Abstract: A first group of interpolation calculators performing interpolation by mean preserving interpolation calculation, and a second group of interpolation calculators performing interpolation by interpolation other than the mean preserving interpolation calculation are provided. Each of the interpolation calculators performs interpolation calculation for the missing pixel to calculate an interpolation candidate value (M(h)), and calculates test interpolation values (M(t)) treating pixels in a vicinity of the missing pixel as test pixels. A decider (4) selects one of the plurality of interpolation calculators based on results of the test interpolation. An outputter (5) selects the interpolation candidate value outputted from the interpolation calculator selected by the decider (4), among the plurality of interpolation candidate values (M(h)), and outputs the selected interpolation candidate value.

Abstract: A first group of interpolation calculators performing interpolation by mean preserving interpolation calculation, and a second group of interpolation calculators performing interpolation by interpolation other than the mean preserving interpolation calculation are provided. Each of the interpolation calculators performs interpolation calculation for the missing pixel to calculate an interpolation candidate value (M(h)), and calculates test interpolation values (M(t)) treating pixels in a vicinity of the missing pixel as test pixels. A decider (4) selects one of the plurality of interpolation calculators based on results of the test interpolation. An outputter (5) selects the interpolation candidate value outputted from the interpolation calculator selected by the decider (4), among the plurality of interpolation candidate values (M(h)), and outputs the selected interpolation candidate value.

Abstract: A compound-eye imaging device includes a camera device and a processor including a resolution enhancer. The camera device includes an imaging element including imaging regions including at least one imaging region of a first type and imaging regions of a second type smaller than the imaging region of the first type; lenses to image images of the same field of view onto the imaging regions; and optical filters provided so that an image acquired in each of the imaging regions of the second type represents a different type of information from an image acquired in each of the at least one imaging region of the first type. The resolution enhancer receives the image acquired in one of the at least one imaging region of the first type and the image acquired in one of the imaging regions of the second type, and generates a high-resolution image from the acquired images.

Abstract: An image processing device includes an invisible image filter separator that separates an invisible detail component, a visible image filter separator that separates a visible base component and a visible detail component, a base luminance color separator that separates a visible luminance base component and a visible color base component, a detail luminance color separator that separates a visible luminance detail component, a detail synthesizer that generates a synthetic luminance detail component, a synthetic luminance component generator that generates a synthetic luminance component, and a luminance color synthesizer that generates a synthetic image.

Abstract: A compound-eye imaging device includes a camera device and a processor including a resolution enhancer. The camera device includes an imaging element including imaging regions including at least one imaging region of a first type and imaging regions of a second type smaller than the imaging region of the first type; lenses to image images of the same field of view onto the imaging regions; and optical filters provided so that an image acquired in each of the imaging regions of the second type represents a different type of information from an image acquired in each of the at least one imaging region of the first type. The resolution enhancer receives the image acquired in one of the at least one imaging region of the first type and the image acquired in one of the imaging regions of the second type, and generates a high-resolution image from the acquired images.

Abstract: A memory stores image data generated by sensors included in an imager and containing a component data piece for each of color components that has undergone A/D conversion by an A/D converter. A width detector detects, based on the image data having undergone image processing by an image processor, the width along the main scanning direction of a duplicate area in which pieces of image data generated by adjoining sensors overlap each other. A displacement detector detects, based on the width of the duplicate area along the main scanning direction, a displacement of a scan target object for each of optical systems included in the imager. A first blur corrector performs blur correction on the component data piece using a point spread function for each of the color components that is dependent on a displacement of the scan target object.

Abstract: A plurality of image-forming optical elements are disposed such that a part of a field-of-view region of one image-forming optical element overlaps a part of a field-of-view region of an image-forming optical element disposed adjacent to the one image-forming optical element, each of the image-forming optical elements includes: a lens for collecting light scattered by a reading object; an aperture stop for cutting off some of the light collected by the lens; a phase modulating element for modulating phase of light passing through the aperture stop; and a lens for allowing the light whose phase is modulated by the phase modulating element to form an image on an image-forming surface, and the phase modulating elements are loaded such that resolution characteristics of the phase modulating elements in an arrangement direction of the image-forming optical elements are the same among the image-forming optical elements.

