JPH10327359A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image pickup device from which an image with high resolution is obtained at a low cost. SOLUTION: The image pickup device is provided with an image pickup optical system 11 that forms an image of an object, an image pickup element 12 that uses light receiving elements arranged in 2-dimension so as to sample spacially the object image thereby providing an output of image information, a displacement means 13 that displaces unidirectionally a relative position relation between the object image and the image pickup element 12, and a signal processing section 3 that generates composite image information based on the image information where the relational relative position is displaced and the image information before the displacement. In this case, when the displacement means 13 displaces unidirectionally the relative position relation between the object image and the image pickup element 12, the image information is obtained, where the relative position relation between the object image and the image pickup element 12 is displaced in horizontal and vertical directions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention uses an image pickup device and a solid-state image pickup device such as a CCD area sensor as an image pickup device. The solid-state image pickup device is more compact than the image pickup tube. This is advantageous in that afterimages due to printing are small.

In this solid-state image pickup device, an image pickup surface is constituted by a light-receiving device for performing photoelectric conversion, and the upper limit of the resolution is determined by the formation density of the light-receiving devices (array pitch of the light-receiving devices). Specifically, in a solid-state imaging device, considering that a subject image is spatially sampled at a pitch of a light receiving element as an input signal, only a resolution up to a Nyquist frequency of 1/2 of a sampling period can be obtained by a sampling theorem. Absent.

It is sufficient to increase the density of the light receiving elements in order to increase the resolution. However, there is a problem that the increase in the density is accompanied by difficulties in manufacturing and increases the manufacturing cost.

In order to increase the resolution with the same number of pixels, a technique called pixel shifting is used.
In this method, a plurality of pieces of image information are acquired by shifting the relative positional relationship of an image sensor with respect to a subject image, and a high-quality image is created from the plurality of pieces of image information.

There are mainly two methods for shifting the relative positional relationship between a subject image and an image sensor. First
Is a method of actually displacing the relative positional relationship between a subject image and an image sensor to obtain a plurality of pieces of image information in time series.

The second method is a so-called multi-plate type pixel shift method, in which a plurality of subject images are optically created, a plurality of image sensors are provided for each subject, and each subject image is provided. This method shifts the image. This method has the advantage that a plurality of image information is obtained at the same time because a plurality of image information is obtained using a plurality of subject images and a plurality of image sensors. There is a problem that the system becomes complicated and a plurality of image pickup devices are required, so that the apparatus becomes expensive. Therefore, the first method has an advantage that the apparatus is less expensive than the second method, and the present invention also uses this method. Hereinafter, an example specifically disclosed as the first method will be described.

For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-13476, the image plane is optically displaced by a half pitch in the horizontal direction with respect to the light receiving element, the subject images before and after the displacement are combined, and the horizontal sampling An imaging mechanism for doubling the frequency and doubling the horizontal resolution is disclosed.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-176907 discloses an image pickup apparatus which shifts a pixel by displacing the position of a subject image by displacing a parallel flat glass on the front surface of an image pickup device.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-37628 discloses a configuration in which a rotating prism is moved to perform image pickup a plurality of times while shifting pixels of an image pickup device, and at least one of which changes the amount of exposure. An imaging device for obtaining an image having a dynamic range is disclosed.

[0010]

However, in the above prior art, in the case of an imaging apparatus using imaging elements arranged two-dimensionally, in order to achieve high resolution in both the horizontal and vertical directions. However, there is a problem that a biaxial displacement means is required, and the cost of the apparatus is high.

FIG. 18 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a mounting structure of a biaxial displacement means (actuator) for displacing the image pickup device. As shown in FIG. 18, two actuators (for example, laminated piezoelectric elements) 13X and 13Y must be used to increase the resolution of the image sensor in both the horizontal and vertical directions.

