With Color Filter Or Operation According To Color Filter Patents (Class 348/273)
-
Patent number: 7652700Abstract: To achieve more appropriate interpolation of a missing pixel, an image is input to a processing section for interpolation. The interpolation is applied utilizing image data of pixels located around the pixel to be interpolated. Specifically, correlations between the image data of the pixels to be interpolated, and pixel data in a horizontal direction, vertical direction, and diagonal direction, are compared to one another; pixel data having stronger correlation is used for the interpolation. Correlation between the image data of the pixels to be interpolated and which direction is strong is determined, so that different weighting for interpolation is used accordingly.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2005Date of Patent: January 26, 2010Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Yoshihisa Takahashi, Hisakazu Kikuchi, Shogo Muramatsu, Yoshito Abe, Naoki Mizutani
-
Publication number: 20100013967Abstract: A solid state imaging device includes: a light receiving portion; a transfer gate; a clock wiring group; and a substance. The light receiving portion includes a plurality of light receiving elements formed on a substrate. The charge transfer portion transfers electric charges supplied from the light receiving portion. The transfer gate is provided between the light receiving portion and the charge transfer portion and supplies the electric charges accumulated in the light receiving portion to the charge transfer portion. The clock wiring group includes a plurality of wirings and supplies a plurality of clocks for transferring the electric charges. The substance shields light with a wavelength lower than a predetermined wavelength. The plurality of wirings is arranged away from one another with a gap corresponding to the predetermined wavelength. The substance is arranged to cover the gap and shields light with a wavelength possibly passing through the gap.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2009Publication date: January 21, 2010Applicant: NEC Electronics CorporationInventor: Makoto Tanaka
-
Publication number: 20100013966Abstract: A spatially-varying sharpening filter and a color registration module compensate for significant lateral color in poorly corrected optics. In one aspect, a color imaging system includes image-forming optics, a sensor array and a processing module. The processing module includes a color registration module and a spatially-varying sharpening filter. The image-forming optics suffers from lateral chromatic aberration. The sensor array captures color pixels of the chromatically aberrated optical image. The spatially-varying sharpening filter sharpens the image (e.g., reduces the blurring caused by lateral color), and the color registration module realigns different color channels of the image.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2008Publication date: January 21, 2010Inventors: Guotong Feng, M. Dirk Robinson
-
Patent number: 7649164Abstract: Method and systems related to obstructing a first predefined portion of at least one defined wavelength of light incident upon a first photo-detector array; and detecting the at least one defined wavelength of light with a photo-detector in a second photo-detector array.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2005Date of Patent: January 19, 2010Assignee: Searete, LLCInventors: W. Daniel Hillis, Roderick A. Hyde, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
-
Publication number: 20100002105Abstract: An imaging device includes a color filter having a predetermined color array and converts an optical image into image data of an electrical signal. A coordinate transforming unit transforms a first coordinate value of the imaging device into a second coordinate value in a state of the color array according to a color of the color filter corresponding to the first coordinate value. The imaging device reads out a pixel value of a pixel at the second coordinate value as a pixel value of a pixel at the first coordinate value by setting the first coordinate value as a coordinate transform destination and the second coordinate value as a coordinate transform source.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2009Publication date: January 7, 2010Inventor: Ryosuke Kasahara
-
Patent number: 7642500Abstract: An image sensor array includes a substrate having at least three image sensors located therein. The image sensor array also includes a blue filter positioned proximate to the first image sensor; a green filter proximate to the second image sensor; and a red filter proximate to the third image sensor. A first microlens is positionally arranged with the blue filter and the first image sensor; a second microlens is positionally arranged with the green filter and the second image sensor; and a third microlens is positionally arranged with the red filter and the third image sensor. The first microlens has a larger effective area than the second microlens, and the second microlens has a larger effective area than the third microlens.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2008Date of Patent: January 5, 2010Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd.Inventor: Chin-Min Lin
-
