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:
May. 26, 2009
Filed:
Jan. 29, 2008
Takashi Tanimoto, Motosu-gun, JP;
Takayuki Sato, Kochi, JP;
Takashi Tanimoto, Motosu-gun, JP;
Takayuki Sato, Kochi, JP;
Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Moriguchi, JP;
Sanyo Semiconductor Co., Ltd., Ora-gun, JP;
National University Corporation, Kochi, JP;
Abstract
An image pickup apparatus capable of capturing a composite image of a visible-light image and an infrared image of a subject is provided, whereby the configuration is simplified and made more convenient. A visible-light source () and an excitation-light source () for exciting a phosphorescent substance are provided as a light source () for a subject that includes an infrared-fluorescent substance. The light from the subject is passed through an optical filter () and directed into a CCD image sensor (). The optical filter () cuts excitation light and transmits fluorescent light. The transmittance of visible light by the optical filter () is set lower than the transmittance of fluorescent light so that the weak infrared image from the fluorescent light is clearly displayed over the visible-light image. Since the CCD image sensor () is sensitive to infrared light as well as to visible light, an image signal is outputted for the composite image according to the incident light from the optical filter ().