In the mounting structure shown in FIG. 18, two actuators 13X and 13Y are used. The actuator 13X has one end connected to the substrate 15 and supports the element holder 14 at the other end. The actuator 13X moves (displaces) the element holder 14 of the imaging element 12 in the arrow X direction (horizontal direction). That is, the image sensor 12 is horizontally arranged to move the imaging range of the image sensor 12 in the horizontal direction. The actuator 13Y has one end connected to the substrate 15 and supports the element holder 14 at the other end. The actuator 13Y is
The element holder 14 of the image sensor 12 is moved (displaced) in the arrow Y direction (vertical direction). That is, the image pickup device 12 is vertically arranged to move the image pickup range of the image pickup device 12 in the vertical direction.

FIG. 19 is a diagram schematically showing pixels of an image sensor. When the image sensor is displaced in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction by one pixel, as shown in FIG. 19, the pixel at the position is displaced to the position by the actuator 13X, and then the position is moved by the actuator 13Y. Pixel must be displaced to the position. The present invention uses one actuator
The present invention proposes an imaging method capable of obtaining the same effect as the displacement in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide an imaging apparatus capable of obtaining a high-resolution image at low cost.

[0015]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image pickup apparatus comprising: an image pickup optical system for forming a subject image; and a two-dimensional arrangement of the formed subject image. An image sensor that spatially samples with the light receiving element and outputs image information, a displacement unit that displaces a relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor in one direction, and the relative positional relationship is displaced. Signal processing means for generating composite image information based on the image information and the image information before the displacement,
When the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced in one direction by the displacement unit, the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is horizontal and vertical. It is configured to obtain displaced image information.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced in one direction by the displacement means, so that the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is changed. Since it is configured to obtain image information displaced in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction and to generate composite image information based on the image information whose relative positional relationship has been displaced and the image information before the displacement, one displacement means By using (for example, one actuator), the resolution in the horizontal and vertical directions can be improved, and an imaging device capable of obtaining a high-resolution image at low cost can be provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the imaging apparatus according to the first aspect, the displacement means is arranged such that the relative position relationship is such that the image sensor is horizontally or vertically with respect to the subject image. The relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced so as to displace at a constant angle with respect to the direction.

According to the image pickup apparatus of the second aspect, the displacement means displaces the light receiving element of the image pickup element with respect to the subject image at a constant angle with respect to the horizontal direction or the vertical direction with respect to the subject image. As described above, since the configuration is such that the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced, the resolution in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction is improved by a simple method using one displacement means (for example, one actuator). It is possible to provide an imaging device capable of obtaining a high-resolution image at low cost.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the imaging device of the first or second aspect, the light receiving elements are alternately arranged in odd rows and even rows.

According to the image pickup apparatus of the third aspect, the light receiving elements are arranged so as to be alternately displaced in odd rows and even rows, so that one displacement means (for example, one actuator) is used. With a simple configuration, it is possible to improve the resolution in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, and to provide an imaging device capable of obtaining a high-resolution image at low cost.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the imaging device of the third aspect, the light receiving element has a configuration in which the ratio of the arrangement pitch between the horizontal direction and the vertical direction is √3: 2.

According to the imaging device of the fourth aspect, the ratio of the arrangement pitch of the light receiving elements in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction is √3: 2.
Therefore, the sampling pitch can be increased by about 15% as compared with the square arrangement, and sampling can be performed efficiently.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the imaging apparatus according to the third or fourth aspect, the displacement means is arranged so that the relative positional relationship is such that the image sensor is arranged in a horizontal direction with respect to the subject image. The relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced so as to displace.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced such that the relative positional relationship is relative to the subject image in the horizontal direction. Configuration, one displacement means (for example,
1), the resolution in the horizontal and vertical directions can be improved by a simple method, and an imaging device capable of obtaining a high-resolution image at low cost can be provided.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the imaging device of the first or second aspect, the light receiving elements are alternately arranged in odd rows and even rows.

