Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Brahm Pal Singh

Katsuhiro Kanamori

Kunio Nobori

Masao Hiramoto

Mikiya Nakata

Hiroyoshi Komobuchi

A polarization image sensor includes: photodiodes arranged on an image capturing plane; a color mosaic filter in which color filters in multiple different colors are arranged to face the photodiodes; an optical low-pass filter which covers the color mosaic filter; and polarization optical elements located closer to a light source than the optical low-pass filter is. Each polarization optical element covers an associated one of the photodiodes and makes light which is polarized in a predetermined direction in a plane that is parallel to the image capturing plane incident onto the optical low-pass filter. The color filters are arranged so that light that has passed through polarization optical elements is transmitted through an associated one of the color filters in a single color. Each color filter covers multiple photodiodes.

Polarization image sensor and endoscope

An exemplary 3D image shooting apparatus comprises: a polarized light source; an image capturing section that sequentially captures an image of the object that is being illuminated with each of plane polarized light rays, and an image processor. The image capturing section includes: a lens; an image sensor; and an incoming light transmitting section which has a transparent area and a plurality of polarization filter areas. The polarization filter areas are arranged outside of the transparent area, generally have a concentric ring shape, and include left and right filter areas so that their polarization transmission axis directions define an angle &#x3b1; (0&#x3c;&#x3b1;&#x3c;90 degrees). The image processing section generates a plurality of images from light that has been transmitted through the transparent area and light that has been transmitted through the plurality of polarization filter areas.

3D image shooting apparatus and endoscope

Prepared first are a mounting substrate having, on its principal surface, a plurality of recesses which correspond in plan configuration to a plurality of functional chips, and a flat plate disposed on the mounting substrate and having a plurality of confinement regions formed of openings, each of which exposes one of the recesses and a peripheral portion of the recess and is designed to confine one of the functional chips. Next, the functional chips are put into the respective confinement regions on the mounting substrate. The mounting substrate having the functional chips thereon is then immersed in a fluid together with the flat plate. Subsequently, the flat plate immersed in the fluid is displaced (vibrated) with the mounting substrate fixed, thereby fitting the functional chips into the recesses in the mounting substrate.

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Osaka, Japan

Brahm Pal Singh