Abstract: A method and apparatus for achieving monochromatic response from a low-cost color imager are presented. In this method and apparatus, the out-of-band response to infrared (IR) light by solid state sensors is exploited to produce a monochrome image. The monochrome image is produced by omitting the IR blocking filter from the sensor of the color imager and illuminating the scene to be imaged including IR radiation from an LED. The wavelength emitted from the LED is matched to the wavelength or wavelengths that correspond to a region where the sensor's response to IR light is relatively even, despite the color-mosaic filter permanently attached to the sensor.

Abstract: In a high precision image processor and image processing program, an output of a one-chip Bayer array CCD is A/D converted and noise reduced, and then entered in a G interpolation circuit which comprises interpolation circuit B which implements interpolation processing of a less resolving power but does not reflect on the result of interpolation an apparent sensitivity difference occurring at a pixel value of a G pixel of the one-chip CCD, and interpolation circuit A which implements interpolation processing of an improved resolving power but reflects an apparent sensitivity difference on the result of interpolation. G interpolation circuit estimates a sensitivity difference at a pixel of interest and combines outputs of interpolation circuits A and B such that for a large sensitivity difference, the output of circuit B is used more, and for a small sensitivity difference, the output of circuit A is used more.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes: an imaging element formed on a semiconductor substrate, and comprising an imaging region including a plurality of pixel blocks each including a plurality of pixels; a first optical system forming an image of an object on an imaging plane; and a second optical system comprising a microlens array including a plurality of microlenses each corresponding to one of the pixel blocks, and reducing and re-forming the image to be formed on the imaging plane on the pixel blocks corresponding to the respective microlenses. The imaging plane of the first optical system is located further away from the first optical system than the imaging element when the object is located at an infinite distance.

Abstract: A solid-state image device is provided which has a semiconductor substrate, pixels A each containing a photoelectric conversion portion in which at least two PN junction parts are provide in a depth direction of the semiconductor substrate, pixels B each containing a photoelectric conversion portion in which at least one PN junction part is provided, first color filters provided above the pixels A, second color filters provided above the pixels B; and a detection mechanism for detecting a first color signal and a second color signal from the two PN junction parts of each of the pixels A and a third color signal from the PN junction part of each of the pixels B. According to the above solid-state image device, light can be more efficiently used than a color filter separation method, and superior color reproducibility to that of a three-well structure can be realized.

Abstract: A method is described for forming a full-color output image from a color filter array image comprising capturing an image using an image sensor including panchromatic pixels and color pixels having at least two different color responses, the pixels being arranged in a rectangular minimal repeating unit wherein for a first color response, the color pixels having the first color response alternate with panchromatic pixels in at least two directions, and for each of the other color responses there is at least one row, column or diagonal of the repeating pattern that only has color pixels of the given color response and panchromatic pixels. The method further comprising, computing an interpolated panchromatic image from the color filter array image; computing an interpolated color image from the color filter array image; and forming the full color output image from the interpolated panchromatic image and the interpolated color image.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a first interpolating portion calculating a first interpolation value for a pixel value of a pixel of interest using pixel values of the pixel of interest and pixels neighboring the pixel of interest; a second interpolating portion detecting the direction of a smallest jump amount to calculate a second interpolation value for the pixel value of the pixel of interest; a detecting portion determining whether any change is made by interpolation using the first interpolation value, and selecting the first or second interpolation value when there is change or not; and an isolated point detecting portion determining whether the pixel of interest is an isolated point, outputting the first or second interpolation value when the pixel of interest is an isolated point, and outputting the pixel value of the pixel of interest when the pixel of interest is not an isolated point.