According to the image pickup apparatus of the sixth aspect, the light receiving elements are arranged so as to be alternately shifted in odd rows and even rows, so that one displacement means (for example, one actuator) is used. With a simple configuration, it is possible to improve the resolution in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, and to provide an imaging device capable of obtaining a high-resolution image at low cost.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the imaging device of the sixth aspect, the light receiving element has a configuration in which a ratio of an arrangement pitch between the horizontal direction and the vertical direction is 2: √3.

According to the image pickup apparatus of the seventh aspect, the ratio of the arrangement pitch of the light receiving elements in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction is 2: √3.
Therefore, the sampling pitch can be increased by about 15% as compared with the square arrangement, and sampling can be performed efficiently.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the imaging apparatus of the sixth or seventh aspect, the displacement means is arranged so that the relative positional relationship is such that the imaging element is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the subject image. The relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced so as to be displaced.

According to the image pickup apparatus of the eighth aspect, the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced such that the relative positional relationship is displaced in the vertical direction with respect to the subject image. Configuration, one displacement means (for example,
1), the resolution in the horizontal and vertical directions can be improved by a simple method, and an imaging device capable of obtaining a high-resolution image at low cost can be provided.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the imaging apparatus according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, the displacement means changes the number of times of displacement in accordance with an imaging mode.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, since the displacement means is configured to change the number of times of displacement according to the imaging mode, it is possible to obtain a high quality image according to the imaging mode.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the imaging apparatus of any one of the first to ninth aspects, the displacement means displaces the imaging optical system or the imaging element.

According to the imaging apparatus of the tenth aspect, since the displacement means is configured to displace the imaging optical system or the imaging element, the displacement means can displace the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the imaging element with a simple configuration. It is possible to do.

[0035]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an imaging apparatus according to the present embodiment. In particular, the imaging device shown in FIG.
This is a configuration example of a method of displacing the image sensor when the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced in one direction.

The image pickup apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes an image pickup unit 1 for outputting image information of a subject and an A / D converter 2 for converting image information from analog to digital and outputting image data.
A signal processing unit 3 that generates and outputs composite image data based on the image information before the displacement and the image information after the displacement, and a system controller 4 that controls each unit of the imaging apparatus.

The image pickup unit 1 is provided with an image pickup optical system 11 for forming an image of a subject, and is movable (displaceable). The image of the object formed by the image pickup optical system 11 is spatially formed by two-dimensionally arranged light receiving elements. The image sensor 12 includes an image sensor 12 that performs image sampling and outputs image information, and a displacement unit 13 that displaces the image sensor 12 in one direction with respect to a subject image to perform pixel shift. The output of the image sensor 12 is coupled to the A / D converter 2.

The signal processing section 3 is, for example, a unit for performing a pixel shifting process and has an image memory. Specifically, the signal processing unit 3 stores the image data before the displacement of the image sensor 12 in the image memory, stores the image data after the displacement of the image sensor 12 in the image memory, and stores the image data before the displacement Synthesized image data is generated based on the displaced image data, the image quality of the same subject is improved, and finally one image data is obtained.

The system controller 4 is connected to the image pickup unit 1, the A / D converter 2, and the signal processing unit 3, and controls the image pickup operation, A / D conversion, pixel shift operation, and the like. The system controller 4 is configured by a microcomputer or the like, and controls each unit by operating the microcomputer according to various programs stored in the ROM in advance.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a specific configuration example of the image pickup device 12. As shown in FIG.

The image pickup device 12 has a CCD section 121 and a signal detection section 122. The CCD section 121 includes light receiving elements (for example, photodiodes) P arranged in a matrix.
D, VC for transferring electric charges in the vertical direction of the light receiving elements PD.
It has an HCCD for transferring the horizontal charges of the CD and the light receiving elements PD.

The light receiving elements PD receive light incident on the image pickup optical system 11, perform photoelectric conversion, and perform VCCD, HCCD.
To transfer the charge. The VCCD and HCCD output the transferred charges to the signal detection unit 122. The signal detection unit 122 converts the input electric charge into a voltage, and outputs the voltage to the A / D converter 2 as image information (analog image signal).

