US20140362200A1 - Image processing apparatus and endoscope - Google Patents

Image processing apparatus and endoscope Download PDF

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Publication number
US20140362200A1
US20140362200A1 US14/467,316 US201414467316A US2014362200A1 US 20140362200 A1 US20140362200 A1 US 20140362200A1 US 201414467316 A US201414467316 A US 201414467316A US 2014362200 A1 US2014362200 A1 US 2014362200A1
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Prior art keywords
polarization
light beam
image
polarized
illuminating light
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US14/467,316
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English (en)
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Katsuhiro Kanamori
Norihiro Imamura
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Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
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Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
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Assigned to PANASONIC CORPORATION reassignment PANASONIC CORPORATION ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: IMAMURA, NORIHIRO, KANAMORI, KATSUHIRO
Assigned to PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD. reassignment PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Publication of US20140362200A1 publication Critical patent/US20140362200A1/en
Priority to US15/960,438 priority Critical patent/US10492660B2/en
Assigned to PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD. reassignment PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD. CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUSLY FILED APPLICATION NUMBERS 13/384239, 13/498734, 14/116681 AND 14/301144 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034194 FRAME 0143. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Assignors: PANASONIC CORPORATION
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
    • A61B1/00002—Operational features of endoscopes
    • A61B1/00004—Operational features of endoscopes characterised by electronic signal processing
    • A61B1/00009—Operational features of endoscopes characterised by electronic signal processing of image signals during a use of endoscope
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
    • A61B1/00002—Operational features of endoscopes
    • A61B1/00004—Operational features of endoscopes characterised by electronic signal processing
    • A61B1/00009—Operational features of endoscopes characterised by electronic signal processing of image signals during a use of endoscope
    • A61B1/000095—Operational features of endoscopes characterised by electronic signal processing of image signals during a use of endoscope for image enhancement
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
    • A61B1/00163—Optical arrangements
    • A61B1/00186—Optical arrangements with imaging filters
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
    • A61B1/04—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor combined with photographic or television appliances
    • A61B1/05—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor combined with photographic or television appliances characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
    • A61B1/06—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with illuminating arrangements
    • A61B1/0605—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with illuminating arrangements for spatially modulated illumination
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
    • A61B1/06—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with illuminating arrangements
    • A61B1/0638—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with illuminating arrangements providing two or more wavelengths
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
    • A61B1/06—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with illuminating arrangements
    • A61B1/0646—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor with illuminating arrangements with illumination filters
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B3/00—Simple or compound lenses
    • G02B3/0006—Arrays
    • G02B3/0037—Arrays characterized by the distribution or form of lenses
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B5/00—Optical elements other than lenses
    • G02B5/20—Filters
    • G02B5/201—Filters in the form of arrays
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B5/00—Optical elements other than lenses
    • G02B5/30—Polarising elements
    • G02B5/3025—Polarisers, i.e. arrangements capable of producing a definite output polarisation state from an unpolarised input state

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus and an endoscope for use in the image processing apparatus.
  • Such a surface texture is a translucent micro-geometry with an average size of approximately 0.5 to 1.0 mm and a depth of approximately 0.1 to 0.2 mm as in a gastric area in a stomach, for example. It is very difficult to capture such a micro-geometric surface texture of the object based on the shades of the light intensity when the object is observed through an endoscope. For that reason, currently, some blue pigment liquid such as an indigo carmine solution is sprinkled onto a mucosa and the surface of the mucosa, of which the grooves are filled with such a liquid, is observed based on its light intensities.
  • some blue pigment liquid such as an indigo carmine solution is sprinkled onto a mucosa and the surface of the mucosa, of which the grooves are filled with such a liquid, is observed based on its light intensities.
  • an object is irradiated with illuminating light having a particular polarization component, two images are captured based on polarization components of the light returning from the object, which are respectively parallel and perpendicular to the illuminating light, and a variation in surface shape is calculated using those images captured.
  • An embodiment of an image processing apparatus detects a depressed area on the surface of the object in a polarization image capturing mode and captures a non-polarization image in a non-polarization image capturing mode, thereby obtaining both an image which represents the depressed area on the object's surface in an enhanced form and a non-polarization image.
  • an embodiment of an image processing apparatus disclosed herein includes: an illuminating section which sequentially irradiates an object with a first illuminating light beam that is polarized in a first direction and with a second illuminating light beam that is polarized in a second direction that intersects with the first direction in a polarization image capturing mode and which irradiates the object with a non-polarized illuminating light beam in a non-polarization image capturing mode, the illuminating section emitting the first and second illuminating light beams sequentially so that the wavelength range of the first illuminating light beam does not overlap with the wavelength range of the second illuminating light beam somewhere; an image sensor including a polarization mosaic array in which a plurality of polarizers with mutually different polarization transmission axis directions are arranged and a photosensing element array which receives light that has been transmitted through each polarizer and which outputs a signal; a polarization mosaic processing section which obtain
  • an image processing apparatus includes: an illuminating section which sequentially irradiates an object with a first white illuminating light beam that is polarized in a first direction and with a second white illuminating light beam that is polarized in a second direction that intersects with the first direction in a polarization image capturing mode and which irradiates the object with a non-polarized white illuminating light beam in a non-polarization image capturing mode; an image sensor including a polarization mosaic array in which a plurality of polarizers with mutually different polarization transmission axis directions are arranged, a color mosaic filter in which color filters with mutually different light transmission properties are arranged, and a photosensing element array which receives light that has been transmitted through each polarizer and each color filter and which outputs a signal; a polarization mosaic processing section which obtains, in the polarization image capturing mode, a first polarization image to be generated based on a signal representing
  • an image processing apparatus includes: an illuminating section which sequentially irradiates an object with a first white illuminating light beam that is polarized in a first direction and with a second white illuminating light beam that is polarized in a second direction that intersects with the first direction in a polarization image capturing mode and which irradiates the object with a non-polarized white illuminating light beam in a non-polarization image capturing mode; an image sensor including a plurality of polarizers with mutually different polarization transmission axis directions, an aperture area in which color filters with mutually different light transmission properties are arranged, a photosensing element array which receives light that has been transmitted through the aperture area and which outputs a signal, and a micro lens array which covers a plurality of photosensing elements; an image separating section which obtains, in the polarization image capturing mode, first and second polarization images based on signals supplied from selected ones of the plurality of photos
  • an image processing apparatus includes: an illuminating section which sequentially irradiates an object with a first white illuminating light beam that is polarized in a first direction and with a second white illuminating light beam that is polarized in a second direction that intersects with the first direction in a polarization image capturing mode and which irradiates the object with a non-polarized white illuminating light beam in a non-polarization image capturing mode; an aperture area in which a plurality of polarizers with mutually different polarization transmission axis directions are arranged; an image sensor including a color mosaic filter in which color filters with mutually different light transmission properties are arranged, a photosensing element array which receives light that has been transmitted through each polarizer in the aperture area and then each color filter and which outputs a signal, and a micro lens array which covers a plurality of photosensing elements; an image separating section which obtains, in the polarization image capturing mode, first
  • an endoscope disclosed herein is designed to be used in an image processing apparatus according to any of the embodiments described above, and includes: an illuminating section which sequentially irradiates an object with a first illuminating light beam that is polarized in a first direction and with a second illuminating light beam that is polarized in a second direction that intersects with the first direction in a polarization image capturing mode and which irradiates the object with a non-polarized illuminating light beam in a non-polarization image capturing mode, the illuminating section emitting the first and second illuminating light beams sequentially so that the wavelength range of the first illuminating light beam does not overlap with the wavelength range of the second illuminating light beam somewhere; and an image sensor including a polarization mosaic array in which a plurality of polarizers with mutually different polarization transmission axis directions are arranged and a photosensing element array which receives light that has been transmitted through each polar
  • an endoscope disclosed herein is designed to be used in an image processing apparatus according to any of the embodiments described above, and includes: an illuminating section which sequentially irradiates an object with a first white illuminating light beam that is polarized in a first direction and with a second white illuminating light beam that is polarized in a second direction that intersects with the first direction in a polarization image capturing mode and which irradiates the object with a non-polarized white illuminating light beam in a non-polarization image capturing mode; and an image sensor including a polarization mosaic array in which a plurality of polarizers with mutually different polarization transmission axis directions are arranged, a color mosaic filter in which color filters with mutually different light transmission properties are arranged, and a photosensing element array which receives light that has been transmitted through each polarizer and each color filter and which outputs a signal.
