ILLUMINATION IMAGING DEVICE AND GAZE DETECTING APPARATUS

• US 20160063326A1
• Filed: 07/14/2015
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Tatsumaro, Matsuo, Eiki
• Application Number:
  US14/798,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20160063326A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/141 using dichroic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/147 using averaging effects by spatially variable reflectivity on a microscopic level, e.g. polka dots, chequered or discontinuous patterns, or rapidly moving surfaces G02B27/1086 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3058 comprising electrically conductive elements, e.g. wire grids, conductive particles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3083 Birefringent or phase retarding elements G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/193 Preprocessing; Feature extraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means

Abstract

An illumination imaging device includes a combination of a polarizing plate, which is a grid polarizer, and a wave plate is provided at the intersection of an optical axis of a first light source that emits light and an optical axis of an imaging member. The light emitted from the first light source is reflected by the polarizing plate, is transmitted through the wave plate, and is fed to an object. The optical axis of the first light source and the optical axis of the imaging member coincide with each other. Therefore, a clear bright-pupil image is acquired by the imaging member.

Claims

1. An illumination imaging device comprising:

a first light source that emits light;

an imaging member that acquires an image of an object to which the light emitted from the first light source is fed, the imaging member configured such that an optical axis of the imaging member intersects an optical axis of the first light source;

a dividing element provided at an intersection of the optical axis of the first light source and the optical axis of the imaging member and configured to reflect a portion of the light from the first light source and to transmit a remaining portion of the light;

a divergence-angle-adjusting element provided between the first light source and the dividing element and configured to adjust an angle of divergence of the light on the basis of an angle of view of the imaging member; and

an antireflection member provided at a position toward which the portion of the light having been transmitted through the dividing element travels.

2. The illumination imaging device according to claim 1,

wherein the dividing element includes a grid polarizer and a wave plate,

wherein the light includes a p-polarized component and an s-polarized component, and

wherein the wave plate is inclined with respect to the optical axis of the imaging member and the optical axis of the first light source.

3. The illumination imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the dividing element is a polka-dot reflector.

4. The illumination imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the dividing element is a wavelength-selectable reflector.

5. A gaze detecting apparatus comprising:

the illumination imaging device according to claim 1; and

a second light source that emits light having a wavelength longer than a wavelength of the light emitted from the first light source,

wherein the imaging member acquires a bright-pupil image when the first light source is on, and the imaging member acquires a dark-pupil image when the second light source is on.

6. The gaze detecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second light source is provided on an optical path separate from an optical path of the light emitted from the first light source to the dividing element.

7. The gaze detecting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second light source is provided on an optical path of the light emitted from the first light source to the dividing element.