Next, the displacement means 13 will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the displacing means 13 and the mounting structure in the imaging block 2. In the example shown in FIG. 3, an actuator is used as the displacement means.

The actuator 13C (for example, a laminated piezoelectric element) has one end connected to the substrate 15 and the other end supporting the element holder 14 to which the image pickup element 12 is mounted. The element holder 14 moves in the direction of arrow M by the operation of the actuator 13C.

The actuator 13C changes the imaging range (pixel shifting operation of the actuator 13C) in any one of horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions (including diagonal directions) according to the mounting angle in the imaging block 2. . In the example shown in this figure, the actuator is mounted obliquely with respect to the image sensor 12.

The principle of the pixel shifting operation of the image pickup apparatus having the above configuration will be described.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 4 is a simplified view of an arrangement of light receiving elements in the image pickup element 12. In the example shown in FIG. 4, light receiving elements (hereinafter, also referred to as “pixels”) PD are arranged in a square at a pixel pitch (also referred to as “arrangement pitch”) P. The displacement unit 13 displaces the image sensor 2 in which the pixels PD are arranged in a square array in the direction of the angle θ (the angle with respect to the horizontal direction) with respect to the horizontal direction of the pixels. Here, for example, θ = tan ⁻¹ (1/10) (the angle at which one pixel is displaced in the vertical direction when displaced horizontally by one pixel).

FIG. 5 shows an example in which the image sensor 12 shown in FIG. 4 is displaced in the angle θ direction with respect to the horizontal direction of the pixel. FIG. 6 shows the image sensor 12 shown in FIG. FIG. 7 shows an example in which the image sensor 12 shown in FIG. 4 is displaced horizontally by an angle θ with respect to the horizontal direction of the pixel at an angle θ with respect to the pixel at an angle θ with respect to the horizontal direction. An example in which the pixel (5P) is displaced horizontally is shown. 6 and 7 show only representative pixels for simplicity of description.

In FIG. 5, pixels before displacement are denoted by P1, P
.., And the corresponding displaced pixels are P1 ′, P
2 ', ... When the image sensor 2 is displaced horizontally by half a pixel at an angle θ with respect to the horizontal direction of the pixel, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the image is substantially the same as when displaced by half a pixel (1 / 2P) horizontally, while the image sensor 12 is displaced horizontally by 5 half pixels (5P) at an angle θ relative to the horizontal direction of the pixel. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7, the pixel can be displaced vertically by half a pixel.

FIG. 8 shows a pixel before displacement and a pixel after displacement when the image sensor 12 of FIG. 4 is displaced horizontally by 5 pixels at an angle θ with respect to the horizontal direction of the pixel. As shown in FIG. 8, by associating the sixth pixel (P6) before the displacement with the displaced first pixel (P1 '), it is equivalent to a half-pixel displacement in the vertical direction. That is, by displacing the image pickup device at a slight angle with respect to the horizontal or vertical direction of the pixel, a displacement substantially equivalent to a displacement in two axes can be performed by the displacement means in one axis. However, as shown in FIG. 6, a slight error may occur. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, this error can be eliminated by moving the image sensor in which the pixels are shifted by half a pixel between the odd-numbered row and the even-numbered row in the horizontal direction.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 9 shows an example in which the pixels of the image pickup device 12 are shifted by half a pixel in odd rows and even rows. 10 shows an example in which the image sensor 12 shown in FIG. 9 is displaced by half a pixel (0.5P) in the horizontal direction with respect to the pixel. FIG. 11 shows the image sensor 12 shown in FIG. FIG. 12 shows an example in which one pixel (1P) is displaced in the direction.
Shows an example in which the image sensor 12 shown in FIG. 9 is displaced by 1.5 pixels (1.5P) in the horizontal direction with respect to the pixels.
10 to 12 show only typical pixels for simplicity of description.

FIG. 13 is a view for explaining image information acquired by each pixel before and after the displacement of the image sensor shown in FIG. 9 in the horizontal direction.