  • an endoscope disclosed herein is designed to be used in an image processing apparatus according to any of the embodiments described above, and includes: an illuminating section which sequentially irradiates an object with a first white illuminating light beam that is polarized in a first direction and with a second white illuminating light beam that is polarized in a second direction that intersects with the first direction in a polarization image capturing mode and which irradiates the object with a non-polarized white illuminating light beam in a non-polarization image capturing mode; and an image sensor including a plurality of polarizers with mutually different polarization transmission axis directions, an aperture area in which color filters with mutually different light transmission properties are arranged, a photosensing element array which receives light that has been transmitted through the aperture area and which outputs a signal, and a micro lens array which covers a plurality of photosensing elements;
  • an endoscope disclosed herein is designed to be used in an image processing apparatus according to any of the embodiments described above, and includes: an illuminating section which sequentially irradiates an object with a first white illuminating light beam that is polarized in a first direction and with a second white illuminating light beam that is polarized in a second direction that intersects with the first direction in a polarization image capturing mode and which irradiates the object with a non-polarized white illuminating light beam in a non-polarization image capturing mode; an aperture area in which a plurality of polarizers with mutually different polarization transmission axis directions are arranged; and an image sensor including a color mosaic filter in which color filters with mutually different light transmission properties are arranged, a photosensing element array which receives light that has been transmitted through each polarizer in the aperture area and then each color filter and which outputs a signal, and a micro lens array which covers a plurality of photosensing
  • the object is sequentially irradiated with a first illuminating light beam that is polarized in a first direction and with a second illuminating light beam that is polarized in a second direction that intersects with the first direction in a polarization image capturing mode, and irradiated with a non-polarized illuminating light beam in a non-polarization image capturing mode.
  • information about the micro-geometry and tilt of the object's surface can be obtained separately from an ordinary object image.
  • an image similar to the one in which some blue pigment liquid such as an indigo carmine solution is sprinkled onto a mucosa i.e., an image in which the depressed area is represented in an enhanced form
  • FIG. 1 shows images representing the mucosa of a stomach as observed through an endoscope.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates how translucent depressions and projections are observed based on their light intensities.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates how to observe an object using a polarized light beam.
  • FIG. 4 shows a graph showing a relation between the angle of emittance of a light beam which is going out of a medium and the transmittance.
  • FIG. 5 shows a relation between grooves on an acrylic plate and the directivity of a polarized illuminating light beam when a crossed Nicols image is going to be captured through an acrylic lenticular plate.
  • FIG. 6 shows a block diagram illustrating a configuration for a first embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates color wheels for use in the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 8 shows the characteristic of an illuminating filter according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 9 illustrates the planar structure and transmission axis directions of wire grids which form a monochrome broadband polarization image sensor according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 10 illustrates a cross-sectional structure of a monochrome broadband polarization image sensor according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 11A illustrates how the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure operates in a normal image capturing mode.
  • FIG. 11B shows a timing chart showing how the apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure operates in the normal image capturing mode.
  • FIG. 12 illustrates how a polarization mosaic processing section 202 operates in a polarization image capturing mode according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 13 shows a timing chart showing how the apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure operates in the polarization image capturing mode.
  • FIG. 14 illustrates how the polarization mosaic processing section 202 operates in the polarization image capturing mode according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 15 shows a timing chart showing how the apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure operates in the polarization image capturing mode.
  • FIG. 16 shows a block diagram illustrating how a depressed area detecting section 204 and an image synthesizing section 206 perform their processing in the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 17 shows exemplary differentiation processing masks to be used by the depressed area detecting section 204 .
  • FIG. 18 shows how the depressed area detecting section 204 performs color blue enhancing processing.
  • FIG. 19 shows the results of experiments which were carried out on the mucosa of a rat's stomach.
  • FIG. 20 shows a block diagram illustrating a configuration for a second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 21 illustrates the tip portion of an endoscope and a spinning polarized illuminating light source according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 22 illustrates another configuration for a rotating polarized illuminating light source according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 23 illustrates a cross-sectional structure of a color polarization image sensor according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 24 illustrates planar arrangements of a color mosaic and a polarization mosaic according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 25 illustrates how the polarization mosaic processing section 202 operates in the normal image capturing mode according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 26 shows a timing chart showing how the apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure operates in the normal image capturing mode.
  • FIG. 27 illustrates how the polarization mosaic processing section 202 operates in the polarization image capturing mode according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 28 shows a timing chart showing how the apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure operates in the polarization image capturing mode.
  • FIG. 29 illustrates planar arrangements of a color mosaic and a polarization mosaic according to a first modified example of the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 30 illustrates how the polarization mosaic processing section 202 operates in the normal image capturing mode according to the first modified example of the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 31 illustrates how the polarization mosaic processing section 202 operates in the polarization image capturing mode according to the first modified example of the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 32 illustrates planar arrangements of a color mosaic and a polarization mosaic according to a second modified example of the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 33 illustrates how the polarization mosaic processing section 202 operates in the normal image capturing mode according to the second modified example of the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 34 illustrates how the polarization mosaic processing section 202 operates in the polarization image capturing mode according to the second modified example of the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 35 shows a block diagram illustrating a configuration for a third embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 36 illustrates the tip portion of an endoscope according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 37 illustrates a configuration for a micro lens array type color polarization image capturing section according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 38 illustrates a configuration for a color polarization filter area inside an aperture according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 39 illustrates how a pixel selecting and re-integrating section 210 operates according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 40 illustrates what images are obtained in the normal image capturing mode and polarization image capturing mode according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 41 illustrates a configuration for a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 42A illustrates a configuration for a micro lens array type color polarization image sensor according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 42B illustrates a cross-sectional structure of a micro lens array type color polarization image capturing section according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 43 illustrates a configuration for a polarization filter area inside an aperture according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 44 illustrates how a pixel selecting and re-integrating section 210 operates according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • FIG. 1 is an image representing the surface mucosa of a human stomach as observed through an endoscope. Specifically, portion (a) of FIG. 1 shows a normal color image, in which the surface appears to have only gentle ups and downs. That is to say, according to ordinary color image processing, it is difficult to sense transparent or translucent micro-geometry on the surface of an organ through an endoscope which is designed to inspect digestive organs, for example.
  • the “ordinary color image processing” refers herein to processing for obtaining a color light intensity image by irradiating the object with non-polarized white light.
  • a color image thus obtained will be referred to herein as a “color light intensity image” and a shooting session for obtaining such a color light intensity image will be sometimes referred to herein as a “color light intensity shooting session”.
  • FIG. 1( b ) shows a color image that was obtained after an indigo carmine solution had been sprinkled.
  • the micro-geometric surface texture (with a size of about 0.5 to 1.0 mm and a depth of about 0.1 to 0.2 mm) is sensible clearly.
  • FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a cross section of a micro-geometric structure on the surface of an organ such as a stomach or bowels.
  • the micro-geometry on the surface of a stomach or bowels would be an iterative arrangement of semi-cylindrical upwardly projecting portions.
  • a depressed area located between two adjacent projections is typically a tiny “groove” running in a certain direction.
  • a number of such grooves may run in substantially the same direction locally but may form a complex curved pattern or any other pattern globally.
  • the micro-geometry on the surface of an object may actually include dotted depressions or projections.
  • FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a cross section which crosses several grooves that are present within a narrow area on the surface of the object.
  • the depressions and projections shown in FIG. 2 may be supposed to run in the direction coming out of the paper for the sake of simplicity.
  • the object When observed through an endoscope, the object is illuminated with coaxial illumination (i.e., the light source is arranged in the vicinity of the shooting optical axis). That is to say, the object shown in FIG. 2 is irradiated with an illuminating light beam, and is shot, from substantially right over the object.
  • coaxial illumination i.e., the light source is arranged in the vicinity of the shooting optical axis. That is to say, the object shown in FIG. 2 is irradiated with an illuminating light beam, and is shot, from substantially right over the object.
  • One of the two types is specular reflected light which is reflected from the surface as shown in portion (a) of FIG. 2 .
  • the other type is internally diffused light which penetrates through the medium, gets reflected from a deeper layer, and then returns toward the source through the surface as shown in (b) portion of FIG. 2 .
  • the specular reflected light is produced only when the direction of the irradiating light and the image capturing optical axis almost satisfy the condition of regular reflection, and therefore, is produced only locally when a scene is shot through an endoscope.
  • the color of the specular reflected light is the color of the illumination, i.e., the color white, and has very high intensity.
  • the object image under the specular reflected light is generally intense and bright at projections of the object's micro-geometric surface but is weak and dark at its depressions.
  • the internally diffused light is observed all over the scene shot.
  • the color of the internally diffused light is the color of the medium itself, and its intensity is not so high.
  • the entire medium When irradiated with the internally diffused light, the entire medium tends to shine. In an object image produced by the internally diffused light, projections that are thick portions of the medium tend to look dark, and depressions that are thin portions of the medium tend to look bright. That is to say, the specular reflected light and the internally diffused light will behave in mutually opposite ways in terms of the light intensity level and the micro-geometric pattern on the object's surface.
  • those two types of reflected light beams are superposed one upon the other to form a single light intensity image (i.e., a scene shot). That is why in a region of the scene shot where the difference in light intensity between those two types of light beams reflected from depressions is almost equal to the difference in light intensity between those two types of light beams reflected from projections, there is substantially no difference in light intensity level between the depressions and projections. As a result, in a normal light intensity image, there is almost no difference in light intensity on the object's micro-geometric surface.
