Double eye image pickup apparatus

Claim 2

A double eye image pickup apparatus with a plurality of image pickup systems to perform image pickup with fields thereof at least partly overlapping with each other, comprising: means for using image signals outputted from each image pickup system to detect corresponding points between images in said overlapping portion; and means for using image signals outputted from each image pickup system to detect an occlusion area in said overlapping portion; means for detecting a depth information of a non-occlusion area neighboring said occlusion area in said overlapping portion based on an information of said corresponding points detected by said corresponding point detecting means; means for projecting said occlusion area onto a virtual projection plane set based on said depth information detected by said depth information detecting means in order to provide a depth information of said occlusion area; and means for using said image signals outputted from each image pickup system and said depth information to form a single combined image.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for using said image signals combines said projected image signals in an order selected according to position information in the subject space relating to each of said projected image signals.

Claim 4

A double eye image pickup apparatus comprising: a first image pickup system and a second image pickup system for picking up an image with image fields thereof at least partly overlapping with each other, said first image pickup system and said second image pickup system being disposed so as to have a space of a base line length therebetween; a first outputting means for outputting a first optical parameter for at least indicating an object distance and an imaging magnification of said first image pickup system; a second outputting means for outputting a second optical parameter for at least indicating an object distance and an imaging magnification of said second image pickup system; determining means for determining a convergence angle between said first and second image pickup systems such that a combined image obtained by combing a first image picked up by said first image pickup system with a second image picked up by said second image pickup system has an aspect ratio, according to said first and second optical parameters; and image combining means for combining said combined image from said first and second images, said combining means combination-converting said first and second images by using information of said base line length and said convergence angle and information of virtual object distance and imaging magnification of said combined image having said aspect ratio.

Claim 5

A double eye image pickup apparatus comprising: a first image pickup system and a second image pickup system for picking up an image with image fields thereof at least partly overlapping with each other, said first image pickup system and said second image pickup system being disposed so as to have a space of a base line length therebetween; a first outputting means for outputting a first optical parameter for at least indicating an object distance and an imaging magnification of said first image pickup system; a second outputting means for outputting a second optical parameter for at least indicating an object distance and an imaging magnification of said second image pickup system; determining means for determining a convergence angle between said first and second image pickup systems such that a combined image obtained by combing a first image picked up by said first image pickup system with a second image picked up by said second image pickup system has an aspect ratio, according to said first and second optical parameters; and image combining means for combining said combined image from said first and second images, said combining means combination-converting said first and second images by using information of said base line length and said convergence angle and information of virtual object distance and imaging magnification of said combined image having said aspect ratio.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 3 having driving means for rotating at least one of said first image pickup system and said second image pickup system so that a convergence angle between said first and second image pickup systems becomes said convergence angle determined by said determining means.

Claim 7

The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of image pickup systems each are arranged as an image pickup system having a zooming function; and wherein said calculation controlling portion performs a convergence angle control of said plurality of image pickup systems so that the aspect ratio of the combination-converted image is kept constant in zooming said plurality of image pickup systems.