Patent ID: 7512330
Filing Date: 2009-03-31
Classification: G02B,G03B,H04N

Abstract:
1. A focus state detection apparatus comprising: a sensor that senses light rays that pass through a lens subjected to focus detection and is composed of a plurality of photoelectric converter elements; a charge accumulation unit that accumulates pixel signals obtained by said sensor; a first accumulation controller that controls accumulation carried out by said charge accumulation unit at each area of a plurality of areas into which said sensor is divided; a second accumulation controller that combines at least a portion of the plurality of areas into a single combined area and controls accumulation carried out by said charge accumulation unit at such combined area; a first storage unit that stores each accumulated signal of each of the plurality of areas accumulation-controlled by said first accumulation controller; a second storage unit that stores the accumulated signal of the combined area accumulation-controlled by said second accumulation controller; and a defocus state detector that detects a defocus state of the area from the accumulated signal stored in either said first storage unit or said second storage unit.