effects of dust and scratches on the image.
The signals h, g are input to the OR circuit 124, and if either of the signals h, g becomes H level, the signal i is sent to the CPU 72 as a proper image, while these signals g, h, i are input to the CPU 72. Then, the negative / positive of the original image is judged according to the signal g or h which becomes H level, and the autofocus operation is performed using the corresponding binarization level a or b.

In FIG. 2, 126 and 128 are image lengths L _n and L _p , respectively.
Is a counter that seeks. The counter 126 integrates the sum of the lengths of the outputs c of the comparators 100, that is, the clock pulses while the output d is H level, so that the image length L at which the binarization level a crosses the output signal V. _{Let n} . Also counter
Reference numeral 128 denotes the sum of the lengths of the inverted signal d'of the output d of the comparator 102, that is, the image length at which the binarization level b crosses the output signal V by integrating clock pulses while this output d is at L level. _Let L _p .

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The control means 48 is the CPU 72
The servo motor 58 is controlled so that the projection light in the area corresponding to the zone set by is incident on the line sensor 56. The user selects the reader mode in which the reflecting mirror 24 is in the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 and projects the target original image on the screen 28 (third part).
Step 200 in the figure). A part of this projection light is guided to the line sensor 56 by the semi-transparent mirror 52.

The control means 48 then reads and stores the output signal V of the line sensor 56 (step 202), while measuring the exposure amount based on this output signal V (step 204). That is, the output signal V of the signal processing circuit 66 is read into the CPU 72 through the interface 70, and the CPU 72 controls the exposure amount.
If the exposure amount is not proper (step 206), the light amount is changed (step 208), and the exposure amount is measured again. The adjustment of the exposure amount is performed by, for example, selecting the voltage of the pixel corresponding to the background area from the output signal voltage of each pixel of the line sensor 56 and adjusting the light amount of the light source 12 so that the voltage becomes a predetermined voltage. Be seen.

Next, the control means 48 determines whether or not the projection light input to the line sensor 56 includes an appropriate image. That is, based on the output signal V, the histograms shown in N-2 and P-2 of FIG. 4 are obtained, and if the maximum value is equal to or less than the set value x (step 210), it is determined that there is an appropriate image (step 212) and the control means 48. Performs autofocus control (step 214).

Here's why.

In FIG. 5, N-1 and P-1 show changes in the output signal V of the CCD line sensor in the micro reader printer with respect to time t, and N-2 and P-2 in FIG. 5 show respective histograms. Here, N-1 and N-2 are when the original image is a negative film, and P-1 and P-2 are when it is a positive film.

Generally, the blackening rate of the original is about 6%, and at most 20 to 30
% Is the limit. Therefore, on the line sensor, the number of pixels corresponding to the background is overwhelmingly large. The background density is relatively stable if the film is the same, with little fluctuation. Therefore, the histogram (N-2, P-2) showing the number of pixels N with respect to the output signal V (corresponding to the density D) is the background density D ₁ ,
You will have big mountains A and B on D ₂ . And if the appropriate image is not included, its maximum will be significantly higher,
Further, if the image is included, it becomes low and widens. The area of each histogram is constant corresponding to the number of pixels of the line sensor.

In this embodiment, paying attention to such a point, when the maximum value of the histogram is equal to or less than the set value x, the image is present, and when it is equal to or more than the set value x, the image is not present.

Various autofocus control methods can be applied when there is an image in this way. For example, the position of the projection lens 20 that maximizes the contrast is obtained from the output signal V, and that position is brought into focus. (Step 218).

If the printer mode is set in this focused state (step 21
8), the reflecting mirror 24 is rotated to the phantom line position in FIG.
The image is transferred to and a hard copy is obtained.

In step 212, the maximum value of the histogram is the set value x
If it becomes the above, it is considered that there is no suitable image, and the control means 48 obtains the binarization levels a and b for negative and positive using this histogram (step 220). That is, a constant value α is added to the density of the larger point of the two points where the peak of the maximum value of the histogram intersects the set value x _0, and the negative level a
Is subtracted from the smaller density by a constant value β to obtain a positive level b. This principle will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the case of a negative original, the image is on the side darker than the density D ₁ where the histogram is the maximum, and conversely, when it is the positive original, the image is on the side lighter than the density D ₂ . Therefore, the density a obtained by adding the constant value α to the density of the larger point of the two points where the peak of the maximum value of the histogram intersects the constant set value x ₀ is used as the negative binarization level, and from the density of the smaller point to the constant value. β
If the density b obtained by subtracting is used as the positive binarization level,
These binarization levels a and b are always the optimum binarization level for the original image without being affected by the background concentration.

In this embodiment, when the maximum value of the histogram is equal to or larger than the set value x and it is determined that there is no image, the binarization levels a and b are obtained using the histogram as described above, and thereafter, the focus zone is changed while changing the focus zone. The output signal of the line sensor is binarized in real time, and the focus zone where the number of polarity reversals is equal to or greater than a certain value or maximum is obtained.