  • Portions (a) and (b) of FIG. 3 illustrate how to observe an object using a polarized light beam.
  • a polarization image in a crossed Nicols state is obtained by irradiating the object with a polarized illuminating light beam, of which the polarization direction is parallel to the depressions and projections of the object's surface.
  • a polarization image in a crossed Nicols state is obtained by irradiating the object with a polarized illuminating light beam, of which the polarization direction is perpendicular to the depressions and projections of the object's surface.
  • an illuminating light source 300 and a P polarization filter 302 are arranged with respect to a schematic model 301 representing a micro-geometric cross section of the surface of an organ.
  • the model 301 is irradiated with light (which is either P-polarized light or a P wave and) which is polarized parallel to the direction in which the depressions and projections run in the model 301 (i.e., the direction coming out of the paper on which FIG. 3 is drawn).
  • an observer side polarization filter 303 (S) is arranged so as to define the crossed Nicols state, and an image capture device 304 captures an image.
  • a polarization filter 309 is arranged for an S polarized illuminating light source, and an observer side polarization filter 310 (P) is arranged so as to define the crossed Nicols state.
  • polarized light when the polarization transmission axis of the polarization filter is perpendicular to the paper is supposed to be P-polarized light
  • polarized light when the polarization transmission axis of the polarization filter is parallel to the paper is supposed to be S-polarized light (i.e., S wave).
  • reflected light beams there are roughly two kinds of reflected light beams to be observed when a shooting session is carried out using a linearly polarized light source 305 , 311 .
  • One of the two kinds is a specular reflected component 306 , 312 produced by getting the incoming light specular-reflected from a projection.
  • the other kind is an internally diffused polarized light beam 308 , 313 which has penetrated into the medium to turn into non-polarized scattered light 307 at a deeper layer and then goes out of the surface again through a slope which is tilted with respect to the image capturing system.
  • Such an internally diffused light beam gets polarized significantly if the angle of emittance that is the tilt angle defined between a normal to the boundary plane and the line of sight is large.
  • the specular reflected component 306 , 312 has been specular-reflected under coaxial illumination, and therefore, maintains the polarization state of the light that has irradiated the object. That is why the specular reflected component 306 becomes a polarized light beam, of which the polarization direction is the direction coming out of the paper, and the specular reflected component 312 becomes a polarized light beam, of which the polarization direction is parallel to the paper.
  • the polarization direction of the internally diffused polarized light beam 308 , 313 is determined by applying the Fresnel theory to a polarized light beam which is going out of a medium, of which the refractive index is greater than one, into the air.
  • FIG. 4 is a graph showing the state of a polarized light beam which is going out of a medium, of which the refractive index is greater than one, into the air. The curves shown in FIG. 4 were obtained based on the Fresnel theory.
  • the transmittance With respect to the angle of emittance represented by the abscissa, the transmittance always satisfies T//>T ⁇ (i.e., P polarized light>S polarized light). Consequently, both of the internally diffused polarized light beams 308 and 313 get more P-polarized than S-polarized with respect to the surface tilt of the model 301 .
  • the reflected light beam 306 that is P-polarized i.e., polarized in the direction coming out of the paper
  • the reflected light beam 308 that is S-polarized i.e., polarized in the direction parallel to the paper
  • the reflected light beams 312 and 313 that are both S-polarized are observed by the P-polarization filter 310 of the image capture device 304 .
  • both of these reflected light beams 312 and 313 are cut off and look dark. That is to say, if the semi-cylindrical portions of the model 301 are observed from right over them, then the resultant image will look dark overall as in the image 315 and the micro-geometric pattern will not be sensible clearly.
  • a lenticular plate was prepared by forming a striped micro-geometric pattern (comprised of a lot of grooves) on an acrylic plate and polarization images of the lenticular plate were actually captured. The results are shown in FIG. 5 .
  • the object was obtained by putting a transparent sheet simulating blood vessels on a perfect diffuser plate and then stacking a milky white acrylic lenticular plate with a thickness of 2 mm on the transparent sheet. This object was observed from right over it.
  • the grooves of the lenticular plate were arranged parallel to each other in a zero-degree direction with respect to the horizontal direction on the paper. Portions (a) and (b) of FIG.
  • FIG. 5 show images that were shot when the polarized light sources were P-polarized and S-polarized, respectively. That is to say, in portion (a) of FIG. 5 , the polarization direction of the polarized light source was parallel to the direction in which the grooves ran on the surface of the object. On the other hand, in portion (b) of FIG. 5 , the polarization direction of the polarized light source was perpendicular to the direction in which the grooves ran on the surface of the object. Both of these polarization images shown in portions (a) and (b) of FIG. 5 were captured in the crossed Nicols state.
  • the depressions on the surface can be detected by performing image processing such as differential filter processing. And if the depressions thus detected are colored in blue through color digital image processing, an image similar to the one obtained by sprinkling a blue pigment liquid such as an indigo carmine solution onto a mucosa can be reproduced.
  • the present inventors discovered and confirmed via experiments that under the coaxial illumination as in an endoscope, if the light intensity of a perfect diffuser plate is one, then the light intensity of a specular reflected light beam becomes as high as about 10 to about 100. That is why if a crossed Nicols image is captured with this high light intensity lowered to the range where the image sensor does not get saturated, a polarization filter with an extinction ratio of 100:1 or more can be used.
  • FIG. 6 schematically illustrates an overall configuration for an image processing apparatus as a first embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • This image processing apparatus includes an endoscope 101 , a controller 102 , and a display section 114 .
  • the endoscope 101 includes a tip portion 106 with a monochrome broadband polarization image sensor 115 and an inserting portion 103 with a light guide 105 and a video signal line 108 .
  • the inserting portion 103 of the endoscope 101 has a structure that is elongated horizontally as shown in FIG. 6 and that can be bent flexibly. Even when bent, the light guide 105 can also propagate light.
  • the controller 102 includes a light source unit 104 and an image processor 110 .
  • a light source 118 such as a xenon light source, a halogen light source, an LED light source or a laser light source is built in the light source unit 104 .
  • the non-polarized light emitted from the light source 118 passes through a color wheel 116 a , 116 b with turning RGB filters. As a result, red (R), green (G) and blue (B) light beams are produced and then guided to the tip portion 106 through the light guide 105 .
  • RGB red
  • G green
  • B blue
  • the light beam is further transmitted through an illuminating lens 107 and irradiates the surface of a viscera mucosa 111 that is the object as a polarized or non-polarized illuminating light beam 117 .
  • the light 113 reflected from the object is imaged onto the monochrome broadband polarization image sensor 115 through an objective lens 109 .
  • a synchronizer 112 sends a shooting start signal to the monochrome broadband polarization image sensor 115 , thereby getting video based on the reflected light.
  • the video signal thus obtained by capturing the image reaches an image processor 110 through the video signal line 108 .
  • a color image and a polarization image are captured.
  • a mode to capture a normal color image will be sometimes referred to herein as either a “non-polarization image capturing mode” or a “normal image capturing mode”, while a mode to capture a polarization image will be sometimes referred to herein as a “polarization image capturing mode”.
  • an illuminating light control section 120 On receiving a signal indicating whether the endoscope should operate in the normal image capturing mode or the polarization image capturing mode from an external device, an illuminating light control section 120 inserts an associated color wheel into the optical path 121 of the illuminating light in response to that signal. In this manner, the spectral property of the illuminating light to irradiate the object frame-sequentially is changed.
  • the signal indicates that the endoscope should operate in the normal image capturing mode
  • color images which have been processed by a polarization mosaic processing section 202 are synthesized together by an image synthesizing section 206 into a full-color moving picture, which is then presented as a movie, for example, on the display section 114 .
  • the signal indicates that the endoscope should operate in the polarization image capturing mode
  • those images that have been processed by the polarization mosaic processing section 202 have their depressed area detected from their surface by a depressed area detecting section 204 , have their color blue portions enhanced by the image synthesizing section 206 and then are presented as a movie, for example, on the display section.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates examples of color wheels which may be used to filter an illuminating light beam.
  • portion (a) of FIG. 7 illustrates a color wheel 116 a for use in the normal image capturing mode, which has three fan areas that are arranged around the axis of rotation. These three fan areas are comprised of a red filter which transmits light beams falling within substantially the same color red wavelength ranges R 1 R 2 simultaneously, a green filter which transmits light beams falling within substantially the same color green wavelength ranges G 1 G 2 simultaneously, and a blue filter which transmits light beams falling within substantially the same color blue wavelength ranges B 1 B 2 simultaneously.
  • R 1 and R 2 of R 1 R 2 respectively indicate the shorter-wave half and the longer-wave half of the color red (R) wavelength range of 600 to 700 nm, for example.
