Image acquisition device, image forming system, and image forming method

An image forming method comprising:

• acquiring a first preliminary image of a subject by irradiating a module with first illumination light in a first irradiation direction, the subject and an imaging element being integrated with each other in the module such that the illumination light transmitted through the subject is incident on the imaging element;
• acquiring a second preliminary image of the subject by irradiating the module with second illumination light in a second irradiation direction;
• deciding a plurality of different irradiation directions relative to the subject based on a difference between the first and second preliminary images;
• acquiring a plurality of images according to the plurality of different irradiation directions by sequentially irradiating the subject with the illumination light in the decided plurality of different irradiation directions;
• and
• forming a high-resolution image of the subject by synthesizing the plurality of images, the high-resolution image having a resolving power higher than a resolving power of each of the plurality of images.

An image acquisition device comprising:

• an imaging element;
• one or more memories;
• and
• circuitry which, in operation,
• acquires a first preliminary image of a subject by irradiating a module with first illumination light in a first irradiation direction to store the first preliminary image on the one or more memories, wherein the subject and the imaging element are integrated with each other in the module such that the illumination light transmitted through the subject is incident on the imaging element;
• acquires a second preliminary image of the subject by irradiating the module with second illumination light in a second irradiation direction to store the second preliminary image on the one or more memories;
• decides a plurality of different irradiation directions relative to the subject based on a difference between the first and second preliminary images;
• acquires a plurality of images according to the plurality of different irradiation directions by sequentially irradiating the subject with the illumination light in the decided plurality of different irradiation directions;
• and
• forms a high-resolution image of the subject by synthesizing the plurality of images, the high-resolution image having a resolving power higher than a resolving power of each of the plurality of images.