Imaging system module and imaging device

Abstract

To provide an imaging system module with improved practicality.SOLUTION: An imaging system module includes a lens, a liquid crystal panel, and a cylindrical member that internally supports the lens and the liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal panel forms a geometric pattern by controlling the voltage applied to the electrodes. The panel surface of the liquid crystal panel has a regular N-gon shape (N is a natural number of 4 or more). The geometric pattern includes a first aperture pattern and a second aperture pattern that can be used for stereo imaging. The first opening is formed in one of two regions sandwiching a specific circular region on the panel surface and separated by a distance longer than the diameter of the circular region, and the second opening is formed in the other of the two regions. The circular region has its center on the central axis of the cylindrical member and has the following diameter φ1. φ1=√2×r-2×d, where r: a radius inside the cylinder, d: the shortest distance from the edge of an array substrate to a circular electrode corresponding to the above circular area in terms of manufacturing design.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an imaging module and an imaging device. [Background technology]

[0002] In the field of coded imaging, a technique called DFD (Depth From Defocus) is known. DFD is a technique that estimates the distance from the optical system of the imaging device to the subject, i.e., the depth or perspective of the subject, based on the degree of blurring of edges in the captured image.

[0003] The DFD technique is described in, for example, Non-Patent Document 1. In the DFD technique, coded imaging is performed in which a mask called a coded aperture is placed in the light entrance region of an optical system to capture an image of a subject. Next, the captured image obtained by the coded imaging is subjected to a decoding process based on a point spread function specific to the mask, and the depth of the subject is estimated. The point spread function is generally called a PSF (Point Spread Function), and is also called a blur function, blur spread function, or point image distribution function. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] "Coded Aperture Pairs for Depth from Defocus and Defocus Deblurring" C. Zhou, S. Lin and SK Nayar, International Journal of Computer Vision, Vol. 93, No. 1, pp. 53, May. 2011. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] DFD technology is still in its infancy, and there is much room for improvement in its practicality.Similarly, there is also much room for improvement in the practicality of the imaging device used for coded imaging or the imaging modules that make up the imaging device.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging module and an imaging device with improved practicality. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Among the inventions disclosed in this application, the representative inventions will be outlined below.

[0008] A representative embodiment of the present invention comprises a lens, a liquid crystal panel having a panel surface perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens, and a cylindrical member having a cylindrical shape and supporting the lens and the liquid crystal panel inside the cylinder, wherein the liquid crystal panel comprises an array substrate, a counter substrate, an array substrate-side electrode, an array substrate-side alignment film, a counter substrate-side electrode, a counter substrate-side alignment film, liquid crystals present between the array substrate and the counter substrate, and a seal provided between the array substrate and the counter substrate for sealing the liquid crystal, and wherein the liquid crystal panel displays a designated geometric pattern under control of voltages applied to the array substrate-side electrode and the counter substrate-side electrode. the panel surface has a regular N-sided polygonal shape, where N is a natural number equal to or greater than 4, the geometric pattern includes a pattern in which a first opening which is a light passing region is formed, and a pattern in which a second opening which is also a light passing region is formed, the first opening is formed in one of two regions on either side of a specific circular region on the panel surface and separated by a distance longer than the diameter of the specific circular region, and the second opening is formed in the other of the two regions, the specific circular region has a center on the central axis inside the cylinder and has a diameter φ1 given by the following formula: φ1=√2×r-2×d √2: the positive square root of 2, r: the radius of the cylinder interior, d: When the seal is placed within the area of ​​the opposing substrate, an alignment film is placed inside the frame formed by the seal, a circular electrode is placed within the area of ​​the alignment film, and a flexible circuit board connected to the array substrate side electrode and the opposing substrate side electrode is placed on one end edge of the array substrate, the shortest distance from the edge of the one end edge in a direction parallel to the panel surface to the circular electrode in terms of manufacturing design.

[0009] A representative embodiment of the present invention includes an imaging system module and an arithmetic and control unit, the imaging system module including a lens, a liquid crystal panel having a panel surface perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens, a cylindrical member having a cylindrical shape and supporting the lens and the liquid crystal panel inside the cylinder, and an imaging element that receives light from a subject that has passed through the lens and the liquid crystal panel, the liquid crystal panel including an array substrate, a counter substrate, an array substrate-side electrode, an array substrate-side alignment film, a counter substrate-side electrode, a counter substrate-side alignment film, liquid crystal present between the array substrate and the counter substrate, and a seal provided between the array substrate and the counter substrate that seals the liquid crystal, a specified geometric pattern is formed under control of a voltage applied to a substrate-side electrode and the counter-substrate-side electrode, the panel surface having a regular N-sided polygonal shape, N being a natural number of 4 or more, the geometric pattern including a pattern in which a first opening which is a light passage region is formed and a pattern in which a second opening which is also a light passage region is formed, the first opening being formed in one of two regions on either side of a specific circular region on the panel surface and spaced apart by a distance longer than the diameter of the specific circular region, the second opening being formed in the other of the two regions, the specific circular region having a center on the central axis inside the cylinder and having a diameter φ1 expressed by the following formula: φ1=√2×r-2×d √2: the positive square root of 2, r: radius of the cylinder interior, d: In the case where the seal is placed within the area of ​​the counter substrate, an alignment film is placed inside the frame formed by the seal, a circular electrode is placed within the area of ​​the alignment film, and a flexible circuit board connected to the array substrate side electrode and the counter substrate side electrode is placed on one edge of the array substrate, the shortest distance from the edge of the one edge in a direction parallel to the panel surface to the circular electrode in terms of manufacturing design, The calculation control unit is an imaging device that controls the imaging system module and the imaging element so that stereo imaging is performed using the first aperture and the second aperture, and calculates a depth estimate of the subject based on the captured image obtained by the stereo imaging. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a reference imaging module. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a liquid crystal panel in a reference imaging module. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a liquid crystal panel in a reference imaging module. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of the internal configuration of a cylindrical member in a reference imaging module. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a main part of a liquid crystal panel in a reference imaging module. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an imaging module according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a front view of the liquid crystal panel according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal panel according to a first embodiment. [Figure 9] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating an example of the internal configuration of a cylindrical member in the imaging system module according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a main part of a liquid crystal panel according to a first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a liquid crystal panel according to a first modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a liquid crystal panel according to a second modified example. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a liquid crystal panel according to a third modified example. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a liquid crystal panel according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an imaging module according to a second embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a front view of a liquid crystal panel according to a second embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal panel according to a second embodiment. [Figure 18] 10 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a cylindrical member in an imaging system module according to a second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a main part of a liquid crystal panel according to a second embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an imaging device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an arithmetic and control unit according to the third embodiment. [Figure 22] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating application examples of the imaging device according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] <Background of the study by the inventors> Before describing the embodiments of the present invention, the background of the study by the inventors will be described.