  • the fan area R 1 R 2 can transmit both a light beam falling within the wavelength range R 1 and a light beam falling within the wavelength range R 2 , and may be identified simply by “R”. The same can be said about the other signs “G 1 G 2 ” and “B 1 B 2 ”, too.
  • the sign such as R 1 is sometimes used to indicate a particular wavelength range and sometimes used to indicate a filter which selectively transmits a light beam falling within such a wavelength range.
  • a color wheel 116 b for use in the polarization image capturing mode may have any of various configurations depending on in what wavelength range a polarization image is going to be captured.
  • FIG. 7( b ) illustrates an example of a color wheel 116 b which sequentially transmits two light beams falling within two different wavelength ranges where colors green and blue are mixed together.
  • a wavelength range which can be used effectively to detect a micro-geometric surface texture may be selected.
  • portion (c) of FIG. 7 illustrates another exemplary color wheel 116 b which sequentially transmits light beams falling within six different wavelength ranges.
  • the color wheel 116 b with such a configuration is suitably used to capture a full-color crossed Nicols image.
  • either the color wheel 116 a shown in portion (a) of FIG. 7 or the color wheel 116 b shown in portion (b) of FIG. 7 or portion (c) of 7 ( c ) is specified and selectively used in response to a signal supplied from an external device. More specifically, the color wheel 116 a is used in the non-polarization image capturing mode or normal image capturing mode, and the color wheel 116 b is used in the polarization image capturing mode.
  • FIG. 8 shows the transmission characteristic of the illuminating filter 200 .
  • This filter has a comb transmission characteristic in which P- and S-polarized light beams are transmitted alternately in the respective visible light wavelength ranges of B, G and R.
  • P- and S-polarized light beams are transmitted alternately in the respective visible light wavelength ranges of B, G and R.
  • B 1 of 400 to 450 nm
  • S-polarized light beam is transmitted in the wavelength range B 2 (of 450 to 500 nm). That is why if the wavelength of the incoming light that has come from the light source through the light guide falls within the wavelength range B 1 , that incoming light is transformed by the illuminating filter 200 into a P-polarized illuminating light beam.
  • the wavelength of the incoming light that has come from the light source through the light guide falls within the wavelength range B 2 , that incoming light is transformed by the illuminating filter 200 into an S-polarized illuminating light beam. It should be noted that if the wavelength of the incoming light that has come from the light source through the light guide covers the entire wavelength range B 1 B 2 in the normal image capturing mode, then P- and S-polarized light beams are mixed together, and therefore, a non-polarized illuminating light beam is obtained.
  • a filter having the characteristic shown in FIG. 8 may be implemented as a multilayer film polarizer as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-210780, for example.
  • FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an exemplary structure for a patterned polarizer (which is either a polarization mosaic or a polarization mosaic array) on the image capturing plane of the monochrome broadband polarization image sensor 115 .
  • a patterned polarizer which is either a polarization mosaic or a polarization mosaic array
  • pixels are arranged regularly in columns and rows (i.e., in the X-Y directions) on the image capturing plane.
  • this image sensor 115 is used in the frame sequential method in which the colors of the illuminating light are changed sequentially from one of RGB into another, no color mosaic filters are arranged on the image capturing plane. That is why the image sensor 115 itself is a monochrome image sensor, and the polarizer is arranged in each pixel. Since light beams falling within visible light wavelength ranges are sequentially incident on the respective pixels, the polarization selection characteristic of the polarizers for use in this embodiment is realized within the visible light wavelength range. Specifically, in the wavelength range of 400 nm to 800 nm, the extinction ratio indicating the polarized light obtaining ability of the polarizers of this embodiment is 100 to 1 or more.
  • polarizers which exhibit polarization properties only at particular wavelengths that form only a narrow part of the visible light wavelength range are not used, but metallic wire grid polarizers which can exhibit high polarized light obtaining ability in a broad wavelength range are adopted instead.
  • Portion (B) of FIG. 9 illustrates a single unit 801 of the polarization filter which is associated with four pixels that are arranged in two rows and two columns (and which will be sometimes referred to herein as a “2 ⁇ 2 block”).
  • this single unit 801 four polarization filters (i.e., four polarizers) are arranged by rotating each of these polarization filters 90 degrees within the plane from the adjacent one.
  • a number of lines drawn on each polarization filter indicate its polarization transmission axis direction.
  • Portion (C) of FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of wires in a situation where the polarization filters are implemented as metallic wire grids to have the arrangement shown in portion (B) of FIG. 9 .
  • the direction that intersects at right angles with the direction in which metallic wires run (and which will be referred to herein as a “TM axis”) defines the polarization transmission axis. That is why if those wires are represented by straight lines in a schematic representation, then each of the polarization transmission axis directions shown in portion (B) of FIG. 9 is different by 90 degrees from the direction in which an associated set of metallic wires runs in portion (C) of FIG. 9 .
  • the straight lines (that are parallel to the polarization transmission axes) shown in portion (B) of FIG. 9 will always be used and a plan view illustrating directly the directions in which the wires of the wire grids actually run will not be used.
  • these metallic wire grids may be located at any of various levels from the top through the bottom of the image sensor.
  • these wire grids are arranged in respective inner parts of their areas with some margin A left with respect to the outer periphery of the pixel unit regions to avoid interference with other pixels.
  • a tradeoff is inevitable between the transmittance, the extinction ratio and the duty ratio of the width L of each of multiple metallic wires that form these wire grids to their spacing S.
  • very small wire grid polarizers which were arranged at a pitch P of 140 nm and with a height H of 70 nm within a pixel region with a size of 7.4 ⁇ m square had extinction ratios of about 30 to 1, about 45 to 1, and about 60 to 1 at wavelengths of 450 nm, 580 nm and 700 nm, respectively.
  • These results of the actual example reveal that it would be difficult to achieve an extinction ratio of 100 to 1 even if wire grid polarizers of a significantly reduced size were introduced into an image sensor. That is why according to this embodiment, a structure for achieving a high extinction ratio by stacking two wire grid layers one upon the other is adopted instead.
  • the incoming light reaches the image capturing plane through an objective lens 109 which is arranged over the image sensor 115 .
  • the incoming light sequentially reaches its members in the following order.
  • a micro lens 220 is arranged on the top surface.
  • the micro lens 220 plays the role of condensing the incoming light efficiently onto the PD (photodiode) 232 but also refracts the optical path of an obliquely incident light beam so that its angle of incidence is almost 90 degrees with respect to the image capturing plane. That is why the micro lens 220 can be used particularly effectively when shooting is often carried out at a wide angle as in an endoscope, for example.
  • the micro lens 220 can make light incident onto the wire grid layers 222 , 224 from substantially right over them, and therefore, can also check the decrease in TM transmittance and extinction ratio.
  • a planarizing layer 226 Under the micro lens 220 , arranged is a planarizing layer 226 , under which the first wire grid layer 222 is arranged to transmit only polarized light beams that are polarized in particular directions (of which the plane of polarization is rotated 90 degrees apiece within the image capturing plane) and to reflect or absorb the other light beams.
  • the first wire grid layer 222 has a hollow structure which is defined by the gaps between the metallic wires. Since these metallic wires can keep contact with the air, a decrease in extinction ratio can be avoided effectively.
  • the second wire grid layer 224 Under the first wire grid layer 222 , arranged is the second wire grid layer 224 , which has basically the same arrangement directions, same size, and same hollow structure, and is made of the same material, as the first wire grid layer 222 .
  • the overall extinction ratio of these two layers can be increased to approximately 100 to 1.
  • Under the second wire grid layer 224 arranged in this order are a planarizing layer 228 and an interconnection layer 230 .
  • the incoming light can reach the underlying PDs (photodiodes) 232 without being cut by any of those interconnects 230 .
  • PDs photodiodes
  • the distance from the micro lens 220 to the PD 232 is set to be approximately 2 to 3 ⁇ m in order to reduce the overall height.
  • the wire grid polarizer reflects a TE wave, of which the polarization direction intersects at right angles with that of a TM wave to be transmitted, and the reflected TE wave becomes stray light to cause deterioration in performance.
  • it is effective to form the wire grids 222 , 224 as a stack of multiple layers, not a single layer, so that the reflected light is absorbed into those layers stacked.
  • the image processing apparatus of this embodiment performs an image capturing operation.
  • FIGS. 11A and 11B how the image processing apparatus of this embodiment operates in a normal image capturing mode.
  • FIG. 11A illustrates how to perform an image capturing operation using respective illuminating light beams in a normal image capturing mode
  • FIG. 11B is a timing chart showing the sequence of the image capturing operations.
  • the optical spectrum of a frame sequential illumination source is shown on the left-hand side of FIG. 11A .
  • a color B illuminating light beam is a mixture of two polarized light beams representing mutually different colors and having mutually different polarization directions (i.e., B 1 (P-polarized) and B 2 (S-polarized) light beams).
