[libcamera-devel] [PATCH v2 1/1] libcamera: controls: Controls for driving AF (autofocus) algorithms

David Plowman david.plowman at raspberrypi.com
Mon Apr 4 14:05:50 CEST 2022


Hi

Thanks to those who have had a chance to look at this!

On Fri, 1 Apr 2022 at 10:37, Hanlin Chen <hanlinchen at chromium.org> wrote:
>
> Hi David, thanks for the patch!
> Reviewed-by: Han-Lin Chen <hanlinchen at chromium.org>
>
> On Thu, Mar 31, 2022 at 11:17 PM David Plowman <david.plowman at raspberrypi.com> wrote:
>>
>> This patch describes a series of controls that allow applications to
>> drive AF algorithms:
>>
>> AfMode - manual, auto or continuous
>> AfLensPosition - set lens position to macro/hyperfocal/infinity
>> AfRange - full, macro or normal
>> AfSpeed - fast or slow
>> AfWindows - AF window locations
>> AfTrigger - start (trigger an AF scan) or cancel
>> AfPause - pause continuous AF
>> LensPosition - position of lens from lens driver
>> AfState - reports the mode, whether scanning/success/failure
>> ---
>>  src/libcamera/control_ids.yaml | 373 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++------
>>  1 file changed, 313 insertions(+), 60 deletions(-)
>>
>> diff --git a/src/libcamera/control_ids.yaml b/src/libcamera/control_ids.yaml
>> index 9d4638ae..23607368 100644
>> --- a/src/libcamera/control_ids.yaml
>> +++ b/src/libcamera/control_ids.yaml
>> @@ -406,27 +406,6 @@ controls:
>>              The camera will cancel any active or completed metering sequence.
>>              The AE algorithm is reset to its initial state.
>>
>> -  - AfTrigger:
>> -      type: int32_t
>> -      draft: true
>> -      description: |
>> -       Control for AF trigger. Currently identical to
>> -       ANDROID_CONTROL_AF_TRIGGER.
>> -
>> -        Whether the camera device will trigger autofocus for this request.
>> -      enum:
>> -        - name: AfTriggerIdle
>> -          value: 0
>> -          description: The trigger is idle.
>> -        - name: AfTriggerStart
>> -          value: 1
>> -          description: The AF routine is started by the camera.
>> -        - name: AfTriggerCancel
>> -          value: 2
>> -          description: |
>> -            The camera will cancel any active trigger and the AF routine is
>> -            reset to its initial state.
>> -
>>    - NoiseReductionMode:
>>        type: int32_t
>>        draft: true
>> @@ -507,45 +486,6 @@ controls:
>>              The AE algorithm has started a pre-capture metering session.
>>              \sa AePrecaptureTrigger
>>
>> -  - AfState:
>> -      type: int32_t
>> -      draft: true
>> -      description: |
>> -       Control to report the current AF algorithm state. Currently identical to
>> -       ANDROID_CONTROL_AF_STATE.
>> -
>> -        Current state of the AF algorithm.
>> -      enum:
>> -        - name: AfStateInactive
>> -          value: 0
>> -          description: The AF algorithm is inactive.
>> -        - name: AfStatePassiveScan
>> -          value: 1
>> -          description: |
>> -            AF is performing a passive scan of the scene in continuous
>> -            auto-focus mode.
>> -        - name: AfStatePassiveFocused
>> -          value: 2
>> -          description: |
>> -            AF believes the scene is in focus, but might restart scanning.
>> -        - name: AfStateActiveScan
>> -          value: 3
>> -          description: |
>> -            AF is performing a scan triggered by an AF trigger request.
>> -            \sa AfTrigger
>> -        - name: AfStateFocusedLock
>> -          value: 4
>> -          description: |
>> -            AF believes has focused correctly and has locked focus.
>> -        - name: AfStateNotFocusedLock
>> -          value: 5
>> -          description: |
>> -            AF has not been able to focus and has locked.
>> -        - name: AfStatePassiveUnfocused
>> -          value: 6
>> -          description: |
>> -            AF has completed a passive scan without finding focus.
>> -
>>    - AwbState:
>>        type: int32_t
>>        draft: true