[0012] The manner in which an object is blurred in a captured image generally depends on the point spread function, which is determined by the optical system of the imaging device, the shape of the light entrance region of the optical system, etc. When a mask that forms a coded aperture that partially blocks light is installed in the light entrance region of the optical system, the point spread function depends on the geometric pattern of the mask. Imaging an object with an imaging device installed with a mask is called coded imaging. When coded imaging of an object is performed, a blurred image based on the point spread function specific to the mask used is obtained as the captured image.

[0013] When this blurred image is decoded, a decoded image with reduced blur and depth information for each position of the object contained in the decoded image are obtained. Here, the decoding process refers to a process of performing deconvolution based on a point spread function specific to the mask used.

[0014] Meanwhile, the present inventors have been studying an imaging device capable of obtaining a captured image necessary for estimating the depth (depth) of a subject. The present inventors have studied a configuration in which a lens and a liquid crystal panel are supported inside a cylindrical member as an imaging module constituting this imaging device. The liquid crystal panel can function as a coded aperture or the like depending on the geometric pattern formed on it. The present inventors have confirmed that the adoption of such an imaging module poses various limitations in manufacturing and design. Below, the configuration of a reference imaging module and its limitations in manufacturing and design are described in detail.

[0015] <Example of standard imaging module configuration> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a reference imaging module. The example of the configuration of the reference imaging module 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a configuration that is considered to be general when a liquid crystal panel is used to form a coded aperture in the imaging module 1. The left diagram of FIG. 1 is a front configuration diagram of the reference imaging module, which schematically shows an example of the configuration when the module is viewed in the direction of the optical axis. The right diagram of FIG. 1 is a side configuration diagram of the reference imaging module, which schematically shows an example of the configuration when the module is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the imaging module 1 includes a first lens 11, a second lens 12, a liquid crystal panel 13, an aperture mechanism 14, a cylindrical member 15, and an imaging element 16.

[0017] The first lens 11 is disposed on the subject side and collects light emitted or reflected from the subject. The second lens 12 is disposed on the opposite side from the subject side, on the optical axis Z of the first lens 11. The liquid crystal panel 13 is disposed between the first lens 11 and the second lens 12. The liquid crystal panel 13 forms a specified aperture pattern under external control. When coded imaging is performed, the liquid crystal panel 13 forms a coded aperture.

[0018] The aperture mechanism 14 is controlled externally and changes the aperture value, i.e., the size of the aperture, so that an image is captured at a set exposure level. The cylindrical member 15 has a cylindrical shape and supports the first lens 11, the second lens 12, the liquid crystal panel 13, and the aperture mechanism 14 inside the cylinder. The cylindrical member 15 is also called a lens barrel. The image sensor 16 is disposed on the optical axis Z of the first lens 11 and the second lens 12, receives light that has passed through the first lens 11 and the second lens 12 on its light-receiving surface, performs photoelectric conversion, and outputs captured image data. The image sensor 16 is also called an image sensor.

[0019] 2 and 3 are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a liquid crystal panel in a reference imaging system module. FIG. 2 is a front view of the liquid crystal panel 13, showing an example of the configuration when the panel is viewed in the optical axis direction. FIG. 3 is a side view of the liquid crystal panel 13, showing the AB cross section of the liquid crystal panel 13 in FIG. 2. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the liquid crystal panel 13 has an array substrate 131, a counter substrate 132, an array substrate-side electrode 133, an array substrate-side alignment film 134, a counter substrate-side electrode 135, a counter substrate-side alignment film 136, a seal 137, liquid crystal 138, and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) 139.

[0020] The array substrate 131 is a glass substrate provided with an electrical circuit function that drives the liquid crystal 138. The counter substrate 132 is a glass substrate disposed opposite the array substrate 131. The seal 137 is disposed in close contact between the array substrate 131 and the counter substrate 132 and has a frame-like shape that surrounds a certain area. The array substrate-side electrode 133 is disposed on the substrate surface of the array substrate 131 that faces the counter substrate 132. The counter substrate-side electrode 135 is disposed on the substrate surface of the counter substrate 132 that faces the array substrate 131. The array substrate-side electrode 133 is disposed on the surface of the array substrate 131 that is located inside the seal 137. The counter substrate-side electrode 135 is disposed on the surface of the counter substrate 132 that is located inside the seal 137. The array substrate-side electrode 133 and the counter substrate-side electrode 135 are so-called transparent electrodes that allow light to pass through.

[0021] The array substrate-side electrode 133 arranged on the array substrate 131 side is composed of, for example, a single electrode that extends over an area corresponding to the counter substrate-side electrode 135 or a wider area. On the other hand, the counter substrate-side electrode 135 arranged on the counter substrate 132 side is composed of, for example, a circular electrode divided into multiple partial electrodes. Note that the positional relationship between the array substrate-side electrode 133 and the counter substrate-side electrode 135 may be reversed.

[0022] The array substrate 131 and the counter substrate 132 generally have rectangular plate surfaces. This is because the method of cutting a single large transparent substrate into a grid pattern to produce multiple substrates is efficient and extremely common. In other words, substrates with plate surfaces other than rectangular are uncommon because cutting them out requires a lot of work. In the liquid crystal panel 13 of this reference imaging module 1, the array substrate 131 has a square substrate surface, and the counter substrate 132 has a rectangular substrate surface that is slightly shorter than the array substrate 131.

[0023] A flexible circuit board 139 is provided on one edge of the array substrate 131. A plurality of OLB (Outer Lead Bonding) pads 1391 are provided near the flexible circuit board 139 on the array substrate 131, and are each electrically connected to the flexible circuit board 139. Some of the OLB pads 1391 are connected to the array substrate-side electrodes 133 via signal lines 1393. In addition, transfer pads 1392 are provided on the counter substrate 132. Some of the OLB pads 1391 are connected to each partial electrode of the counter substrate-side electrode 135 via these transfer pads 1392 and signal lines 1393. Therefore, the voltages applied to the array substrate-side electrodes 133 and the counter substrate-side electrodes 135 can be controlled by a circuit connected via the flexible circuit board 139.

[0024] Whether or not a predetermined voltage is applied is controlled between each of the plurality of electrodes constituting the array substrate side electrode 133 and the counter substrate side electrode 135. By controlling the voltage applied to the electrodes in this way, the area corresponding to each partial electrode can be switched between a light-blocking area and a light-passing area, and an opening of a specified geometric pattern is formed.

[0025] The array substrate-side alignment film 134 is disposed so as to cover the array substrate-side electrodes 133 disposed on the array substrate 131. The counter substrate-side alignment film 136 is disposed so as to cover the counter substrate-side electrodes 135 disposed on the counter substrate 132. These alignment films are made of, for example, polyimide.

[0026] The liquid crystal 138 is filled in a space surrounded by the array substrate side alignment film 134 , the counter substrate side alignment film 136 , and the seal 137 .

[0027] <Problems discovered by the present inventors> Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a cylindrical member in a reference imaging module, and Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a main part of a liquid crystal panel in a reference imaging module.