Abstract: A digital-optical imaging system can be operated in two modes, which shall be referred to as broadband mode and grayscale mode. In broadband mode, different color images are captured and then image processed together. The optics are intentionally aberrated to increase the depth of field, with the image processing compensating for the aberrations. In grayscale mode, the different color images are captured and then image processed separately. The color images are assumed to be correlated so that it is not necessary to have clear images of all color channels. Accordingly, the optics are designed so that the different color images focus at different locations, thus increasing the overall depth of field where at least one color image is in focus.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to creation, modification and implementation of dither pattern structures applied to an image to diminish contouring artifacts. Some aspects relate to dither pattern structures with pixel values in a first color channel pattern that are spatially dispersed from pixel values in a corresponding pattern in a second color channel. Some aspects relate to application. Some aspects relate to systems and apparatus for creation and application of these dither pattern structures comprising pixel values dispersed across color channels.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging device including a plurality of pixel units configured to be disposed in an imaging area in such a way that a plurality of pixels corresponding to different colors are treated as one unit, wherein the amount of shift of a position of each of the pixels in the pixel unit is so set as to differ depending on distance from a center of the imaging area to the pixel unit and a color.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensor includes: a semiconductor substrate 22; a plurality of pixels 23 arranged on the semiconductor substrate 22 and respectively including photoelectric conversion regions 24; and an isolation region 25 electrically isolating the pixels 23 from one another. The first pixel 31 includes a first photoelectric conversion region 32 and a first color filter 41 having a peak of its optical transmission in a first wavelength range. The second pixel 34 adjacent to the first pixel 31 includes a second photoelectric conversion region 35 and a second color filter 42 having peaks in its optical transmission in the first wavelength range and a second wavelength range including shorter wavelengths than the first wavelength range. A portion 33 of a deep portion of the first photoelectric conversion region 32 extends across the isolation region 25 to reach a portion under the second photoelectric conversion region 35.

Abstract: There is used an XY address type solid-state image pickup element (for example, a MOS type image sensor) in which two rows and two columns are made a unit, and color filters having a color coding of repetition of the unit (repetition of two verticals (two horizontals) are arranged, and when a thinning-out read mode is specified, a clock frequency of a system is changed to 1/9, and on the basis of the changed clock frequency, a pixel is selected every three pixels in both a row direction and a column direction to successively read out a pixel signal.

Abstract: An imaging system may include an image sensor configured to image materials at near field imaging ranges from the image sensor. Near field imaging ranges may be on the scale of 1-10 pixel sizes from the image sensor. The materials being imaged may be fluorescent materials that emit radiation at fluorescent wavelengths when the materials are exposed to radiation at excitation wavelengths. The image sensor may include color filter materials that block radiation at excitation wavelengths while transmitting radiation at fluorescent wavelengths. The image sensor may include light guides that reduce cross-talk between pixels and improve localization of emitted radiation, thereby allowing the image sensor to determine which pixel(s) is (are) located beneath the materials being imaged. The light guides may include may include sloped sidewalls and may include reflective sidewalls, which may improve radiation collection (e.g., efficiency) and localization of emitted radiation.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a video camera that can be configured to highly compress video data in a visually lossless manner. The camera can be configured to transform blue and red image data in a manner that enhances the compressibility of the data. The data can then be compressed and stored in this form. This allows a user to reconstruct the red and blue data to obtain the original raw data for a modified version of the original raw data that is visually lossless when demosacied. Additionally, the data can be processed in a manner in which the green image elements are demosaiced first and then the red and blue elements are reconstructed based on values of the demosaiced green image elements.

Abstract: A method of forming a full-color output image from a color filter array image having a plurality of color pixels having at least two different color responses and panchromatic pixels, comprising capturing a color filter array image using an image sensor including panchromatic pixels and color pixels having at least two different color responses, the pixels being arranged in a repeating pattern having a square minimal repeating unit having at least three rows and three columns, the color pixels being arranged along one of the diagonals of the minimal repeating unit, and all other pixels being panchromatic pixels; computing an interpolated panchromatic image from the color filter array image; computing an interpolated color image from the color filter array image; and forming the full color output image from the interpolated panchromatic image and the interpolated color image.

Abstract: An image-signal processing unit comprising a first and second luminance calculation block, a correction-value calculation block, and a subtraction block, is provided. The first luminance calculation block calculates a first luminance corresponding to the sum of a plurality of primary color light components. Each of them is multiplied by a coefficient from a first coefficient combination. The second luminance calculation block calculates a second luminance corresponding to the sum of a plurality of the primary color light components. Each of them is multiplied by a coefficient from a second coefficient combination. The correction-value calculation block calculates a luminance correction value according to the second luminance if the first luminance is greater than a threshold value. The subtraction block calculates a corrected luminance by subtracting the luminance correction value from the first luminance.