Patent number: 7643067Abstract: Disclosed is a system and a method for rectifying stereo images, which are acquired by two cameras, in real-time by using a calibration matrix resulting from camera calibration. The system includes a coordinate generation module; a rectification coordinate generation module; a bilinear interpolation value generation module; a rectification coordinate memory; a bilinear interpolation memory; an image buffer; an rectification module; and a control module. A structure of a hardware system capable of real-time stereo rectification is provided, and the operation results have been verified by implementing a hardware device. The real-time stereo rectification system makes it possible to acquire rectified images in real-time without using a separate computer system or a software program.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2007Date of Patent: January 5, 2010Assignee: Sungkyunkwan University Foundation for Corporate CollaborationInventors: Jae Wook Jeon, Seung Hun Jin, Jung Uk Cho, Sung Kee Park, Munsang Kim, Kyoung Mu Lee, Jong Eun Byun
-
Publication number: 20090322917Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid-state imaging device capable of operating at high-speed, and suppressing the deterioration of image quality caused by coupling. A solid-state imaging device according to the present invention includes: pixels arranged in rows and columns; color filters each of which is arranged on a light incidence plane of a corresponding one of the pixels, each of the color filters being one of at least two colors; and column signal lines provided for each of the columns of the pixels, and each of which transmits the signals from the pixels in a column direction, in which one of the color filters is arranged on one of the pixels connected to the column signal line, and is of a same color as another one of the color filters arranged on another one of the pixels connected to the column signal line.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2009Publication date: December 31, 2009Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATIONInventors: Masanori Kyogoku, Kenichi Shimomura
-
Patent number: 7639283Abstract: In a color signal matrix adjustment method, a single first color signal matrix related value is adjusted (VAC) to obtain a color signal matrix adjustment, and at least two color signal matrix parameters other than the single first color signal matrix related value are automatically adapted (AAC) in dependence upon the color signal matrix parameter adjustment.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 1999Date of Patent: December 29, 2009Assignee: IPG Electronics 503 LimitedInventor: Cornelis A. M. Jaspers
-
Publication number: 20090316025Abstract: An image pickup including a light emission portion that irradiates an object with near infrared; and an image pickup portion that receives a reflection light image of the object by the near infrared. The image pickup portion includes a lens array containing a substrate on which multiple lenses to respectively receive the reflection light image of the object by the near infrared are arranged; a light shield spacer that shields beams of light that have passed through the lens array from each other; a color filter separated into areas according to beams of light that pass through the light shield spacer, each of which transmits only particular beams of near infrared depending on the wavelengths thereof; and an image pickup element that simultaneously obtains multiple images of the object which are formed of each of the particular beams of near infrared having independent wavelengths that have passed through each of the areas of the color filter.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2009Publication date: December 24, 2009Inventor: Hideaki HIRAI
-
Patent number: 7636112Abstract: The invention discloses an image processing apparatus and method. The method of the invention first splits the image into a green color plane, a red color plane and a blue color plane. Afterward, each one of the green color plane, the red color plane and the blue color plane is sequentially masked by a working window, such that each of the pixels on the one color plane is sequentially located at the center of the working window and referred to as a central pixel. Then, the pixels other than the central pixel in the working window are classified into edge pixels and non-edge pixels. Finally, a filtered central pixel is calculated according to a formula, and the central pixel is replaced with the filtered central pixel, whereby the noises of the image remained in the CFA domain are suppressed.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2007Date of Patent: December 22, 2009Assignee: Quanta Computer Inc.Inventors: Chih-Long Hsu, Sheng-Hung Cheng
-
Patent number: 7636115Abstract: A method and apparatus for achieving high-dynamic range operation with a set of spatially distributed pixel cells is provided. A pixel array with a row of pixels having apertures of varying sizes in a metal mask formed thereon controls the sensitivity of each pixel cell to light. A neutral density filter having varying light transparency values is also provided over the set of pixel cells to control the sensitivity of each pixel cell to light. The pixel cells voltage outputted is combined to obtain high-dynamic range operation.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2005Date of Patent: December 22, 2009Assignee: Aptina Imaging CorporationInventors: Chris Sungkwon Hong, Jeffrey A. McKee
-
Patent number: 7633538Abstract: An image sensor device formed in an integrated circuit (IC) having a filter device in which filter elements are arranged to provide color symmetry with respect to an optical center of the imaging array of pixels. This color symmetry ensures that any color cross-talk that occurs will be symmetrical with respect to the optical center of the imaging array and will result in a color error that is radial and easily correctable using color interpolation.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2006Date of Patent: December 15, 2009Assignee: Aptina Imaging CorporationInventors: Jeffery Steven Beck, William George Gazeley
