IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,526,516
Granted Patent B2
US 12,526,516 · App. 18/220,107 · Granted Jan 13, 2026

Control device and control method

Inventors: Yasunori Ishii (Osaka, JP); Satoshi Sato (Kyoto, JP); Kunio Nobori (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
H04N23/67G02B5/005G06T7/50G06T2207/20081G06T2207/30196
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,526,516
App. No.
18/220,107
Granted
Jan 13, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control device includes: an image acquisition unit that acquires an image obtained by imaging by an imaging device in which a mask having a plurality of pinholes is arranged so as to cover a light receiving surface of an imaging element; a control unit that controls at least one of a size and an interval of two pinholes among the plurality of pinholes based on the image; and an output unit that outputs an image obtained by the imaging device after at least one of the size and the interval of the two pinholes is controlled.

Claims (26)

1 . A control device comprising:

an acquisition unit that acquires an image obtained by imaging by an imaging device in which a mask having a plurality of pinholes is arranged so as to cover a light receiving surface of an imaging element;

a control unit that outputs to the mask a mask control signal for changing at least one of a size and an interval of two pinholes among the plurality of pinholes based on the image such that two subject images obtained through the two pinholes among the plurality of pinholes are overlapped with each other while being shifted from each other by a predetermined degree even when a distance between a subject appearing in the image and the imaging device changes, the mask being configured to change at least one of the size and the interval of the two pinholes according to the mask control signal; and

an output unit that outputs an image obtained by the imaging device after at least one of the size and the interval of the two pinholes is changed.

2 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control unit calculates the distance between the subject appearing in the image and the imaging device, and outputs to the mask the mask control signal for changing at least one of the size and the interval of the two pinholes based on the distance.

3 . The control device according to claim 2 , wherein

the control unit calculates the distance by inputting the acquired image to an estimation model trained using machine learning so as to use the image showing the subject as an input and to output the distance between the subject and the imaging device.

4 . The control device according to claim 2 , wherein

when changing the size, the control unit outputs to the mask the mask control signal for increasing the size as the distance is shorter, and when changing the interval, outputs to the mask the mask control signal for decreasing the interval as the distance is shorter.

5 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control unit calculates an interval to be changed between the two pinholes based on the image, and in a case where the calculated interval is shorter than a threshold, outputs to the mask the mask control signal for making the size larger and in a case where the calculated interval is equal to or longer than the threshold, outputs to the mask the mask control signal for decreasing the interval.

6 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the control unit calculates a degree of blurring of the subject appearing in the image and outputs to the mask the mask control signal for changing at least one of the size and the interval of the two pinholes based on the degree of blurring.

7 . The control device according to claim 6 , wherein

the control unit calculates the degree of blurring by inputting the acquired image to an estimation model trained using machine learning so as to use the image showing the subject as an input and to output the degree of blurring of the subject appearing in the image.

8 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein

after changing one of the size and the interval of the two pinholes, the control unit calculates a degree of blurring of the subject appearing in the image, and in a case where the degree of blurring is equal to or lower than a threshold, outputs to the mask the mask control signal for changing an unchanged one of the size and the interval of the two pinholes.

9 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein

in a case where a plurality of subjects are appearing in the image, the control unit calculates a distance between each of the plurality of subjects and the imaging device, and outputs to the mask the mask control signal for changing at least one of the size and the interval of the two pinholes based on the distance between the subject having the shortest calculated distance and the imaging device.

10 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the image output by the output unit is a new image obtained by new imaging by the imaging device and acquired by the acquisition unit after at least one of the size and the interval of the two pinholes is changed by the control unit.

11 . A control method comprising, by a computer:

acquiring an image obtained by imaging by an imaging device in which a mask having a plurality of pinholes is arranged so as to cover a light receiving surface of an imaging element;

outputting to the mask a mask control signal for changing at least one of a size and an interval of two pinholes among the plurality of pinholes based on the image such that two subject images obtained through the two pinholes among the plurality of pinholes are overlapped with each other while being shifted from each other by a predetermined degree even when a distance between a subject appearing in the image and the imaging device changes, the mask being configured to change at least one of the size and the interval of the two pinholes according to the mask control signal; and

outputting an image obtained by the imaging device after at least one of the size and the interval of the two pinholes is changed.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2023
From: ISHII, YASUNORI; SATO, SATOSHI; NOBORI, KUNIO
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
Reel/Frame 065892/0786 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-002889 · Jan 12, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2021043645 · Nov 29, 2021
Related Publication 20230353870A1 · Nov 2, 2023
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