Abstract: An imaging system may include an array of lenses, each of which is aligned over a respective one of a plurality of imaging pixels. The array of lenses may be formed in two layers. The first layer may include a first set of non-adjacent lenses and centering structures between the first lenses. The centering structures may be aligned with the first set of lenses as part of a mask design with a high level of accuracy. The second layer may include a second set of lenses, each of which is formed on a respective one of the centering structures. Forming the second set of lenses may include a reflow process in which surface tension forces center the second set of lenses on their respective centering structures, thereby aligning the second set of lenses with the first set of lenses with a high level of accuracy.

Abstract: Image sensors may contain arrays of image sensor pixels, each of which includes a microlens and a photosensitive element. A multisection light guide that is made up of multiple light guide layers may be interposed between the microlens and the photosensitive element. The light guide layers may have alternating indicies of refraction to form a spectral filter. The lateral dimensions of the light guide layers may also be configured so that the light guide layers perform spectral filtering. Light guide shapes and sizes may be altered as a function of the lateral position of each image sensor pixel within the image sensor array. The uppermost light guide may be aligned with the microlens and the lowermost light guide may be aligned with the photosensitive element. The lateral positions of each light guide may be laterally shifted with respect to the next to form a staggered stack of light guides.

Abstract: An imaging device including: an electronic shutter and a pixel array part. The pixel array part has a plurality of pixels with different characteristics of spectral sensitivity arranged in an array and which converts light transmitted through the pixel into an electric signal. The pixel array part has a plurality of color pixels and at least one clear pixel, the plurality of color pixels including (i) a first color filter pixel having a peak of spectral sensitivity characteristics in red, (ii) a second color filter pixel having a peak in blue, and (iii) a third color filter pixel having a peak in green.

Abstract: Interpolations systems and methods are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a system is disclosed that includes an input to receive image data. The system also includes an image processing system responsive to the image data and including a demosaicing module. The demosaicing module is configured to use adaptive bi-cubic spline interpolation. The system further includes an output responsive to the image processing system and adapted to provide output data.

Abstract: A pixel section outputs R, G and B signals which are obtained by photoelectrically converting light incident on R, G and B pixels. An adding section determines a prescribed area in which a certain pixel is set as a central pixel, and adds the R, G and B signals from the central pixel and peripheral pixels arranged on the periphery of the central pixel in the prescribed area in order to produce an addition signal. A ratio calculating section calculates an average value of each of the R, G and B signals, and a ratio coefficient of the average value of each of the R, G and B signals to a total value of the average values. An RGB generating section generates a new R signal, G signal and B signal by using the addition signal and the ratio coefficients calculated by the ratio calculating section.

Abstract: A chromatic noise reduction method is provided for removing chromatic noise from the pixels of a mosaic image. In one implementation, an actual chroma value and a de-noised chroma value are derived for the central pixel of a matrix of pixels. Based at least in part upon these chroma values, a final chroma value is derived for the central pixel. The final chroma value is then used, along with the actual luminance of the central pixel, to derive a final de-noised pixel value for the central pixel. By de-noising the central pixel based on its chroma (which takes into account more than one color) rather than on just the color channel of the central pixel, this method allows the central pixel to be de-noised in a more color-coordinated fashion. As a result, improved chromatic noise reduction is achieved.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus that performs noise reduction processing to image signals comprises a separation and extraction unit that separates a present image signal into a luminance signal and a color signal and extracts regions having a predetermined size sequentially, a representative luminance calculation unit that calculates a representative luminance value, a representative hue calculation unit that calculates a representative hue value of the region, a color noise estimation unit that estimates a color noise amount based upon the representative luminance value and the representative hue value, a differential color signal calculation unit that calculates a differential color signal from the color signal of the region and a color signal of a past region after noise reduction processing and a color noise reduction unit that performs color noise reduction processing to the color signal of the region based upon the color noise amount and the differential color signal.

Abstract: A solid-state image sensing device comprises: a light receiving unit for receiving light; a microlens formed above the light receiving unit; a fluorine-containing resin material layer formed on the microlens; and a transparent substrate provided over the fluorine-containing resin material layer. A resin layer adheres the fluorine-containing resin material layer and the transparent substrate.