>> @@ -690,4 +630,317 @@ controls:
>>              value. All of the custom test patterns will be static (that is the
>>              raw image must not vary from frame to frame).
>>
>> +  - AfMode:
>> +      type: int32_t
>> +      draft: true
>> +      description: |
>> +        Control to set the mode of the AF (autofocus) algorithm. Applications
>> +        are allowed to set a new mode, and to send additional controls for
>> +        that new mode, in the same request.
>> +
>> +        An implementation may choose not to implement all the modes.
>> +
>> +      enum:
>> +        - name: AfModeManual
>> +          value: 0
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm is in manual mode. In this mode it will never
>> +            perform any action nor move the lens of its own accord, but an
>> +            application can set controls to move the lens.
>> +
>> +            In this mode the AfState will always report AfStateManual.
>> +        - name: AfModeAuto
>> +          value: 1
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm is in auto mode. This means that the algorithm
>> +            will never move the lens or change state unless the AfTrigger
>> +            control is used. The AfTrigger control can be used to initiate a
>> +            focus scan, the results of which will also be reported by AfState.
>> +
>> +            If the autofocus algorithm is moved from AfModeAuto to another
>> +            mode while a scan is in progress, the scan is cancelled
>> +            immediately, without waiting for the scan to finish.
>> +
>> +            When first entering this mode the AfState will report
>> +            AfStateAuto. When a trigger control is sent, AfState will
>> +            report AfStateAutoScanning for a period before spontaneously
>> +            changing to AfStateAutoFocused or AfStateAutoFailed, depending on
>> +            the outcome of the scan. It will remain in this state until
>> +            another scan is initiated by the AfTrigger control. If a scan is
>> +            cancelled (without changing to another mode), AfState will return
>> +            to AfStateAuto.
>> +        - name: AfModeContinuous
>> +          value: 2
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm is in continuous mode. This means that the lens
>> +            can re-start a scan spontaneously at any moment, without any user
>> +            intervention. The AfState still reports whether the algorithm is
>> +            currently scanning or not, though the application has no ability
>> +            to initiate or cancel scans (though it can "pause" them), nor to
>> +            move the lens for itself.
>> +
>> +            When set to AfModeContinuous, the system will immediately initiate
>> +            a scan so AfState will report AfStateContinuousScanning, and will
>> +            settle on one of AfStateContinuousFocused or AfStateContinuousFailed,
>> +            depending on the scan result.
>> +
>> +  - AfLensPosition:
>> +      type: int32_t
>> +      draft: true
>> +      description: |
>> +        Control to set the position of the lens to one of the following
>> +        predefined locations. This control only has any effect when the AfMode
>> +        is set to AfModeManual.
>> +
>> +        This control is distinct from the LensPosition control, which sets the
>> +        lens position using the lens driver's units.
>> +      enum:
>> +        - name: AfLensPositionMacro
>> +          value: 0
>> +          description: The closest focal position of the lens.
>> +        - name: AfLensPositionHyperfocal
>> +          value: 1
>> +          description: Hyperfocal position.
>> +        - name: AfLensPositionInfinity
>> +          value: 2
>> +          description: The furthest focal position (usually infinity).
>> +
>> +  - AfRange:
>> +      type: int32_t
>> +      draft: true
>> +      description: |
>> +        Control to set the range of focus distances that is scanned. An
