Abstract: This solid-state image sensor includes an array of photosensitive cells and an array of dispersive elements. The photosensitive cell array is comprised of a plurality of unit blocks 40, each including four photosensitive cells 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. An optical filter 11a is arranged to cover those photosensitive cells 2a through 2d. A portion of the optical filter 11a that covers the photosensitive cells 2a and 2b is located closer to the imaging area than another portion thereof that covers the photosensitive cells 2c and 2d.

Abstract: This image capture device includes: an image sensor 2 including first and second types of pixels that have mutually different spectral transmittance characteristics; a light-transmitting section 1 that is arranged to face the imaging area of the image sensor 2; and an imaging section 3 that includes at least a first imaging area having a first focal length and a second imaging area having a second focal length that is longer than the first focal length. The light-transmitting section 1 has a first light-transmitting area 1a comprised of multiple partial areas that are separated from each other and a second light-transmitting area 1b having a different spectral transmittance characteristic from the first light-transmitting area 1a. The distance from the light-transmitting section 1 to the imaging section 3 is equal to the first focal length f1 and the distance from the imaging area of the image sensor 2 to the imaging section 3 is equal to the second focal length f2.

Abstract: A 3D image capture device includes: a light-transmitting section 2 with N fan-shaped light-transmitting areas (where N is an integer and N?3) with different transmission wavelength ranges; a solid-state image sensor 1 that receives the light transmitted through the light-transmitting section 2; an optical system 2 that produces an image on an imaging area of the sensor 1; and a signal processing section 200 that processes the output signal of the sensor 1. The sensor 1 includes a photosensitive cell array and a color filter array that are made up of unit elements, each of which includes N photosensitive cells and N color filters. The transmission wavelength ranges of the light-transmitting areas and the color filters are defined so that the light transmitted through at least one of the N light-transmitting areas is transmissible through at least two of the N color filters.

Abstract: This solid-state image sensor includes a photosensitive cell array including first through fourth photosensitive cells 2a to 2d and a light dispersing element array that is arranged to face the photosensitive cell array and that includes first and second types of light dispersing elements 1a, 1b.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image capturing technique for obtaining, at the same time, multiple images with parallax and an image that would cause no sensitivity problem even without mechanically operating any part of its image capturing system. The 3D image capture device of this invention includes: a light transmitting member 2 having a polarizing area A that transmits only a light ray polarized in a particular direction and a non-polarizing area C that transmits any light ray irrespective of its polarization direction; a solid-state image sensor 1 arranged to receive the light ray transmitted through the light transmitting member 2; an imaging section 3 for producing an image on the imaging area 1a of the solid-state image sensor 1; and an image generating section for generating images based on signals supplied from the image sensor 1, which includes a filter array including a polarization filter.

Abstract: An image processor 7 includes: an in-focus area extracting section 72 that extracts an in-focus area of two images with parallax; a color conversion matrix calculating section 73 that obtains a color conversion matrix between the two images by reference to information about the colors of pixels that are included in the in-focus area of the two images; and a color conversion section 74 that converts the color of one of the two images by using the color conversion matrix.

Abstract: A 3D image capture device includes: a light transmitting member 2 with polarizing areas and a non-polarizing area; a solid-state image sensor 1 for receiving the light transmitted through the member 2; an imaging section 3 for producing an image on the imaging area 1a of the sensor 1; and an image generating section. The member 2 has n polarizing areas P(1), P(2), . . . and P(n) (where n is an integer and n?2), each of which transmits only a light ray polarized in a particular direction, and a non-polarizing area P(n+1) that transmits any light ray irrespective of its polarization direction. Those n polarizing areas have mutually different transmission axis directions. The sensor 1 includes a pixel array, divided into pixel blocks each consisting of (n+1) pixels, and a filter array including n polarization filters arranged so as to face n out of the (n+1) pixels and having different transmission axis directions.