  • B 1 P-polarized
  • B 2 S-polarized
  • the returning light beam that has been reflected from the object is observed by the monochrome broadband polarization image sensor 105 .
  • FIG. 11A shown is only a fundamental unit 801 of the polarization mosaic that the polarization image sensor 105 has.
  • the two polarizers that are located at the upper left and lower right corners i.e., P polarization filters
  • the two polarizers that are located at the upper right and lower left corners i.e., S polarization filters
  • the monochrome broadband polarization image sensor 115 performs a polarization operation in the wavelength range of 400 nm to 800 nm, which corresponds to the entire visible light wavelength range. That is why no matter which of the color B, G and R illuminating light beams the object is irradiated with, only a single image sensor can deal with the polarization operation.
  • the captured image is obtained by getting the light beam that has returned from the object being irradiated with a non-polarized illuminating light beam received via either a P-polarization filter or an S-polarization filter. That is why by averaging the pixel values obtained in a 2 ⁇ 2 pixel region (i.e., consisting of four pixels), a non-polarization image can be obtained.
  • the averaged pixel value is virtually located at the center of the 2 ⁇ 2 (i.e., four) pixels.
  • each of the pixel regions indicated by the dotted circles says NP (non-polarization).
  • non-polarization images can be captured under the frame sequential non-polarized B, G and R illuminating light beams.
  • a full-color moving picture can be generated.
  • This processing will be referred to herein as “polarization mosaic pixel averaging processing”, which is carried out by the polarization mosaic processing section 202 shown in FIG. 6 .
  • a full-color moving picture is generated by the image synthesizing section 206 .
  • FIG. 11B is a timing chart showing the sequence of these operations. Specifically, the operation of emitting illuminating light beams, the image capturing operation, and the color component images processed by the polarization mosaic processing section 202 are shown in this order from top to bottom of FIG. 11B . The respective operations are performed at these timings by making the synchronizer 112 control the illuminating light control section 120 , the monochrome broadband polarization image sensor 115 and the polarization mosaic processing section 202 .
  • FIG. 12 illustrates generally how to perform an image capturing operation using respective illuminating light beams in a polarization image capturing mode
  • FIG. 13 is a timing chart showing the sequence of the image capturing operation.
  • the polarization image capturing color wheel shown in portion (a) of FIG. 7 is used.
  • the optical spectrum of a frame sequential illumination source is shown on the left-hand side of FIG. 12 .
  • These colors B and G illuminating light beams are determined in view of the mucosa property of the object such as a digestive organ.
  • the B and G wavelength ranges are shorter than the R wavelength range, and therefore, will cause surface scattering more easily and are suited to observing the light scattered from the surface texture.
  • the light reflected from the organism's mucosa is absorbed so deeply that the contrast ratio becomes high enough to observe the micro-geometric surface texture.
  • the object is irradiated alternately with B 1 G 1 which is a P-polarized light beam and B 2 G 2 which is an S-polarized light beam.
  • B 1 G 1 which is a P-polarized light beam
  • B 2 G 2 which is an S-polarized light beam.
  • the returning light beam that has been reflected from the object is observed by the monochrome broadband polarization image sensor 105 .
  • the fundamental unit 801 of the polarization mosaic multiple different polarization components are measured.
  • pixel information about a crossed-Nicols pixel (P ⁇ ) and a parallel-Nicols pixel (P//) under a P-polarized illuminating light beam and about a crossed-Nicols pixel (S ⁇ ) and a parallel-Nicols pixel (S//) under an S-polarized illuminating light beam are obtained.
  • a pixel value which is spatially missing as a piece of pixel information and which is indicated by the solid star ⁇ needs to be obtained by making interpolation using the values of the surrounding pixels. This interpolation processing may be carried out as simple averaging processing on the four surrounding pixels.
  • FIG. 13 is a timing chart showing the sequence of these operations. Specifically, the operation of emitting illuminating light beams, the image capturing operation, and the color component images processed by the mosaic processing section are shown in this order from top to bottom of FIG. 13 . The respective operations are performed at these timings under the control of the synchronizer 112 .
  • the object is alternately irradiated with a P-polarized light beam and an S-polarized light beam, their corresponding crossed-Nicols images (P ⁇ ) (S ⁇ ) and parallel-Nicols images (P//) (S//) are output as monochrome images.
  • the “monochrome image” refers herein to a light intensity image providing polarization information in the B and G wavelength ranges.
  • FIG. 14 illustrates generally how to perform an image capturing operation using respective illuminating light beams in the polarization image capturing mode when the polarization image capturing color wheel shown in portion (c) of FIG. 7 is used
  • FIG. 15 is a timing chart showing the sequence of the image capturing operations.
  • BGR frame sequential color illuminating light beams are used.
  • Such an image capturing technique is applicable particularly effectively to a situation where the surface of a mucosa needs to be observed with the naked eye with specular reflection eliminated. This technique can also be used effectively when the polarization property inside an organism's mucosa should be observed within a narrow wavelength range.
  • the object is sequentially irradiated with B 1 , G 1 and R 1 which are P-polarized light beams and B 2 , G 2 and R 2 which are S-polarized light beams.
  • B 1 , G 1 and R 1 which are P-polarized light beams
  • B 2 , G 2 and R 2 which are S-polarized light beams.
  • the returning light beam that has been reflected from the object is observed by the monochrome broadband polarization image sensor 105 .
  • the fundamental unit 801 of the polarization mosaic multiple different components are captured.
  • the image thus captured becomes image information comprised of twelve different components that are crossed-Nicols (P ⁇ ) and parallel-Nicols (P//) RGB full-color components under a P-polarized illuminating light beam and crossed-Nicols (S ⁇ ) and parallel-Nicols (S//) components falling within the RGB wavelength ranges under an S-polarized illuminating light beam.
  • P ⁇ crossed-Nicols
  • S ⁇ crossed-Nicols
  • S// parallel-Nicols
  • the filters on the circumference of the wheel are arranged in the order of B 1 -G 2 -R 1 -B 2 -G 1 -R 2 , thereby making the colors RGB and P- and S-polarizations alternate with each other.
  • FIG. 15 is a timing chart showing the sequence of these operations. Specifically, the operation of emitting illuminating light beams, the image capturing operation, and the color component images processed by the mosaic processing section are shown in this order from top to bottom of FIG. 15 . The respective operations are performed at these timings under the control of the synchronizer 112 .
  • the object is alternately irradiated with a P-polarized light beam and an S-polarized light beam, their corresponding crossed-Nicols images (P ⁇ ) (S ⁇ ) and parallel-Nicols images (P//) (S//) are output.
  • the RGB full-color crossed-Nicols image 1510 shown in FIG. 15 is a crossed-Nicols image in which an image 1501 under a B 1 (P) illuminating light beam, an image 1502 under a G 2 (S) illuminating light beam, and an image 1503 under an R 1 (P) illuminating light beam are mixed together under P- and S-polarized light beams.
  • the image 1511 to be processed and displayed at the next timing is a crossed-Nicols image in which the image 1502 under the G 2 (S) illuminating light beam, the image 1503 under the R 1 (P) illuminating light beam, and an image 1504 under a B 2 (S) illuminating light beam are mixed together under P- and S-polarized light beams.
  • P ⁇ and S ⁇ included in illuminating light beams for crossed Nicols images can be well balanced, which will work fine when a depressed area needs to be detected after that.
  • the BGR color frame sequential light beams change more quickly than the polarized light beams, when the series of images is observed as a moving picture by a human viewer, he or she can still find the moving picture to be a series of color images.
  • FIG. 16 illustrates how the depressed area detecting section 204 and the image synthesizing section 206 perform their processing.
  • FIG. 17 illustrates exemplary patterns to mask peripheral pixel locations which are used to calculate the difference between the center pixel value and the average of surrounding pixel values.
  • the depressed area detecting section 204 receives the crossed-Nicols images generated by the processing described above.
  • the input image Before being subjected to the differentiation processing on the next stage, the input image has its noise components, of which the frequencies are higher than the frequency of the texture to be enhanced, removed. Specifically, to remove such noise components, smoothing filter processing is carried out.
  • a general Gaussian filter is used for that purpose. If the mask size of the filter is set to be the same as the mask size of a differentiation mask filter to be described later, it is possible to avoid enhancing fine granular noise.
  • the following differentiation mask processing is carried out.
  • Such a pixel region that is brighter than the surrounding area needs to be detected because as already described with reference to FIGS. 3 through 5 , if the polarization direction of a polarized illuminating light beam is nearly parallel to the grooves on the surface of the object, the light intensity becomes higher than in the surrounding area.
  • the directions in which the depressions and projections run on the surface of the object are unknown.
  • the polarization direction of a polarized illuminating light source alternately changes from one of two orthogonal directions into the other, and two kinds of crossed-Nicols images (P ⁇ ) and (S ⁇ ) can be obtained alternately.
  • the differential value ⁇ thus obtained is represented by the following Equation (1):
  • ⁇ C is set to be a value obtained by multiplying the differential value ⁇ by k.
  • ⁇ C is set to be zero, as indicated by the following Equations (2):
  • the color blue component is enhanced.
  • the R and G components become equal to or smaller than zero, then continuity is maintained by subtracting the deficit from other color components. That is why the hue changes according to the magnitude of ⁇ but smooth connection can still be made. Supposing one of the R and G components that has the smaller value is C1 and the other having the larger value is C2, the situations are classified into the following three cases.
  • FIG. 18 shows the following three cases.
  • the image synthesizing section 206 stores three images (RGB images) that have been obtained under the frame sequential illuminating light beams, and synthesizes together the RGB images on a frame-by-frame basis, thereby generating a full-color image to be displayed in real time.
  • the image synthesizing section 206 also presents a full-color image, obtained by enhancing the depressions of the surface texture with the color blue component, at regular intervals of one frame period without a delay.
  • FIG. 19 shows exemplary images obtained by the image processing apparatus of this embodiment.
  • the object was the mucosa of a rat's stomach which was obtained by dissecting the rat's stomach and then extending and fixing it on a cork board.
  • portions (A) and (B) of FIG. 19 are respectively a parallel-Nicols image and a crossed-Nicols image of that object
  • portion (C) of FIG. 19 is an image obtained by performing the depression sensing processing of this embodiment.
  • a monochrome image is shown in portion (C) of FIG. 19
  • the image actually obtained was a full-color image in which the micro-geometric surface texture on the surface mucosa of the stomach had been detected and retouched as if the object were colored in blue.
  • FIG. 20 schematically illustrates an overall configuration for an image processing apparatus as a second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • the object is irradiated with white light and a color image is captured by a single-panel color image sensor 119 .
  • a spinning polarized illuminating light source should be used.
  • only an illuminating light control section is arranged in the light source unit 104 and illuminating light is produced by either an LED which is arranged at the tip of the endoscope or an organic EL surface-emitting light source, for example.
  • a number of (e.g., sixteen in this example) emission ports through which an illuminating light beam, of which the polarization plane defines 0 degrees (i.e., P-polarized), and an illuminating light beam, of which the polarization plane defines 90 degrees (i.e., S-polarized), are emitted alternately, are arranged at the tip of the endoscope as shown in FIG. 21 , for example.
  • a polarized illuminating source which emits P- and S-polarized light beams alternately is realized.
  • Portion (A) of FIG. 22 illustrates another exemplary spinning polarized illuminating light source.
  • the variation in the position of the light source to be lit can be limited to within one pixel at the image sensor end.
  • Portion (B) of FIG. 22 illustrates an overall configuration for such a plane illuminating light source.
  • a data driver for controlling the sequential lighting is arranged along each of the X and Y axes of the plane illuminating light source, and the pixels addressed on the X and Y axes are all turned ON simultaneously.
  • an illuminating light beam, of which the polarization plane defines zero degrees will be emitted.
  • an illuminating light beam, of which the polarization transmission plane defines 90 degrees (S) are obtained.
  • One of the advantages achieved by using such a plane illuminating light source is that only the polarization state of the illuminating light can be changed with the overall illuminance and light distribution state unchanged.
  • a plane light source as the illuminating light source, the degree of uniformity of the illuminating light can be increased.
  • the very high intensity of the light that has been specular-reflected from the surface mucosa of an organ can be lowered and the object can be shot just as intended.
  • FIG. 23 illustrates an exemplary cross-sectional structure for a color polarization image sensor 119 for use in this embodiment.
  • a color filter 240 is inserted between the wire grid layer 224 and the PD (photodiode) 232 , which is a difference from the monochrome broadband polarization image sensor 115 shown in FIG. 10 .
  • This color filter 240 may be made of either an organic substance or a photonic crystal or a metal.
  • the distance DEPTH from the wire grid 224 to the PD 232 increases by the insertion of the color filter 240 and is typically in the range of 4 to 6 ⁇ m.
  • the micro lens 220 forms the uppermost layer, and therefore, incoming light can be easily made incident perpendicularly to the wire grids.
  • FIG. 24 illustrates a planar structure for the color polarization image sensor 119 shown in FIG. 23 .
  • portion (A) of FIG. 24 illustrates the same planar structure as the single panel color image sensor.
  • the color mosaic structure shown in portion (B) of FIG. 24 and the polarization mosaic structure shown in portion (C) of FIG. 24 are laid one upon the other on a pixel-by-pixel basis.
  • Portion (B) of FIG. 24 illustrates an exemplary color mosaic filter. That is to say, the color mosaic filter that can be used in an embodiment of the present disclosure does not have to be the one shown in portion (B) of FIG. 24 .
  • the color mosaic filter does not have to have a Bayer mosaic arrangement but may also have any other mosaic structure.
  • a filter in a single color included in the color mosaic covers the region in which four pixels (i.e., four photodiodes) are arranged in two columns and two rows. The 2 ⁇ 2 pixel region is associated with the four kinds of polarization mosaic regions shown in portion (C) of FIG. 24 .
  • this image sensor is just a quarter (i.e., 1 ⁇ 2 ⁇ 1 ⁇ 2) of the original one when considered on a subpixel basis, the artifacts to be generated as a result of polarized light processing can be reduced by carrying out the polarized light processing within a single pixel.
  • the object is alternately irradiated with a white P-polarized light beam and a white S-polarized light beam. And every time the object is irradiated with a polarized light beam, a polarization color mosaic image is obtained. Specifically, when the object is irradiated with a P-polarized light beam, a polarization pixel pattern 2503 is obtained by the polarization mosaic 2502 . On the other hand, when the object is irradiated with an S-polarized light beam, a polarization pixel pattern 2504 is obtained by the polarization mosaic 2502 . In FIG.
  • P indicates pixels in the parallel-Nicols state when irradiated with a P-polarized light beam
  • P ⁇ indicates pixels in the crossed-Nicols state when irradiated with a P-polarized light beam.
  • S// indicates pixels in the parallel-Nicols state when irradiated with an S-polarized light beam
  • S ⁇ indicates pixels in the crossed-Nicols state when irradiated with an S-polarized light beam.
  • the polarization mosaic processing section 202 adds together the images with these polarization pixel patterns 2503 and 2504 and calculates their average on a pixel-by-pixel basis.
  • the processing of generating a full-color image based on this non-polarization color mosaic image 2505 may be carried out by ordinary color mosaic interpolation.
  • FIG. 26 is a timing chart showing the sequence of these operations. Specifically, the operation of emitting illuminating light beams, the image capturing operation, and the color component images processed by the polarization mosaic processing section 202 are shown in this order from top to bottom of FIG. 26 . The respective operations are performed at these timings under the control of the synchronizer 112 .
  • the object is alternately irradiated with a P-polarized light beam and an S-polarized light beam, their associated polarization pixel patterns 2503 and 2504 are captured.
  • the polarization mosaic processing section 202 carries out the adding and averaging processing on the polarization pixel patterns 2503 and 2504 shown in FIG. 25 , thereby obtaining a non-polarization color mosaic image 2505 .
  • RGB full-color image is obtained. Consequently, by irradiating the object with a P-polarized illuminating light beam and an S-polarized illuminating light beam, a single RGB full-color image can be obtained.
  • images can be generated as a moving picture at regular interval of one frame period without causing a delay.
  • FIG. 27 illustrates how the image processing apparatus of this embodiment operates in the polarization image capturing mode, in which the object is alternately irradiated with a P-polarized light beam and an S-polarized light beam and a polarization color mosaic image is obtained every time the object is irradiated with such a polarized light beam.
  • the polarization pixel patterns 2503 and 2504 obtained in this case are the same as the polarization pixel patterns 2503 and 2504 shown in FIG. 25 .
  • the polarization mosaic processing section 202 selects and integrates together P// and S// and P ⁇ and S ⁇ for each pixel in question.
  • the same color pixels within the color mosaic images 2703 and 2704 form a parallel Nicols image PS// and a crossed Nicols image PS ⁇ , each of which is irradiated with a P-polarized illuminating light beam and an S-polarized illuminating light beam uniformly.
  • a color mosaic interpolation is carried out on the crossed Nicols image PS ⁇ , thereby generating a full-color crossed Nicols image, which is subjected to the same processing as what has already been described with respect to the first embodiment by the depressed area detecting section 204 and the image synthesizing section 206 .
  • FIG. 28 is a timing chart showing the sequence of these operations. Specifically, the operation of emitting illuminating light beams, the image capturing operation, and the color images processed by the polarization mosaic processing section 202 , the color mosaic interpolating section 208 , the depressed area detecting section 204 , and the image synthesizing section 206 are shown in this order from top to bottom of FIG. 28 . The operation of emitting illuminating light beams and the image capturing operation are the same as in the normal image capturing mode timing chart shown in FIG. 26 .
  • the polarization mosaic processing section 202 operates so as to generate a P- and S-polarized illuminating light beam mixed parallel Nicols image 2701 and a P- and S-polarized illuminating light beam mixed crossed Nicols image 2702 by using an image captured under a P-polarized illuminating light beam and an image captured under an S-polarized illuminating light beam on a frame-by-frame basis. That is to say, two different kinds of polarization pixel patterns 2701 and 2702 are generated on a frame-by-frame basis. In addition, color mosaic images 2703 and 2704 are also generated simultaneously by adding those polarization pixel patterns together and calculating their average.
  • the crossed Nicols image 2704 is presented every frame as a moving picture on the display section 114 as a full-color image, of which the color blue component has been enhanced at the depressions of the surface texture by the depressed area detecting section 204 and the image synthesizing section 206 .
  • FIG. 29 illustrates a first modified example of the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • Portion (A) of FIG. 29 illustrates a planar structure of the color polarization image sensor 119 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 23 .
  • the planar structure shown in Portion (A) of FIG. 29 is the same as that of a color single-panel image sensor.
  • Portion (B) of FIG. 29 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of 4 ⁇ 4 color filters in the color mosaic.
  • portion (C) of FIG. 29 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of eight polarizers in a polarization mosaic. These color and polarization mosaics are stacked one upon the other to cover 4 ⁇ 4 pixels (or PDs (photodiodes)).
  • color filters in two colors of the color mosaic are associated with a single rectangular polarizer.
  • this configuration is the same as that of the second embodiment.
  • the pixels over which polarizers indicated with an angle of 0 degrees in portion (C) of FIG. 29 are located are pixels which transmit a P-polarized light beam
  • the pixels over which polarizers indicated with an angle of 90 degrees are located are pixels which transmit an S-polarized light beam.
  • the 0 degree polarizers and the 90 degree polarizers do not form a checkerboard pattern. That is to say, this polarization mosaic is formed so that the same polarized light beam is incident on two pixels which are vertically or horizontally adjacent to each other within the image capturing plane.
  • This arrangement is adopted so that a degree polarizer and a 90 degree polarizer are always allocated to two G pixels which form parts of the RGB pixels.
  • the 0 degree polarizer is allocated to the two pixels of RG and the two pixels of BG
  • the 90 degree polarizer is allocated to the two pixels of GB and the two pixels of GR.
  • FIG. 30 illustrates how the image processing apparatus of this embodiment operates in the normal image capturing mode, in which the object is irradiated with a white P-polarized light beam and a white S-polarized light beam alternately, an image is captured every time the object is irradiated with such a polarized light beam, and a polarization color mosaic image is obtained as a result. Since the polarization mosaic has the arrangement 3001 , a polarization pixel pattern 3002 is obtained when the object is irradiated with a P-polarized light beam and a polarization pixel pattern 3003 is obtained when the object is irradiated with an S-polarized light beam.
  • a polarization pixel pattern 3002 is obtained when the object is irradiated with a P-polarized light beam
  • a polarization pixel pattern 3003 is obtained when the object is irradiated with an S-polarized light beam.
  • P// and P ⁇ indicate pixels in the parallel Nicols state and pixels in the crossed Nicols state when the object is irradiated with a P-polarized light beam.
  • S// and S ⁇ indicate pixels in the parallel Nicols state and pixels in the crossed Nicols state when the object is irradiated with an S-polarized light beam.
  • the polarization mosaic processing section 202 adds together these polarization pixel patterns 3002 and 3003 and calculates their average on a pixel-by-pixel basis. In this adding and averaging processing, the pixels in the parallel Nicols state and the pixels in the crossed Nicols state would be mixed together uniformly in the following manner.
  • the resultant color mosaic image 3004 will include pixels in the crossed Nicols state as a combination of color pixels and pixels in the parallel Nicols state as a different combination of color pixels.
  • this is not a serious problem.
  • the reason is that as the illuminating angle and the image capturing angle with respect to the object are almost equal to each other in an endoscope, it is rare if any that a non-polarized illuminating light beam is reflected and significantly polarized, and there is almost no color difference when observed normally (except a situation where there is a micro-geometric surface).
  • a non-polarization color mosaic image 3004 is obtained.
  • the resolution does not decrease unlike the second embodiment.
  • the processing of generating a full-color image based on this non-polarization color mosaic image 3004 may be carried out by normal color mosaic interpolation.
  • FIG. 31 illustrates how the image processing apparatus of this embodiment operates in the polarization image capturing mode, in which the object is alternately irradiated with a P-polarized light beam and an S-polarized light beam, and images are captured and polarization pixel patterns 3102 and 3103 are obtained every time the object is irradiated with such a polarized light beam.
  • the polarization mosaic processing section 202 collects and fills with P// and S// and P ⁇ and S ⁇ for each pixel in question. In this manner, a P- and S-polarized mixed parallel Nicols image 3104 and a P- and S-polarized mixed crossed Nicols image 3105 are generated separately.
  • the polarization images obtained as a result of this processing are color mosaic images 3106 and 3107 , which are respectively a parallel Nicols image PS// and a crossed Nicols image PS ⁇ , each of which is obtained by irradiating the object with a P-polarized illuminating light beam and an S-polarized illuminating light beam uniformly.
  • a color mosaic interpolation is carried out on the crossed Nicols image PS ⁇ , thereby generating a full-color crossed Nicols image, which is subjected to the same processing by the depressed area detecting section 204 and the image synthesizing section 206 as what has already been described for the first embodiment.
  • the timing chart for this embodiment is the same as the timing chart for the second embodiment.
  • FIG. 32 illustrates a second modified example of the second embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • Portion (A) of FIG. 32 illustrates a planar structure of the color polarization image sensor 119 shown in FIG. 23 .
  • Portion (B) of FIG. 32 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of 4 ⁇ 4 color filters in the color mosaic.
  • portion (C) of FIG. 32 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of four polarizers in a polarization mosaic. These color and polarization mosaics are stacked one upon the other to cover 4 ⁇ 4 pixels (or PDs (photodiodes)).
  • pixels that form a single unit of the color Bayer mosaic are associated with a single unit of the polarization mosaic.
  • the configuration of this embodiment is the same as that of the second embodiment.
  • the pixels over which polarizers indicated with an angle of 0 degrees in portion (C) of FIG. 32 are located are pixels which transmit a P-polarized light beam, and the pixels over which polarizers indicated with an angle of 90 degrees are located are pixels which transmit an S-polarized light beam.
  • the 0 degree polarizers and the 90 degree polarizers of the polarization mosaic form a checkerboard pattern, and the same color Bayer mosaic is included in each of those polarizers.
  • FIG. 33 illustrates how the image processing apparatus of this embodiment operates in the normal image capturing mode, in which the object is irradiated with a white P-polarized light beam and a white S-polarized light beam alternately, an image is captured every time the object is irradiated with such a polarized light beam, and a polarization color mosaic image is obtained as a result. Since the polarization mosaic has the arrangement 3301 , a polarization pixel pattern 3302 is obtained when the object is irradiated with a P-polarized light beam and a polarization pixel pattern 3303 is obtained when the object is irradiated with an S-polarized light beam.
  • a polarization pixel pattern 3302 is obtained when the object is irradiated with a P-polarized light beam
  • a polarization pixel pattern 3303 is obtained when the object is irradiated with an S-polarized light beam.
  • the polarization mosaic processing section 202 adds together the images with these polarization pixel patterns 3302 and 3303 and calculates their average on a pixel-by-pixel basis. In this adding and averaging processing, the pixels in the parallel Nicols state and the pixels in the crossed Nicols state would be mixed together uniformly as represented by Equations (6).
  • a non-polarization color mosaic image 3304 is obtained.
  • the resolution does not decrease, which is a feature of this modified example.
  • the processing of generating a full-color image based on this non-polarization color mosaic image may be carried out by normal color mosaic interpolation.
  • FIG. 34 illustrates how the image processing apparatus of this embodiment operates in the polarization image capturing mode, in which the object is alternately irradiated with a P-polarized light beam and an S-polarized light beam and images are captured and polarization pixel patterns 3402 and 3403 are obtained every time the object is irradiated with such a polarized light beam.
  • the polarization mosaic processing section 202 collects and fills with P// and S// and P ⁇ and S ⁇ for each pixel in question. In this manner, a P- and S-polarized mixed parallel Nicols image 3404 and a P- and S-polarized mixed crossed Nicols image 3405 are generated separately.
  • the polarization images obtained as a result of this processing are color mosaic images 3406 and 3407 , which are respectively a parallel Nicols image PS// and a crossed Nicols image PS ⁇ , each of which is obtained by irradiating the object with a P-polarized illuminating light beam and an S-polarized illuminating light beam uniformly.
  • a color mosaic interpolation is carried out on the crossed Nicols image PS ⁇ , thereby generating a full-color crossed Nicols image, which is subjected to the same processing by the depressed area detecting section 204 and the image synthesizing section 206 as what has already been described for the first embodiment. It should be noted that the timing chart for this embodiment is the same as the timing chart for the second embodiment.
  • FIG. 35 illustrates a configuration for a third embodiment of the present invention.
  • a color image is captured by a single-panel color image sensor by irradiating the object with white light.
  • a polarizer and a color filter are arranged inside the aperture of a lens
  • a micro lens array type color polarization image capturing section 3501 is provided by arranging a micro lens array on the image capturing plane
  • a pixel selecting and re-integrating section 210 is provided in order to perform image processing unique to a micro lens array type element.
  • FIG. 36 is an enlarged front view of the tip of an endoscope according to this embodiment.
  • a number of (e.g., sixteen in this example) emission ports, through which an illuminating light beam, of which the polarization plane defines 0 degrees (i.e., P-polarized), and an illuminating light beam, of which the polarization plane defines 90 degrees (i.e., S-polarized), are emitted alternately, are arranged at the tip of the endoscope.
  • a polarized illuminating source which emits P- and S-polarized light beams alternately is realized.
  • FIG. 37 illustrates an exemplary configuration for this micro lens array type color polarization image capturing section 3501 .
  • the two G filter regions shown in FIG. 36 that are the region 3701 where a G filter and a 0 degree (P) polarization filter are arranged and the region 3702 where a G filter and a 90 degree (S) polarization filter are arranged, are shown for convenience sake.
  • the light that has diverged from a point 3700 on the object is transmitted through the two regions 3701 and 3702 on the objective lens 3502 , passes through an array of optical elements 3703 , and reaches the image capturing plane 3704 of a monochrome image sensor.
  • the images that have been transmitted through the two regions on the objective lens reach two different pixels 3705 . That is why the image produced on the image capturing plane 3704 generally looks an object image but is specifically comprised of two images that have come from two different regions. If digital image processing is carried out by selecting pixels from those images and integrating them together, images that have been transmitted through two regions can be generated separately and a color image can be obtained while using a monochrome image sensor at the same time.
  • FIG. 38 illustrates a cross-sectional structure of the color polarization filter regions 3701 and 3702 inside the aperture.
  • a metallic wire grid layer 3801 is used as the polarization filters.
  • the wire grid layer 3801 may be obtained by arranging metallic wires at a pitch of about 100 nm, for example, on a transparent substrate 3802 .
  • arranged are color filters 3803 .
  • An objective lens 3502 is arranged on the stage next to those color filters 3803 . In this case, the order of stacking of the color filters, the wire grid layer and the objective lens and the gap left with respect to the lens may be determined arbitrarily.
  • polarizers not just the wire grids but also polymer-based polarizers, polarizers which use a photonic crystal, polarizers which use form birefringence, or any other existent polarizers may be used as well.
  • FIG. 39 illustrates how the pixel selecting and re-integrating section 210 performs the processing of generating a color polarization image based on the image that has been captured using this micro lens array type color polarization image sensor.
  • FIG. 40 illustrates images to be obtained by the endoscope of this embodiment in the normal image capturing mode and in the polarization image capturing mode.
  • the object is alternately irradiated with a white P-polarized illuminating light beam and a white S-polarized illuminating light beam, an image is obtained every time the object is irradiated with such a polarized light beam, and the processing shown in FIG. 39 is carried out to obtain four kinds of color polarization images separately each time the same scene is shot.
  • These four kinds of color polarization images thus obtained separately are displayed as indicated by the reference numeral 4001 .
  • respective pixels are not represented unlike the conventional technique but four entire images are represented.
  • the polarization image 4002 is obtained.
  • the polarization image 4003 is obtained.
  • P//, P ⁇ , S// and S ⁇ have the same meanings as what has already been described but P or S indicates an image which has been captured as a non-polarization image under either a P-polarized illuminating light beam or an S-polarized illuminating light beam without using any special polarization filter.
  • these images 4002 and 4003 are added together and their average is calculated on a pixel-by-pixel basis.
  • the pixels in the parallel Nicols state and the pixels in the crossed Nicols state would be mixed together uniformly as represented by Equations (7). And this result becomes approximately a non-polarization image.
  • a non-polarization color mosaic image 4004 is obtained.
  • the processing of generating a full-color image based on this non-polarization color mosaic image may be carried out by normal color mosaic interpolation.
  • the images 4002 and 4003 are also obtained alternately.
  • two kinds of polarization images that are PS// 4005 and PS ⁇ 4006 can be generated in the G wavelength range.
  • the output image will be a monochrome image as in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 13 .
  • polarizers can be arranged inside the aperture of a lens, and therefore, the size of each polarization mosaic element can be increased compared to a situation where the polarizers are arranged over the image sensor, which is one of the advantages achieved by this embodiment.
  • the length of the metallic wires that form each polarization mosaic unit is 2 to 3 ⁇ m, which is equal to the size of each pixel of the image sensor.
  • FIG. 41 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
  • a color image is also captured by a single-panel color image sensor with the object irradiated with white light, as in the second embodiment described above.
  • a micro lens array type color polarization image capturing section 4101 is used in this embodiment.
  • the micro lens array type color polarization image capturing section 4101 of this embodiment is different from the counterpart of the third embodiment in the following respects.
  • FIG. 42A illustrates an exemplary configuration for this micro lens array type color polarization image capturing section 4101 .
  • a polarization filter 4103 of a broadband type which has a 0 degree (P) transmission axis and a 90 degree (S) transmission axis.
  • the colorization is carried out by a single-panel color image sensor 4104 including a Bayer mosaic 4105 .
  • the light beams that have been transmitted through the four regions UL, UR, DL and DR of the polarization filter 4103 due to the function of a micro lens array (i.e., an array of optical elements) 3703 are respectively imaged on the four regions UL 1 , UR 1 , DL 1 and DR 1 of the color mosaic filter 4105 .
  • FIG. 42B schematically illustrates an exemplary cross-sectional structure for this micro lens array type color polarization image capturing section 4101 .
  • FIG. 42B shown are only two of the four regions on the objective lens 3502 , i.e., the region 4201 where a 90 degree polarization filter is arranged and the region 4202 where a 0 degree polarization filter is arranged as shown in FIG. 41 .
  • the light that has diverged from a point 3700 on the object is transmitted through the two regions 4201 and 4202 on the objective lens 3502 , passes through the array of optical elements 3703 , and reaches the image capturing plane 4203 of the color image sensor where a color mosaic is arranged.
  • the images produced by the light beams that have been transmitted through the two regions 4201 and 4202 on the objective lens reach two different pixels 4204 . That is why the image produced on the image capturing plane 4203 generally looks an object image but is specifically comprised of two images that have come from two different regions where the 0 degree and 90 degree polarization filters are arranged.
  • the images of the respective regions 4201 and 4202 are associated with two pixels of the color mosaic on the color image sensor 4203 .
  • FIG. 43 illustrates a cross-sectional structure of the polarization filter regions 4201 and 4202 inside the aperture according to this embodiment.
  • a metallic wire grid layer 3801 is used as the polarization filters.
  • the wire grid layer 3801 may be obtained by arranging metallic wires at a pitch of about 100 nm, for example, on a transparent substrate 3802 .
  • a polarization operation can be carried out in a broad range of the visible light wavelength range.
  • An objective lens 3502 is arranged on the next stage.
  • the order of stacking of the wire grid layer 3801 and the objective lens 3502 and the gap left between the wire grid layer 3801 and the objective lens 3502 may be determined arbitrarily.
  • the polarizers not just the wire grids but also polymer-based polarizers may be used as well as long as the polarizers can perform a polarization operation in broad range of the visible light wavelength range.
  • FIG. 44 illustrates how the pixel selecting and re-integrating section 210 performs its processing.
  • the color mosaic interpolation section 208 performs its processing.
  • polarizers can be arranged inside the aperture of the lens, and therefore, wire grid polarization elements of a large size can be used and an extinction ratio as high as approximately 100 to 1 can be achieved.
  • Embodiments of the present disclosure are broadly applicable to the field of image processing that needs observing, checking, or recognizing the object's surface topography using a medical endoscope camera for digestive organs, a medical camera for dermatologists, dentists, internists or surgeons, an industrial endoscope camera, a fingerprint scanner, or an optical surface analyzer for use in a factory, for example.
  • a medical endoscope camera for digestive organs a medical camera for dermatologists, dentists, internists or surgeons
  • an industrial endoscope camera a fingerprint scanner
  • an optical surface analyzer for use in a factory, for example.
  • even the surface topography of a smooth transparent object or semi-transparent object can also be detected accurately, and can be presented in an enhanced form so as to be easily sensible to a human viewer.
  • the surface topography which is difficult to check just by measuring the light intensity can be checked out very effectively according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
  • An image processing apparatus is also applicable to digital cameras, camcorders and surveillance cameras, and can be used extensively to increase the contrast ratio when shooting on the surface of water or in the air or when shooting through glass.

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US20180235438A1 (en) 2018-08-23

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