>> +        implementation may choose not to implement all the options here.
>> +      enum:
>> +        - name: AfRangeNormal
>> +          value: 0
>> +          description: |
>> +            A wide range of focus distances is scanned, all the way from
>> +            infinity down to close distances, though depending on the
>> +            implementation, possibly not including the very closest macro
>> +            positions.
>> +        - name: AfRangeMacro
>> +          value: 1
>> +          description: Only close distances are scanned.
>> +        - name: AfRangeFull
>> +          value: 2
>> +          description: |
>> +            The full range of focus distances is scanned just as with
>> +            AfRangeNormal but this time including the very closest macro
>> +            positions.
>> +
>> +  - AfSpeed:
>> +      type: int32_t
>> +      draft: true
>> +      description: |
>> +        Control that determines whether the AF algorithm is to move the lens
>> +        as quickly as possible or more steadily. For example, during video
>> +        recording it may be desirable not to move the lens too abruptly, but
>> +        when in a preview mode (waiting for a still capture) it may be
>> +        helpful to move the lens as quickly as is reasonably possible.
>> +      enum:
>> +        - name: AfSpeedNormal
>> +          value: 0
>> +          description: Move the lens at its usual speed.
>> +        - name: AfSpeedFast
>> +          value: 1
>> +          description: Move the lens more quickly.
>> +
>> +  - AfWindows:
>> +      type: Rectangle
>> +      draft: true
>> +      description: |
>> +        Sets the focus windows used by the AF algorithm. The units used express
>> +        a proportion of the ScalerCrop control (or if unavailable, of the entire
>> +        image), as u0.16 format numbers.
>> +
>> +        In order to be activated, a rectangle must be programmed with non-zero
>> +        width and height. If no rectangles are programmed in this way, then the
>> +        system will choose its own single default window in the centre of the
>> +        image.
>> +
>> +        The details of how the windows are used are platform dependent. We note
>> +        that when there is more than one AF window, a typical implementation
>> +        might find the optimal focus position for each one and finally select
>> +        the window closest to the camera.
>> +
>> +        size: [platform dependent]
>> +
>> +  - AfTrigger:
>> +      type: int32_t
>> +      draft: true
>> +      description: |
>> +        This control starts an autofocus scan when AfMode is set to AfModeAuto,
>> +        and can also be used to terminate a scan early.
>> +
>> +        It is ignored if AfMode is set to AfModeManual or AfModeContinuous.
>> +
>> +      enum:
>> +        - name: AfTriggerStart
>> +          value: 0
>> +          description: Start an AF scan. Ignored if a scan is in progress.
>> +        - name: AfTriggerCancel
>> +          value: 1
>> +          description: Cancel an AF scan. This does not cause the lens to move
>> +            anywhere else. Ignored if no scan is in progress.
>> +
>> +  - AfPause:
>> +      type: int32_t
>> +      draft: true
>> +      description: |
>> +        This control has no effect except when in continuous autofocus mode
>> +        (AfModeContinuous). It can be used to pause any lens movements while
>> +        (for example) images are captured. The algorithm remains inactive
>> +        until it is instructed to resume.
>> +
>> +      enum:
>> +        - name: AfPauseImmediate
>> +          value: 0
>> +          description: |
>> +            Pause the continuous autofocus algorithm immediately, whether or
>> +            not any kind of scan is underway. If the AfState was previously
>> +            reporting AfStateContinuousScanning it will now change to
>> +            AfStateContinuousScanningPaused, and similarly for
>> +            AfStateContinuousFocused and AfStateContinuousFailed.
>> +        - name AfPauseDeferred