Abstract: A polarization color image capture device includes: a polarization color filter plate including a first area configured to transmit light that is polarized in a first direction and that falls within a first wavelength range, a second area configured to transmit light that is polarized in a second direction and that falls within a second wavelength range, and a third area configured to transmit incoming light at least partially; an image sensor in which a plurality of unit blocks, each including first, second and third photosensitive cells and first, second and third polarization filters that are arranged to face the first, second and third photosensitive cells, respectively, are arranged on an imaging area, the polarization transmission axis directions of the first, second and third polarization filters being different from each other; and an optical lens that produces an image on the imaging area of the image sensor.

Abstract: An image capture device includes: an array of pixels 200 including a plurality of pixels 20 which are arranged two-dimensionally on an imaging area; a pixel signal reading section 30 for reading a pixel signal from each pixel 20; and an image generating section 32 for generating an image based on the pixel signals having been read by the pixel signal reading section 30. The array of pixels is divided into M unit pixel blocks 40 (where M is an integer of 2 or more) each containing N pixels (where N is an integer of 2 or more). The pixel signal reading section reads the pixel signals from the N pixels 20 contained in each unit pixel block 40 at every time interval T, with respectively different timings.

Abstract: A color separating filter array has a configuration in which unit elements 1, each having a triangular pyramid shape, are arranged two-dimensionally. Each unit element 1 includes: first, second, and third filters 1R, 1G, 1B arranged to form the three lateral faces of the triangular pyramid; and a reflective region. The first, second and third filters 1R, 1G and 1B are designed to transmit visible radiations falling within first, second and third wavelength ranges, respectively, and reflect visible radiation falling within any other wavelength range. The reflective region is arranged to further reflect a light ray that has been incident on a region surrounded with the first, second and third filters and reflected from any of the first, second and third filters and to guide the reflected light ray to another one of the first, second and third filters that is different from the one that has already reflected the light ray once.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes a photosensitive cell array and a dispersing element array. Each unit block 40 of the photosensitive cell array includes four photosensitive cells 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d.

Abstract: This 3D image capture device includes a light-transmitting section 2 with m transmitting areas (where m is an integer and m?2) and a solid-state image sensor 1. The sensor 1 has unit elements, each of which includes n photosensitive cells (where n is an integer and n?m) and n transmitting filters that face those photosensitive cells. If the wavelength is identified by ?, the transmittances of transmitting areas C1 and C2 are identified by Tc1(?) and Tc2(?), the transmittances of two transmitting filters are identified by Td1(?) and Td2(?), and the interval of integration is the entire visible radiation wavelength range, ?Tc1(?)Td1(?)d?>0, ?Tc1(?)Td2(?)d?>0, ?Tc2(?)Td1(?)d?>0, ?Tc2(?)Td2(?)d?>0, and ?Tc1(?)Td1(?)d??Tc2(?)Td2(?)d???Tc2(?)Td1(?)d??Tc1(?)Td2(?)d? are satisfied.

Abstract: The 3D image capture device of this invention includes: a light-transmitting section 2 with light-transmitting areas C1, C2 and C3 that have mutually different transmission wavelength ranges; a solid-state image sensor 1 arranged to receive the light that has been transmitted through the light-transmitting section 2; and an optical system 3 configured to produce an image on an imaging area of the solid-state image sensor 1, which includes a photosensitive cell array and a color filter array on the imaging area. The transmission wavelength ranges of the light-transmitting areas and the color filters are defined such that the light that has been transmitted through at least one of the light-transmitting areas C1, C2 and C3 is transmissible through at least two of the color filters.

Abstract: This solid-state image sensor includes a dispersing element array which is arranged to face a photosensitive cell array and which includes a plurality of high-refractive-index transparent portions, a low-refractive-index transparent layer that fills a gap between the high-refractive-index transparent portions, and pairs of dispersing elements arranged to face multiple unit blocks of the photosensitive cell array. Each pair of dispersing elements is comprised of: a first dispersing element which includes one of the high-refractive-index transparent portions and which splits incoming light into two light rays representing first and second color components, respectively; and a second dispersing element which includes another one of the high-refractive-index transparent portions and which splits the incoming light into two light rays representing third and fourth color components, respectively.

