Method, apparatus and program for image processing and method and apparatus for image synthesizing

An image processing system that comprises a projector and an image processing apparatus and that captures an object's image and separates the object's image into multiple components,

• wherein the projector includes a light projecting section for projecting linearly polarized light, which has been emitted from a light source, toward the object, and
• wherein the image processing apparatus includes:
• a color and polarization obtaining section for getting a color polarized image of the object by receiving light that has been transmitted through a polarizer with three or more different polarization principal axis directions at a color filter;
• a color information processing section for generating a color image based on the color polarized image;
• a polarization information processing section for generating color and polarization information based on an association between the intensity of the light that has been transmitted through the polarizer and the polarization principal axis directions for each of unit pixels that form the color polarized image;
• a light source color information collecting section for collecting color information of the light source;
• and
• an image component separating section for separating the color image into multiple components by reference to the color and polarization information and the color information of the light source.

An image processing system that comprises a projector and an image processing apparatus and that captures an object's image and separates the object's image into multiple components,

• wherein the projector includes:
• a light projecting section for projecting linearly polarized light, which has been emitted from a light source, toward the object;
• and
• a communication section for transmitting a signal indicating projection of light to the image processing apparatus, and
• wherein the image processing apparatus includes:
• a communication section for receiving the signal indicating the projection of the light from the projector;
• a color and polarization obtaining section for getting a color polarized image of the object by receiving light that has been transmitted through a polarizer with three or more different polarization principal axis directions at a color filter;
• a color information processing section for generating a color image based on the color polarized image;
• a polarization information processing section for generating color and polarization information based on an association between the intensity of the light that has been transmitted through the polarizer and the polarization principal axis directions for each of unit pixels that form the color polarized image;
• a light source color information collecting section for collecting color information of the light source;
• and
• an image component separating section for separating the color image into multiple components by reference to the color and polarization information and the color information of the light source.

An image processing method for capturing an object's image and separating the object's image into multiple components, the method comprising the steps of:

• projecting linearly polarized light, which has been emitted from a light source, toward the object;
• getting a color polarized image of the object by receiving light that has been transmitted through a polarizer with three or more different polarization principal axis directions at a color filter;
• processing color information to generate a color image based on the color polarized image;
• processing polarization information to generate color and polarization information, which is color information about the polarized light received, based on an association between the intensity of the light that has been transmitted through the polarizer and the polarization principal axis directions for each of unit pixels that form the color polarized image;
• collecting color information of the light source;
• and
• separating the color image into multiple components by reference to the color and polarization information and the color information of the light source.