In one aspect, a prism is used to separate white light into individual color components, which are used to illuminate an object in sequence. This can be effected by rotating the prism. Reflections from the object are captured by a high resolution black and white camera. A frequency detector is used to also receive the individual colors that illuminate the object so that the high-resolution pixels from the black and white camera can be correlated, for each captured value, to the specific color reflected from the object that created the pixel. In this way, the color spectrum of the object can be measured with high precision. Other examples that use stationary prisms also are disclosed. Examples are disclosed in which the prism(s) receive white light from the object and spread it in color components onto the imager.

In one aspect, a prism is used to separate white light into individual color components, which are used to illuminate an object in sequence. This can be effected by rotating the prism. Reflections from the object are captured by a high resolution black and white camera. A frequency detector is used to also receive the individual colors that illuminate the object so that the high-resolution pixels from the black and white camera can be correlated, for each captured value, to the specific color reflected from the object that created the pixel. In this way, the color spectrum of the object can be measured with high precision. Other examples that use stationary prisms also are disclosed. Examples are disclosed in which the prism(s) receive white light from the object and spread it in color components onto the imager.

An imaging system serving as an image generation device is provided with: a random optical filter array that has a plurality of types of optical filters and a scattering unit; photodiodes that receive light transmitted through the random optical filter array; an AD conversion unit that converts the light received by the photodiodes, into digital data; and a color image generation circuit that generates an image, using the digital data and modulation information of the random optical filter array, in which the scattering unit is located between the plurality of types of optical filters and the photodiodes, and in which the scattering unit includes a material having a first refractive index, and a material having a second refractive index that is different from the first refractive index.

An image sensor includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels, first and second row selection lines separated from each other, and first and second column lines separated from each other are disposed and a column selecting circuit configured to connect the first and second column lines using a column selection signal. The pixel array includes a first pixel which is connected to the first row selection line and the first column line and a second pixel which is disposed in the same row as the first pixel and connected to the second row selection line and the second column line.

There are provided an apparatus and a method which generate an RGB image having less color noise and fewer false colors by inputting an RGBW image. The apparatus has an image sensor having an RGBW array, and an image processing unit which performs image processing by inputting a sensor image formed of an RGBW pixel signal output from the image sensor. The image sensor has a periodic array of a unit composition formed of each RGBW pixel, and has an array in which composition ratios of each RGB pixel within the unit composition are adapted to be the same as each other. The image processing unit converts a pixel array of the sensor image formed of the RGBW pixel signal, and performs at least either array conversion processing for generating an RGB array image or signal processing for generating each RGB image signal in which all RGB pixel values are set for each pixel position of the sensor image.

An endoscope apparatus includes: a light source that emits white light or narrow-band light; an image sensor having pixels; a color filter including a filter unit having a plurality of filters in which the number of filters for passing green wavelength band light and the number of filters for passing blue wavelength band light satisfy predetermined conditions; a first gain adjustment unit that adjusts a gain of an electric signal generated by the image sensor; a demosaicing processing unit that generates an image signal of a color component passing through a filter based on the electric signal whose gain has been adjusted by the first gain adjustment unit; a color conversion processing unit that performs color separation on an image signal when the light source unit emits the white light; and a second gain adjustment unit that adjusts a gain of each image signal subjected to the color conversion processing.

High dynamic range images are generated using conventional dynamic range cameras. A first camera is configured with exposure settings that are optimized for brighter regions, while a second camera assembly is optimized for darker regions. The cameras can be rectified and can capture concurrently such that objects are relatively aligned, with global and local misregistrations being minimized. The image data is analyzed to determine regions where the image data from one camera or the other provides higher quality, such as where the brightness values fall between a noise floor and a saturation level. If image data from both sets have values within that range then the values can be combined, such as with a weighted average. A composite image is generated that includes more uniform color and brightness than in either image individually, or that could have been captured using a single camera of similar cost and capabilities.

An imaging apparatus and method for multi-spectral imaging is described. The imaging apparatus includes an imaging element that takes an image of a subject, a multi-spectral filter that has a plurality of spectral filters dispersing incident light on the imaging element by predetermined wavelength regions, and a drive unit that drives the multi-spectral filter without stopping the individual spectral filters and continuously switches the spectral filters to cover an opening in the imaging element. The imaging apparatus detects whether a boundary between adjacent ones of the plurality of spectral filters included in the multi-spectral filter is in a position to block the opening in the imaging element, and performs signal processing for invalidating an image output from the imaging element in a period in which it is detected that the boundary between the spectral filters is in the position to block the opening in the imaging element.

A single snapshot multi-frequency demodulation method for a modulated image obtained by modulating and summing one or more original components at different frequencies in a time domain or spatial domain, especially for a modulated image including multiple frequency components. AC and DC component values of each pixel at each frequency are extracted sequentially, and then an original AC and DC component image corresponding to each frequency is obtained. The method can be used in the time or spatial domain, can decompose multiple frequency component images using single measurement, has the advantages of fast speed, higher demodulation precision and good de-noising effect, meets the requirements for acquiring multiple pieces of frequency information at a time and overcomes inevitable errors in multiple measurements. Further, multiple pieces of image information can also be transmitted once using the demodulation method, so that parallel real-time transmission of the information in the communication field is realized.

The polarization imaging unit generates a polarized image including pixels for each of a plurality of polarization components. The demosaicing unit calculates a pixel signal for each polarization component by using the pixel signal of the target pixel of the polarized image and the pixel signal of the pixel for each of the identical polarization components located near the target pixel. In one example, a low frequency component is calculated for each polarization component using the pixel signal of the pixel located near the target pixel for each of the identical polarization components. In addition, component information indicating relationship between the low frequency component of the polarization component of the polarized image and the pixel signal of the target pixel is acquired. Furthermore, the pixel signal for each polarization component in the target pixel is calculated based on the low frequency component and the component information for each polarization component.