Abstract: This solid-state image sensor includes an array of photosensitive cells and an array of dispersing elements. The photosensitive cell array is comprised of multiple unit blocks, each of which includes four photosensitive cells arranged two dimensionally. The dispersing element array is arranged so as to face the photosensitive cell array and includes a plurality of dispersing elements. The dispersing element array directs light respectively onto the four photosensitive cells by selectively subtracting certain complementary color components from the incoming white light, and adding a light ray with a selected complementary color component to the remainder. The dispersing element array is configured such that the combination of color component that is subtracted from the incoming light and the color component in the added light ray is selected for the incident light on each of the four photosensitive cells.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor according to the present invention includes a number of photosensitive cells 2b, 2c that are arranged in between the first surface 30a of a semiconductor layer 30 and its second surface 30b, which is opposite to the first surface 30a and which receives incoming light. As viewed from the photosensitive cells 2b, 2c, a reflecting portion 3a is arranged on the same side as the first surface 30a in order to reflect an infrared ray that has been transmitted through the photosensitive cell 2c and make it incident on one of the photosensitive cells 2b, 2c. As a result, the intensities of infrared rays to be converted photoelectrically by the photosensitive cells 2b, 2c will be different from each other. And by calculating the difference between the photoelectrically converted signals supplied from the photosensitive cells 2b, 2c, the infrared ray component received by each photosensitive cell can be obtained.

Abstract: This solid-state image sensor includes a photosensitive cell array including first through fourth photosensitive cells 2a to 2d, a dispersing element array including first and second dispersing elements 1a and 1b arranged to face the first and third photosensitive cells 2a and 2c, respectively, and a microlens array including first and second microlenses 4a and 4b. The first dispersing element 1a makes parts of incoming light that have come through the first microlens 4a and that have first and second color components incident on the first and second photosensitive cells 2a and 2b, respectively. The second dispersing element 1b makes parts of incoming light that have come through the second microlens 4b and that have third and fourth color components incident on the third and fourth photosensitive cells 2c and 2d, respectively. In addition, light that has not passed through the first and second microlenses 4a and 4b is also incident on the second and fourth photosensitive cells 2b and 2d.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor according to the present invention includes: a semiconductor layer (100 with first and second surfaces (100a, 100b), the second surface (100b) being opposite to the first surface (100a); a plurality of photosensitive cells (1a, 1b, etc.), which are arranged two-dimensionally in the semiconductor layer (100) between the first and second surfaces thereof (100a, 100b); a first array (200) of micro condenser lenses, which are arranged on the same side as the first surface (100a) to focus incoming light onto a first group of photosensitive cells that are included in those photosensitive cells; and a second array (300) of micro condenser lenses, which are arranged on the same side as the second surface (100b) to focus incoming light onto a second group of photosensitive cells that are also included in those photosensitive cells but that are different from the first group of photosensitive cells.

Abstract: The solid-state image sensor of the present invention includes an array of photosensitive cells, an array 100 of dispersing elements, and an array 300 of color filters. The photosensitive cell array 200 has a number of unit blocks 40, each of which includes photosensitive cells 2a and 2b. The dispersing element array 100 includes a dispersing element 1a, which makes all of incoming light (W) but a light ray falling within a first wavelength range incident on the first photosensitive cell 2a and which also makes at least a part of the light ray falling within the first wavelength range incident on the second photosensitive cell 2b. A color filter 3a that either absorbs or reflects the light ray falling within the first wavelength range is arranged between the photosensitive cell 2a and the dispersing element 1a.

Abstract: This solid-state image sensor 10 includes an array of photosensitive cells and an array of dispersing elements. The photosensitive cell array is comprised of multiple unit blocks 40, each of which includes four photosensitive cells 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d.