Image acquisition apparatus and image acquisition method

A method of acquiring an image, the method comprising:

• (a) detecting intensity of light irradiated from a light source on a small area allocated to an area to be imaged;
• (b) integrating the detected intensity of light;
• (c) if an integration value of the integrated intensity of light from a point in time when light is emitted from the light source is greater than a predetermined threshold value, controlling the light source so as to terminate emission of light from the light source;
• (d) starting exposure of the imaging device on which an image of the small area is formed before light is emitted from the light source;
• and
• (e) terminating exposure of the imaging device after emission of light from the light source is terminated;
• and
• (f) repeating steps (a) to (e) for the small areas to acquire the images of the small areas as a divided image from the imaging device wherein each of the small areas are illuminated by the same amount of light.

An image acquisition apparatus comprising:

• an imaging device on which images of a plurality of small areas allocated to an area to be imaged are formed;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory device storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• (a) detect intensity of light irradiated on the small area from a light source;
• (b) integrate the detected intensity of light;
• (c) control the light source to emit light from the light source such that a time interval between start and end of emission becomes constant;
• (d) start exposure of the imaging device before light is emitted from the light source;
• (e) terminate exposure of the imaging device after emission of light from the light source is terminated;
• (f) repeat steps (a) to (e) for the small areas to acquire the images of the small areas as a divided image from the imaging device, wherein each of the small areas are illuminated by the same amount of light;
• (g) correct a luminance value of the divided image such that an integration value of integrated intensity of light at the time when the divided image is captured becomes the same;
• and
• (h) generate one image by combining the corrected divided images.

A method of acquiring an image, the method comprising:

• (a) detecting intensity of light irradiated from a light source on a small area allocated to an area to be imaged;
• (b) integrating the detected intensity of light;
• (c) controlling the light source to emit light such that a time interval between start and end of emission becomes constant;
• (d) starting exposure of the imaging device before light is emitted from the light source;
• (e) terminating exposure of the imaging device after emission of light from the light source is terminated;
• repeating steps (a) to (e) for the small areas to acquire the images of the small areas as a divided image from the imaging device, wherein each of the small areas are illuminated by the same amount of light;
• (g) correcting a luminance value of the divided image such that an integration value of integrated intensity of light at the time when the divided image is captured becomes the same;
• and
• (h) generating one image by combining the corrected divided images.