[0028] 4, the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13 is disposed so as to be inscribed within the cylindrical inner surface 151 of the cylindrical member 15. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, when the liquid crystal panel 13 is viewed in the optical axis direction (direction along the z direction), it can be seen that one end side 132e of the counter substrate 132 is located inside one end side 131e of the array substrate 131, and that a seal 137 is located inside one end side 132e of the counter substrate 132. It can also be seen that a counter substrate-side alignment film 136 is located inside the seal 137, and that a counter substrate-side electrode 135 is located inside the counter substrate-side alignment film 136.

[0029] Here, the liquid crystal panel 13 is disposed so as to be inscribed within the cylindrical inner surface of the cylindrical member 15. The array substrate 131 is square, and the counter-substrate electrode 135 is circular. The reason for making the counter-substrate electrode 135 circular is to prevent density unevenness from occurring in the aperture pattern formed in the liquid crystal panel 13. Typically, in the liquid crystal panel 13, multiple spacers are provided between the array substrate 131 and the counter-substrate 132 to equalize the distance between the substrates and suppress density unevenness in the formed geometric pattern. However, if the counter-substrate electrode 135 is polygonal or elliptical, it becomes difficult to arrange the spacers around the electrode at equal intervals in the substrate surface direction, making the above-mentioned density unevenness more likely to occur.

[0030] When the liquid crystal panel 13 is viewed in the optical axis direction (direction along the y direction), if the inner radius of the cylindrical member 15 is r and the shortest distance from one end edge 131e of the array substrate 131 to the end of the counter substrate side electrode 135 is d, the diameter φ1 of the counter substrate side electrode 135 can be expressed by the following equation (1).

[0031]

number

[0032] As shown in FIG. 5, the shortest distance d from one end side 131e of the array substrate 131 to the counter substrate side electrode 135 is expressed as the sum of distances d1 to d5.

[0033] Distance d1 is the minimum necessary distance from one end edge 131e of the array substrate 131 on the side where the flexible circuit board is arranged to one end edge 132e of the counter substrate 132 on the same side, and corresponds to the width of the mounting portion of the flexible circuit board. Distance d2 is the minimum necessary distance from one end edge 132e of the counter substrate 132 to the end of the seal 137. Distance d3 is the minimum necessary width of the seal 137, i.e., the minimum distance necessary as the width of the frame band formed by the seal 137. Distance d4 is the minimum necessary distance from the end of the seal 137 to the end of the counter substrate-side alignment film 136. Distance d5 is the minimum necessary distance from the end of the counter substrate-side alignment film 136 to the end of the specific circular region 1340R.

[0034] As described above, the minimum values ​​of these distances d1 to d5 are determined for convenience in the manufacturing and design of liquid crystal panel 13. Therefore, the distance d, which is the sum of distances d1 to d5, can be considered to be a substantially fixed value, assuming that it takes the minimum value, as long as the manufacturing environment of the liquid crystal panel is the same.

[0035] As described above, there is a limit to how small the distance d from the end of the array substrate 131 to the counter-substrate-side electrode 135 can be. The inner radius r of the cylindrical member 15 is determined by the size of the cylindrical member 15. Therefore, even if it is desired to make the diameter φ1 of the counter-substrate-side electrode 135 larger than that of the cylindrical member 15, it cannot be made larger because the substrate surface of the array substrate 131 is rectangular and the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13 is also rectangular. In other words, in the imaging system module 1, the size of the counter-substrate-side electrode 135 of the liquid crystal panel 13 cannot be made sufficiently large relative to the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical member 15.

[0036] Meanwhile, as a method for estimating the depth of a subject, in addition to the method using coded imaging, there is also a method using stereo imaging. In this method using stereo imaging, the same subject is generally captured using two imaging devices located at different positions, and the depth of the subject is estimated using triangulation based on the parallax of the subject in the two captured images. On the other hand, considering the principle of stereo imaging, two imaging devices are not necessarily required to obtain two captured images that generate parallax of the subject. In other words, two captured images that generate parallax of the subject can be obtained even if two types of apertures with different aperture positions are used in one imaging device.

[0037] Therefore, for example, a first electrode corresponding to the first opening and a second electrode corresponding to the second opening are incorporated into the liquid crystal panel 13, so that a first opening pattern and a second opening pattern are formed. Then, the depth of the subject may be estimated using an image captured when the first opening pattern is formed and an image captured when the second opening pattern is formed. In this case, it is natural to form the electrodes corresponding to those openings within the range of the circular region corresponding to the counter substrate side electrode 135.

[0038] However, if the areas of these two types of openings are limited within the range of the circular area corresponding to the counter substrate side electrode 135, the base length, which is the distance between the two types of openings, is limited, and the parallax of the subject in the captured image cannot be increased. If the parallax is not large, there is a problem that when estimating the depth of the subject based on the captured image, the estimation error becomes large, which impairs practicality.

[0039] The present inventors have devised the present invention after extensive research in light of the above circumstances. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the embodiment described below is an example for carrying out the present invention, and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In the following embodiments, components having the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated description thereof will be omitted unless particularly necessary.

[0040] (First embodiment) <Outline of the imaging module according to the first embodiment> An imaging module according to the first embodiment will be described. In the imaging module according to the first embodiment, the panel surface of the liquid crystal panel has a rectangular shape. The geometric patterns formed on the liquid crystal panel include a pattern in which a first opening is formed and a pattern in which a second opening is formed.

[0041] The first opening is formed in one of two areas on the panel surface that are spaced apart by a distance greater than the diameter of the specific circular area, and the second opening is formed in the other of the two areas.

[0042] The specific circular area has a center on the central axis of the cylindrical member that supports the lens and the liquid crystal panel, and has a substantially perfect circular shape. The specific circular area has a diameter that is the shortest distance from one end side of the array substrate on the side where the flexible circuit board is disposed to the specific circular area in terms of manufacturing design.

[0043] The first and second apertures function as apertures in the imaging system and are used for so-called stereo imaging. The two images with parallax obtained by stereo imaging are used to estimate the depth of the object using triangulation.

[0044] <Configuration of the imaging module according to the first embodiment> FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an imaging module according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 6, components that are not directly visible from the outside are also drawn with solid lines to facilitate understanding of the configuration of the imaging module. As shown in FIG. 6, an imaging module 1a according to the first embodiment includes a first lens 11, a second lens 12, a liquid crystal panel 13a, an aperture mechanism 14, a cylindrical member 15, and an imaging element 16. Note that the imaging element 16 may be separated from the imaging module 1a. The first lens 11 or the second lens 12 may be omitted as necessary. Furthermore, if the liquid crystal panel 13a has an aperture function, the aperture mechanism 14 may be omitted as necessary.

[0045] As shown in Figure 6, for convenience, this specification defines x, y, and z directions that are orthogonal to each other in the space in which the imaging system module 1a is placed. The x direction is the width direction of the liquid crystal panel 13a. The y direction is the length direction of the liquid crystal panel 13a, i.e., the height direction. The z direction is the direction perpendicular to the panel surface of the liquid crystal panel 13a and parallel to the central axis inside the cylinder of the cylindrical member 15.

[0046] The first lens 11 and the second lens 12 collect light from a subject and form an image of the subject on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 16. The cylindrical member 15 has a cylindrical shape and supports the first lens 11, the second lens 12, the liquid crystal panel 13a, and the aperture mechanism 14 inside the cylinder. The panel surface of the liquid crystal panel 13a is perpendicular to the optical axis Z of the first lens 11 and the second lens 12.