As shown in FIG. 13A, the image information of each pixel before displacement is D0, the image information of a pixel shifted half a pixel in the horizontal direction is D1, and the image information of a pixel shifted one pixel in the horizontal direction is D1. The information is D2, and the pixel information of a pixel displaced by 1.5 pixels in the horizontal direction is D3. That is, when the image sensor 12 is displaced by half a pixel, one pixel, and 1.5 pixels in the horizontal direction,
As shown in FIG. 13B, four pieces of image information D0, D1, D2, and D3 can be obtained for one pixel. This is equivalent to image information sampled at a sampling pitch that is half the pixel pitch, as in the case shown in FIG. That is, it becomes possible to acquire 2m × 2n information only by displacing the image sensor having m × n pixels in the horizontal direction, and the sampling pitch can be quadrupled. If the pixel is displaced by only one pixel, the image information D0 before the displacement and the image information D2 displaced by one pixel are obtained, and the vertical sampling pitch can be doubled.

FIG. 14 is a view for explaining image information acquired by each pixel before and after the displacement of the image sensor shown in FIG. 9 in a diagonal direction.

As shown in FIG. 14A, the image information of each pixel before displacement is D0, the image information of a pixel displaced half a pixel horizontally in the diagonal direction is D1, and one pixel is displaced horizontally in the diagonal direction. The image information of the pixel thus obtained is D2, and the pixel information of the pixel displaced horizontally by 1.5 pixels in the oblique direction is D3. That is, the image pickup device 12 is moved obliquely in a half pixel, one pixel,.
When displaced horizontally by 5 pixels, as shown in FIG.
For one pixel, four pieces of image information D0, D1, D2, D
You can get 3.

(Embodiment 3) FIG.
Are shifted from each other by half a pixel in odd rows and even rows. As shown in FIG. 15, an image pickup device in which pixels are arranged with a half-pixel shift from each other in odd-numbered rows and even-numbered rows is displaced vertically or obliquely with respect to a light-receiving element, as shown in FIG. The same effect as described above can be obtained.

That is, by using an image sensor having a pixel arrangement as shown in FIGS. 9 and 15, it is possible to obtain the same image information as in the case of displacing in two directions with displacement in one direction.

(Embodiment 4) FIG. 16 shows an example in which the ratio of the pixel pitch between the horizontal and vertical directions of the pixels of the image sensor shown in FIG. 15 is 2: に 3. As shown in FIG. 16, the horizontal pixel pitch P _H, and the pixel pitch P _V in the vertical direction is 2: when an array of pixels as a √3 reproduces the original signal because the hexagonal array Even when the reproduction function is complicated but only the original information is not displaced, the sampling pitch can be increased by about 15% as compared with the square array, and sampling can be performed efficiently.

As shown in FIG. 9, for an image sensor having a configuration in which pixels are shifted from each other in odd columns and even columns,
The horizontal pixel pitch P _H and the vertical pixel pitch P
The same effect can be obtained by arranging the pixels so that _V becomes √3: 2.

(Embodiment 5) In the image pickup apparatus of the present invention, the number of displacements of the image pickup element may be changed according to the image pickup mode. For example, in the normal mode, only one plane (no pixel shift) of image information (D0) is used, and in the high image quality mode, two planes (pixel shift 1) are used.
) Image information (D0, D1), and in the horizontal / vertical high image quality mode, the image information (D0, D1, D2, D3) of four planes (pixel shift four times) is used. Is also good.

When a moving image is picked up by an image pickup device using the image pickup device shown in FIGS. 9 and 15, after displaying the image information of D0, the image information of D1, the image information of D2, and the image data of D3 are displayed.
By sequentially displaying the image information, the present invention can be applied to a moving image.

(Modification of Imaging Apparatus) In the imaging apparatus of FIG. 1, an example is shown in which the image sensor is displaced when the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced in one direction. When the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced in one direction as shown in FIG.
May be displaced. In short, any configuration may be used as long as the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor can be displaced.

