Image capturing for capturing an image of an object by illuminating the object and receiving light from the object

• US 7,679,671 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Frontech Limited (Fujitsu Limited), Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hiroyuki, Yoshida, Takashi, Matsuo, Kouichi, Iwaguchi, Isao, Yoshizu, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vieaux; Gary C
• Application Number:
  US11/591,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20070206114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 348/371, 348/374, 348/370, 235/462.24, 235/462.42, 382/127, 382/115
• US Class Current: 348/370
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/03 Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

An image capturing apparatus illuminate and captures an image of an object using reflected light from the object. In the apparatus, a plurality of light-emitting devices are mounted in the periphery of an image sensor, and the light of the plurality of light-emitting devices is guided to an image capturing region by a light guide member for illumination. On the image capturing apparatus having the image capturing system disposed close to the illumination system, a hood is provided for optically intercepting the image capturing system from the illumination system, with a flange disposed thereon. The light reflected on the upper face of a filter can be intercepted from being incident on an image capturing system unit. Accordingly, output light not irradiating the object and causing an image capturing noise can be intercepted, which is effective for a clear photographed image.

Claims

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 on a circuit board, on which is also mounted said image sensor at peripheral positions of the image sensor;

a light guide member for guiding light emitted from 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;

an optical filter disposed on the object side of the optical unit and the light guide member; and

a hood for optically intercepting the optical unit from the light guide member,

wherein said hood further comprises a flange for intercepting the light reflected on the optical filter among the light output from the light guide member, from being incident to the optical unit, wherein the light guide member comprises;

a lower end portion for introducing the light of light-emitting devices;

an upper end portion for outputting the light to the image capturing range; and

a light guide portion for guiding the light of the light-emitting devices from the lower end portion to the upper end portion,

wherein an upper portion of the hood is contacted to said optical filter.

2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-emitting devices are mounted on a circuit board at predetermined intervals along a circle in the periphery of the image sensor, and

wherein the light guide member comprises a ring-shaped configuration corresponding to the circle.

3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a diffusion plate for diffusing the light of the light-emitting devices, and disposed between the ring-shaped light guide member and the plurality of light-emitting devices.

4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the diffusion plate comprises a plurality of separate diffusion members, respectively corresponding to the plurality of light-emitting devices which are mounted on the circuit board at predetermined intervals along the circle in the periphery of the image sensor.

5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a distance-measuring light-emitting device mounted on the circuit board and for measuring a distance to the object.

6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the distance-measuring light-emitting device is mounted in such a position on the circuit board as to measure the distance to the object in the image capturing range using the image of the image sensor.

7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the distance-measuring light-emitting device is mounted on the circuit board in an outer position of the light-emitting devices.

8. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor and the plurality of light-emitting devices are mounted on an identical circuit board.

9. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a photo-detector device for monitoring the light of the light-emitting devices, and disposed between each plurality of light-emitting devices on the circuit board.

10. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hood comprises:

a hood outside wall coupled with said flange and for optically intercepting the optical unit from the light guide member; and

a hood bottom portion having an aperture for setting to the optical unit.

11. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-emitting devices comprise light-emitting devices for emitting infrared light, and wherein the optical filter comprises an optical filter filtering visible light.

12. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor captures an image of a portion of a living body.

13. 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 on a circuit board, on which is also mounted said image sensor at peripheral positions of the image sensor;

a light guide member for guiding light emitted from 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;

an optical filter disposed on the object side of the optical unit and the light guide member; and

a hood for optically intercepting the optical unit from the light guide member,

wherein said hood further comprises a flange for intercepting the light reflected on the optical filter among the light output from the light guide member, from being incident to the optical unit,

wherein the image sensor and the plurality of light-emitting devices are mounted on an identical circuit board,

said image capturing apparatus further comprising a photo-detector device for monitoring the light of the light-emitting devices, and disposed between each plurality of light-emitting devices on the circuit board,

wherein the photo-detector device is disposed at a lower portion of the light guide member in such a position as to receive the light reflected at the lower portion of the light guide member among the light emitted from the light-emitting devices.