Patent ID: 8169471
Filing Date: 2012-05-01
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An image capturing system comprising: an image capturing section that includes a plurality of first light receiving elements for receiving light of a first wavelength region and a plurality of second light receiving elements for receiving light of a second wavelength region; a control section that causes to be generated, from a subject, light of a different spectrum at a different timing for each of the first wavelength region and the second wavelength region; and an image generating section that generates a first image from a combination that includes at least one of light of a first spectrum from the subject received by the plurality of first light receiving elements at a predetermined timing, light of a second spectrum from the subject received by the plurality of second light receiving elements at the predetermined timing, light of a third spectrum from the subject received by the plurality of first light receiving elements at a timing other than the predetermined timing, and light of a fourth spectrum from the subject received by the plurality of second light receiving elements at the timing other than the predetermined timing, and generates a second image from a combination different from the combination used to generate the first image; wherein the control section causes to be generated, from the subject, light of a first partial wavelength region included in the first wavelength region and light of a second partial wavelength region included in the second wavelength region at the predetermined timing, and causes to be generated, from the subject, light of a third partial wavelength region included in the first wavelength region and light of a fourth partial wavelength region included in the second wavelength region at the timing other than the predetermined timing, and the image generating section generates the first image from a combination that includes at least one of light of the first partial wavelength region from the subject received by the plurality of first light receiving elements at the predetermined timing, the light of the third partial wavelength region from the subject received by the plurality of first light receiving elements at the timing other than the predetermined timing, the light of the second partial wavelength region from the subject received by the plurality of second light receiving elements at the predetermined timing, and the light of the fourth partial wavelength region from the subject received by the plurality of second light receiving elements at the timing other than the predetermined timing; and further comprising: a light emission section that causes to be emitted, from the subject, light of the first partial wavelength region, the second partial wavelength region, the third partial wavelength region, and the fourth partial wavelength region, wherein the control section controls the light emission section to emit the light which causes the light of the first partial wavelength region and the light of the second partial wavelength region emitting from the subject at the predetermined timing, and controls the light emission section to emit the light of the third partial wavelength region and the light of the fourth partial wavelength region from the subject at the timing other than the predetermined timing; wherein the plurality of first light receiving elements and the plurality of second light receiving elements receive the light emitted by the light emission section after being reflected from an object existing inside a substance, the first wavelength region that is shorter than the second wavelength region, and the image generating section generates the first image based at least on the light of the first partial wavelength region received by the plurality of first light receiving elements at the predetermined timing; and wherein the first partial wavelength region is shorter than the third partial wavelength region and the second partial wavelength region is longer than the fourth partial wavelength region, at the predetermined timing, and the first image represents an image of an object existing at a shallower position from the surface of the substance and an object existing at a deeper position from the surface of the substance, and the image generating section generates the first image based at least on the light of the first partial wavelength region received by the plurality of first light receiving elements at the predetermined timing and the light of the second partial wavelength region received by the plurality of second light receiving elements at the predetermined timing.