FIG. 17 shows a modification of the configuration of the imaging apparatus. 17, portions having the same functions as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. FIG.
1 has the same configuration as the imaging device shown in FIG. 1 with respect to the A / D converter 2, the signal processing unit 3, and the system controller 4, and differs only in the configuration of the imaging unit 1 '. That is, the displacement means 13 'in the imaging unit 1' is configured to displace the imaging optical system 11 so as to change the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the imaging device.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the relative position relationship between the subject image and the image pickup device is displaced in one direction by the displacement means 13 so that the relative position between the subject image and the image pickup device is changed. The image processing unit 13 obtains image information in which the positional relationship is displaced in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, and the signal processing unit 13 generates composite image information based on the image information in which the relative positional relationship is displaced and the image information before the displacement. Since it is a configuration, 1
The resolution in the horizontal and vertical directions can be improved using the displacement means (for example, one actuator),
An imaging device capable of obtaining a high-resolution image at low cost can be provided.

The imaging device of the present invention can be applied to any of the all-pixel reading method and the field reading method.

[0067]

As described above, according to the image pickup apparatus of the first aspect, the relative position relationship between the subject image and the image pickup device is displaced in one direction by the displacement means, so that the subject image and the image pickup device can be moved. A configuration in which image information whose relative positional relationship with the element is displaced in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction is obtained, and composite image information is generated based on the image information whose relative positional relationship has been displaced and the image information before the displacement. Therefore, it is possible to improve the horizontal and vertical resolutions by using one displacement unit (for example, one actuator), and to provide an imaging device capable of obtaining a high-resolution image at low cost. It becomes possible.

According to the imaging apparatus of the second aspect,
The displacement means is configured to displace the light-receiving element of the image sensor with respect to the subject image at a fixed angle with respect to the horizontal or vertical direction with respect to the subject image. , The resolution in the horizontal and vertical directions can be improved by a simple method using one displacement means (for example, one actuator), and a high-resolution image can be obtained at low cost. It is possible to provide an imaging device capable of performing the above.

According to the image pickup apparatus of the third aspect,
Since the light receiving elements are arranged so as to be staggered alternately in odd rows and even rows, the resolution in the horizontal and vertical directions is simple with one displacement means (for example, one actuator). It is possible to provide an imaging device capable of obtaining a high-resolution image at low cost.

According to the image pickup apparatus of the fourth aspect,
The ratio of the arrangement pitch between the horizontal direction and the vertical direction
Since the configuration is 3: 2, it is 15 times smaller than the square array.
%, The sampling pitch can be lengthened and sampling can be performed efficiently.

According to the imaging apparatus of the fifth aspect,
Since the relative positional relationship is such that the image sensor is displaced in the horizontal direction with respect to the subject image, the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced. Actuators) to improve the horizontal and vertical resolution in a simple way,
An imaging device capable of obtaining a high-resolution image at low cost can be provided.

Further, since the light receiving elements are arranged so as to be staggered alternately in odd rows and even rows, a simple configuration using one displacement means (for example, one actuator) can be employed in the horizontal direction. Further, it is possible to provide an imaging device capable of improving the resolution in the vertical direction and obtaining a high-resolution image at low cost.

According to the image pickup apparatus of the seventh aspect,
Since the ratio of the arrangement pitch of the light receiving elements in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction is set to 2: 、 3, the ratio is 1 compared to the square arrangement.
The sampling pitch can be lengthened by about 5%, and sampling can be performed efficiently.

According to the image pickup apparatus of the eighth aspect,
Since the relative positional relationship is such that the image sensor is displaced in the vertical direction with respect to the subject image, the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced. Actuators) to improve the horizontal and vertical resolution in a simple way,
An imaging device capable of obtaining a high-resolution image at low cost can be provided.

According to the imaging apparatus of the ninth aspect,
Since the displacement means is configured to change the number of displacements according to the imaging mode, it is possible to obtain a high-quality image according to the imaging mode.

