Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology

Izumi Itoh

Hideaki Hirai

Hiroyoshi Sekiguchi

Masato Takada

Taroh Terashi

Kohji Oshikiri

Yuji Takahashi

Hiroyuki Satoh

Masanori Kobayashi

Hiroaki Fukuda

Shoh Tsuritani

Junichi Takahashi

Motoichi Ohtsu

Shintaroh Kida

Masayuki Fujishima

Kenichi Ishizuka

Shusaku Takasu

Suguru Sangu

Motonobu Kourogi

Shuuichi Nakamura

Takashi Yatsui

Sukehiro Kimura

Ken Shirasaki

Ken Nagai

Akihiro Kawamura

Kenya Fujiwara

An imaging device includes a reflection polarization prism having an incident surface on which illumination light emitted from a light emitter is incident and a transmission surface that passes the illumination light entered the incident surface through one surface of a light-transmitting member, an imager including an image sensor having a first light-receiving portion that receives light from a predetermined imaging area transmitting the light-transmitting member and a second light-receiving portion adjacent to the first light-receiving portion that receives the illumination light reflected on an opposite surface to the one surface of the light-transmitting member, and an optical member that emits the light introduced from the predetermined imaging area to the first light-receiving portion and emits the illumination light reflected on the opposite surface of the light-transmitting member to the second light-receiving portion.

Imaging device, object detector and mobile device control system

To achieve an image pickup element that can utilize polarized light as well as non-polarized light to image or capture an object, an image pickup element is provided to an imaging apparatus that forms an image of an object to be imaged onto a light-receiving surface of an image sensor, acquires a polarized filter image together with a regular luminance image, and executes image processing on the acquired images. The image pickup element includes, on a light-receiving surface LRS of the image sensor IMS, a polarizing filter PFL including at least two kinds of pixels having different transmission and polarization properties from each other.

Image pickup element, imaging apparatus, and image recognition system using non-polarized light

An adhering detection apparatus includes a light source to emit probe light to a light translucent object during an emission period, and to stop an emission of the probe light to the light translucent object during a non-emission period, a light receiver to receive light coming from the light translucent object during the emission period and the non-emission period of the light source, and an adhering detection processor to perform an adhering detection processing for detecting a substance adhering to the light translucent object based on light quantity of the light coming from the light translucent object and received by the light receiver, and to output a detection result of the adhering detection processing. The adhering detection processor selectively performs one or more processes depending on the light quantity of the light received by the light receiver during the non-emission period of the light source.

Adhering detection apparatus, adhering substance detection method, storage medium, and device control system for controlling vehicle-mounted devices

An image capturing apparatus includes a light source to emit first light to a light translucent member, an image sensor to capture an adhering detection frame for acquiring an adhering detection image to detect a substance adhering on the light translucent member by using the first light emitted from the light source, and to capture object recognition frames for acquiring object recognition images for recognizing objects other than the substance by receiving second light, and circuitry to set a frame time of the adhering detection frame shorter than a frame time of each of the object recognition frames, and to set an exposure time of an object recognition frame right after the adhering detection frame to a value that prevents overlapping of an exposure period of the adhering detection frame and an exposure period of the object recognition frame right after the adhering detection frame.

Image capturing apparatus, image capturing method, storage medium, and device control system for controlling vehicle-mounted devices

An attached matter detector includes a light source; an imager receiving transmitted light from a predetermined imaging region on a light-receiving region for an imaging region and imaging an image of the imaging region, and receiving reflected light on a light-receiving region for attached matter detection when light from the light source is reflected by attached matter and imaging an image of the attached matter; a parameter calculator of an image for an attached matter image region calculating a parameter of an image for an attached matter image region as information of an image region of the attached matter; a parameter calculator of an image for an imaging region calculating a parameter of an image for an imaging region as information of the imaging region; and an output device of an attached matter state signal outputting a signal showing a state of the attached matter based on the calculated parameters.

Attached matter detector and in-vehicle device controller using the same

A substance detection apparatus and method including a light source to emit light to a planar transparent member having a proximal first face and a distal second face opposite the first face, the light from the light source first striking the first face of the planar transparent member. The substance detection apparatus and method including an image capture lens, a polarization filter, an image sensor, and a substance detection processor. The light emitted from the light source is reflected at the substance present on the second face of the planar transparent member, and the image sensor receives light reflected from the substance, via the image capture lens and the polarization filter, to capture an image of the substance present on the second face of the planar transparent member.

Detection apparatus and method

An image pickup lens has a focal length far from a position of a transparent member. An image pickup device is put on the side of the transparent member the same as that of a light source and takes reflected light including regular reflection from an interface between an adhered object on the other surface of the transparent member and air. Assuming an incident angle of the emitted light on the transparent member when the light reflected in regular reflection by the other surface of the transparent member is incident on the image pickup lens being &#x3b8;s, an incident angle of a typical light beam of the emitted light falls within &#x3b8;s&#x2212;30 deg through &#x3b8;s and an incident angle of a main element of the emitted light is less than &#x3b8;s.

Image pickup unit and vehicle in which image pickup unit is mounted

A foreign substance detection system includes an optical device having an input surface through which is part of light emitted from a light source enters the optical device and a transparent face, provided in close contact with an inner surface of a glass, to transmit a light reflected from an area where a substance is not present on an outer surface of the glass toward a first light-receiving member; a light-guiding member to guide another part of the light that does not pass through the input surface, the guided light being to be reflected from an area where a substance is present on an inner surface of the glass toward a second light-receiving member; and an foreign substance detection processor to detect an outer substance based on the first light-receiving member and detect the inner substance based on the second light-receiving member.

Foreign substance detection device, moving body control system including foreign substance detection device, and moving body including moving body control system

A polarization control device includes a support substrate on which a metal compound structure is formed. The metal compound structure is formed with at least two metal fine structures arranged periodically in a range equal to or smaller than a wavelength of an incident light.

Polarization control device

An optical detection device image is disclosed that allows fast measurements using near-field light at high resolution and high efficiency but without necessity of position alignment of an optical fiber probe. The optical detection device includes an optical fiber probe having a core for propagating light with an optical probe being formed at a front end of the core; a movement control unit to move the optical fiber probe to approach or depart from a sample; and a detection unit to detect light from the sample surface, wherein on the front end surface of the core of the optical probe, there are a first exit section on a peripheral side for emitting propagating light and a second exit section for seeping out the near-field light, the first exit section and the second exit section are formed in a concentric manner, and the tilt angle of the first exit section is different from the tilt angle of the second exit section.

Optical fiber probe, optical detection device, and optical detection method

An optical fiber probe is disclosed that comprises an optical fiber and an optical probe. The optical fiber includes a core though which light emitted from a light source travels. The optical probe is configured to emit the light from a projecting end portion of the core. An inclination angle of a normal line of a part or all of a surface of the optical probe with respect to an optical axis of propagating light that travels through the core is smaller than a total reflection angle of the propagation light but greater than zero degrees.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Izumi Itoh