Image capturing apparatus
First Claim
1. An image capturing apparatus for capturing an image of an object by illuminating the object and receiving reflected light from the object, comprising:
- an image sensor for receiving the reflected light;
a plurality of light-emitting devices mounted in the peripheral positions of the image sensor;
a light guide member for guiding light of the plurality of light-emitting devices to an image capturing range, and illuminating the image capturing range;
an optical unit accommodated inside the light guide member and for guiding the reflected light of the object in the illuminated image capturing range to the image sensor;
a distance-measuring light-emitting device for irradiating the object with light;
an aperture disposed on the distance-measuring light-emitting device, and for covering the light rays of the distance-measuring light-emitting device, converging the light rays, and guiding to a focusing lens; and
a control circuit for driving the distance-measuring light-emitting device, detecting spot light position of the distance-measuring light-emitting device from a photographed image of the image sensor, and obtaining the distance to the object.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image capturing apparatus illuminates and captures an image of an object using reflected light therefrom, with simplified distance measurement. A plurality of light-emitting devices are mounted around an image sensor, and a light guide member guides the light of the light-emitting devices to an image capturing region for illumination. The image capturing apparatus having the closely disposed image capturing system and illumination system, further has a distance-measuring light-emitting device and an aperture on the distance-measuring light-emitting device and for generating an optical path having narrowed downside and broadened upside. Thus, diffused reflected light rays of distance-measuring light-emitting device can be selected, converged and output to one direction. It becomes possible to obtain sufficient irradiation amount even when using a power-saving light-emitting device of a small emission amount, and to miniaturize a distance sensor irradiating spot light, contributing to miniaturization of the image capturing apparatus.
30 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An image capturing apparatus for capturing an image of an object by illuminating the object and receiving reflected light from the object, comprising:
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an image sensor for receiving the reflected light; a plurality of light-emitting devices mounted in the peripheral positions of the image sensor; a light guide member for guiding light of the plurality of light-emitting devices to an image capturing range, and illuminating the image capturing range; an optical unit accommodated inside the light guide member and for guiding the reflected light of the object in the illuminated image capturing range to the image sensor; a distance-measuring light-emitting device for irradiating the object with light; an aperture disposed on the distance-measuring light-emitting device, and for covering the light rays of the distance-measuring light-emitting device, converging the light rays, and guiding to a focusing lens; and a control circuit for driving the distance-measuring light-emitting device, detecting spot light position of the distance-measuring light-emitting device from a photographed image of the image sensor, and obtaining the distance to the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification