Image pickup device including an image pickup unit which is displaced relative to an object to be imaged

Claim 2

An image pickup device comprising: an optical input unit for optically inputting an image of an object to be picked up; an image pickup unit, in which a single array of light-sensing elements each having a sensitivity for one of red, blue, and green primary color wavelengths are two-dimensionally arrayed in pixel positions, for obtaining color image information from the image of the picked-up object inputted from said optical input unit; a relative position displacing unit connected to said image pickup unit for displacing said image pickup unit and the object relative to one another; and a control unit for driving said relative position displacing unit to obtain a plurality of sheets of color image information for the same picked-up object from said image pickup unit by obtaining a first sheet of color information with said image pickup unit at a first position relative to said object to be picked up, displacing said image pickup unit and said object to be picked up relative to one another, obtaining a second sheet of color information with said image pickup unit at a second displaced position relative to said object to be picked up, wherein the first and second sheets of color information do not contain color image information for the same predetermined color for each pixel position, and combining the first and second sheets of color information resulting in the combined first and second sheets containing color image information for the same predetermined color for each pixel position, wherein each pixel position contains a short color image information of one of said primary color wavelengths indicating an absence of color information for said one of said primary color wavelengths, and wherein said control unit interpolates said short color information for a predetermined pixel based on color image information from only one adjacent pixel; wherein said control unit compares color image information for said predetermined color for said predetermined pixel to said color image information for the predetermined color for a plurality of adjacent pixels to said predetermined pixel, and interpolates the short color image information for said predetermined pixel according to color image information for only one pixel adjacent the predetermined pixel having a highest correlation to said predetermined pixel.

Claim 3

An image pickup device according to claim 1 , wherein said light-sensing elements are provided so that, when preparing the short color image information for the predetermined pixel, at least one available pixel exists adjacent said predetermined pixel in each of the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal directions relative to said predetermined pixel.

Claim 4

An image pickup device according to claim 1 , wherein said relative position displacing unit displaces either one of said object to be picked up and said image pickup unit.

Claim 5

An image pickup device according to claim 1 , wherein said image pickup unit comprises a plurality of image pickup elements, and said relative position displacing unit branches an image of an object to be picked up inputted by said optical input unit to a plurality of light paths to have the same image of said object to be picked up as said image of the object to be picked up received by each of said image pickup elements.

Claim 6

An image pickup device according to claim 1 , wherein said image pickup unit has filters for three elementary colors of R (Red), G (Green), and B (Blue), and said filters for three elementary colors are arrayed so that the elementary color filter for G(Green), which is said predetermined color, can be positioned for all pixel positions when said image pickup unit is displaced by said relative position displacing unit.

Claim 7

An image pickup device according to claim 1 , wherein said image pickup unit has an electronic shutter and a mechanical shutter, and sets an effective accumulation time within an exposure time for the color image information according to a timing for driving said electronic shutter and said mechanical shutter, and finishes a transfer operation by said image pickup unit within said exposure time.

Claim 8

An image pickup device according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit corrects at least a difference in accumulation times for said plurality of color image information.

Claim 9

An image pickup device comprising: an optical input unit for optically inputting an image of an object to be picked up; an image pickup unit, in which a single array of light-sensing elements each having a sensitivity for one of red, blue, and green primary color wavelengths are two-dimensionally arrayed in pixel positions, for obtaining color image information from the image of the picked-up object inputted from said optical input unit; a relative position displacing unit connected to said image pickup unit for displacing said image pickup unit and the object relative to one another; and a control unit for driving said relative position displacing unit to obtain a plurality of sheets of color image information for the same picked-up object from said image pickup unit by obtaining a first sheet of color information with said image pickup unit at a first position relative to said object to be picked up, displacing said image pickup unit and said object to be picked up relative to one another, obtaining a second sheet of color information with said image pickup unit at a second displaced position relative to said object to be picked up, wherein the first and second sheets of color information do not contain color image information for the same predetermined color for each pixel position, and combining the first and second sheets of color information resulting in the combined first and second sheets containing color image information for the same predetermined color for each pixel position, wherein each pixel position contains a short color image information of one of said primary color wavelengths indicating an absence of color information for said one of said primary color wavelengths, and wherein said control unit interpolates said short color information for a predetermined pixel based on color image information from the first and second sheets of color information; wherein said control unit compares color image information for said predetermined color for said predetermined pixel to said color image information for the predetermined color for a plurality of adjacent pixels to said predetermined pixel, and interpolates the short color image information for said predetermined pixel according to color image information for only one pixel adjacent the predetermined pixel having a highest correlation to said predetermined pixel.

Claim 10

An image pickup device comprising: an optical input unit for optically inputting an image of an object to be picked up; an image pickup unit, in which a single array of light-sensing elements each having a sensitivity for one of red, blue, and green primary color wavelengths are two-dimensionally arrayed in pixel positions, for obtaining color image information from the image of the picked-up object inputted from said optical input unit; a relative position displacing unit connected to said image pickup unit for displacing said image pickup unit and the object relative to one another; and a control unit for driving said relative position displacing unit to obtain a plurality of sheets of color image information for the same picked-up object from said image pickup unit by obtaining a first sheet of color information with said image pickup unit at a first position relative to said object to be picked up, displacing said image pickup unit and said object to be picked up relative to one another, obtaining a second sheet of color information with said image pickup unit at a second displaced position relative to said object to be picked up, wherein the first and second sheets of color information do not contain color image information for the same predetermined color for each pixel position, and combining the first and second sheets of color information resulting in the combined first and second sheets containing color image information for the same predetermined color for each pixel position, wherein each pixel position contains a short color image information of one of said primary color wavelengths indicating an absence of color information for said one of said primary color wavelengths, and wherein said control unit interpolates said short color information for a predetermined pixel based on color image information from the first and second sheets of color information; wherein said control unit compares color image information for said predetermined color for said predetermined pixel to said color image information for the predetermined color for a plurality of adjacent pixels to said predetermined pixel, and interpolates the short color image information for said predetermined pixel according to color image information for only one pixel adjacent the predetermined pixel having a highest correlation to said predetermined pixel.