According to the imaging apparatus of the tenth aspect, since the displacement means is configured to displace the imaging optical system or the imaging device, the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the imaging device can be simple. Can be displaced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an imaging device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a specific configuration example of the imaging device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a mounting structure of an actuator in the imaging block of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a simplified diagram showing an array of pixels in an image sensor.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the image sensor of FIG. 4 is displaced in an angle θ direction with respect to a horizontal direction of a pixel.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example in which the image sensor of FIG. 4 is displaced half a pixel horizontally at an angle θ with respect to the horizontal direction of a pixel.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which the image sensor of FIG. 4 is displaced horizontally by 5 pixels at an angle θ with respect to the horizontal direction of the pixels.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing pixels before displacement and pixels after displacement when the image sensor of FIG. 4 is displaced horizontally by 5 pixels at an angle θ with respect to the horizontal direction of the pixels.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example in which pixels of an image sensor are shifted by half a pixel between an odd-numbered row and an even-numbered row.

10 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the image sensor of FIG. 9 is displaced by half a pixel in a horizontal direction with respect to a pixel.

FIG. 11 shows the image sensor of FIG.
It is a figure showing the example which carried out pixel displacement.

12 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the image sensor of FIG. 9 is displaced by 1.5 pixels in the horizontal direction with respect to pixels.

13 is a diagram for explaining image information acquired by each pixel before and after the displacement of the image sensor in FIG. 9 in a horizontal direction.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining image information acquired by each pixel before and after displacement of the image sensor of FIG. 9 when displaced in an oblique direction.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example in which pixels of an image sensor are shifted by half a pixel from each other in odd rows and even rows.

16 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the ratio of the pixel pitch in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction of the pixel of the imaging device in FIG. 15 is 2: √3.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the configuration of the imaging apparatus.

FIG. 18 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a prior art and showing a mounting structure of a biaxial displacement unit for displacing an image pickup device.

FIG. 19 is a view schematically illustrating a conventional technique, in which pixels of an image sensor are schematically illustrated.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 imaging unit 2 A / D converter 3 signal processing unit 4 system controller 11 imaging optical system 12 imaging device 13, 13 'displacement means 13X, 13Y, 13C actuator 14 element holder 15 substrate 121 CCD unit 122 signal detection unit PD light receiving element (Photodiode) VCCD Vertical CCD HCCD Horizontal CCD

Claims (10)

[Claims] An imaging optical system that forms an image of a subject; an imaging device that spatially samples the formed image of the subject with light receiving elements arranged two-dimensionally and outputs image information; Displacement means for displacing the relative positional relationship between an image and the image sensor in one direction; signal processing for generating composite image information based on image information in which the relative positional relationship has been displaced and image information before displacement. Means, and when the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is displaced in one direction by the displacement means, the relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor is horizontal and An imaging device for obtaining image information displaced in a vertical direction. 2. The displacement means, wherein the relative positional relationship is such that the image sensor is displaced at a constant angle with respect to the subject image with respect to a horizontal direction or a vertical direction.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a relative positional relationship between the subject image and the imaging element is displaced. 3. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light receiving elements are alternately arranged in odd rows and even rows. 4. The imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the ratio of the arrangement pitch of the light receiving elements in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction is √3: 2. 5. The displacement unit according to claim 1, wherein the relative positional relationship is such that the image sensor is displaced in a horizontal direction with respect to the subject image. The imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the imaging device is displaced. 6. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the light receiving elements are arranged alternately in odd rows and even rows. 7. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a ratio of an arrangement pitch between the horizontal direction and the vertical direction of the light receiving element is 2: √3. 8. The displacement means is configured to determine a relative positional relationship between the subject image and the image sensor so that the image sensor is displaced in a vertical direction with respect to the subject image. The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein the imaging device is displaced. 9. The displacement means according to an imaging mode,
The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the number of times of displacement is changed. 10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displacement unit displaces the imaging optical system or the imaging device.