The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 25, 2008
Filed:
Jul. 08, 2005
Koichi Yoshikawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Koichi Yoshikawa, Kanagawa, JP;
Sony Corporation, , JP;
Abstract
The present invention provides an imaging apparatus capable of imaging a wide area, controlling parallax to achieve an excellent image quality, and utilizing an imaging element with a relatively large package. The imaging apparatus for imaging a wide area as a subject by dividing the subject into a plurality of subject portions and respectively imaging the subject portions using a plurality of imaging meansis configured such that the imaging meansincludes lensesA,B, and imaging element; respective NP pointsof the a plurality of imaging meansare concentrated within a minute radius region based on one of the NP points as a center; an optical elementhaving a reflection function is arranged behind a refraction surface of the lenslocated at the nearest position from the subject in each of the imaging means; the imaging elementis arranged behind the optical elementhaving the reflection function and outside of a space formed by straight lines which pass from the NP pointto circumferential portions in respective directions of the lens; and light beams bent by the optical elementhaving the reflection function are detected by the imaging element