Abstract: An image-capturing device disclosed in the present application includes: an image-capturing element including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in two dimensions, wherein the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are exposed through successive scanning and electrical signals are read out from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements through successive scanning, thereby generating an image signal; a lens optical system including a focus lens for collecting light toward the image-capturing element; a driving section for driving one of the image-capturing element and the focus lens so as to change a distance between the image-capturing element and the focus lens; a displacement control section for outputting a command to the driving section so as to control displacement of the image-capturing element or the focus lens to be driven based on a predetermined displacement pattern; and a synchronizing section for controlling the displacement control section based on exposure

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: 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: A camera driving apparatus according to the present invention includes a camera section 100; a fixed unit including a protrusion section 202 at least partially formed of a magnetic member and has a shape of at least a part of a spherical face; a movable unit, the movable unit including an attracting magnet 404 for generating a magnetic attracting force, and a conical contact face with which the protrusion section of the fixed unit is loosely engageable and contactable by the magnetic attracting force, the movable unit being freely pivotable with respect to a sphere center of the spherical face of the protrusion section; a panning driving section; a tilting driving section; a rolling driving section; a detector; and a line 310? spirally wound around the protrusion section 202 for connecting the camera section and an external circuit provided on the fixed unit to each other.

Abstract: A light reduction device for adjusting an amount of light reaching an imaging device includes: a light shielding plate in which light shielding parts are discretely formed for blocking the light, and a light transmission part is formed for transmitting the light; a first light reduction plate in which light reduction parts are discretely formed for reducing the amount of the light passing through, and a light transmission part is formed for transmitting the light; and a moving unit configured to move at least one of the light shielding plate and the first light reduction plate in a first direction which intersects with an incident direction of the light, in which the light shielding plate and the first light reduction plate overlap each other at least in part, when viewed from the incident direction of the light.

Abstract: An image-capturing device disclosed in the present application includes: an image-capturing element including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in two dimensions, wherein the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are exposed through successive scanning and electrical signals are read out from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements through successive scanning, thereby generating an image signal; a lens optical system including a focus lens for collecting light toward the image-capturing element; a driving section for driving one of the image-capturing element and the focus lens so as to change a distance between the image-capturing element and the focus lens; a displacement control section for outputting a command to the driving section so as to control displacement of the image-capturing element or the focus lens to be driven based on a predetermined displacement pattern; and a synchronizing section for controlling the displacement control section based on exposure

Abstract: The solid-state image sensor 10 includes an array of photosensitive cells and an array 100 of dispersing elements. The photosensitive cell array is comprised of unit blocks 40, each including four photosensitive cells 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d.

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: Light-splitting elements are arranged in at least two columns and two rows to form two pairs 1a, 1b and 1c, 1d. Each element splits incident light into light rays and makes them fall on a portion of a photosensing section right under itself and an adjacent photosensitive cell. The element 1a splits the incident light so that a primary color ray C1 and its complementary color ray C1? enter an adjacent cell 2b and an underlying cell 2a, respectively. The element 1b makes a primary color ray C2 and its complementary color ray C2? enter an underlying cell 2a and an adjacent cell 2a, respectively. The element 1c does the same as the element 1b. And the element 1d makes a primary color ray C3 and its complementary color ray C3? enter an adjacent cell 2c and an underlying cell 2d, respectively. These photosensitive cells 2 perform photoelectric conversion, thereby outputting an electrical signal representing the intensity of the incident light.

Abstract: A light reduction device for adjusting an amount of light reaching an imaging device includes: a light shielding plate in which light shielding parts are discretely formed for blocking the light, and a light transmission part is formed for transmitting the light; a first light reduction plate in which light reduction parts are discretely formed for reducing the amount of the light passing through, and a light transmission part is formed for transmitting the light; and a moving unit configured to move at least one of the light shielding plate and the first light reduction plate in a first direction which intersects with an incident direction of the light, in which the light shielding plate and the first light reduction plate overlap each other at least in part, when viewed from the incident direction of the light.

