Color filter array and manufacturing method thereof capable of enlarging a dynamic range of an image sensing device

• US 10,349,016 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2017
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Original Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corporation (Novatek Microelectronics Corp Limited)
• Inventors: Hsu, Wei, Tsai, Shen-Fu, Chen, I-Hsiu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lam, Hung H
• Application Number:
  US15/695,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20170366786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/133 including elements passing panchromatic light, e.g. filters passing white light
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/135 based on four or more different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/585 with pixels having different sensitivities within the sensor, e.g. fast or slow pixels or pixels having different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/702 SSIS architectures characterised by non-identical, non-equidistant or non-planar pixel layout

Abstract

A color filter array for an image sensing device includes a plurality of pixels, for generating a plurality of pixel data of an image; and a control unit, for controlling the plurality of pixels; wherein each of the plurality of pixels is divided into a plurality of sub-pixels; wherein the pixel data outputted by each of the plurality of pixels is generated based on at least one pixel value of the plurality of sub-pixels and the outputted pixel data is smaller than a saturated threshold; wherein at least one pixel in the plurality of pixels has a mixed color by having different sub-pixel colors in the plurality of sub-pixels.

Claims

1. A color filter array for an image sensing device, the color filter array comprising:

a plurality of pixels, for generating a plurality of pixel data of an image; and

a control unit, for controlling the plurality of pixels;

wherein each of the plurality of pixels is divided into a plurality of sub-pixels;

wherein the pixel data outputted by each of the plurality of pixels is generated based on at least one pixel value of the plurality of sub-pixels and the outputted pixel data is smaller than a saturated threshold;

wherein at least one pixel in the plurality of pixels has a mixed color by having different sub-pixel colors in the plurality of sub-pixels;

wherein the saturated threshold is set to present luminance differences among all pixels;

wherein the at least one pixel having different sub-pixel colors in the plurality of sub-pixels is of same color with the at least one pixel having no different sub-pixel colors in the plurality of sub-pixels.

2. The color filter array of claim 1, wherein at least one sub-pixel color of the plurality of sub-pixels in the at least one sub-pixel is white.

3. The color filter array of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sub-pixels in each pixel is arranged as a strip.

4. The color filter array of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sub-pixels in each pixel is arranged as a rectangle.

5. The color filter array of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of repeated patterns, wherein each of the plurality of repeated patterns comprises a first pixel, a second pixel, a third pixel and a fourth pixel of the plurality of pixels;

wherein the second pixel is adjacent to a first side of the first pixel, the third pixel is adjacent to a second side of the first pixel and the fourth side is adjacent to the second pixel and the third pixel;

wherein the first pixel, the second pixel, the third pixel and the fourth pixel are respectively corresponding to a first pixel color, a second pixel color, the second pixel color and a third pixel color.

6. The color filter array of claim 5, wherein the first pixel color is red, the third pixel color is blue and the second pixel color is the mixed color by having green sub-pixel color and white sub-pixel color, respectively.

7. A method of manufacturing a color filter array, which is used for generating a plurality of pixel data of an image, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of pixels of the color filter array;

dividing each of the plurality of pixels into a plurality of sub-pixels with the same pixel color; and

altering sub-pixel colors of the plurality of sub-pixels in at least one pixel of the plurality of pixels to be different, to make the at least one pixel have a mixed color;

wherein each of the plurality of pixels accumulates pixel value of at least one of the plurality of sub-pixels in each of the plurality of pixels as the pixel data outputted by each of the plurality of pixels.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one sub-pixel color of the plurality of sub-pixels in the at least one sub-pixel is white.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of sub-pixels of each of the plurality of pixels is arranged as a strip.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of sub-pixels of each of the plurality of pixels is arranged as a rectangle.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of pixels forms a plurality of repeated patterns;

each of the plurality of repeated pattern comprises a first pixel, a second pixel, a third pixel and a fourth pixel of the plurality of pixels;

wherein the second pixel is adjacent to a first side of the first pixel, the third pixel is adjacent to a second side of the first pixel and the fourth side is adjacent to the second pixel and the third pixel; and

the first pixel, the second pixel, the third pixel and the fourth pixel are respectively corresponding to a first pixel color, a second pixel color, the second pixel color and a third pixel color.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first pixel color is red, the third pixel color is blue and the second pixel color is the mixed color by having green sub-pixel color and white sub-pixel color, respectively.