[0047] <Configuration example of liquid crystal panel according to first embodiment> Fig. 7 is a front view of the liquid crystal panel according to the first embodiment. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal panel according to the first embodiment. Fig. 7 shows a view of the liquid crystal panel 13a as viewed along the z direction parallel to its optical axis. Fig. 8 shows an AB cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal panel 13a shown in Fig. 7 as viewed along the x direction.

[0048] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the liquid crystal panel 13a has an array substrate 131, a counter substrate 132, an array substrate side electrode 133, an array substrate side alignment film 134, a counter substrate side electrode 135, a counter substrate side alignment film 136, a seal 137, and liquid crystal 138.

[0049] The array substrate 131 has a flat substrate surface corresponding to the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13a. The panel surface 131p of the array substrate 131 has a square (regular rectangle) shape when viewed in the z direction. It is assumed that the array substrate 131 is obtained, for example, by dicing a single semiconductor substrate by machine. It is also assumed that the liquid crystal panel 13a is arranged so that the array substrate 131, which is a component thereof, is inscribed in the cylindrical member 15. Therefore, it is one preferable example that the array substrate 131 has a square shape.

[0050] The counter substrate 132 is disposed so as to face the array substrate 131. A flexible circuit board 139 is disposed in a region near one end of the substrate surface of the array substrate 131 that faces the counter substrate 132. Here, it is assumed that the flexible circuit board 139 is mounted in a region near one short side located on the lower side in the y direction. Note that here, the side of the array substrate 131 on which the flexible circuit board 139 is disposed is referred to as the first side.

[0051] The substrate surface of the counter substrate 132 has a rectangular shape when viewed in the z direction. Specifically, the substrate surface of the counter substrate 132 has a shape obtained by cutting out a rectangular portion including a region on the first side, where the flexible circuit board 139 is arranged, from the square substrate surface of the array substrate 131.

[0052] An array substrate-side electrode 133 is arranged on the substrate surface of the array substrate 131 facing the counter substrate 132. The array substrate-side electrode 133 is a so-called transparent substrate that is optically transparent. Furthermore, an array substrate-side alignment film 134 is arranged to cover the array substrate-side electrode 133.

[0053] A counter substrate-side electrode 135 is disposed on the substrate surface of the counter substrate 132 facing the array substrate 131. The counter substrate-side electrode 135 is a so-called transparent substrate that is light-transmitting. Furthermore, a counter substrate-side alignment film 136 is disposed so as to cover the counter substrate-side electrode 135. The array substrate-side alignment film 134 and the counter substrate-side alignment film 136 have substantially the same rectangular shape.

[0054] A rectangular frame-shaped seal 137 is disposed between the array substrate 131 and the counter substrate 132 so as to encompass the array substrate-side alignment film 134 and the counter substrate-side alignment film 136. In addition, liquid crystal 138 is sealed between the array substrate 131 and the counter substrate 132 by the seal 137.

[0055] The flexible circuit board 139 is connected to the array substrate side electrodes 133 and the counter substrate side electrodes 135 via OLB pads 1391, transfer pads 1392, signal lines 1393, etc. At least one of the array substrate side electrodes 133 and the counter substrate side electrodes 135 is composed of a plurality of electrodes.

[0056] Here, it is assumed that the array substrate side electrode 133 is composed of a single electrode, and the counter substrate side electrode 135 is composed of a first electrode 1351 and a second electrode 1352. In addition, here, the first electrode 1351 and the second electrode 1352 have the same size and shape. The first electrode 1351 and the second electrode 1352 have a shape that is a perfect circle when viewed from the z direction.

[0057] The first electrode 1351 and the second electrode 1352 may have an elliptical or polygonal shape. The first electrode 1351 and the second electrode 1352 may have different sizes or shapes. In addition to the array substrate side electrode 133, a light-shielding member may be arranged on the array substrate 131.

[0058] A voltage is applied from the outside to each of the electrodes constituting the array substrate side electrode 133 and the counter substrate side electrode 135 via a flexible circuit board 139. Furthermore, by controlling the voltage applied to each of these electrodes, various geometric patterns are formed on the panel surface 131p.

[0059] The geometric pattern is a pattern in which a light passing region and a light blocking region are combined. The geometric pattern includes a first opening pattern and a second opening pattern. The first opening pattern is a pattern in which only a region corresponding to the first electrode 1351 on the panel surface 131p is a light passing region. The second opening pattern is a pattern in which only a region corresponding to the second electrode 1352 on the panel surface 131p is a light passing region. That is, in the first opening pattern, the region corresponding to the first electrode 1351 is a first opening which is a light passing region. In the second opening pattern, the region corresponding to the second electrode 1352 is a second opening which is a light passing region.

[0060] The first opening is formed in one of two areas on the panel surface 131p that are spaced apart from each other by a distance longer than the diameter φ1 of the specific circular area 1340R, and the second opening is formed in the other of the two areas.

[0061] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a cylindrical member in the imaging system module according to the first embodiment, and Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a main part of a liquid crystal panel according to the first embodiment.

[0062] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the specific circular region 1340R has a center 1340C on the central axis of the cylindrical interior of the cylindrical member 15, and has a diameter φ1 expressed by the following formula.

[0063]

number

[0064] Here, r is the radius of the inside of the cylinder of the cylindrical member 15. d is the shortest distance in terms of manufacturing design as the distance from one end side 131e of one end side in a direction parallel to the panel surface 131p to the circular electrode in the following case: a seal 137 is arranged within the area of ​​the counter substrate 132, a counter substrate-side alignment film 136 is arranged inside the frame formed by the seal 137, a circular electrode corresponding to a specific circular area 1340R is arranged within the area of ​​the counter substrate-side alignment film 136, and a flexible circuit board 139 connected to the multiple electrodes is mounted on one end side of the multiple end sides of the array substrate 131.

[0065] 10, the distance d is the sum of distances d1, d2, d3, d4, and d5 in a direction parallel to the panel surface 131p. Each of the distances d1 to d5 is a distance that is recognized as the minimum distance necessary for manufacturing and designing the liquid crystal panel 13a.

[0066] Distance d1 is the minimum required distance from one end edge 131e of the array substrate 131 on the first side where the flexible circuit board 139 is arranged to one end edge 132e of the counter substrate 132 on the same side, and corresponds to the width of the mounting portion of the flexible circuit board 139. Distance d2 is the minimum required distance from one end edge 132e of the counter substrate 132 to the end of the seal 137. Distance d3 is the minimum required width of the seal 137, i.e., the minimum distance required as the width of the frame band formed by the seal 137. Distance d4 is the minimum required distance from the end of the seal 137 to the end of the counter substrate-side alignment film 136. Distance d5 is the minimum required distance from the end of the counter substrate-side alignment film 136 to the end of the specific circular region 1340R.