Abstract: At least some of the pixels on which color filters that give the largest weight to a brightness signal or color filters that have the highest transmittance among the plurality of color filters are provided are pixels for focus detection that are designed in such a way that the direction of incidence of light beams incident thereon is restricted, the pixels other than the pixels for focus detection are pixels for image picking-up that are designed in such a way that the degree of restriction placed on light beams incident thereon is smaller than that placed on light beams incident on the pixels for focus detection, the pixels for focus detection output at least a signal for ranging, the pixels for image picking-up output at least a signal for an image, and there are at least three pixels for focus detection in an area defined between a circle having its center at the center of any one of the pixels for focus detection and having a radius equal to 3.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for color plane interpolation are provided which interpolates the color values of pixels differently depending on an edge direction and whether a pixel is at an edge within an image. The use of the edge detection during the interpolation of each of the colors present in the color pattern helps reduce some of the disadvantages of the loss of image sharpness abundant in known demosaicing techniques.

Abstract: An image sensor for capturing a color image comprising a two dimensional array of light-sensitive pixels including panchromatic pixels and color pixels having at least two different color responses, the pixels being arranged in a repeating pattern having a square minimal repeating unit having at least three rows and three columns, the color pixels being arranged along one of the diagonals of the minimal repeating unit, and all other pixels being panchromatic pixels.

Abstract: A method for characterizing image sensor pixels arranged in an array, including the steps of: (a) illuminating a first portion of the array formed of pixels associated with a color filter of a first color; (b) measuring the detection performed by a central pixel of the first portion; (c) illuminating a second portion of the array formed of a central pixel associated with a color filter of a second color and of peripheral pixels associated with a color filter of the first color; (d) measuring the detection performed by the central pixel and the peripheral pixels of the second portion; (e) comparing the measurements of steps (b) and (d).

Abstract: A color filter allows a light signal to pass through by each pixel and be incident on an imaging device. The light signal is inputted through a lens and including one of plural different spectral components. The plural different spectral components include a first spectral component which has a widest frequency bandwidth among the plural different spectral components, a second spectral component corresponding to a predetermined frequency band close to a frequency that causes no chromatic aberration of the lens, and a third spectral component expressed in terms of a linear sum of a value resulting from multiplying the first spectral component by a first weighting factor and a value resulting from multiplying the second spectral component by a second weighting factor.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes: an image display panel having a two-dimensional matrix with (P×Q) pixels each including first, second and third sub-pixels for displaying respective first, second and third elementary colors, and fourth sub-pixel for displaying a fourth color; and a signal processing section configured to receive first, second and third sub-pixel input signals respectively provided with signal values of x1-(p, q), x2-(p, q) and x3-(p, q), and to output first, second, third and fourth sub-pixel output signals respectively provided with signal values of X1-(p, q), X2-(p, q), X3-(p, q) and X4-(p, q), which used for determining the display gradations of the first, second, third, and fourth sub-pixels, respectively, with regard to a (p, q)th pixel where notations p and q are integers satisfying equations 1?p?P and 1?q?Q.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and method are provided. The image processing apparatus includes a blur kernel estimator and an image restorer. The blur kernel estimator is configured to estimate a blur kernel of a first image using the first image and a second image, wherein the first image includes multi-channel color image data and the second image includes single-channel image data and is obtained with a shorter exposure time than the first image. The image restorer is configured to generate a blurred image of the second image using the blur kernel, and restore an image using residual images between images for respective channels of the first image and the blurred image of the second image, the second image, and the blur kernel.

Abstract: A solid state image sensor includes an extracting unit including a plurality of pixels, each having an optical waveguide formed by a core and a clad for guiding incident light entering the pixel to a photoelectric converter section via the core. The extracting unit is formed by at least two pixels including a first pixel and a second pixel and the cores in the optical waveguides of the first and second pixels are designed to show an oblate cross section and arranged with their respective major axes disposed in different directions.