-
Publication number: 20090290051Abstract: A solid-state imager including an imaging region, a color filter layer, and an electro-conductive component, wherein the imaging region has a plurality of light receiving elements positioned therein, the plurality of light receiving elements are formed to a substrate, while being arranged in a two-dimensional manner, the color filter layer is formed over and around the imaging region, the electro-conductive component exposes from the color filter layer, the electro-conductive component is positioned around the imaging region but without overlapping the imaging region.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2009Publication date: November 26, 2009Applicant: NEC Electronics CorporationInventor: Shigeru IWATA
-
Patent number: 7623708Abstract: Color shift correction comprising: (a) imaging an object and acquiring image data of each of a plurality of color planes including planes of primaries; (b) determining whether a color of each of pixels of color image data obtained by combining the image data of each of the plurality of color planes is imaginary; (c) counting the number of pixels determined in step (b) to have imaginary color and calculating the number of pixels within one frame which have imaginary color; (d) repeating a process of performing a pixel shift operation, relative to image data of each of the plurality of color planes, and performing steps (b) and (c) using the image data of each of the plurality of color planes having undergone the pixel shift operation, and obtaining, a pixel shift operation for the color planes; and (e) correcting the image data of the plurality of color planes on the basis of the pixel shift operation.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2005Date of Patent: November 24, 2009Assignee: Fujifilm CorporationInventor: Hitoshi Urabe
-
Patent number: 7623166Abstract: A solid-state imaging device is composed of a P-type semiconductor layer, an interlayer insulation film, a multilayer interference filter and condenser lenses which have been successively laminated on an N-type semiconductor layer. A photodiode, in which N-type impurities have been ion-implanted, is formed per pixel in the P-type semiconductor layer on the interlayer insulation film side. The multilayer interference filter has a composition including ?/4 multilayer films and a plurality of spacer layers sandwiched therebetween. The ?/4 multilayer films are composed of alternately laminated monotitanium dioxide layers and monosilicon dioxide layers that have the same optical thickness. The spacer layers have optical thicknesses corresponding to colors of light they are to transmit. A spacer layer is not included in a green region. Instead, two monotitanium dioxide layers, each of which constitutes a ?/4 multilayer film, are adjoined to make a monotitanium dioxide layer with an optical thickness of ?/2.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2006Date of Patent: November 24, 2009Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Yuichi Inaba, Masahiro Kasano
-
Patent number: 7623167Abstract: A wavelength component proportion detection apparatus is disclosed which is capable of detecting the proportions of the wavelength components under a light source including the visible and infrared wavelength components. The apparatus comprises a color filter, an image-pickup element, an extractor which extracts a color-difference signal from an image-pickup signal, and a detector which detects, on the basis of the extracted color-difference signal, the proportion of a wavelength component in a first infrared wavelength region and the proportion of a wavelength component in a second infrared wavelength region in the light from the light source.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2006Date of Patent: November 24, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Daisuke Sasaki
-
Patent number: 7623172Abstract: A solid state imaging device having an X-Y addressable solid state imaging device with color filters and a driving unit which reads out pixel information of a same color filter in a unit pixel block as pixel information for one pixel simulatively. A predetermined color coding for the pixels has two rows and two columns. When k is a positive integer equal to or larger than 0, with (2k+3)×(2k+3) pixel blocks as unit pixel blocks, the driving unit reads out pieces of pixel information of the same color filter in each of the unit pixel blocks, the driving unit reads out pieces of pixel information of a same color filter in each of the unit pixel blocks simulatively as pixel information for one pixel in a state in which the unit pixel blocks are laid without overlapping one another, and the driving unit averages the added pieces of pixel information and outputs the averaged pieces of pixel information.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2004Date of Patent: November 24, 2009Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Takamasa Wada, Eiichi Funatsu, Keiji Mabuchi, Ken Nakajima, Katsuaki Hirota, Nobuyuki Satou, Takashi Abe, Tomoyuki Umeda, Nobuo Nakamura, Hiroaki Fujita, Hiroki Sato
-
