Image generating apparatus and image generating method

An image generating apparatus that generates an image of a translucent material, comprising:

• a light source group made up of a plurality of light sources, including a first light source that illuminates a material, and a second light source that illuminates the material from a position separated from the first light source by a certain distance;
• an image sensor on which the material is disposed;
• a mask including a light-transmitting part that transmits light from the first light source and the second light source, and a light-blocking part that blocks the light;
• and
• a processing circuit, wherein
• the image sensor
• (a) acquires a first image of the material when illuminated by the first light source,
• (b) acquires a second image of the material when illuminated by the second light source,
• (c) acquires a fourth image of the material when illuminated by a light source included in the light source group,
• the first image and the second image being acquired through the mask positioned between the image sensor, and the first light source and the second light source, and the fourth image being acquired without going through the mask, and
• the processing circuit selects an image having a large luminance value or an image having a small luminance value from among the first image and the second image, and derives a difference based on the selected image and the fourth image to thereby generate a fifth image of the material.

An image generating method that generates an image of a translucent material using

• a first light source that illuminates the material,
• a second light source that illuminates the material from a position separated from the first light source by a certain distance,
• an image sensor on which the material is disposed, and
• a mask including a light-transmitting part that transmits light from the first light source and the second light source, and a light-blocking part that blocks the light, the mask being positioned between the image sensor, and the first light source and the second light source,
• the method comprising:
• (a) acquiring, with the image sensor, a first image of the material when illuminated by the first light source;
• (b) acquiring, with the image sensor, a second image of the material when illuminated by the second light source;
• and
• (c) generating a third image of the material by deriving a difference between a luminance value of a pixel included in the first image and a luminance value of a pixel included in the second image at a same position as the pixel included in the first image.

An image generating method that generates an image of a translucent material using

• a light source group made up of a plurality of light sources, including a first light source that illuminates a material, and a second light source that illuminates the material from a position separated from the first light source by a certain distance,
• an image sensor on which the material is disposed, and
• a mask including a light-transmitting part that transmits light from the first light source and the second light source, and a light-blocking part that blocks the light,
• the method comprising:
• (a) disposing the mask between the image sensor, and the first light source and the second light source;
• (b) acquiring, with the image sensor, a first image of the material when illuminated by the first light source in a state in which the mask is disposed;
• (c) acquiring, with the image sensor, a second image of the material when illuminated by the second light source in a state in which the mask is disposed;
• (d) removing the mask from in between the image sensor, and the first light source and the second light source;
• (e) acquiring, with the image sensor, a fourth image of the material when illuminated by a light source included in the light source group, in a state in which the mask is removed;
• (f) selecting an image having a large luminance value or an image having a small luminance value from among the first image and the second image;
• and
• (g) deriving a difference based on the selected image and the fourth image to thereby generate a fifth image of the material.

An image generating apparatus, comprising:

• an image sensor including a first pixel;
• light sources including a first light source and a second light source;
• a mask provided between an outer surface of the image sensor and the light sources;
• and
• a controller,
• wherein the mask includes first continuous regions and second continuous regions,
• wherein the first continuous regions transmit light emitted from the light sources,
• wherein the second continuous regions block the light emitted from the light sources,
• wherein the first continuous regions include a first continuous area and a second continuous area, and the second continuous regions include a third continuous area and a fourth continuous area,
• wherein the first continuous area is provided between the third continuous area and the fourth continuous area;
• and the fourth continuous area is provided between the first continuous area and the second continuous area,
• wherein the first continuous area touches the third continuous area and the fourth continuous area, and the fourth continuous area touches the second continuous area,
• wherein, on a plane including a cross section of the first continuous area, a cross section of the second continuous area, a cross section of the third continuous area, a cross section of the fourth continuous area, a cross section of the first pixel, a cross section of the first light source, and a cross section of the second light source,
• (i) a first line includes a first point on the cross section of the first light source and a second point on the cross section of the second light source,
• (ii) the first point is provided between a first intersection and a second intersection, and the second point is provided between a third intersection and the second intersection,
• (iii) the first intersection is an intersection of the first line and a second line, the second intersection is an intersection of the first line and a third line, and the third intersection is an intersection of the first line and a fourth line, and
• (iv) the second line includes a third point on the cross section of the first pixel and a point on a border of the cross section of the first continuous area and the cross section of the third continuous area, the third line includes the third point and a point on a border of the cross section of the first continuous area and the cross section of the fourth continuous area, and the fourth line includes the third point and a point on a border of the cross section of the fourth continuous area and the cross section of the second continuous area,
• wherein the controller causes the first light source to emit light without causing the light sources except the first light source to emit light, during a first period,
• wherein the controller causes the first pixel to obtain a first pixel value during the first period,
• wherein the controller causes the second light source to emit light without causing the light sources except the second light source to emit light, during a second period,
• wherein the controller causes the first pixel source to obtain a second pixel value during the second period, and
• wherein the controller generates image data using the first pixel value and the second pixel value.