Abstract: A method of capturing a video of a scene depending on the speed of motion in the scene, includes capturing a video of the scene; determining the relative speed of motion within a first region of the video of the scene with respect to the speed of motion within a second region of the video of the scene; and causing a capture rate of the first region of the video of the scene to be greater than a capture rate of the second region of the video of the scene, or causing an exposure time of the first region to be less than exposure time of the second region.

Abstract: A color filter array may include two or more yellow filter pixels, one or more green filter pixels, and one or more cyan filter pixels. The two or more yellow filter pixels may be disposed in a first row or rows in a first direction. The one or more green filter pixels and the one or more cyan filter pixels may be disposed in a second row or rows in the first direction. The first row or rows and the second row or rows may alternate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In the second direction, either the one or more green filter pixels and at least one of the two or more yellow filter pixels alternate or the one or more cyan filter pixels and at least one of the two or more yellow filter pixels alternate.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an array of sub-diffraction limit-sized light receptors formed in a substrate having a light receiving surface. Each receptor is configured to output an n-bit element and to change state based on the absorption of at least one photon (n is an integer >0). The apparatus includes an optical filter structure disposed over the light receiving surface, the structure having an array of filter pixels, each having an associated passband spectral characteristic. A data element obtained from the array of receptors is generated from a combination of a plurality of the n-bit elements output from a plurality of light receptors that underlie filter pixels having at least two different passband spectral characteristics. The filter pixels having at least two different passband spectral characteristics form a gradient filter wherein bandpass regions increase when moving from a central region of the gradient filter towards an edge region.

Abstract: The invention provides a color filter of an illumination image sensor and a method for fabricating the same. A color filter of an illumination image sensor includes a light shield portion constructed by a plurality of grid photoresist patterns, wherein the light shield portion covers a back side surface of the silicon wafer in a periphery region of an illumination image sensor chip.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to generate an image in which images having different exposure amounts are generated are provided. The apparatus and method synthesize the generated images and a high-sensitivity (or quality) image can be generated. The apparatus to generate an image includes an exposure adjustment unit to adjust an exposure amount, an image generation unit to generate a plurality of images of different exposure amounts and different resolutions, and an image synthesis unit to synthesize the plurality of generated images.

Abstract: An image pickup unit includes an image pickup lens, a lens array disposed on an image formation plane of the image pickup lens, and an image pickup device having a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally along first and second directions intersecting each other. The lens array includes a plurality of lens sections each being assigned to a region of m- by n-pixel in the image pickup device, where each of m and n is an integer of 1 or more, and m is different from n.

Abstract: A stereo 3D projector with the ability to provide the native lumen output of the projector when not in 3D mode. This is accomplished by using two rotating polarizing filters at least partially overlapping, each with at least two or more segments, some of which are fully transparent and at least some of which are polarized linearly or circularly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photographing apparatus of interlace transferring type comprising a photographing device which carries out transfer of electrification of all pixels stored in the photographing device by dividing into a plurality of fields when transferring the electrification, which has a plurality of color filters and which includes a color signal of at least RGB or YeCyMgG in the transfer data of each field for transferring the electrification, an extraction unit for extracting characteristic data of an image from transferred data before processing for the image is started, a generating unit for generating control value carrying out correction of image based on the extracted characteristic data, and a photographing processing unit for processing the image by use of a control value formed by said characteristic data.

Abstract: A color interpolation device may include a gradient grade calculation block calculating horizontal derivatives and vertical derivatives using composite video signals output from a current pixel and adjacent pixels and calculating a gradient grade using a linear composition of the horizontal derivatives and vertical derivatives, a horizontal/vertical YUV calculation block calculating horizontal YUV components and vertical YUV components of the current pixel from the composite video signals, and a YUV/RGB conversion circuit mixing the horizontal YUV components and the vertical YUV components based on the gradient grade and converting mixed YUV components generated as a result of the mixing to RGB components.

Abstract: A color conversion coefficient calculation apparatus includes: a conversion coefficient calculation section that calculates, as a color conversion coefficient for converting a first color signal made up of a plurality of chrominance signals into a second color signal made up of a plurality of chrominance signals, a color conversion coefficient for converting a first spectral characteristic which characterizes the first color signal in a standard fashion into a second spectral characteristic which characterizes the second color signal; a correction coefficient calculation section that calculates a correction coefficient for approximating a base color signal which is the first color signal corresponding to a plurality of base colors into a reference color signal obtained based on the first spectral characteristic corresponding to a plurality of base colors; and a conversion coefficient correction section that corrects the color conversion coefficient by using the correction coefficient.