Publication number: 20090284627Abstract: An image processing method includes photographing an object by a camera via a filter, separating image data, which is obtained by photographing by the camera, into a red component, a green component and a blue component, determining a relationship of correspondency between pixels in the red component, the green component and the blue component, with reference to departure of pixel values in the red component, the green component and the blue component from a linear color model in a three-dimensional color space, and finding a depth of each of the pixels in the image data in accordance with positional displacement amounts of the corresponding pixels of the red component, the green component and the blue component. The image processing method further includes processing the image data in accordance with the depth.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2009Publication date: November 19, 2009Applicant: KAIBUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Yosuke Bando, Tomoyuki Nishita
-
Patent number: 7619685Abstract: An optical recording apparatus for a wireless electronic equipment includes an infrared recording device configured to receive light in the infrared spectrum and record data according to the received infrared light, a color recording device configured to receive light in the visible spectrum and record data according to the received visible light, and an interface device configured to receive the recorded data from the infrared recording device and/or the color recording device and to forward the received data to a processing device.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2005Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications ABInventor: Mats Wernersson
-
Publication number: 20090278954Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes: a color and polarization obtaining section 101 including a single-chip color image capture device that has a color mosaic filter 201 and a patterned polarizer 202 in which a number of polarizer units, having polarization transmission planes defining mutually different angles, are provided for multiple pixels of the same color (G) in the color mosaic filter 201; a polarization information processing section 103 for approximating, as a sinusoidal function, a relation between the intensities of light rays that have been transmitted through the polarizer units for the G pixels and the angles of the polarization transmission planes of the polarizer units; and a color mosaic interpolation section 103 for generating a color intensity image by performing color intensity interpolation and getting a color intensity that cannot be obtained at a pixel of interest.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2008Publication date: November 12, 2009Inventors: Katsuhiro Kanamori, Satoshi Sato
-
Patent number: 7612805Abstract: A system is disclosed for the automated correction of optical and digital aberrations in a digital imaging system. The system includes digital filtration and digital system corrections to optical and digital aberrations. The system addresses issues in still and video photography that are presented in the digital imaging environment.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2007Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Inventor: Neal Solomon
-
Patent number: 7609298Abstract: This invention is directed to reduce a deterioration in image quality after thinning operation when pixels are read out upon thinning. An image sensor is designed such that different gains are applied on a pixel basis. After periodical gains are applied to the respective pixels, the pixels of the same colors are added and averaged to obtain a low-pass filter effect before thinning processing for the pixels in the sensor, thereby preventing the occurrence of aliasing (moiré) due to thinning.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2006Date of Patent: October 27, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Eiichiro Ikeda
-
Patent number: 7609306Abstract: A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes high-sensitivity photosensitive cells and low-sensitivity photosensitive cells alternating with each other in the horizontal and vertical directions. The color filter has first portions where red is assigned to the high-sensitivity photosensitive cells, second portions where blue is assigned to the low-sensitivity photosensitive cells, third portions where blue is assigned to the high-sensitivity and fourth portions where red is assigned to the low-sensitivity photosensitive cells. The apparatus is selectively operable in a progressive read mode for reading out signal charges from all of the photosensitive cells or a thin-out read mode for reading them out while thinning out the photosensitive cells. The thin-out read mode includes a mode for reading out signal charges from at least one of the first and second portions and a mode for reading them out from at least one of the third and fourth portions.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2005Date of Patent: October 27, 2009Assignee: Fujifilm CorporationInventor: Kazuya Oda
-
Patent number: 7609300Abstract: A method and system of eliminating color noises caused by an interpolation, which performs an interpolation on a Bayer image obtained by an image sensor to restore red, green and blue colors of each pixel. Interpolated image is converted into a chromatic domain in order to rapidly use chroma pixel values of a pixel previously processed to eliminate color noises to update the original chroma pixel values in a median filter with 3×3 area of 2D, thereby increasing the color noise filtering capability of the median filter, and a low-pass filter is used to further eliminate the uneven effect of clustered color noises filtered out by the median filter.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2006Date of Patent: October 27, 2009Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.Inventor: Cheng-Yu Wu
