Imaging apparatus for generating parallax image data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9706186-B2
Application number	US-201514980869-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2015
Priority date	Jul 5, 2013
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

An imaging apparatus including an image generating section that generates first parallax image data based on the output of the first pixel and second parallax image data based on the output of the second pixel. When the imaging element captures an image of an object point located in an unfocused region on the optical axis, a pixel value of a center pixel corresponding to the optical axis in the first parallax image data is greater than or equal to 50% of a pixel value of a peak pixel in the first parallax image data, and a pixel value of a center pixel corresponding to the optical axis in the second parallax image data is greater than or equal to 50% of a pixel value of a peak pixel in the second parallax image data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:
an imaging element including at least a first pixel that receives a first partial light beam, within a subject light beam incident thereto through an optical system, shifted in a first direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the optical system, and a second pixel that receives a second partial light beam, within the subject light beam, shifted in a second direction opposite the first direction; and
an image processor that generates first parallax image data based on an output of the first pixel and second parallax image data based on an output of the second pixel, wherein
when the imaging element captures an image of an object point located in an unfocused region on the optical axis, a pixel value of a center pixel corresponding to the optical axis in the first parallax image data is greater than or equal to 50% of a pixel value of a peak pixel in the first parallax image data, and a pixel value of the center pixel in the second parallax image data is greater than or equal to 50% of a pixel value of a peak pixel in the second parallax image data.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
composite image data obtained by combining the first parallax image data and the second parallax image data has a point image distribution indicating output values on a vertical axis with a convex shape, when a pixel arrangement passing through the center pixel along the first direction and the second direction is set as a horizontal axis.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the imaging element includes microlenses provided to correspond respectively to the first pixel and the second pixel, and a shifted aperture mask that limits the subject light beam and is provided between the microlens corresponding to the first pixel and a light receiving surface of the first pixel and between the microlens corresponding to the second pixel and a light receiving surface of the second pixel, and
width of each aperture formed in the shifted aperture mask in a shift direction is greater than half the width of a fully opened aperture that does not limit the subject light.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the imaging element includes a third pixel that receives the subject light beam without being shifted relative to the optical axis.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the image processor uses the first parallax image data and the second parallax image data on third image data based on output of the third pixel, to generate fourth parallax image data that is different from the first parallax image data and fifth parallax image data that is different from the second parallax image data.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
an average of pixel values corresponding respectively to the fourth parallax image data and the fifth parallax image data is the same as a pixel value corresponding to the third image data.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
in the fourth parallax image data, a pixel value of the center pixel is greater than or equal to 50% of a pixel value of a peak pixel, and
in the fifth parallax image data, a pixel value of the center pixel is greater than or equal to 50% of a pixel value of a peak pixel.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the fourth parallax image data and the fifth parallax image data, when displayed by a display apparatus, are perceived as a 3D image by a viewer wearing 3D glasses and are perceived as a 2D image that does not contain a double image by a viewer not wearing 3D glasses.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
an arithmetic mean Ea and a geometric mean Em of pixel values corresponding to each of the first parallax image data and the second parallax image data satisfy the expression Ea/Em<3.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the arithmetic mean Ea and the geometric mean Em satisfy the expression Ea/Em<2.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the arithmetic mean Ea and the geometric mean Em satisfy the expression Ea/Em>1.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the first parallax image data and the second parallax image data, when displayed by a display apparatus, are perceived as a 3D image by a viewer wearing 3D glasses and are perceived as a 2D image that does not contain a double image by a viewer not wearing 3D glasses.

Assignees

• Nikon Corp

Inventors

• Shibazaki Kiyoshige
• Hamashima Muneki
• Mori Susumu
• Nakamura Fumiki
• Iesaka Mamoru
• Hagiwara Junya
• Ishiga Kenichi

Classifications

• H04N23/663

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• G02B30/27

  involving lenticular arrays · CPC title

• H04N13/218 Primary

  using spatial multiplexing · CPC title

• H04N13/225

  using parallax barriers · CPC title

• G03B35/18

  by simultaneous viewing · CPC title