Imaging device and imaging method for capturing a visible image and a near-infrared image

• US 10,659,703 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2018
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Original Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Inventors: Ohishi, Kouji, Tengeiji, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chio, Tat C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kwon, Joon
• Application Number:
  US15/863,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20180278857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6456 Spatial resolved fluorescence measurements; Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1013 for colour or multispectral image sensors, e.g. splitting an image into monochromatic image components on respective sensors spectral imaging systems G01J
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/201 in the form of arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/22 Absorbing filters G02B5/201 - G02B5/208 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/16 Optical arrangements associated therewith, e.g. for beam-splitting or for colour correction

Abstract

An illumination radiates a visible light or a near-infrared light. A lens images a light from a subject. A beam splitter disperses the visible light and the near-infrared light. A color imaging device images a reflecting light from the subject illuminated with the visible light and includes an imaging device having a red filter. A black-and-white imaging device images the near-infrared light dispersed by the beam splitter. A pixel pitch of the black-and-white imaging device that images the near-infrared light dispersed is larger than a pixel pitch of the color imaging device. A sampling position for the near-infrared light is displaced in a pixel arrangement horizontally or vertically with respect to a sampling position for red in a color image.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

an optical system that images a light from a subject;

an illumination device that illuminates the subject with visible light or near-infrared light as excitation light;

a beam splitter that disperses the infrared light that is emitted from the subject illuminated by the excitation light, into a first light in a first wavelength range, and a second light in a second wavelength range whose wavelength is longer than the first wavelength range;

a color imaging device that has a red filter capable of imaging the near-infrared light and images the first light in the first wavelength range;

a band-stop filter that is provided in front of the color imaging device and cuts a wavelength of the excitation light; and

a near-infrared light imaging device that images the second light in the second wavelength range, wherein;

a pixel pitch of the near-infrared light imaging device is larger than a pixel pitch of the color imaging device, and

a sampling position of the near-infrared light imaging device is displaced in a pixel arrangement horizontally or vertically with respect to a sampling position for red of the color imaging device.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein:

the pixel pitch of the near-infrared light imaging device is twice the pixel pitch of the color imaging device, and

the sampling position of the near-infrared light imaging device is displaced in the pixel arrangement horizontally or vertically with respect to the sampling position for red of the color imaging device by a half pixel.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the beam splitter reflects the second light in the second wavelength range an even number of times.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

a half-power wavelength dispersed by the beam splitter includes a wavelength that is half of a wavelength band of the fluorescent light dispersed or longer.

5. An imaging method for capturing a near-infrared light image by using an optical system that images a light from a subject in an imaging device, comprising:

illuminating the subject with visible light or near-infrared light as excitation light;

imaging a first light in a first wavelength range obtained from the near-infrared light that is emitted from the subject illuminated by the excitation light, being dispersed by a beam splitter in a color imaging device having a red filter capable of imaging the near-infrared light;

imaging a second light in a second wavelength range whose wavelength is longer than the first wavelength range dispersed by the beam splitter in a near-infrared light imaging device.

6. The imaging method according to claim 5, wherein a pixel pitch of the near-infrared light imaging device is larger than a pixel pitch of the color imaging device;

and

further comprising synthesizing an image captured by the near-infrared light imaging device with an image captured by the color imaging device having the red filter such that pixels of the image captured by the near-infrared light imaging device are displaced with respect to the pixels of the image captured by the color imaging device having the red filter.