# US 2018/0025475 A1 · Image generating apparatus and image generating method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0025475 A1 - Document ID: US20180025475A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/641,322 - Filed: 2017-07-05 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: YUMIKO KATO; YOSHIHIDE SAWADA; YASUHIRO MUKAIGAWA; TAKUYA FUNATOMI; HIROYUKI KUBO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025475A1 ## CPC - G06T 5/70: Denoising; Smoothing - G02B 21/06: Means for illuminating specimens - G02B 21/367: {providing an output produced by processing a plurality of individual source images, e.g. image tiling, montage, composite images, depth sectioning, image comparison} - G06T 5/50: using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - H04N 25/44: by partially reading an SSIS array - G06T 2207/10056: Microscopic image - G06T 2207/10152: Varying illumination - G06T 2207/30024: Cell structures in vitro; Tissue sections in vitro - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image generating apparatus is provided with: first and second light sources that illuminate a material; an image sensor on which the material is disposed; a mask which includes a light-transmitting part that transmits light and a light-blocking part that blocks light, and which is positioned between the image sensor and the first and second light sources; and a light and dark image processing unit. The image sensor acquires first and second images of the material when illuminated by the first and second light sources, respectively. The light and dark image processing unit derives 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 the same position as the pixel included in the first image, and thereby generates a third image of the material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image generating apparatus that generates an image of a translucent material, comprising: 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; 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; and a processing circuit, wherein the image sensor acquires a first image of the material when illuminated by the first light source, and acquires a second image of the material when illuminated by the second light source, and the processing circuit generates 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a partial region of a photosensitive surface of the image sensor acquires the first image in a state in which the light-transmitting part of the mask is disposed between the first light source that illuminates the material and the region, and acquires the second image in a state in which the light-blocking part of the mask is disposed between the second light source that illuminates the material, and the region. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a partial region of a photosensitive surface of the image sensor acquires a plurality of images with different luminance values, including the first image and the second image, when each of a plurality of light sources, including the first light source and the second light source, successively illuminates the material, and the processing circuit selects, as the first image from among the plurality of images, an image including a maximum luminance value, being an image acquired by the image sensor when the first light source is illuminating the material, and selects, as the second image from among the plurality of images, an image including a minimum luminance value, being an image acquired by the image sensor when the second light source is illuminating the material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The image generating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first light source is positioned one half-period away from the second light source, a partial region of a photosensitive surface of the image sensor acquires an image including a maximum luminance value and an image including a minimum luminance value in a case in which each of a plurality of light sources, including the first light source and the second light source, successively illuminates the material, the processing circuit selects an image group with less variance in luminance value from between a first image group including a maximum luminance image containing a maximum luminance value, and a second image group including a minimum luminance image containing a minimum luminance value, (i) if the selected image group is the first image group, the processing circuit selects, as the first image from among the first image group, an image including a maximum luminance value, being an image acquired by the image sensor when the first light source is illuminating the material, and selects, as the second image, an image acquired by the image sensor when the second light source is illuminating the material, (ii) if the selected image group is the second image group, the processing circuit selects, as the second image from among the second image group, an image including a minimum luminance value, being an image acquired by the image sensor when the second light source is illuminating the material, and selects, as the first image, an image acquired by the image sensor when the first light source is illuminating the material. ### Claim 5 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of the first image, the second image, the fourth image, and the fifth image includes a luminance value corresponding to a same pixel included in the image sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The image generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein there is a 1:1 area ratio of the light-transmitting part and the light-blocking part in the mask. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the processing circuit generates the luminance value of the fifth image by deriving a difference between double the luminance value of the selected image, and the luminance value of the fourth image. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image generating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein if the image including a large luminance value is selected from among the first image and the second image, the processing circuit generates the luminance value of the fifth image by subtracting the luminance value of the fourth image from double the luminance value of the selected image. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The image generating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein if the image including a small luminance value is selected from among the first image and the second image, the processing circuit generates the luminance value of the fifth image by subtracting double the luminance value of the selected image from the luminance value of the fourth image. ### Claim 11 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The image generating method according to claim 11, wherein in (a), a partial region of a photosensitive surface of the image sensor acquires the first image in a state in which the light-transmitting part of the mask is disposed between the first light source that illuminates the material and the region, and in (b), a partial region of a photosensitive surface of the image sensor acquires the second image in a state in which the light-blocking part of the mask is disposed between the second light source that illuminates the material, and the region. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image generating method according to claim 12, wherein in (a) and (b), a partial region of a photosensitive surface of the image sensor acquires a plurality of images with different luminance values, including the first image and the second image, when each of a plurality of light sources, including the first light source and the second light source, successively illuminates the material, and in (c), an image including a maximum luminance value, being an image acquired by the image sensor when the first light source is illuminating the material, is selected as the first image from among the plurality of images, and an image including a minimum luminance value, being an image acquired by the image sensor when the second light source is illuminating the material is selected as the second image from among the plurality of images. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The image generating method according to claim 12, wherein the first light source is positioned one half-period away from the second light source, in (a) and (b), a partial region of a photosensitive surface of the image sensor acquires a plurality of images, including the first image and second image, by acquiring an image including a maximum luminance value and an image including a minimum luminance value when each of a plurality of light sources, including the first light source and the second light source, successively illuminates the material, in (c), an image group with less variance in luminance value is selected from between a first image group including a maximum luminance image containing a maximum acquired luminance value, and a second image group including a minimum luminance image containing a minimum acquired luminance value, and (i) if the selected image group is the first image group, an image including a maximum luminance value, being an image acquired by the image sensor when the first light source is illuminating the material, is selected as the first image from among the first image group, and an image acquired by the image sensor when the second light source is illuminating the material is selected as the second image, and (ii) if the selected image group is the second image group, an image including a minimum luminance value, being an image acquired by the image sensor when the second light source is illuminating the material is selected as the second image from among the second image group, and an image acquired by the image sensor when the first light source is illuminating the material is selected as the first image. ### Claim 15 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The image generating method according to claim 15, wherein each of the first image, the second image, the fourth image, and the fifth image includes a luminance value corresponding to a same pixel included in the image sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The image generating method according to claim 15, wherein there is a 1:1 area ratio of the light-transmitting part and the light-blocking part in the mask. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The image generating method according to claim 17, wherein in (g), the luminance value of the fifth image is generated by deriving a difference between double the luminance value of the selected image, and the luminance value of the fourth image. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The image generating method according to claim 18, wherein in (g), if the image including a large luminance value is selected from among the first image and the second image, the luminance value of the fifth image is generated by subtracting the luminance value of the fourth image from double the luminance value of the selected image. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The image generating method according to claim 18, wherein in (g), if the image including a small luminance value is selected from among the first image and the second image, the luminance value of the fifth image is generated by subtracting double the luminance value of the selected image from the luminance value of the fourth image. ### Claim 21 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.