Patent ID: 6577341
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An imaging apparatus comprising:color separating filter means having a plurality of light-transmitting domains each of which corresponds to one of a plurality of chromatic lights, wherein each of the light-transmitting domains separatley transmits only corresponding chromatic light of a picture image light inputted from an object, and which are arrayed in a predetermined array on a two-dimensional plane; an imaging device for imaging the picture image light and outputting a picture image signal, the imaging device having photo-receiving domains corresponding to the light-transmitting domains of the color separating filter means, the photo-receiving domains being arrayed on a two-dimensional plane with a same array as the predetermined array of the light-transmitting domains, each of the photo-receiving domains receiving only chromatic light which has passed through the corresponding light-transmitting domain, the imaging device outputting the picture image signal composed of picture element data representing a quantity of received light of each photo-receiving domain; moving means for moving an image forming point of the picture image light inputted to the imaging device only to predetermined first and second positions, thereby outputting two picture image signals; exposure permitting means for permitting the imaging device to receive the picture image light for only a predetermined exposure time every time when the image forming point is moved by the moving means; picture image generating means for generating a composite picture image signal by shifting and superimposing only the two outputted picture image signals in a direction opposite from a moving direction of the image forming point by a distance of the image forming points at the time of the imaging operation in response to the output of the imaging device; and control means for causing the moving means to move the image forming point of the picture image light either to the first or second position when the operation for imaging the picture image light is started, for causing the imaging device to image the picture image light only during the time permitted by the exposure permitting means at that position to give the picture image signal to the picture image generating means, for causing the moving means to move the image forming point only to the other of the first or second position and for causing the imaging device to image the picture image light only during the time permitted by the exposure permitting means at the other of the first or second position to give the picture image signal to the picture image generating means, wherein the light-transmitting domains of the color separating filter means are divided into first through fourth light-transmitting domains which transmit predetermined first through fourth chromatic lights; the predetermined array of the light-transmitting domains is an array in a matrix form in which the light-transmitting domains are arrayed respectively in parallel with one and other directions which cross each other at right angles in the one direction with a predetermined first period and in the other direction with a predetermined second period, a first group in which the first and fourth light-transmitting domains are arrayed alternately and linearly in the one direction and a second group in which the second and third light-transmitting domains are arrayed alternately and linearly in the one direction are disposed alternately in the other direction, the first light-transmitting domain and the fourth light-transmitting domain adjoin the second light-transmitting domain in the other direction and a direction opposite thereto, respectively, and the second light-transmitting domains adjoin the fourth light-transmitting domain in the other direction and the direction opposite thereto; the imaging device mixes the picture element data from each photo-receiving domain per two each photo-receiving domain adjoining in the other direction or in the direction opposite thereto to output in a batch; the first position is a predetermined reference position; and the second position is a position shifted in parallel to the one direction by the length of the first period from the first position.