Patent Document ID: 9066015
Application ID: 13457268
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. An image capture device comprising: image capturing means having a light-receiving surface, on which pixels are arrayed, each pixel being composed of an image capturing element outputting an electrical signal at an output level responsive to received light intensity; optics for forming an image of an object in a position on the light-receiving surface; image shifting means for moving an image position on the light-receiving surface; and image processing means for processing images captured by the image capturing means, wherein the image capturing means captures respective images on the light-receiving surface before and after movement of the image position by the image shifting means; the pixels on the light-receiving surface are arrayed in a two dimensional matrix in a first alignment direction and in a second alignment direction perpendicular to the first alignment direction; the image shifting means causes the image position to move in the first alignment direction of the pixels on the light-receiving surface and in the second alignment direction perpendicular to the first alignment direction; and the image processing means has an output level difference calculating section configured to calculate a first output level difference between output levels of each pixel in the first alignment direction when respective images on the light-receiving surface are captured by the image capturing means before and after movement of the image position in the first alignment direction, and a second output level difference between the output levels of each pixel in the second alignment direction when respective images on the light-receiving surface are captured by the image capturing means before and after movement of the image position in the second alignment direction; a summed output level difference calculating section configured to sequentially sum first output level differences in output levels from respective pixels in the first alignment direction to calculate a first summed output level difference of each pixel with respect to a first pixel line arrayed in the first alignment direction, and second output level differences in output levels from respective pixels in the second alignment direction to calculate a second summed output level difference of each pixel with respect to a second pixel line arrayed in the second alignment direction; and an image generating section for generating an image based on the first and second summed output level differences of each pixel rather than the output level of each pixel responsive to received light intensity.