Abstract: A memory stores image data generated by sensors included in an imager and containing a component data piece for each of color components that has undergone A/D conversion by an A/D converter. A width detector detects, based on the image data having undergone image processing by an image processor, the width along the main scanning direction of a duplicate area in which pieces of image data generated by adjoining sensors overlap each other. A displacement detector detects, based on the width of the duplicate area along the main scanning direction, a displacement of a scan target object for each of optical systems included in the imager. A first blur corrector performs blur correction on the component data piece using a point spread function for each of the color components that is dependent on a displacement of the scan target object.

Abstract: An image processing device includes an invisible image filter separator that separates an invisible detail component, a visible image filter separator that separates a visible base component and a visible detail component, a base luminance color separator that separates a visible luminance base component and a visible color base component, a detail luminance color separator that separates a visible luminance detail component, a detail synthesizer that generates a synthetic luminance detail component, a synthetic luminance component generator that generates a synthetic luminance component, and a luminance color synthesizer that generates a synthetic image.

Abstract: A plurality of image-forming optical elements are disposed such that a part of a field-of-view region of one image-forming optical element overlaps a part of a field-of-view region of an image-forming optical element disposed adjacent to the one image-forming optical element, each of the image-forming optical elements includes: a lens for collecting light scattered by a reading object; an aperture stop for cutting off some of the light collected by the lens; a phase modulating element for modulating phase of light passing through the aperture stop; and a lens for allowing the light whose phase is modulated by the phase modulating element to form an image on an image-forming surface, and the phase modulating elements are loaded such that resolution characteristics of the phase modulating elements in an arrangement direction of the image-forming optical elements are the same among the image-forming optical elements.

Abstract: A pattern presence/absence evaluation value generation unit (41) determines the presence or absence of a pattern by comparing sensing data (d3) and correction data (d44). Operating according to a pattern presence/absence evaluation value (d41) obtained from the pattern presence/absence evaluation value generation unit (41), a correction data updating unit (42) outputs correction data (d42) updated by weighted addition of the sensing data (d3) and the correction data (d44), increasing the weighting of the correction data (d44) when an image pattern is present and increasing the weighting of the sensing data (d3) when the image pattern is absent. A correction data subtraction unit (43) subtracts the correction data (d42) from the sensing data (d3) and outputs output sensing data (d4). It consequently becomes possible to reduce the effect of sensing signal level variations of the sensing signal generated within the interval of reading of the object being sensed, and read the pattern accurately.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: one or more detectors that respectively receive reference images, and each detect, for each pixel in the reference image, a displacement relative to a base image; one or more generators that respectively receive the reference images, and each generate an aligned image by, for each pixel in the reference image, moving the pixel according to the displacement for the pixel and assigning a grayscale value of the pixel to a pixel position closest to the moved pixel; and a combiner that takes each pixel in the base image as a pixel of interest and calculates a grayscale value of a pixel at the same position as the pixel of interest in a combined image by weighting and summing grayscale values of the pixel of interest and pixels at the same position as the pixel of interest in the aligned images.

Abstract: When distortion correction is performed by dividing a distortion correction target region (Atc), a distortion-corrected division region image (D3) is generated by performing the distortion correction on each division region of the distortion correction target region and a distortion-corrected image (D4) is generated by combining a plurality of distortion-corrected division region images (D3). Regarding each pixel of the distortion-corrected image (D4), a gain (Gp) is determined according to scaling ratios (MR) of a division region including the pixel and one or more division regions around the division region, high-frequency components (D6) of the pixel are multiplied by the gain (Gp), and the product is added to a pixel value of the pixel of the distortion-corrected image (D4). This makes it possible to lessen the difference in the sense of resolution among the division regions of the distortion-corrected image (D4) and obtain an image having an excellent sense of resolution.

