Patent ID: 7629565
Filing Date: 2009-12-08
Classification: A61B,H04N

Abstract:
1. An imaging apparatus, comprising: a first light source for irradiating a subject with a first component light of a visible-spectrum band; a second light source for irradiating the subject with a second component light of a wavelength for exciting a predetermined infrared-fluorescing substance for emitting infrared fluorescent light; an optical filter for transmitting the infrared fluorescent light and a spectrum component corresponding to the first component light and for preventing the transmission of a band component corresponding to the second component light from among light from the subject; a solid-state imaging device capable of capturing a visible-spectrum image and an infrared-spectrum image on the basis of light transmitted through the optical filter; a control part for illuminating the first light source and the second light source in alternation and for causing the solid-state imaging device to capture an image when each of the first light source and the second light source is illuminated; and an image signal-processing part for generating a synthesized image signal representing a synthesized image based on the visible-spectrum image captured as a result of the first light source being illuminated and on the infrared-spectrum image captured as a result of the second light source being illuminated, wherein the control part sets exposure conditions during the capture of the visible-spectrum image and during the capture of the infrared-spectrum image, respectively, according to a desired synthesis balance of the visible-spectrum image and the infrared-spectrum image in the synthesized image, wherein the control part has a set first target signal level and second target signal level that are target signal levels for the visible-spectrum image and the infrared-spectrum image, respectively; controls the exposure conditions of the visible-spectrum image using feedback control on the basis of deviation between the first target signal level and a signal level of the visible-spectrum image captured previously; and controls the exposure conditions of the infrared-spectrum image using feedback control on the basis of deviation between the second target signal level and a signal level of the infrared-spectrum image captured previously.