Imaging apparatus, imaging method, integrated circuit, and computer program

An imaging method for capturing an image in such a manner that an in-focus position moves during an exposure time to achieve an extended depth of field, the imaging method comprising:

• accepting input of a focal length;
• determining a moving range of an in-focus position, based on the focal length, the moving range depending on the focal length;
• and
• capturing an image in such a manner that the in-focus position moves in the moving range during an exposure time,
• wherein an extent of the moving range determined in said determining does not exceed an upper bound determined based on the focal length,
• wherein the upper bound includes a first upper bound corresponding to a position at which an image of an object having a predetermined size is captured to a predefined size, and
• wherein the upper bound includes a second upper bound for satisfying a predetermined image quality.

An integrated circuit comprising:

• a moving range determination unit configured to determine a moving range of an in-focus position, based on a focal length indicated by input accepted by an input unit included in an imaging apparatus for capturing an image in such a manner that the in-focus position moves during an exposure time to achieve an extended depth of field, the moving range depending on the focal length;
• and
• an imaging control unit configured to cause the imaging apparatus to capture an image in such a manner that the in-focus position moves in the moving range during the exposure time,
• wherein the moving range determination unit is configured to determine the moving range an extent of which does not exceed an upper bound determined based on the focal length,
• wherein the upper bound includes a first upper bound corresponding to a position at which an image of an object having a predetermined size is captured to a predefined size, and
• wherein the upper bound includes a second upper bound for satisfying a predetermined image quality.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a computer program for causing a computer to execute:

• determining a moving range of an in-focus position, based on a focal length indicated by input accepted by an input unit included in an imaging apparatus for capturing an image in such a manner that the in-focus position moves during an exposure time to achieve an extended depth of field, the moving range depending on the focal length;
• and
• causing the imaging apparatus to capture an image in such a manner that the in-focus position moves in the moving range during the exposure time,
• wherein an extent of the moving range determined in said determining does not exceed an upper bound determined based on the focal length,
• wherein the upper bound includes a first upper bound corresponding to a position at which an image of an object having a predetermined size is captured to a predefined size, and
• wherein the upper bound includes a second upper bound for satisfying a predetermined image quality.