Patent ID: 8724013

Claim:
A method for improving an auto-focus system of a digital camera comprising a lens of a particular lens type, the method comprising: obtaining predetermined nonuniform lens position data from a memory, wherein the data comprises predetermined nonuniform lens positions corresponding to object distances from the camera at which an object is in focus for a lens of the particular lens type, wherein the predetermined nonuniform lens positions comprise lens positions spaced nonuniform distances apart, and wherein the predetermined nonuniform lens positions are the minimum number of lens positions that allow the lens to focus on objects at any distance of the full focus range from the digital camera; moving the lens of the digital camera to a first of the predetermined nonuniform lens positions and determining first focus metric information; moving the lens to a second of the predetermined nonuniform lens positions and determining second focus metric information; and focusing the digital camera by selecting a final lens position for the lens to optimize focus of the digital camera based on the predetermined nonuniform lens position data and the first and second determined focus metric information.