Imaging device, imaging method, and image processing device

An imaging method, comprising:

• reading, in a first readout period of a first subframe period in a single frame period, a plurality of first electric charge signals of a plurality of pixels in each line of a plurality of lines, wherein
• the reading of the plurality of first electric charge signals is based on a focal-plane readout method,
• the single frame period is between a start of a first exposure in a line of a first subframe of a frame and a termination of a second exposure in a line of a second subframe of the frame, and
• the single frame period corresponds to a specific frame rate;
• reading, in a second readout period of a second subframe period in the single frame period, a plurality of second electric charge signals of the plurality of pixels in each line of the plurality of lines, wherein
• the reading of the plurality of second electric charge signals is based on the focal-plane readout method;
• generating a first subframe image based on the plurality of first electric charge signals;
• generating a second subframe image based on the plurality of second electric charge signals;
• controlling an emission of an infrared light such that an imaging range is irradiated with the infrared light in an irradiation period and the imaging range is not irradiated with the infrared light in a first period, wherein
• the first period is different from the irradiation period, and
• the irradiation period corresponds to a second period of the first subframe period different from the first readout period;
• executing a first three-dimensional noise reduction (3DNR) processing operation on the first subframe image to obtain a processed first subframe image,
• wherein the first 3DNR processing operation includes a first time-direction processing operation with respect to the first subframe image;
• executing a second 3DNR processing operation on the second subframe image to obtain a processed second subframe image, wherein
• the second 3DNR processing operation includes a second time-direction processing operation with respect to the second subframe image, and
• a feedback factor in the first time-direction processing operation is different from a feedback factor in the second time-direction processing operation;
• and
• generating a color image at the specific frame rate based on the processed first subframe image and the processed second subframe image.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute operations, the operations comprising:

• reading, in a first readout period of a first subframe period in a single frame period, a plurality of first electric charge signals of a plurality of pixels in each line of a plurality of lines, wherein
• the reading of the plurality of first electric charge signals is based on a focal-plane readout method,
• the single frame period is between a start of a first exposure in a line of a first subframe of a frame and a termination of a second exposure in a line of a second subframe of the frame, and
• the single frame period corresponds to a specific frame rate;
• reading, in a second readout period of a second subframe period in the single frame period, a plurality of second electric charge signals of the plurality of pixels in each line of the plurality of lines, wherein
• the reading of the plurality of second electric charge signals is based on the focal-plane readout method;
• generating a first subframe image based on the plurality of first electric charge signals;
• generating a second subframe image based on the plurality of second electric charge signals,
• controlling an emission of an infrared light such that an imaging range is irradiated with the infrared light in an irradiation period and the imaging range is not irradiated with the infrared light in a first period, wherein
• the first period is different from the irradiation period, and
• the irradiation period corresponds to a second period of the first subframe period different from the first readout period;
• executing a first three-dimensional noise reduction (3DNR) processing operation on the first subframe image to obtain a processed first subframe image,
• wherein the first 3DNR processing operation includes a first time-direction processing operation with respect to the first subframe image;
• executing a second 3DNR processing operation on the second subframe image to obtain a processed second subframe image, wherein
• the second 3DNR processing operation includes a second time-direction processing operation with respect to the second subframe image, and
• a feedback factor in the first time-direction processing operation is different from a feedback factor in the second time-direction processing operation;
• and
• generating a color image at the specific frame rate based on the processed first subframe image and the processed second subframe image.

An image processing device, comprising:

• a central processing unit (CPU) configured to:
• receive a first subframe image and a second subframe image from an imaging element, wherein
• the imaging element:
• reads, in a first readout period of a first subframe period in a single frame period, a plurality of first electric charge signals of a plurality of pixels in each line of a plurality of lines, wherein
• the read of the plurality of first electric charge signals is based on a focal-plane readout method,
• the single frame period is between a start of a first exposure in a line of a first subframe of a frame and a termination of a second exposure in a line of a second subframe of the frame, and
• the single frame period corresponds to a specific frame rate;
• reads, in a second readout period of a second subframe period in the single frame period, a plurality of second electric charge signals of the plurality of pixels in each line of the plurality of lines, wherein the read of the plurality of second electric charge signals is based on the focal-plane readout method;
• generates the first subframe image based on the plurality of first electric charge signals;
• and
• generates the second subframe image based on the plurality of second electric charge signals;
• control an emission of an infrared light such that an imaging range is irradiated with the infrared light in an irradiation period and the imaging range is not irradiated with the infrared light in a first period, wherein
• the first period is different from the irradiation period, and
• the irradiation period corresponds to a second period of the first subframe period different from the first readout period;
• execute a first three-dimensional noise reduction (3DNR) processing operation on the first subframe image to obtain a processed first subframe image,
• wherein the first 3DNR processing operation includes a first time-direction processing operation with respect to the first subframe image;
• execute a second 3DNR processing operation on the second subframe image to obtain a processed second subframe image, wherein
• the second 3DNR processing operation includes a second time-direction processing operation with respect to the second subframe image, and
• a feedback factor in the first time-direction processing operation is different from a feedback factor in the second time-direction processing operation;
• and
• generate a color image at the specific frame rate based on the processed first subframe image and the processed second subframe image.