US 7,499,095 B2
Apparatus and method for auto-focusing in a mobile terminal
Seong-Geun Kwon, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); and Chan-Ho Han, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)
Assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Suwon-Si (Korea, Republic of)
Filed on Jun. 01, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/140,987.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2004-0040141 (KR), filed on Jun. 02, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2005/0270408 A1, Dec. 08, 2005
Int. Cl. G03B 13/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 348—345 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for auto-focusing in a mobile terminal which focuses a subject by adjusting a distance between the subject and a lens, the method comprising the steps of:
detecting the subject by performing a preview mode in a camera mode;
detecting and storing a focus value while moving the lens according to a distance between the detected subject and the lens, determining based on a presently-detected focus value and a previously-stored focus value if a slope has changed, and detecting an optimum focus value from a focus value at which the slope has changed;
performing a tracking mode to track a focus in a predetermined zone which comprises the detected optimum focus value;
comparing a first resultant value obtained by subtracting a first previous focus value from a first presently-detected focus value with a first threshold value, the first presently-detected focus value being detected by increasing electrical current by a first predetermined number of steps from a normal mode zone, the normal mode zone initially starting in a first stage carried-out when an auto-focusing is performed;
carrying out a second stage in the normal mode zone when the first resultant value is smaller than the first threshold value, detecting a second presently-detected focus value by decreasing the electrical current by the first predetermined number of steps, and comparing a second resultant value obtained by subtracting a second previous focus value from the second presently-detected focus value with a second threshold value;
carrying out a third stage when the second resultant value is smaller than the second threshold value, detecting a third presently-detected focus value by finely increasing the electrical current by the first predetermined number of steps, and comparing a third resultant value obtained by subtracting a third previous focus value from the third presently-detected focus value with a third threshold value; and
detecting an optimum focus value when the third resultant value is smaller than the third threshold value.