-
Patent number: 7609307Abstract: The present invention discloses a heterogeneity-projection hard-decision interpolation method for color reproduction, which utilizes a heterogeneity-projection method to determine the optimal edge direction and then utilizes a hard-decision rule to determine the optimal interpolation direction and obtain the information of the green color elements. The high-frequency information of the plane of the green color elements is incorporated into the processing of the planes of the red color elements and the blue color elements to reduce the restoration errors of the red and blue color elements. Therefore, the present invention can decrease the interpolation-direction errors and achieve a higher PSNR and a better visual effect.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2006Date of Patent: October 27, 2009Assignee: National Chiao Tung UniversityInventors: Chi-Yi Tsai, Kai-Tai Song
-
Patent number: 7605354Abstract: A color sensor of the present invention is arranged such that (i) an interference filter is provided directly above light receiving elements so as to transmit incoming light having a predetermined wavelength of the incoming light, and color filters are provided directly on the interference filter, or (ii) the color filters are provided directly above the light receiving element, and the interference filter is provided directly on the color filters so as to transmit incoming light having a predetermined wavelength of the incoming light.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2007Date of Patent: October 20, 2009Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Junichiro Koyama
-
Patent number: 7602427Abstract: An image sensor is configured to output transformed image data. The image sensor includes a set of pixel sensors that are sensitive to light and a set of filter elements positioned adjacent to the set of pixel sensors. The set of filter elements transforms light striking the set of pixel sensors to enable the image sensor to output transformed image data.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2006Date of Patent: October 13, 2009Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventor: Andrei Cernasov
-
Publication number: 20090251573Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus and a manufacturing method of a solid-state imaging apparatus are provided. Metal wirings 102 and 103 are formed in an effective pixel region A and out-of effective pixel region B of a semiconductor substrate 100, and an etch stop layer 118 is formed over the metal wirings 102 and 103. Moreover, an insulating film 119 is formed on the etch stop layer 118, and another metal wiring 104 is formed on the insulating film 119 in the out-of effective pixel region B. Next, the insulating film 119 in the effective pixel region A is removed by using the etch stop layer 118, and interlayer lenses 105 are formed in the step in the effective pixel region A where the insulating film 119 is removed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2009Publication date: October 8, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Takehiro Toyoda
-
Publication number: 20090244332Abstract: When a solid-state imaging apparatus which has A/D conversion circuits in every column and subjects a digitized signal to arithmetic processing carries out a horizontal skipping operation and calculates respective signals held in a plurality of register circuits, an A/D converter and a register circuit in a column which is skipped, specifically, is not read out, do not participate in the operation, so that the circuit has been susceptible to investigation in terms of use efficiency. The solid-state imaging apparatus has a unit for connecting a register circuit in a certain column with a register circuit in a different column.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2009Publication date: October 1, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kazuhiro Sonoda
-
Patent number: 7595826Abstract: An intensity value is independently estimated based upon interpolated values as well as measured sensor values according to the location of an individual sensor within a sensor unit. The interpolated values are in either CrCb or RGB values while an estimated intensity value is in Y value. The independent intensity value substantially improves color resolution.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2003Date of Patent: September 29, 2009Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Shin Aoki, Haike Guan
-
Patent number: 7595819Abstract: A signal processing unit subjects to signal processing first image signals, obtained as the output from a three-sensor-system sensor unit which uses CMOS sensors or the like, thereby obtaining high-image-quality second image signals. The three sensors are positioned at placement positions which are suitable for signal processing at the signal processing unit. The suitable placement positions have been obtained by learning performed beforehand. In one arrangement, the signal processing unit evaluates the second image signals, and controls the placement positions of the three sensors according to the evaluation results. In another arrangement, the first signals are evaluated in a predetermined region, and the capabilities of the sensors at the predetermined region are changed according to the evaluation results. In another arrangement, the sensor unit is controlled according to the level distribution of the first image signals. The present invention can be applied to still or video digital cameras.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2004Date of Patent: September 29, 2009Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Tetsujiro Kondo
