Patent ID: 8045001

Claim:
A compound-eye imaging device comprising: multiple optical lenses arranged in an array; a solid state imaging element for imaging multiple single-eye images formed by the multiple optical lenses, respectively; a shutter means for sequentially reading, with a time difference, the multiple single-eye images formed on the solid state imaging element; a storage means for storing the multiple single-eye images read using the shutter means; a flash unit for emitting flash light to illuminate a target object to be imaged; a flash control means for changing the wavelength, presence/absence or intensity of the flash light emitted from the flash unit while the multiple single-eye images are read using the shutter means; a single-eye image reading means for reading, from the multiple single-eye images stored in the storage means, a single-eye image imaged under a first illumination condition before the flash control means changes an illumination condition (such single-eye image hereafter referred to as pre-change single-eye image), and a single-eye image imaged under a second illumination condition different from the first illumination condition after the flash control means changes the illumination condition (such single-eye image hereafter referred to as post-change single-eye image); and an eye position detecting means for detecting eye positions in the single-eye images based on a comparison between the pre-change and post-change single-eye images read by the single-eye image reading means.