Patent Document ID: 20140092227
Application ID: 14099165
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. An image capturing processor comprising: an image capturing section which includes an image sensor that emits an illuminating light beam and that captures a polarization image of an object being illuminated with the illuminating light beam; and an image processing section, wherein the optical axis of the illuminating light beam and an image capturing optical axis are substantially coaxial with each other, and the image processing section comprises: a light intensity image generator which generates a light intensity image based on the output of the image sensor; a polarization degree image generator which generates a polarization degree image by calculating the degree of polarization on a pixel-by-pixel basis based on the output of the image sensor; a retouching section which generates a retouched polarization image by enhancing the degree of polarization of the polarization degree image at concaves on a micro-geometric surface of the object and by correcting at least one of its hue, saturation and value; and an image synthesizing section which synthesizes the retouched polarization image and the light intensity image together.