-
Patent number: 7593567Abstract: RGB filter set and color estimation performance for RGB LED color sensing is provided. A criteria function describing an error between desired color matching functions and a spectral response of an RGB filter set is constructed. RGB filter set response characteristics based on the criteria function are then determined. Finally, color estimation parameters for substantially optimal color estimation with the RGB filter set are determined based upon the determined RGB filter set response characteristics. Computer readable code for constructing a criteria function is provided. Computer readable code for determining RGB filter set response characteristics is also provided. Finally, computer readable code for determining color estimation parameters is provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2003Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventor: Chin Chang
-
Patent number: 7593047Abstract: The present invention is an image sensor having a pixel array, which arranges pixels having photoelectric conversion circuits in rows and columns; and a pixel selecting circuit for selecting each pixel, wherein the pixel selecting circuit selects pixels of all rows and/or pixels of all columns, and selects a pixel signal at every plural pixels among the selected pixel signals, and pixels selected from a pixel block of a plurality of rows and columns within the pixel array are dispersed within this pixel block.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2001Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Fujitsu Microelectronics LimitedInventors: Jun Funakoshi, Katsuyoshi Yamamoto
-
Patent number: 7593046Abstract: A color image pickup device including: a pixel group placed in an array of a plurality of pixels of photoelectric conversion elements; and a color coding array corresponding to the pixel group, the color coding array arranged in a randomized array, or arranged in a randomized array satisfying predetermined array restricting conditions, or arranged in a randomized array satisfying predetermined color distributing conditions. Thereby an object image can be picked up in accordance with a randomized color coding array having no regularity, making it possible without using an optical low-pass filter to achieve a color image pickup device and color image pickup apparatus using the color image pickup device capable of keeping color moire from occurring even of an object having a cyclic luminance change.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2006Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Hideaki Yoshida, Hatsuo Shimizu
-
Publication number: 20090231475Abstract: A method of making a color filter array of an imaging device comprises forming a main recess for a color filter array, forming a tension breaking feature at an edge of the main recess, and providing a color filter array material across the tension breaking feature and main recess as part of forming the color filter array. The tension breaking feature reduces the settling distance of the color filter array material. An imaging device having the thus formed color filter array is also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2008Publication date: September 17, 2009Inventors: Salman Akram, James Chapman
-
Patent number: 7589772Abstract: An apparatus and method for multispectral imaging comprising an array of filters in a mosaic pattern, a sensor array and an acquisition and processing module. The sensor array being disposed to receive an image that has been filtered by the array of filters. The acquisition and processing module processes the output of the sensor array (or mosaic acquired data) to provide a processed image. The acquisition and processing module processes the mosaic acquired data by performing first interpolation on the mosaic acquired data by the sensor array to provide a first approximation and performing second interpolation on the values of the first approximation to provide a second approximation.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2006Date of Patent: September 15, 2009Inventors: Ronald R. Coifman, Frank Geshwind, Andreas C. Coppi, William G. Fateley, Richard A. Deverse, Yosi Keller, Alon Schclar
-
Publication number: 20090225204Abstract: A wavelength separation filter 206 is composed of ?/4 multilayer films 302 to 304 that are sequentially laminated on a multilayer interference filter 301. The multilayer interference filter 301 is composed of two ?/4 multilayer films with a dielectric layer sandwiched therebetween. Also, the multilayer interference filter 301 is composed of parts 301B, 301G, 301R that transmit blue light, green light, and red light, respectively. The multilayer interference filter 301 wavelength-separates visible light. The ?/4 multilayer films 302 to 304 reflect light having a wavelength within wavelength ranges having set-wavelengths of 800 nm, 900 nm, and 1000 nm respectively. In other words, the ?/4 multilayer films 302 to 304 reflect near infrared light.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2006Publication date: September 10, 2009Inventors: Yuuichi Inaba, Takumi Yamaguchi, Yoshiyuki Matsunaga
-