Abstract: Color filter arrays (CFA) and image sensors using same are provided. A color filter array includes a plurality of first color filter patterns respectively interlaced with a plurality of second color filter patterns, wherein the first and second color filter patterns comprise a plurality of color filters of at least three different colors of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) filters, and the first and second color filter patterns are not mirror symmetrical, and a blue (B) filter in one of the first color filter patterns is adjoined by a red (R) filter in one of the second color filter patterns adjacent thereto and/or a red (R) filter in one of the first color filter patterns is adjoined by a blue filter in one of the color filter patterns adjacent thereto.

Abstract: A digital image-processing device with a Bayer sensor and an image memory is provided in which the image data of the sensor is written into an image memory, and from this image memory, image data in the Bayer format with a length L and a width B is written continuously into a data buffer, and in which the sample values are combined by means of a computational device with the help of adders, in each case symmetrically to a central point of one or more (2n+1)×(2n+1) neighborhoods, and one or more (n+1)×(n+1) matrices are derived by means of the computational device, and from this (n+1)×(n+1) matrix or these matrices, with the help of additional adders, at least one n×n matrix is formed, and a first color component is in each case calculated from this by means of an adder network.

Abstract: To improve sensitivity by adding pixels, and improve precision of pixel interpolation in an imaging device. An imaging device is provided in which pixels are added along a horizontal direction or a vertical direction to improve sensitivity of an imaging element. An R pixel signal, a G pixel signal, and a B pixel signal in which pixels are added, for example, along the vertical direction are output from a CCD (12). A CFA interpolation unit (24) interpolates the G pixel signal using an adjacent pixel along the horizontal direction. The CFA interpolation unit (24) also interpolates the R pixel signal and the B pixel signal along the horizontal direction using an adjacent pixel along the horizontal direction and interpolates along the vertical direction using correlation of the interpolated G pixel.

Abstract: An optical communication device includes a one-chip light receiving element having a plurality of light receiving sections having light receiving sensitivity to different wavelength ranges in a visible light spectrum. The photodiode has a light receiving surface, which is divided into nine blocks. For each light receiving section group in which light receiving sections have the light receiving sensitivity to an identical wavelength range, the light receiving sections are dispersedly placed in corresponding ones of the blocks.

Abstract: The present invention enables switching between bright-light shooting and low-light shooting with an infrared cut filter placed on an optical path. An optical system captures and focuses image light from a subject. The focused image light passes through a multilayer infrared cut filter placed on an optical path of the image light and forms an image on an imaging device. The imaging device has sensitivity to at least the visible to near-infrared region. The infrared cut filter is constructed by forming a multilayer dielectric film on a surface of a transparent substrate. The infrared cut filter has a cutoff wavelength near a boundary between the visible region and near-infrared region and is configured so as to have a high incident-angle dependence. An angle of the infrared cut filter with respect to an optical axis of the optical system is varied by an incident angle varying mechanism according to an amount of light on the subject, shifting the cutoff wavelength.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an array of color-selective sensors arranged as a plurality of repeating 2×2 unit pixel groups. Each sensor of a unit pixel group of the array is selective for a color including a green component. The unit pixel group includes respective sensors selective for respective first and second colors and two sensors selective for a third color. Signals from the sensors of the unit pixel groups may define a first color signal space, and the apparatus may further include an image processor circuit configured to receive image sensor signals from the array of color-selective sensors and to process the image sensor signals to generate image signals in a second color signal space.

Abstract: A pixel-interpolation processing unit generates a sensitivity level value of an insufficient color component according to interpolation processing of image signals. A sensitivity level value of an insufficient color component in a pixel of attention is calculated, according to an arithmetic operation corresponding to an acquired color component of the pixel of attention, by assuming a geometric figure including sensitivity level values of acquired color components as vertexes. As the geometric figure, the same figure is used irrespectively of which color component the acquired color component is.