[0067] The distance d1 is, for example, 3 mm. The distance d2 is, for example, 1 mm. The distance d3 is, for example, 3 mm. The distance d4 is, for example, 1 mm. The distance d5 is, for example, 1 mm. In this case, the distance d is 9 mm. If the radius r of the inside of the cylinder is, for example, 15 mm, the diameter φ1 of the specific circular region 1340R can be calculated as follows:

[0068]

number

[0069] When two apertures for stereo imaging are formed using a liquid crystal panel, the two apertures are formed by controlling voltages applied to multiple electrodes. In this case, it is generally assumed that the multiple electrodes are arranged within the range of the specific circular area. This is because when a coded aperture is formed using a liquid crystal panel, it is natural to arrange the multiple electrodes within the range of the specific circular area.

[0070] On the other hand, in stereo imaging, the longer the baseline length, which is the distance between the first and second apertures, the greater the parallax of the subject in the captured image, making it possible to more accurately estimate the depth of the subject.

[0071] According to the first embodiment, a first opening is disposed in one of two areas that are spaced apart by a distance greater than the diameter of the specific circular area, and a second opening is disposed in the other of the two areas. Therefore, the base length between the first opening and the second opening can be made longer than a normally expected length, allowing for more accurate estimation of the depth of the subject. In other words, the first embodiment can provide an imaging module with improved practicality.

[0072] <First Modification> FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a liquid crystal panel according to a first modification. As shown in FIG. 11, in the liquid crystal panel 13b according to the first modification, the centers or centers of gravity of the first electrode 1351 and the second electrode 1352 are located on a straight line L. The straight line L is, for example, a line passing through the center 1340C of a specific circular region 1340R and a point corresponding to a corner of a rectangle formed by the periphery of the substrate surface of the array substrate 131. The straight line L is also, for example, a line passing through the center 1340C of a specific circular region 1340R and a point corresponding to a corner of a rectangle formed by the periphery of the substrate surface of the counter substrate 132. The straight line L is also, for example, a line corresponding to a diagonal of the rectangle formed by the substrate surface of the array substrate 131. The straight line L is also, for example, a line corresponding to a diagonal of the rectangle formed by the substrate surface of the counter substrate 132.

[0073] The first electrode 1351 and the second electrode 1352 are arranged so that the shortest distance from the periphery of the opposing substrate side alignment film 136 is the distance d5 in the first embodiment. The first opening is formed when the region corresponding to the first electrode 1351 becomes a light passing region. The second opening is formed when the region corresponding to the second electrode 1352 becomes a light passing region.

[0074] According to the first modified example, the base length, which is the distance between the first opening and the second opening, can be made longer, and the estimated value of the depth of the subject can be obtained with higher accuracy.

[0075] <Second Modification> 12 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a liquid crystal panel according to a second modification. As shown in FIG. 12, in a liquid crystal panel 13c according to the second modification, a first electrode 1351 is disposed so that its center or center of gravity is located on a line L passing through a center 1340C of a specific circular region 1340R. A second electrode 1352 is disposed so that its center or center of gravity is shifted from the line L by a distance dL in a direction away from one end side 131e of the array substrate 131 (here, upward in the y direction). A first opening is formed when a region corresponding to the first electrode 1351 becomes a light passing region. A second opening is formed when a region corresponding to the second electrode 1352 becomes a light passing region.

[0076] That is, of the first opening and the second opening, the center or center of gravity of the opening relatively closer to one end edge 131e of one end edge portion on the first side where the flexible circuit board 139 of the array substrate 131 is arranged (here, the first opening corresponding to the first electrode 1351) is located on a straight line L passing through the center of the specific circular region 1340R. Also, of the first opening and the second opening, the center or center of gravity of the opening relatively farther from one end edge 131e of the one end edge portion of the array substrate 131 (here, the second opening corresponding to the second electrode 1352) is located at a position shifted by a distance dL from the straight line L in a direction away from one end edge 131e of the array substrate 131 (here, upward in the y direction).

[0077] Of the substrate surface of the array substrate 131, there are no components mounted on the side opposite to the first side on which the flexible circuit board 139 is arranged, i.e., on the side away from the one end side 131e. Therefore, in the region of the opposing substrate-side alignment film 136, there is empty space in the region away from the one end side 131e with respect to the line L. Therefore, in order to effectively utilize this empty space, it is conceivable to shift the second electrode 1352 forming the second opening away from the line L in a direction away from the one end side 131e, as described above.

[0078] According to the second modified example, the base length between the first opening and the second opening can be made longer, and the estimated value of the depth of the subject can be obtained with higher accuracy.

[0079] <Third Modification> 13 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a liquid crystal panel according to a third modification. As shown in FIG. 13, in a liquid crystal panel 13d according to the third modification, the electrodes constituting the counter substrate side electrode 135 include a first electrode 1351, a second electrode 1352, and a third electrode 1353. The third electrode 1353 is arranged so as to overlap with a specific circular region 1340R. When the third electrode 1353 serves as a light passage region, a third opening corresponding to the third electrode 1353 is formed. That is, in the liquid crystal panel 13d, the formed geometric pattern includes, in addition to the first opening pattern and the second opening pattern, a third opening pattern in which a third opening corresponding to the specific circular region 1340R is formed.

[0080] The third electrode 1353 has a larger area than the first electrode 1351 and the second electrode 1352. In other words, the third opening is larger than the first opening or the second opening. The amount of light coming from the subject that passes through the third opening is greater than that of the first opening or the second opening, and the amount of light received by the image sensor 16 increases. As a result, when capturing an image of the subject, the exposure time can be shortened and the captured image can be brighter and clearer.

[0081] Therefore, for example, consider a case where a subject is stereoscopically captured using the first and second apertures, and a third aperture is used to capture a normal image of the subject. In this case, a more suitable depth map can be generated by superimposing the depth information of the subject obtained by stereoscopic capture on the bright and clear captured image obtained by normal capture.

[0082] Also, for example, if stereo imaging is not performed and a subject is captured in a normal manner, a brighter and clearer captured image can be obtained compared to when normal imaging is performed using the first or second aperture.

[0083] According to the third modified example, it is possible to obtain a more suitable normal image of the subject or a more suitable depth map of the subject.

[0084] <Fourth Modification> FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a liquid crystal panel according to a fourth modification. As shown in FIG. 14, in the liquid crystal panel 13e according to the fourth modification, the electrodes constituting the counter substrate side electrode 135 include a fourth electrode 1354 and a fifth electrode 1355 in addition to a first electrode 1351 and a second electrode 1352. The fourth electrode 1354 and the fifth electrode 1355 are obtained by dividing the third electrode 1353 in the third modification by concentric circles formed by the edge of the specific circular region 1340R. The fourth electrode 1354 is an electrode located relatively inward, and the fifth electrode 1355 is an electrode located relatively outward. Note that although the third electrode 1353 is divided into two electrodes by the concentric circles, it may also be divided into three or more electrodes by multiple concentric circles.

