Image input apparatus using projected light

An image input apparatus comprising:

• a projector unit configured to project image pick-up light onto an image object;
• an image pick-up unit configured to pick up an image of the image object;
• a support unit configured to support the image pick-up unit;
• and
• a mover unit configured to move the image pick-up unit relatively with the support unit,
• wherein the projector unit projects a projection light pattern onto the image object,
• the image pick-up unit picks up a projection image containing a visual angle distortion of the projection light pattern, and
• the mover unit moves the image pick-up unit by a very small distance, so that the image pick-up unit picks up a plurality of projection images in image pick-up positions that are only slightly shifted from one another.

An image input method comprising:

• projecting image pickup light onto an image object using a projector unit;
• picking up an image of the image object using an image pick-up unit;
• supporting the image pick-up unit using a support unit;
• and
• moving the image pick-up unit relatively with the support unit using a mover unit,
• wherein the projector unit projects a projection light pattern onto the image object, the image pick-up unit picks up a projection image containing a visual angle distortion of the projection light pattern, the relative position between the projector unit and the image pick-up unit is fixed, and the mover unit causes relative movement of the image pick-up unit so as to pick up a plurality of projection images at different image pick-up locations.

An image input method comprising:

• projecting image pickup light onto an image object using a projector unit;
• picking up an image of the image object using an image pick-up unit;
• supporting the image pick-up unit using a support unit;
• and
• moving the image pick-up unit relatively with the support unit using a mover unit, wherein the projector unit projects a projection light pattern onto the image object, the image pick-up unit picks up a projection image containing a visual angle distortion of the projection light pattern, and the mover unit moves the image pick-up unit by a very small distance, so that the image pick-up unit picks up a plurality of projection images in image pick-up positions that are only slightly shifted from one another.

An image input apparatus comprising:

• means for projecting image pickup light onto an image object;
• means for picking up an image of the image object;
• means for supporting the means for picking up an image;
• and
• means for moving the means for picking up an image relatively with the means for supporting,
• wherein the means for projecting projects a projection light pattern onto the image object, the means for picking up an image picks up a projection image containing a visual angle distortion of the projection light pattern, the relative position between the means for projecting and the means for picking up an image is fixed, and the means for moving causes relative movement of the means for picking up an image so as to pick up a plurality of projection images at different image pick-up locations.