	US 12,231,787 B2
	Auto-focus engine architecture for image signal processor
Sheng Lin, San Jose, CA (US); D. Amnon Silverstein, Cupertino, CA (US); and David R. Pope, Campbell, CA (US)
Assigned to APPLE INC., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on May 20, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/669,229.
Application 18/669,229 is a continuation of application No. 17/829,363, filed on Jun. 1, 2022, granted, now 12,022,213.
Application 17/829,363 is a continuation of application No. 17/334,409, filed on May 28, 2021, granted, now 11,375,140, issued on Jun. 28, 2022.
Application 17/334,409 is a continuation of application No. 16/376,426, filed on Apr. 5, 2019, granted, now 11,025,842, issued on Jun. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0397217 A1, Nov. 28, 2024
Int. Cl. H04N 5/347 (2011.01); G06T 5/70 (2024.01); H04N 9/64 (2023.01); H04N 23/67 (2023.01); H04N 23/84 (2023.01); H04N 25/445 (2023.01); H04N 25/46 (2023.01); H04N 25/68 (2023.01)

CPC H04N 25/46 (2023.01) [G06T 5/70 (2024.01); H04N 9/646 (2013.01); H04N 23/67 (2023.01); H04N 23/84 (2023.01); H04N 25/445 (2023.01); H04N 25/68 (2023.01)]

20 Claims

1. An auto-focus circuit, comprising:

a patterned defect pixel (PDP) processing circuit configured to:

identify one or more focus pixels in raw image data captured by an image sensor; and

process the one or more focus pixels to increase a color value of the one or more focus pixels relative to color values of other pixels in the raw image data;

a gain offset clamp (GOC) circuit coupled to the PDP processing circuit and configured to perform a black level compensation for a color component in the raw image data; and

an auto-focus engine (AFE) circuit coupled to the GOC circuit and the PDP processing circuit and configured to:

receive a version of the raw image data after being processed by the GOC circuit and the PDP processing circuit; and

generate a focus signal for the image sensor to cause a change of a lens position for the image sensor based on the received version of the raw image data.