[0085] When the fourth electrode 1354 and the fifth electrode 1355 both become a light passing region, a third opening is formed corresponding to the combined region of the fourth electrode 1354 and the fifth electrode 1355. When the fourth electrode 1354 becomes a light passing region and the fifth electrode 1355 becomes a light blocking region, a fourth opening is formed corresponding to the fourth electrode 1354. That is, in the liquid crystal panel 13e, the formed geometric pattern includes the first opening pattern, the second opening pattern, the third opening pattern, and also a fourth opening pattern in which a fourth opening is formed.

[0086] According to the fourth modification, compared to the third modification, the aperture used for normal imaging can be switched between the relatively large third aperture and the relatively small fourth aperture, which means that normal imaging can be performed by changing the aperture value.

[0087] (Second embodiment) <Outline of the imaging module according to the second embodiment> An imaging module according to the second embodiment will now be described. The imaging module according to the second embodiment is characterized in that the shape of the panel surface of the liquid crystal panel is an N-sided polygon (N is a natural number greater than 4). More specifically, the shape of the panel surface of the liquid crystal panel is an octagon, and even more specifically, the shape of the panel surface of the liquid crystal panel is a regular octagon.

[0088] <Configuration example of imaging system module according to the second embodiment> FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an imaging system module according to the second embodiment. The left diagram of FIG. 15 is a front view of an imaging system module 1b according to the second embodiment, showing an example of the configuration when the module is viewed in the optical axis direction, i.e., the z direction. The right diagram of FIG. 15 is a side view of the imaging system module 1b, showing an example of the configuration when the module is viewed in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis, i.e., the x direction. As can be seen from FIG. 15, the basic configuration of the imaging system module 1b according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the imaging system module 1a according to the first embodiment, but the shape of the liquid crystal panel 13f is different from that of the liquid crystal panel 13a according to the first embodiment.

[0089] 15, imaging module 1b includes first lens 11, second lens 12, liquid crystal panel 13f, diaphragm mechanism 14, cylindrical member 15, and imaging element 16. First lens 11, second lens 12, liquid crystal panel 13f, diaphragm mechanism 14, cylindrical member 15, and imaging element 16 have the same functions and roles as the corresponding elements in imaging module 1a. However, the panel surface of liquid crystal panel 13f has an octagonal shape.

[0090] <Configuration example of liquid crystal panel according to second embodiment> Fig. 16 is a front configuration diagram of a liquid crystal panel according to a second embodiment. Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal panel according to the second embodiment. Fig. 17 is an AB cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal panel shown in Fig. 16 when viewed along the x direction.

[0091] 16 and 17, the liquid crystal panel 13f has an array substrate 131, a counter substrate 132, an array substrate-side electrode 133, an array substrate-side alignment film 134, a counter substrate-side electrode 135, a counter substrate-side alignment film 136, a seal 137, and liquid crystal 138. The counter substrate-side electrode 135 includes a first electrode 1351 and a second electrode 1352.

[0092] The array substrate 131 has a flat substrate surface corresponding to the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13f. The panel surface 131p of the array substrate 131 has a regular octagonal shape when viewed in the z direction. It is also assumed that the liquid crystal panel 13f is arranged such that the array substrate 131, which is a component thereof, is inscribed in the cylindrical member 15. Therefore, it is one preferable example that the array substrate 131 has a regular octagonal shape.

[0093] Fig. 18 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a cylindrical member in an imaging system module according to the second embodiment, and Fig. 19 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a liquid crystal panel in the imaging system module according to the second embodiment.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 18, the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13f has a regular octagonal shape as described above and is disposed so as to be inscribed within the cylindrical inner surface 151 of the cylindrical member 15. That is, the panel surface 131p is sized to be inscribed within the cylindrical inner surface 151. The inner radius r of the cylindrical member 15 is the same as that of the imaging module 1a. In this case, the distance between the opposing edges of the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13f is √(2 + √2)·r≒1.85·r. That is, it can be seen that the distance between the opposing edges of the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13f is greater than the distance in the imaging module 1a, √2·r≒1.41·r. Meanwhile, the distance d from the edge of the specific circular region 1340R to the edge of the array substrate 131, i.e., the minimum value of the sum of the distances d1 to d5 shown in FIG. 19, is a fixed value for manufacturing and design reasons, as in the imaging module 1a.

[0095] Therefore, the positions of the outer edges of the array substrate 131, counter substrate 132, specific circular region 1340R, array substrate-side electrode 133, array substrate-side alignment film 134, counter substrate-side electrode 135, counter substrate-side alignment film 136, and seal 137 are shifted further outward compared to the case of imaging module 1a. It can be seen that the diameter φ2 of specific circular region 1340R is larger than φ1. In other words, the size of specific circular region 1340R relative to the cross-sectional area of ​​cylindrical member 15 can be made larger compared to the case of imaging module 1a.

[0096] The reason for this effect is that the distance from the cylindrical inner surface 151 of the cylindrical member 15 to the farthest end of the panel surface of the liquid crystal panel 13f is shortened, so that the outer ends of the seal 137, the array substrate side alignment film 134, and the opposing substrate side alignment film 136 can be moved further outward.

[0097] Therefore, if the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13f has an N-sided polygonal shape where N is a natural number greater than 4, the outer edges of the sticker 137, the array substrate-side alignment film 134, and the counter substrate-side alignment film 136 can be positioned further outward than in the case of the imaging system module 1a, making it possible to make the specific circular area 1340R larger. As a result, the first electrode 1351 and the second electrode 1352 constituting the counter substrate-side electrode 135 can also be positioned further outward, making it possible to make the base line length between the first opening and the second opening longer.

[0098] Furthermore, when the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13f has a size that is inscribed in the cylindrical inner surface 151 of the cylindrical member 15, the specific circular area 1340R can be made largest. However, in terms of implementation, it is also conceivable that the liquid crystal panel 13f is fixed to the cylindrical inner surface 151 via a stay or the like. In this case, it is conceivable that the panel surface 131p will be slightly smaller than the size that is inscribed in the cylindrical inner surface 151 of the cylindrical member 15, but it is possible to make the specific circular area 1340R sufficiently large compared to when the panel surface is rectangular.

[0099] From the above perspective, it is preferable that the panel surface of the liquid crystal panel 13f be a regular N-gon among N-gon shapes. The larger N is, the more preferable it is. In other words, ultimately, it is most advantageous if N=∞ (infinity), and from the viewpoint of extending the base length between the first opening and the second opening, it is most preferable that the panel surface 131p be circular and have approximately the same cross-sectional area as the cross-section of the cylindrical member 15. In other words, whether the panel surface 131p is N-gon or circular, it is preferable that the panel surface 131p be large enough to be inscribed in the cylindrical inner side surface 151 of the cylindrical member 15.

[0100] On the other hand, when attempting to manufacture a liquid crystal panel having an N-gonal panel surface 131p where N is a relatively large number, another issue arises. In reality, due to limitations in the functionality of manufacturing equipment, it is conceivable to first manufacture a liquid crystal panel having a rectangular panel surface 131p, and then repeat linear cutting processes to make the panel surface 131p have an N-gonal shape. In this case, the more linear cutting processes there are, the more man-hours there are, which increases manufacturing costs and the manufacturing time. In other words, it is necessary to consider the balance between the obtained effect and the cost. One example where this balance is appropriate is to make the panel surface octagonal.

