Imaging device

• US 20030197793A1
• Filed: 02/25/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ono, Hiroaki, Kobayashi, Seiji, Mitsunaga, Tomoo
• Granted Patent: US 7,479,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14812 Special geometry or disposition of pixel-elements, address lines or gate-electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14818 Optical shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/045 using mosaic colour filter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/843 Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/136 using complementary colours
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/447 by preserving the colour pattern with or without loss of information
• 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 3/155 Control of the image-sensor operation, e.g. image processing within the image-sensor

Abstract

The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus which can produce a color and sensitivity mosaic image which can be converted into a color image signal having a wide dynamic range by performing a predetermined image process.

Light receiving elements of a CCD image sensor are arranged in a lattice arrangements where attention is paid to the color G irrespective of the sensitivities. Where attention is paid to the color R irrespective of the sensitivities, the light receiving elements are arranged on every other line. Also where attention is paid to the color B irrespective of the sensitivities, the light receiving elements are arranged on every other line similarly. Consequently, where attention is paid only to the colors of the pixels, the pattern P2 has a Bayer arrangement. A mosaic arrangement of a color is realized by disposing an on-chip color filter on an upper face of the light receiving elements of the CCD image sensor. A mosaic arrangement of a sensitivity is realized by an optical method or an electronic method. The present invention can be applied, for example, to a CCD image sensor built in a digital camera.

Claims

1. (As amended) An image pickup apparatus which includes photo-electric conversion means for photo-electrically converting an optical image of a subject to produce a color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein each pixel has one of a plurality of color components and has one of a plurality of sensitivity characteristics to light intensity, characterized in that

said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same color components and the same sensitivity characteristics are arranged in lattice arrangements and a plurality of pixels of at least one kind from among the plurality of pixels having the same color component and having the same sensitivity characteristic are arranged so as not to neighbor with pixels of a different kind having the same color component but having a different sensitivity characteristic.

2. (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that

said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics are arranged in lattice arrangements.

3. (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that

said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics are arranged in square lattice arrangements.

4. (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that the plurality of color components are the three primary color components.

5. (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 4, characterized in that said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image which has a Bayer arrangement where attention is paid only to the color components.

6. (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that

said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same sensitivity characteristics irrespective of the color components are arranged in lattice arrangements such that

all of the color components included in the color and sensitivity mosaic image exist in totaling five pixels including an arbitrary pixel of the color and sensitivity mosaic image and four pixels neighboring upwardly, downwardly, leftwardly and rightwardly of the arbitrary pixel.

7. (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that

said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same sensitivity characteristics irrespective of the color components are arranged in square lattice arrangements.

8. (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 6, characterized in that

the plurality of color components are the three primary color components.

9. (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 8, characterized in that

said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein the color components form a Bayer arrangement for each of the sensitivity characteristics of the pixels.

10. (As amended) An image pickup device for photo-electrically converting an optical image of a subject to produce a color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein each pixel has one of a plurality of color components and one of a plurality of sensitivity characteristics to light intensity, characterized in that

the image pickup device produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same color components and the same sensitivity characteristics are arranged in lattice arrangements and a plurality of pixels of at least one kind from among the plurality of pixels having the same color component and having the same sensitivity characteristic are arranged so as not to neighbor with pixels of a different kind having the same color component but having a different sensitivity characteristic.

11. (As amended) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 10, characterized in that

in the color and sensitivity mosaic image, a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics are arranged in lattice arrangements.

12. (As amended) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 10, characterized in that

in the color and sensitivity mosaic image, a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics are arranged in square lattice arrangements.

13. (Added) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 11, characterized in that

the plurality of color components are the three primary color components.

14. (Added) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 13, characterized in that

the color and sensitivity mosaic image has a Bayer arrangement where attention is paid only to the color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics of the pixels.

15. (Added) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 10, characterized in that

in the color and sensitivity mosaic image, a plurality of pixels having the same sensitivity characteristics irrespective of the color components are arranged in lattice arrangements, and that

all of the color components included in the color and sensitivity mosaic image exist in totaling five pixels including an arbitrary pixel and four pixels neighboring upwardly, downwardly, leftwardly and rightwardly of the arbitrary pixel.

16. (Added) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 15, characterized in that

in the color and sensitivity mosaic image, a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the color components are arranged in lattice arrangements.

17. (Added) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 15, characterized in that

the plurality of color components are the three primary color components.

18. (Added) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 17, characterized in that

the color and sensitivity mosaic image has a Bayer arrangement for each of the sensitivity characteristics of the pixels irrespective of the color components of the pixels.