Abstract: An initial high-resolution image (D2) is generated by projection of low-resolution images (DIN) onto a high-resolution image space, an intermediate-resolution image (D31) is generated by projection of the low-resolution images (DIN) onto an intermediate-resolution image space, the intermediate-resolution image (D31) is interpolated and enlarged to generate an intermediate-resolution enlarged image (D3), and the pixel values of the undefined pixels in the initial high-resolution image (D2) are estimated using the pixel values of the corresponding pixels in the intermediate-resolution enlarged image (D3). It is possible to generate a high-resolution image of a high picture quality with higher accuracy even when less low-resolution images are used.

Abstract: Image processors are provided for respective groups formed by grouping of images, the order of which is sequential when images respectively having overlapping portions corresponding to the same portion of an object are arranged so as to be adjacent to each other, and concurrently perform processing to detect combining-position information for combining an image in a group and an image adjacent to the image without any positional displacement by image-matching. The combining-position information between images belonging to different groups is respectively transferred, via combination-information transferring paths, between the image processors and between the image processors.

Abstract: An image processing device includes: one or more detectors that respectively receive reference images, and each detect, for each pixel in the reference image, a displacement relative to a base image; one or more generators that respectively receive the reference images, and each generate an aligned image by, for each pixel in the reference image, moving the pixel according to the displacement for the pixel and assigning a grayscale value of the pixel to a pixel position closest to the moved pixel; and a combiner that takes each pixel in the base image as a pixel of interest and calculates a grayscale value of a pixel at the same position as the pixel of interest in a combined image by weighting and summing grayscale values of the pixel of interest and pixels at the same position as the pixel of interest in the aligned images.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and image processing method enlarge an input image (Din) to generate a low-resolution enlarged image (D101). Depending on a result of identification of the pattern of the input image (Din), coefficient data (D108) for conversion to a high-resolution are selected, and a feature component (D102H) of a low resolution is converted to a feature component (D103H) of a high resolution. Decision as to whether or not the pattern of a local region of the input image (Din) is flat is made. If it is flat, the coefficient data are so selected that no substantial alteration is made to pixel values in a high-resolution conversion unit (103). It is possible to reduce the circuit size and the memory capacity, and to improve the noise immunity, and achieve conversion to a high resolution suitable for implementation by hardware.

Abstract: Image processors are provided for respective groups formed by grouping of images, the order of which is sequential when images respectively having overlapping portions corresponding to the same portion of an object are arranged so as to be adjacent to each other, and concurrently perform processing to detect combining-position information for combining an image in a group and an image adjacent to the image without any positional displacement by image-matching. The combining-position information between images belonging to different groups is respectively transferred, via combination-information transferring paths, between the image processors and between the image processors.

Abstract: When distortion correction is performed by dividing a distortion correction target region (Atc), a distortion-corrected division region image (D3) is generated by performing the distortion correction on each division region of the distortion correction target region and a distortion-corrected image (D4) is generated by combining a plurality of distortion-corrected division region images (D3). Regarding each pixel of the distortion-corrected image (D4), a gain (Gp) is determined according to scaling ratios (MR) of a division region including the pixel and one or more division regions around the division region, high-frequency components (D6) of the pixel are multiplied by the gain (Gp), and the product is added to a pixel value of the pixel of the distortion-corrected image (D4). This makes it possible to lessen the difference in the sense of resolution among the division regions of the distortion-corrected image (D4) and obtain an image having an excellent sense of resolution.

Abstract: In enlarging an image by a super-resolution process using learned data, a reference value obtained from each patch and the pixel values of peripheral pixels in the patch are compared to generate binary or ternary comparison codes, and a patch of a high-resolution component corresponding to a binary pattern code or a ternary pattern code generated from the comparison codes is read. When a high-frequency component is contained the binary pattern code may be used; otherwise the ternary pattern code may be used. It is possible to reduce the storage capacity of the coefficient data storage unit and to improve the sense of high resolution.