[0101] As shown in Figure 19, first, a liquid crystal panel 13s having a rectangular panel surface 131p is manufactured, which can be easily manufactured using common manufacturing equipment. Next, the four corners C1 to C4 of the liquid crystal panel 13s are cut with a cutter. With this simple process and fewer steps, a liquid crystal panel 13f having an octagonal panel surface 131p can be manufactured. Furthermore, if the panel surface is octagonal, a gap is created between the cylindrical inner surface of the cylindrical member 15 and the panel surface 131p, and flexible circuit board 139, its connection cable, etc. can be passed through this gap, making the design easier to implement.

[0102] Of the octagonal shapes, the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13f is preferably a regular octagon. First, it is considered easy to manufacture the liquid crystal panel 13s with a square panel surface 131p. Next, the liquid crystal panel 13f having a regular octagonal panel surface 131p can be manufactured simply by linearly cutting the four corners C1 to C4 of the liquid crystal panel 13s having the square panel surface 131p at a predetermined angle.

[0103] When cutting the liquid crystal panel 13s, the positions of the seal 137, the array substrate side alignment film 134, and the counter substrate side alignment film 136 should be adjusted in advance on the assumption that the liquid crystal panel 13s will be cut.

[0104] Here, when the liquid crystal panel 13f is disposed so as to be inscribed on the inner cylindrical surface of the cylindrical member 15, the diameter φ2 of the specific circular region 1340R can be expressed by the following formula (4).

[0105]

number

[0106] Here, r and d are defined in the same way as in the first embodiment. Distance d1 is, for example, 3 mm. Distance d2 is, for example, 1 mm. Distance d3 is, for example, 3 mm. Distance d4 is, for example, 1 mm. Distance d5 is, for example, 1 mm. In this case, the distance d is 9 mm. If the radius r of the inside of the cylinder is, for example, 15 mm, the diameter φ2 of the specific circular region 1340R can be calculated as follows:

[0107]

number

[0108] According to the second embodiment, since the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13f has an N-sided polygonal shape (N is a natural number greater than 4), it is possible to make the specific circular area 1340R on the panel surface 131p larger than the cross-sectional size of the cylindrical member 15. Furthermore, if the panel shape of the liquid crystal panel 13f is a regular N-sided polygonal shape, it is possible to make the electrode portion of the liquid crystal panel 13f even larger than the cross-sectional size of the cylindrical member 15.

[0109] In addition, when the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel is octagonal, it can be formed by simply cutting off the four corners of the rectangular liquid crystal panel 13s. Therefore, in this case, the size of the specific circular area 1340R in the liquid crystal panel 13f can be increased to nearly its upper limit while suppressing additional man-hours and manufacturing costs. As a result, the base length, which is the distance between the first opening corresponding to the first electrode 1351 and the second opening corresponding to the second electrode 1352, can be extended to nearly its upper limit.

[0110] Furthermore, if the shape of panel surface 131p of liquid crystal panel 13f is a regular octagon, specific circular area 1340R of liquid crystal panel 13f can be made even larger relative to the cross-sectional size of cylindrical member 15. As a result, the base line length can be further extended.

[0111] Furthermore, if the shape of the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13f is circular, the specific circular area 1340R on the liquid crystal panel 13f can be made the largest relative to the cross-sectional size of the cylindrical member 15, and the above-mentioned base line length can be made the longest.

[0112] The shape of the panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13f may be formed by manufacturing a liquid crystal panel 13s having a rectangular panel surface 131p and then cutting off any excess portions. Alternatively, the array substrate 131 and the counter substrate 132 may be formed in advance so that the panel surface has a desired shape, and then combined.

[0113] (Third embodiment) FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an imaging device according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 20, an imaging device 3 according to the third embodiment includes the imaging module 1a according to the first embodiment and an arithmetic and control unit 2. A panel surface 131p of the liquid crystal panel 13a is inscribed in the cylindrical inner surface of the cylindrical member 15. The imaging module 1a and the arithmetic and control unit 2 are electrically connected so as to be able to communicate with each other. The arithmetic and control unit 2 controls the imaging module 1a so as to perform stereo imaging using the first and second apertures, and estimates the depth of the subject based on the captured images obtained by the stereo imaging.

[0114] More specifically, the arithmetic and control unit 2 sends a control signal to the liquid crystal panel 13a to form a specified aperture pattern. The arithmetic and control unit 2 also sends a control signal to the diaphragm mechanism 14 to control the size of the aperture of the diaphragm mechanism 14 so that the exposure when stereo imaging is performed becomes the set exposure. The arithmetic and control unit 2 controls the image sensor 16 or controls the accumulation time of the signal received from the image sensor 16 so that the imaging system module 1a performs coded imaging of the subject.

[0115] The arithmetic and control unit 2 receives data of captured images obtained by stereo imaging from the imaging element 16. The arithmetic and control unit 2 also calculates an estimated depth value of the subject using triangulation based on the parallax of the subject in the captured images obtained by stereo imaging. The arithmetic and control unit 2 then generates a depth map by superimposing the estimated depth value of the subject on the image of the subject obtained by the first aperture or the second aperture, and outputs the depth map to an external device. The external device may be, for example, a driving assistance device or an automatic braking device for a vehicle.

[0116] In the imaging device 3 according to the third embodiment, imaging module 1b may be used instead of imaging module 1a. Also, liquid crystal panel 13a may be replaced by any of liquid crystal panels 13b to 13f.

[0117] Fig. 21 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an arithmetic control unit according to the third embodiment. As shown in Fig. 21, the arithmetic control unit 2 includes, for example, a processor 21, a memory 22, a storage 23, an interface 24, and a communication bus 25. The processor 21, the memory 22, the storage 23, and the interface 24 are each connected to the communication bus 25, and can communicate with each other via the communication bus 25.

[0118] The processor 21 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor unit (MPU), or a microcontroller unit (MCU). The memory 22 is, for example, a semiconductor storage device such as a random access memory (RAM) or a read-only memory (ROM). The storage 23 is, for example, a semiconductor storage device including a solid state drive (SSD) or a magnetic storage device including a hard disk drive (HDD). A program PR is stored in the storage 23. The processor 21 reads and executes the program PR to realize the functions of executing various processes such as those described above, for example, a process for controlling coded image capture, a process for calculating a depth estimate of a subject, and a process for generating a depth map. The interface 24 outputs the generated depth map to an external device. The program PR may be stored in a ROM.

[0119] Fig. 22 is a diagram showing an application example of the imaging device according to the third embodiment. As shown in Fig. 22, the imaging device 3 is installed, for example, in an automobile 100, performs depth estimation of a subject 90 ahead, generates a depth map of the subject 90, and outputs the map to a driving assistance system or the like. The imaging device 3 may also be installed in vehicles other than automobiles, such as railway or monorail trains, motorcycles, bicycles, airplanes, ships, etc. Even in such an installation example, the imaging device 3 can achieve the same effects as those of the above embodiment, and can be used, for example, in driving assistance technology.

