Abstract: An imaging element includes: a pixel portion in which a plurality of pixels are disposed in a two-dimensional matrix; and a color filter including a plurality of filters that have different spectral transmission characteristics from each other in each of a visible region and a near-infrared region and that are disposed on the plurality of pixels, each filter corresponding to each pixel, any one or more of the plurality of filters being configured to transmit light in the near-infrared region, the plurality of filters including a first same-color filter and a second same-color filter which have different transmission wavelength characteristics from each other in a same color wavelength band, have a region with a constant spectral transmittance in each of the visible region and the near-infrared region, and have different spectral transmittances from each other in at least one of the visible region and the near-infrared region.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging sensor including a plurality of pixels; a color filter including a plurality of filters arranged to correspond to the pixels; a first light source configured to irradiate a subject with visible light; a second light source configured to irradiate the subject with near-infrared light; a first processor including hardware, the first processor being configured to control an irradiation timing of each of the first light source and the second light source; and a second processor including hardware, the second processor being configured to generate a plurality of pieces of near-infrared image data on different near-infrared regions based on first image data and second image data, the first image data being generated by the imaging sensor by capturing an image of the subject, the second image data being generated by the imaging sensor by capturing an image of the subject.

Abstract: An imaging element includes: a pixel portion in which a plurality of pixels are disposed in a two-dimensional matrix; and a color filter including a plurality of filters that have different spectral transmission characteristics from each other in each of a visible region and a near-infrared region and that are disposed on the plurality of pixels, each filter corresponding to each pixel, any one or more of the plurality of filters being configured to transmit light in the near-infrared region, the plurality of filters including a first same-color filter and a second same-color filter which have different transmission wavelength characteristics from each other in a same color wavelength band, have a region with a constant spectral transmittance in each of the visible region and the near-infrared region, and have different spectral transmittances from each other in at least one of the visible region and the near-infrared region.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: a separation unit configured to separate a plurality of wide-band image signals corresponding to wide-band light passing through each of a plurality of wide-band filters and a narrow-band image signal corresponding to narrow-band light passing through a narrow-band filter, from each other, based on an image signal input from an imaging device; a demosaicing unit configured to perform demosaic processing that interpolates one of the plurality of wide-band image signals based on edge information from the narrow-band image signal separated by the separation unit; and an image generation unit configured to generate a wide-band image by using the wide-band image signal interpolated by the demosaic processing performed by the demosaicing unit and generate a narrow-band image by using the narrow-band image signal.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging sensor including a plurality of pixels; a color filter including a plurality of filters arranged to correspond to the pixels; a first light source configured to irradiate a subject with visible light; a second light source configured to irradiate the subject with near-infrared light; a first processor including hardware, the first processor being configured to control an irradiation timing of each of the first light source and the second light source; and a second processor including hardware, the second processor being configured to generate a plurality of pieces of near-infrared image data on different near-infrared regions based on first image data and second image data, the first image data being generated by the imaging sensor by capturing an image of the subject, the second image data being generated by the imaging sensor by capturing an image of the subject.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: an imaging sensor; a color filter including first band filters and a second band filter configured to transmit narrowband light having a maximum value of a transmission spectrum outside a range of the wavelength band of the light that passes through each first band filter; a first light source unit; a second light source unit configured to radiate light having an upward projecting distribution of a wavelength spectrum in relation to intensity and having a narrowband light spectrum narrower than the broadband; and a control unit configured to cause the first light source unit and the second light source unit to radiate the beams of light simultaneously, wherein a peak wavelength of the light radiated by the second light source unit is an infrared region or a near-infrared region.

Abstract: An image processing method includes: sequentially generating fluorescent image data in accordance with light intensity of a wavelength component emitted from a fluorescent agent having been administered to a subject irradiated with excitation light, based on image data of the subject each time the image data is generated; sequentially calculating a change amount of the light intensity based on two sets of temporally successive fluorescent image data each time the fluorescent image data is generated; determining whether the change amount is not less than a first threshold indicating fluorescence expression; determining whether the change amount is less than a second threshold indicating a steady state of fluorescence after the change amount is determined to be not less than the first threshold; and outputting a message that fluorescence of the fluorescent agent is in the steady state if the change amount is determined to be less than the second threshold.

Abstract: An image processing method includes: sequentially generating fluorescent image data in accordance with light intensity of a wavelength component emitted from a fluorescent agent having been administered to a subject irradiated with excitation light, based on image data of the subject each time the image data is generated; sequentially calculating a change amount of the light intensity based on two sets of temporally successive fluorescent image data each time the fluorescent image data is generated; determining whether the change amount is not less than a first threshold indicating fluorescence expression; determining whether the change amount is less than a second threshold indicating a steady state of fluorescence after the change amount is determined to be not less than the first threshold; and outputting a message that fluorescence of the fluorescent agent is in the steady state if the change amount is determined to be less than the second threshold.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: a separation unit configured to separate a plurality of wide-band image signals corresponding to wide-band light passing through each of a plurality of wide-band filters and a narrow-band image signal corresponding to narrow-band light passing through a narrow-band filter, from each other, based on an image signal input from an imaging device; a demosaicing unit configured to perform demosaic processing that interpolates one of the plurality of wide-band image signals based on edge information from the narrow-band image signal separated by the separation unit; and an image generation unit configured to generate a wide-band image by using the wide-band image signal interpolated by the demosaic processing performed by the demosaicing unit and generate a narrow-band image by using the narrow-band image signal.