Thanks for pointing out the typo here, Jean-Michel. I will fix it in
the next revision (I'll just wait a bit and see if any other reviews
come in..).

>> +          value: 1
>> +          description: |
>> +            Pause the continuous autofocus algorithm as soon as it is no longer
>> +            scanning. If the AfState is currently reporting
>> +            AfStateContinuousFocused is will change to
>> +            AfStateContinuousFocusedPaused, and similarly in the case of
>> +            AfStateContinuousFailed.
>> +
>> +            If AfState reports AfStateContinuousScanning it will change to
>> +            AfStateContinuousScanningPausing, and then move to one of
>> +            AfStateContinuousFocusedPaused or AfStateContinuousFailedPaused
>> +            when the scan completes.
>> +        - name: AfPauseResume
>> +          value: 2
>> +          description: |
>> +            Resume continous autofocus operation. The algorithm starts again
>> +            from exactly where it left off, and the AfState will drop the
>> +            'Paused' or 'Pausing' part of the state.
>> +
>> +  - LensPosition:
>> +      type: int32_t
>> +      draft: true
>> +      description: |
>> +        Acts as a control to instruct the lens to move to a particular position
>> +        and also reports back the position of the lens for each frame.
>> +
>> +        The units are determined by the lens driver.
>> +
>> +        The LensPosition control is ignored unless the AfMode is set to
>> +        AfModeManual.
>> +
>> +        Note that this control is distinct from AfLensPosition, which allows
>> +        the lens to be moved to its macro/hyperfocal/infinity position, rather
>> +        than using lens driver units.
>> +
>> +  - AfState:
>> +      type: int32_t
>> +      draft: true
>> +      description: |
>> +        Reports the current state of the AF algorithm. The possible state changes
>> +        are described below, although we add that the following general state
>> +        changes are also allowed.
>> +
>> +        In any of the AfStateManual or AfStateContinuous states, the AfMode
>> +        may be set to AfModeAuto and the algorithm will move to the
>> +        AfStateAuto state. If AfTriggerStart is sent at the same time
>> +        then the algorithm will move to AfStateAutoScanning state.
>> +
>> +        In any of the AfStateAuto or AfStateManual states, the AfMode may
>> +        be set to AfModeContinuous and the algorithm will move to
>> +        AfStateContinuousScanning.
>> +
>> +        In any of the AfStateAuto or AfStateContinuous states, the AfMode may
>> +        be set to AfModeManual and the algorithm will move to
>> +        AfStateManual. The lens will not be moved and will be left where
>> +        it was at that moment.
>> +
>> +      enum:
>> +        - name: AfStateManual
>> +          value: 0
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm is in manual mode (AfModeManual). The LensPosition
>> +            and AfLensPosition controls can be used directly to move the lens.
>> +        - name: AfStateAuto
>> +          value: 1
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm is in auto mode (AfModeAuto), and has either just
>> +            been moved into that state, or a scan that was in progress has been
>> +            cancelled.
>> +        - name: AfStateAutoScanning
>> +          value: 2
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm is in auto mode (AfModeAuto), and a scan has been
>> +            started using the AfTrigger control. The scan can be cancelled by
>> +            sending AfTriggerCancel at which point the algorithm will either
>> +            move back to AfStateAuto or, if the scan actually completes
>> +            before the cancel request is processed, to one of
>> +            AfStateAutoFocused or AfStateAutoFailed.
>> +        - name: AfStateAutoFocused
>> +          value: 3
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm is in auto mode (AfModeAuto), and a scan has
>> +            completed with the result that the algorithm believes the image is
>> +            now in focus.
>> +        - name: AfStateAutoFailed
>> +          value: 4
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm is in auto mode (AfModeAuto), and a scan has
>> +            completed with the result that the algorithm did not find a good
>> +            focus position.
>> +        - name: AfStateContinuousScanning
>> +          value: 5
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm is in continuous mode (AfModeContinuous) and
>> +            is currently scanning for a good focus position. This occurs when
>> +            the mode is first set to AfModeContinuous, or may happen
>> +            spontaneously when the algorithm believes a re-scan is needed.
>> +        - name: AfStateContinuousScanningPausing
>> +          value: 6
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm is in continuous mode (AfModeContinuous) and
>> +            was scanning when AfPauseDeferred was sent. The scan will complete
>> +            at which point the algorithm moves to the
>> +            AfStateContinuousFocusedPaused or AfStateContinuousFailedPaused
>> +            state.
>> +        - name: AfStateContinuousScanningPaused
>> +          value: 7
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm is in continuous mode (AfModeContinuous) and
>> +            was scanning when AfPauseImmediate was sent. The scan will not
>> +            complete and the algorithm will remain in this state. The scan
>> +            may be resumed by sending AfPauseResume.
>> +        - name: AfStateContinuousFocused
>> +          value: 8
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm is in continuous mode (AfModeContinuous) and
>> +            a scan has completed with the algorithm believing it has found a
>> +            good focus position.
>> +        - name: AfStateContinuousFocusedPaused
>> +          value: 9
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm was in the AfStateContinuousFocused state and
>> +            has been paused (by either AfPauseImmediate or AfPauseDeferred),
>> +            or it was in the AfStateContinuousScanningPausing state and the
>> +            scan has completed successfully. The algorithm will now remain
>> +            in this state, and may be resumed by sending AfPauseResume.
>> +        - name: AfStateContinuousFailed
>> +          value: 10
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm is in continuous mode (AfModeContinuous) and
>> +            a scan has completed without finding a good focus position.
>> +        - name: AfStateContinuousFailedPaused
>> +          value: 11
>> +          description: |
>> +            The AF algorithm was in the AfStateContinuousFailed state and
>> +            has been paused (by either AfPauseImmediate or AfPauseDeferred),
>> +            or it was in the AfStateContinuousScanningPausing state and the
>> +            scan has completed unsuccessfully. The algorithm will now remain
>> +            in this state, and may be resumed by sending AfPauseResume.
>> +
>>  ...
>> --
>> 2.30.2
>>

I was also wondering if there were any comments on the state machine
diagram or if folks are happy with it. I'm not wild about the
"paused/pausing" thing, but I guess if we want that feature then we
have to distinguish these states. I haven't allowed for transitions
between "AfStateContinuousScanningPausing" and
"AfStateContinuousScanningPaused" which you could imagine might exist,
are people OK with that?

Thanks again
David


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