[0120] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and includes various modifications. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. All of these fall within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, numerical values ​​and the like included in the text and figures are merely examples, and the use of different values ​​does not impair the effects of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0121] 1, 1a, 1b...imaging system module, 2...arithmetic and control unit, 3...imaging device, 11...first lens, 12...second lens, 13, 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, 13e, 13f...liquid crystal panel, 14...aperture mechanism, 15...cylindrical member, 16...imaging element, 21...processor, 22...memory, 23...storage, 24...interface, 25...communication bus, 90...subject, 100...automobile, 131...array substrate, 131e...one end edge, 132...opposing substrate, 133...array Substrate side electrode, 134...array substrate side alignment film, 135...counter substrate side electrode, 136...counter substrate side alignment film, 137...seal, 138...liquid crystal, 139...flexible circuit board, 131p...panel surface, 151...cylindrical inner surface, 1340R...specific circular area, 1340C...center of specific circular area, 1351...first electrode, 1352...second electrode, 1353...third electrode, 1354...fourth electrode, 1391...OLB pad, 1392...transfer pad, 1393...signal line

Claims

1. Lenses and a liquid crystal panel having a panel surface perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens; a cylindrical member having a cylindrical shape and supporting the lens and the liquid crystal panel inside the cylinder, the liquid crystal panel has an array substrate, an opposing substrate, an array substrate-side electrode, an array substrate-side alignment film, an opposing substrate-side electrode, an opposing substrate-side alignment film, liquid crystal present between the array substrate and the opposing substrate, and a seal provided between the array substrate and the opposing substrate for sealing the liquid crystal, and forms a designated geometric pattern under the control of voltages applied to the array substrate-side electrode and the opposing substrate-side electrode; the panel surface has a regular N-sided polygonal shape, where N is a natural number equal to or greater than 4; the geometric pattern includes a pattern in which a first opening, which is a light passage region, is formed, and a pattern in which a second opening, which is a light passage region, is formed; the first opening is formed in one of two regions on the panel surface that are spaced apart from each other by a distance longer than a diameter of the specific circular region, the first opening being located on either side of the specific circular region; the second opening is formed in the other of the two regions, The specific circular region has a center on the central axis inside the cylinder and has a diameter φ1 expressed by the following formula: φ1=√2×r−2×d √2: the positive square root of 2, r: the radius of the inside of the cylinder, d: In the case where the seal is placed within the area of ​​the counter substrate, an alignment film is placed inside the frame formed by the seal, a circular electrode is placed within the area of ​​the alignment film, and a flexible circuit board connected to the array substrate side electrode and the counter substrate side electrode is placed on one edge of the array substrate, the shortest distance from the edge of the one edge in a direction parallel to the panel surface to the circular electrode in terms of manufacturing design, Imaging module.

2. 2. The imaging system module according to claim 1, the centers or centroids of the first opening and the second opening are located on a straight line passing through the center of the specific circular area; Imaging module.

3. 2. The imaging system module according to claim 1, a center or a center of gravity of one of the first opening and the second opening that is relatively closer to the edge of the one edge portion of the array substrate is located on a straight line passing through the center of the specific circular area; the center or center of gravity of one of the first opening and the second opening that is relatively far from the edge of the one end side portion of the array substrate is located at a position shifted from the straight line in a direction away from the edge of the one end side portion; Imaging module.

4. 2. The imaging system module according to claim 1, The regular N-gon is a regular octagon. Imaging module.

5. 2. The imaging system module according to claim 1, the distance d is the sum of distances d1, d2, d3, d4, and d5 in a direction parallel to the panel surface, the distance d1 is a distance from one end edge of the array substrate on a first side where a flexible circuit board is disposed to one end edge of the counter substrate on the first side, the distance d2 is the distance from one end side of the opposing substrate on the first side to the seal, The distance d3 is a distance corresponding to the width of the band of the frame formed by the seal, the distance d4 is the distance from the seal to the alignment film on the opposing substrate, The distance d5 is the distance from the alignment film on the opposing substrate side to the specific circular region. Imaging module.

6. 2. The imaging system module according to claim 1, the geometric pattern includes a pattern in which a third opening corresponding to the specific circular region is formed. Imaging module.

7. 7. The imaging system module according to claim 6, the geometric pattern includes a pattern in which a fourth opening is formed, the fourth opening having a center at the same position as the center of the specific circular area and corresponding to a circular area smaller than the specific circular area. Imaging module.

8. an imaging module; an arithmetic control unit; The imaging module includes: Lenses and a liquid crystal panel having a panel surface perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens; a cylindrical member having a cylindrical shape and supporting the lens and the liquid crystal panel inside the cylinder; an image sensor that receives light from a subject that has passed through the lens and the liquid crystal panel; the liquid crystal panel has an array substrate, an opposing substrate, an array substrate-side electrode, an array substrate-side alignment film, an opposing substrate-side electrode, an opposing substrate-side alignment film, liquid crystal present between the array substrate and the opposing substrate, and a seal provided between the array substrate and the opposing substrate for sealing the liquid crystal, and forms a designated geometric pattern under the control of voltages applied to the array substrate-side electrode and the opposing substrate-side electrode; the panel surface has a regular N-sided polygonal shape, where N is a natural number equal to or greater than 4; the geometric pattern includes a pattern in which a first opening, which is a light passage region, is formed, and a pattern in which a second opening, which is a light passage region, is formed; the first opening is formed in one of two regions on the panel surface that are spaced apart from each other by a distance longer than a diameter of the specific circular region, the first opening being located on either side of the specific circular region; the second opening is formed in the other of the two regions, The specific circular region has a center on the central axis inside the cylinder and has a diameter φ1 expressed by the following formula: φ1 = √2 × r - 2 × d √2: the positive square root of 2, r: inner radius of the cylinder, d: In the case where the seal is placed within the area of ​​the counter substrate, an alignment film is placed inside the frame formed by the seal, a circular electrode is placed within the area of ​​the alignment film, and a flexible circuit board connected to the array substrate side electrode and the counter substrate side electrode is placed on one edge of the array substrate, the shortest distance from the edge of the one edge in a direction parallel to the panel surface to the circular electrode in terms of manufacturing design, the arithmetic control unit controls the imaging system module and the imaging element so that stereo imaging is performed using the first aperture and the second aperture, and calculates a depth estimation value of the subject based on captured images obtained by the stereo imaging. Imaging device.

9. 9. The imaging device according to claim 8, the centers or centroids of the first opening and the second opening are located on a straight line passing through the center of the specific circular area; Imaging device.

10. 9. The imaging device according to claim 8, a center or a center of gravity of one of the first opening and the second opening that is relatively closer to the edge of the one edge portion of the array substrate is located on a straight line passing through the center of the specific circular area; the center or center of gravity of one of the first opening and the second opening that is relatively far from the edge of the one end side portion of the array substrate is located at a position shifted from the straight line in a direction away from the edge of the one end side portion; Imaging device.

11. 9. The imaging device according to claim 8, The regular N-gon is a regular octagon. Imaging device.

Images