Patent ID: 7200261
Filing Date: 2007-04-03
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image capturing apparatus for obtaining information regarding a depth of a subject, comprising: a single capturing section including a single lens section and a single shutter operable to perform image capturing for said subject at a plurality of viewpoints; a controller operable to control said single capturing section to perform said image capturing at different timings at said plurality of viewpoints by controlling a movement of said lens section from a first position to at least a second position within the single capturing section, wherein said controller controls said single capturing section to perform said image capturing for said subject two or more times at at least one of said plurality of viewpoints; a positional difference detecting unit operable to detect a positional difference of an image of a particular region of said subject based on two or more images obtained at said one viewpoint and another image obtained at another viewpoint, wherein a depth calculating unit calculates a depth of said particular region of said subject based on said positional difference; and an estimated image generating unit operable to generate an estimated image of said particular region of said subject that is assumed to be captured at one viewpoint at the same time as a time at which another image was captured at another viewpoint, by estimation based on said two or more images obtained at said one viewpoint, wherein said positional difference detecting unit detects a difference of a position of an image of said particular region of said subject between said estimated image and said another image obtained at said another viewpoint.