Patent ID: 7171088

Claim:
An imaging device comprising: a multiple point structure constructed by bundling a number of optical fiber cords together to define an omnidirectional imagining unit having a spherical shape; an imaging section formed on one end of said multiple point structure for capturing images; bundling means for bundling a plurality of said multiple point structures together; and reading means for reading images using an image pickup device via optical means, said images being captured by said imaging section provided at one end of each of said plurality of said multiple point structures bundled by said bundling means and transmitted to the other end of said each of said plurality of said multiple point structures via said plurality of said multiple point structures, said imaging section constituting one of a plurality of imaging sections with their optical axes being radially disposed about the surface of the spherical omnidirectional imaging unit, wherein each of the plurality of imaging sections defines a field of view configured to cooperate with and partially overlap the equidistantly spaced adjacent field of views of the remaining plurality of imaging sections to define a distortion free composite image, and wherein said images captured by the plurality of imaging sections, which are disposed equidistantly about the surface of the spherical omnidirectional imaging unit, are delivered through the plurality of multiple point structures to the fiber bundling unit and the captured images are obtained on an end face of the fiber bundling unit.