After obtaining the negative and positive binarization levels a and b based on such a principle (step 220), the CPU 72 moves the line sensor 56 by the motor 58 to select different focus zones (step 222). ), The output signal V newly obtained by scanning is binarized in real time by the binarization levels a and b (step 224), and the polarity inversion number
N _n and N _p are integrated by counters 112 and 114 (step 22)
6). If the count values N _n and N _p are larger than the constant values M _n and M _p , the comparators 120 and 122 output the H level signal g or h indicating that an image is present to the CPU 72 and the OR circuit 124 (step 228). If neither of the signals g and h goes to the H level and the output of the OR circuit 124 is at the L level, the CPU 72 determines that there is no image and count values N _n and N _p at this time as well as the counters 126 and 1
The image lengths L _n and L _p obtained in 28 are stored in the RAM 76 together with the position of the focus zone. Then, the line sensor 56 is moved to all the focus zones and the operations of steps 222 to 230 are repeated. If either of the signals g and h is at the H level, it is determined that there is an appropriate image (step 228) and the control means 48 performs autofocus control (steps 214 and 216).

If the signals g and h do not reach the H level for all focus zones (step 232), the CPU 72 finds the maximum value of the count values N _n and N _p stored in the RAM 76, and the focus zone having the maximum value is obtained. It is detected whether or not there are a plurality of positions (step 234). If there is a single focus zone with the maximum count value, the CPU aligns the line sensor 56 with the obtained zone position (step 23
6) Perform autofocus operation (steps 214 and 21)
6). When there are multiple focus zones with the maximum count value (step 234), the CPU 72 determines the image length L _n , L _p
Detects the maximum focus zone from the contents of RAM76,
The image sensor is moved to this focus zone (step 238), and an autofocus operation is performed in this focus zone (steps 214 and 216). Then, in printer mode, a hard copy is obtained (step 12).
8).

In this embodiment, the presence / absence of an image is preliminarily determined because the maximum value of the histogram is equal to or less than the constant value x (step 21
0,212), using this histogram, the binarization level a, b
(Step 220), the binarization levels a and b can be set with high accuracy. However, the present invention may omit these steps 210, 212, 220, and includes performing each operation of steps 222 to 236 using a predetermined constant binarization level.

The image sensor is not limited to the CCD line sensor, but may be a MOS type line sensor or an area sensor.

(Effect of the Invention) As described above, the present invention integrates the polarity inversion circuit when the output signal of the image sensor is binarized at the binarizing level for the negative and the positive, and these integrated values are used for the negative and If it is above a certain value for positive, it means that there is an image, while if it is less than a certain value, the accumulated value, the image length when each binarization level crosses the output signal, and the focus zone position are stored in memory. , If the integrated value of the number of polarity reversals for all focus zones is less than the above-mentioned fixed value, the focus zone position where this integrated value is maximum is read from the memory and the image radar is returned to this position. When there are a plurality of focus zones having the maximum integrated value, the image sensor is moved to the focus zone having the maximum image length to perform the autofocus operation. Therefore, even if the integrated value of the number of polarity reversals does not reach a constant value in all the focus zones, the best focus zone can be selected and the autofocus operation can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic view of a reader printer which is an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of its autofocus control device, FIG. 3 is a flow chart of operation, and FIG. 4 is an output waveform diagram of each part, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an output signal of an image sensor and its histogram for explaining the principle. 10… Original image, 20… Projection lens, 56… One-dimensional solid-state image sensor. a, b ... binarization level, N _n, N _p ... polarity inversion number, M _n, M _p ... constant value, L _n, L _p ... image length.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An image detection method in an autofocus device for controlling a projection lens to a focus position by using an output signal of an image sensor obtained by scanning an image projection light with an image sensor, including the following steps. An image detection method characterized by: (a) comparing the output signal of the image sensor with each of the negative and positive binarization levels and separately integrating the number of polarity inversions for each binarization level; A step of accumulating the image length across which the output signal crosses each of the binarization levels; (b) if one of the polarity inversion numbers is equal to or greater than a certain value for negative and positive, an autofocus operation is performed with an image. (C) If the number of polarity reversals is less than or equal to a certain value for negative and positive, the number of polarity reversals and each image length are adjusted. A step of memorizing together with the dust zone position and changing the focus zone to perform the operations of (a) and (b); Step of finding the focus zone with the maximum number of times. (E) In step (d), when there is a single focus zone with the maximum number of polarity reversals, the image sensor is returned to the focus zone to perform the autofocus operation; (f) the step (d) In step 2, when there are a plurality of focus zones having the maximum number of polarity reversals, the step of returning the image sensor to the focus zone position having the maximum image length and performing the autofocus operation.