Abstract: An imaging system includes: an imaging sensor; a plurality of first band filters and a second band filter, the second band filter being configured to transmit narrowband light having a maximum value of a transmission spectrum outside a range of a wavelength band of light that passes through the first band filter; and a light source unit configured to radiate light having a projecting distribution in which at least one of an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a wavelength that are half a maximum value in a light spectrum of a light source is between an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a wavelength that are half the maximum value in the transmission spectrum of the second band filter. A color and a narrowband images are generated from a single image while the light source unit radiates the light.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: an imaging sensor; a color filter including first band filters and a second band filter configured to transmit narrowband light having a maximum value of a transmission spectrum outside a range of the wavelength band of the light that passes through each first band filter; a first light source unit; a second light source unit configured to radiate light having an upward projecting distribution of a wavelength spectrum in relation to intensity and having a narrowband light spectrum narrower than the broadband; and a control unit configured to cause the first light source unit and the second light source unit to radiate the beams of light simultaneously, wherein a peak wavelength of the light radiated by the second light source unit is an infrared region or a near-infrared region.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an image sensor. The image sensor includes: a light receiving unit having pixels configured to receive light and generate an imaging signal according to an amount of the received light; a color filter having a filter unit disposed corresponding to the pixels, the filter unit including first band filters for passing light of a wavelength band of a primary color or a complementary color and including at least one second band filter for passing narrow-band light whose wavelength band is narrower than the wavelength band of the light passing through each of the first band filters; and an output unit configured to output the imaging signal under conditions that an amount of light incident on a second pixel corresponding to the at least one second band filter is greater than an amount of light incident on each of first pixels corresponding to the first band filters.

Abstract: A multi-area white-balance control device includes a component that divides an inputted image into a plurality of division areas, a component that estimates a lighting-source color temperature for each division area, a component that calculates out color information of an areal image for each division area, and a component that acquires information for white-balance processing on the basis of the lighting-source color temperature and the color information of the areal image for each division in such a manner as to weight, in the information for white-balance processing, a multi-area white-balance factor as more significant in reference to a single-area white-balance factor in a case where the color information has a value higher than a predetermined value, than in a case where the color information fails to have the predetermined value. Thereby, an image with natural color reproduction can be generated.

Abstract: An image processing method includes: acquiring correction data for correcting first image data into second image data, the first image data being generated by an imaging device when a subject is irradiated with three rays of narrow band light having wavelength bands narrower than those of spectral sensitivity of pixels R, G, and B, and having spectrum peaks within wavelength bands of the spectral sensitivity of the pixels R, G, and B, and the second image data being deemed to be generated by the imaging device when white light is emitted; acquiring the first image data when the subject is irradiated with the three rays of narrow band light; generating color image data of the second image data using the first image data and the correction data; and calculating oxygen saturation of the subject using a pixel value R and a pixel value G included in the first image data.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging element; a filter array including a unit including visible light filters with different transmission spectrum maximum values, and invisible light filters having a transmission spectrum maximum value in an invisible light range of wavelengths longer than those of the visible light band; an optical filter disposed on a light-receiving surface of the filter array, the optical filter transmitting light included in either a first wavelength band that includes the respective transmission spectrum maximum values of the visible light filters or a second wavelength band that includes the transmission spectrum maximum value of the invisible light filters; and a first light source that emits, toward the subject, light having a wavelength within the second wavelength band, light of a first wavelength having a half-value width less than or equal to half of the second wavelength band.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging element that generates image data by photoelectrically converting light received by pixels; a filter array including a unit including different types of visible light filters with different transmission spectrum maximum values within a visible light band, and invisible light filters having a transmission spectrum maximum value in an invisible light range of wavelengths longer than those of the visible light band; a partial area detection unit that detects a partial area of the subject on an image corresponding to the image data; and a vital information generation unit that generates vital information on a subject based on image signals output by pixels, in an imaging area of the imaging element corresponding to the detected partial area, on which the invisible light filters are disposed.

Abstract: A multi-area white-balance control device includes a component that divides an inputted image into a plurality of division areas, a component that estimates a lighting-source color temperature for each division area, a component that calculates out color information of an areal image for each division area, and a component that acquires information for white-balance processing on the basis of the lighting-source color temperature and the color information of the areal image for each division in such a manner as to weight, in the information for white-balance processing, a multi-area white-balance factor as more significant in reference to a single-area white-balance factor in a case where the color information has a value higher than a predetermined value, than in a case where the color information fails to have the predetermined value. Thereby, an image with natural color reproduction can be generated.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a display unit for displaying color image data acquired by the imaging unit; a colorimetric position acquisition unit for acquiring colorimetric position data corresponding to a colorimetric part selected by a user in the image data displayed on the display unit; a colorimetric position data record unit for recording the colorimetric position data; a light source; a colorimetric unit, provided near the light source, for performing a colorimetric process at a colorimetric instruction from the user, and acquiring colorimetric data as a result of the colorimetric process; a colorimetric data record unit for recording the colorimetric data; and a storage unit for associating the image data displayed on the display unit, the colorimetric position data recorded on the colorimetric position data record unit, and the colorimetric data recorded on the colorimetric data record unit, and storing the data.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a display unit for displaying color image data acquired by the imaging unit; a colorimetric position acquisition unit for acquiring colorimetric position data corresponding to a colorimetric part selected by a user in the image data displayed on the display unit; a colorimetric position data record unit for recording the colorimetric position data; a light source; a colorimetric unit, provided near the light source, for performing a colorimetric process at a colorimetric instruction from the user, and acquiring colorimetric data as a result of the colorimetric process; a colorimetric data record unit for recording the colorimetric data; and a storage unit for associating the image data displayed on the display unit, the colorimetric position data recorded on the colorimetric position data record unit, and the colorimetric data recorded on the colorimetric data record unit, and storing the data.