Patent Document ID: 9791599
Application ID: 14658686
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. An image processing method implemented in an imaging device that includes a microlens array including a plurality of microlenses, a main lens configured to guide light from a photographic subject to the microlens array, and an image sensor configured to receive the light after passing through the main lens and the microlens array, the method comprising: obtaining an image captured by the image sensor; determining a plurality of microlens images, that are formed by the microlenses, from the image captured by the image sensor; determining a microlens image of interest and a plurality of comparison-target microlens images from among the plurality of microlens images; setting, according to an image height represented by a distance from an optical axis position of the main lens on an imaging surface of the image sensor, an arrangement of a microlens image of interest and a plurality of comparison-target microlens images, wherein the arrangement being set to one of a first arrangement and a second arrangement; detecting an amount of image shift between the microlens image of interest and each of the comparison-target microlens images by comparing the microlens image of interest with the comparison-target microlens images; and calculating a distance corresponding to the microlens image of interest using the amounts of image shift, wherein the first arrangement includes the microlens image of interest and the plurality of six comparison-target microlens images, wherein the six comparison-target microlens images are positioned in hexagonal orientations around the microlens image of interest, and each of the comparison-target microlens images is positioned adjacent to the microlens image of interest; the second arrangement includes the microlens image of interest and the plurality of comparison-target microlens images, wherein the plurality of comparison-target microlens images are concyclic with the microlens image of interest, excluding a set of comparison-target microlens images that are sequentially adjacent to the microlens image of interest in the radial direction of a circle centered at a center of the image height; and the setting sets the first arrangement when a ratio between a first radius of the microlens image of interest having a direction of joining the center of the microlens image of interest and the position and a second radius having a perpendicular direction to the direction of joining is smaller than a threshold value, and sets the second arrangement when the ratio is equal to or greater than the threshold value.