Abstract: A mirror 1a transmits a cyan (Cy) ray and reflects an R ray, and a mirror 1d transmits a yellow (Ye) ray and reflects a B ray. The mirrors 1a and 1d are arranged inside a light-transmitting member 3 and are also tilted so that the light reflected from each of them is further reflected from the interface between the light-transmitting member 3 and the air and then incident on an adjacent photosensitive cell. Photosensitive cells 2a and 2d receive the light rays that have been transmitted through the mirrors 1a and 1d, respectively. No mirrors are arranged over photosensitive cells 2b and 2c. The photosensitive cell 2b receives directly incident light and the light ray reflected from the mirror 1a. The photosensitive cell 2c receives the directly incident light and the light ray reflected from the mirror 1d. Color information is obtained by making computations on the output signals of the respective photosensitive cells.

Abstract: The solid state image sensor of this invention includes multiple units, each of which includes first and second photosensitive cells 2a, 2b and a dispersive element 1a facing the first cell 2a. The element 1a passes a part of incoming light with a first color component to the second cell 2b. The first cell 2a receives a smaller quantity of light with the first color component than that of the light with the first color component incident on the dispersive element. The second cell 2b receives a greater quantity of light with the first color component than that of the light with the first color component incident on the dispersive element.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device according to the present invention includes, on an imaging surface, a plurality of unit pixel regions being arrayed at a first pixel pitch along a Y direction and at a second pixel pitch along an X direction. One of two adjoining unit pixel regions 1 along the Y first direction includes a first photodetecting portion 1a having a first opening ratio, and the other includes a second photodetecting portion 1b having a second opening ratio which is lower than the first opening ratio. When the first photodetecting portion 1a is moved imaginarily by a first pixel pitch along the Y direction, the first photodetecting portion 1a covers the entire second photodetecting portion 1b. At this time, a portion of the first photodetecting portion 1a that does not cover the second photodetecting portion 1b functions as an imaginary third photodetecting portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imaging apparatus which generates, based on a captured image, a depth map of an object with a high degree of precision.

Abstract: The solid-state image sensor 10 includes an array of photosensitive cells and an array 100 of dispersing elements. The photosensitive cell array is comprised of unit blocks 40, each including four photosensitive cells 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d.

Abstract: A camera driving apparatus according to the present invention includes a camera section 100; a fixed unit including a protrusion section 202 which is formed of a magnetic member at least partially and has a shape of at least a part of a spherical face; a movable unit for supporting the camera section, the movable unit including an attracting magnet 404 for generating a magnetic attracting force for the magnetic member, and a conical contact face with which the protrusion section of the fixed unit is loosely engageable and contactable by the magnetic attracting force, the movable unit being freely pivotable with respect to a sphere center of the spherical face of the protrusion section; a panning driving section; a tilting driving section; a rolling driving section for rotating the camera section in a rolling direction centered around an optical axis of a lens; a detector for detecting an inclining angle of the camera section with respect to the fixed unit in panning and tilting directions and a rotating angle

Abstract: A color representation technique to be effectively applicable to a pixel shifted arrangement to realize high sensitivity and high resolution is provided by using a dipersive prism or diffraction. A dispersive element is provided for an image sensor in which photosensitive cells are arranged to be shifted from each other by a half pitch both horizontally and vertically. The dispersive element makes at least G rays fall straight down to a pixel right under itself and also makes either R rays or B rays incident on an adjacent pixel. Meanwhile, a photosensitive cell, for which no dispersive element is provided, receives directly incident light, too. Color information can be obtained by making computations on photoelectrically converted signals provided by these pixels.

Abstract: A camera driving apparatus capable of inclining a camera section including a lens barrel and an imaging element in a panning direction (yawing) and a tilting direction (pitching) and also capable of rotating the camera section around an optical axis thereof (rolling).

Abstract: In an image capture device according to the present invention, a number of photosensitive cells are arranged between a first surface 30a of a semiconductor layer and its second surface 30b, which is opposed to the first surface, and the device can receive incoming light at not only the first surface 30b but also the second surface 30b as well. The device further includes an optical system 300 with an optical element 9 for splitting the incoming light into first and second light rays. The optical system 300 is designed so as to make the first and second light rays strike the first and second surfaces 30a and 30b, respectively.

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.