A Simple Model for On-Sensor Phase-Detection Autofocusing Algorithm

A simple model of the phase-detection autofocus device based on the partially masked sensor pixels is described. The cross-correlation function of the half-images registered by the masked pixels is proposed as a focus function. It is shown that—in such setting—focusing is equivalent to searching of the cross-correlation function maximum. Application of stochastic approximation algorithms to unimodal and non-unimodal focus functions is shortly discussed.