Patent number: 7586528Abstract: A color sensor comprises: light reception elements that generate color signals corresponding to stimulus values of colors in an RGB color system, the stimulus values of colors comprising a stimulus value of blue (B) and a stimulus value of red (R), wherein the light reception elements comprise a first light reception element that generates a red (R) color signal corresponding to the stimulus values of red (R); and a first portion that adds a signal corresponding to the stimulus value of blue (B) as a positive sensitivity component to one of: the first light reception element; and a red (R) color signal generated by the first light reception element.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2005Date of Patent: September 8, 2009Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Toshiaki Fukunaga, Daisuke Yokoyama
-
Patent number: 7586530Abstract: The present invention provides a solid-state imaging device including an optical element that efficiently condenses even wide-angle incident light and has a color separation function. The solid-state imaging device includes pixels, and in the device each pixel includes: a light receiving element; and an optical element, whose surface, at least, is made of metal, the optical element has: an aperture; and convex parts which are arranged cyclically, and a distance between adjacent convex parts and a width of each convex part range from 0 to 1 wavelength of the light to be condensed.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2005Date of Patent: September 8, 2009Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Kazutoshi Onozawa, Daisuke Ueda, Shinji Yoshida
-
Patent number: 7583303Abstract: An imaging device having a hybrid RGBYC color filter using a primary color system RGB filter and a complementary color system YC filter is composed. Four G filters that directly relate to resolution and that is close to a luminance signal that human eyes sense are arrayed in a checker shape so that the number of the G filters is four times larger than the number of filters of each of the other colors. An array shown in FIG. 10A is composed of low resolution rows (G, R, G, and B) and high resolution rows (C, G, Y, and G) that are alternately arrayed in each line. When signals are read if exposure times are varied for individual lines, the signals that are read can easily have a wide dynamic range. An array shown in FIG. 10B has two Gs, a low sensitivity color, and a high sensitivity color in each line and each row. Thus, the luminance difference is small in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. Thus, the reading method in the array shown in FIG.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2006Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Takami Mizukura, Naoya Katoh, Kenji Tanaka, Masaya Kinoshita, Yutaka Yoneda, Akira Matsui
-
Publication number: 20090207286Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a colored photosensitive composition capable of forming a color filter array having improved spectral characteristics. The colored photosensitive composition comprises a compound represented by the formula (I) or a salt thereof: wherein in the formula (I), Z1 and Z2 represent an oxygen or sulfur atom; R1 to R4 represents a hydrogen atom, a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group (which may be substituted with a hydroxyl group), an aryl group, an aralkyl group, or an acyl group; and R5 to R12 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a (halogenated) saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group, an alkoxyl group, a carboxyl group, a sulfo group, or an (N-substituted) sulfamoyl group, and at least one of R5 to R12 is an N-substituted sulfamoyl group.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2009Publication date: August 20, 2009Inventors: Yoshiko Miya, Takuma Fujita, Taichi Natori, Kensaku Maeda
-
Publication number: 20090207267Abstract: A method for calculating a shift amount of a microlens from a position of a light receiving element arranged in a pixel of an image pickup element is provided. The microlens collects incident light from an image pickup lens. The method comprises: acquiring an incident angle characteristic value indicating a relation between an arranged position of the pixel and an incident angle of the incident light to the pixel; calculating a sampled shift amount of the microlens from the position of the light receiving element corresponding the incident angle characteristic value based on light collection efficiency of the incident light; approximating the sampled shift amount by a second or higher order function to calculate a shift amount characteristic function indicating a relation between the arranged position and the shift amount; and calculating the shift amount of the pixel using the shift amount characteristic function.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2009Publication date: August 20, 2009Applicant: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITEDInventors: Tadao INOUE, Hiroshi DAIKU
-
Publication number: 20090207287Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a colored photosensitive composition capable of forming a color filter array having improved spectral characteristics. The colored photosensitive composition comprises a compound represented by the formula (I) or a salt thereof: wherein in the formula (I), R1 to R4 represents a hydrogen atom, a C1-10 saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group, or a carboxyl group; R5 to R12 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a (halogenated) C1-10 saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group, a C1-8 alkoxyl group, a carboxyl group, a sulfo group, or an (N-substituted) sulfamoyl group; at least one of R5 to R12 is an N-substituted sulfamoyl group; and R13 and R14 represent a hydrogen atom, a cyano group, or an (N-substituted) carbamoyl group.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2009Publication date: August 20, 2009Inventors: Yoshiko Miya, Takuma Fujita, Kensaku Maeda, Taichi Natori
-
Image signal processing apparatus and method for performing an adaptation process on an image signal
Patent number: 7573508Abstract: An image signal generated by a CCD image sensor is processed by the block-generating section 28 provided in an image-signal processing section 25. A class tap and a prediction tap are thereby extracted. The class tap is output to an ADRC process section 29, and the prediction tap is output to an adaptation process section 31. The ADRC process section 29 performs an ADRC process on the input image signal, generating characteristic data. A classification process section 30 generates a class code corresponding to the characteristic data thus generated and supplies the same to an adaptation process section 31. The adaptation process section 31 reads, from a coefficient memory 32, the set of prediction coefficients which corresponds to the class code. The set of prediction coefficients and the prediction tap are applied, thereby generating all color signals, i.e., R, G and B signals, at the positions of the pixels which are to be processed.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2000Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Tetsujiro Kondo, Hideo Nakaya, Takashi Sawao -
Publication number: 20090195678Abstract: An image capture system is provided. The image capture system for capturing an image of an object includes a light emitting module, a lens, a base unit and a filter unit. The light emitting module provides a plurality of light beams to form a reference area. The base unit includes a light sensor corresponding to the lens. The filter unit includes at least one visible light passing portion and at least one invisible light passing portion. The filter unit is driven to position one of the visible light passing portion and the invisible light passing portion between the lens and the light sensor. The actual size of the object can be estimated via the reference area.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2009Publication date: August 6, 2009Applicant: ASIA OPTICAL CO., INC.Inventors: Lian Zhao, Wenyong Dong
-
Publication number: 20090195683Abstract: A drive unit for an image sensor of the present invention comprises, for horizontal scanning, a drive section performing addition and readout of a first FD (floating diffusion) shared by two pixels of the same color that are adjacent in a diagonal direction by simultaneously transferring electrical charge of the two pixels of the same color, and for a second FD shared by two pixels of different colors that are adjacent in a diagonal direction, transferring and reading out electrical charge of a pixel of one color among the two pixels of different colors.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2008Publication date: August 6, 2009Inventors: Tsutomu Honda, Kazuhiro Haneda, Satoshi Tanaka
-
Patent number: 7567271Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus for three-dimensional (3-D) image acquisition can include: (i) first and second lenses configured to receive light from a scene; (ii) first, second, third, and fourth sensors; (iii) a first beam splitter arranged proximate to the first lens, where the first beam splitter can provide a first split beam to the first sensor, and a second split beam to the second sensor; and (iv) a second beam splitter arranged proximate to the second lens, where the second beam splitter can provide a third split beam to the third sensor, and a fourth and split beam to the fourth sensor. For example, the sensors can include charge-coupled devices (CCDs) or CMOS sensors.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2006Date of Patent: July 28, 2009Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.Inventor: Alexander Berestov
-
Publication number: 20090185059Abstract: The present invention relates to a colored negative photoresist composition comprising a coloring agent (A), an alkali soluble binder polymer (B), a photopolymerizable compound (C), a photopolymerization initiator (D), and a solvent (E), wherein the alkali soluble binder polymer (B) is a polymer comprising the monomer represented by the following Formula 1 and a monomer having a carboxyl group. The colored negative photoresist composition of the present invention improves adhesion to a silicone wafer, in particular, an SiN wafer, to prevent a separation or tear in the lining, and to form a rectangular pattern, thereby being able to be effectively used in a complementary metal oxide semiconductor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2007Publication date: July 23, 2009Applicant: DONG-WOO FINE-CHEM. CO., LTD.Inventors: Seong Hyeon Kim, Seung No Lee, Sang Tae Kim
-
Patent number: 7564492Abstract: The present invention provides a solid-state image sensing device that can reduce at least the number of pixels arranged in the horizontal direction and can output high quality picture signals at high speed without generating moire or alias.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2003Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Ryoichi Nagayoshi, Toshiya Fujii, Tsuyoshi Hasuka, Akiyoshi Kohno, Shinichi Tashiro, Keijiro Itakura