Imaging unit and image sensor

• US 20070076269A1
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Honda, Tsutomu, Nakayama, Haruki, Shintani, Dai, Minakuti, Jun, Kido, Toshihito
• Granted Patent: US 7,978,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/047 using multispectral pick-up elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/12 with one sensor only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/76 by influencing the image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/84 for processing colour signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/534 depending on the spectral component
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/60 Noise processing, e.g. detecting, correcting, reducing or removing noise

Abstract

There is provided an imaging unit: including an image sensor with a number of pixels arranged in a matrix, the pixels having color pixels where color filters are disposed, and white pixels where the color filters are not disposed; a sampling circuit section for sampling pixel signals generated in the image sensor; and a main controller for controlling the image sensor and/or the sampling circuit section to sample the pixel signals generated in the white pixels or the pixel signals generated in the color pixels sequentially in a time-series manner.

Claims

1. An imaging unit comprising:

an image sensor including a number of pixels arranged in a matrix, the pixels having color pixels where color filters are disposed, and white pixels where the color filters are not disposed;

a sampling circuit section for sampling pixel signals generated in the image sensor; and

a main controller for controlling the image sensor and/or the sampling circuit section to sample pixel signals generated in the white pixels or pixel signals generated in the color pixels sequentially in a time-series manner.

2. The imaging unit according to claim 1, wherein

the sampling circuit section includes a first sampling circuit and a second sampling circuit, and

the main controller controls the image sensor to output substantially all the pixel signals generated in the image sensor to allow the first sampling circuit to sample pixel signals generated in the white pixels out of the pixel signals outputted from the image sensor, and to allow the second sampling circuit to sample pixel signals generated in the color pixels out of the pixel signals outputted from the image sensor.

3. The imaging unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of signal paths, provided between the image sensor and the sampling circuit section, for outputting the pixel signals generated in the image sensor to the sampling circuit section, wherein

the main controller controls the image sensor to output the pixel signals through the signal paths individually with respect to the white pixels and the color pixels.

4. The imaging unit according to claim 1, wherein

the main controller controls the image sensor to output the pixel signals in a time-sharing manner with respect to the color pixels and the white pixels.

5. The imaging unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

an amplifier for amplifying the pixel signals, wherein

the amplifier amplifies the pixel signals outputted from the white pixels and the pixel signals outputted from the color pixels with different gains from each other.

6. The imaging unit according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor includes a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor.

7. An imaging unit comprising:

an image sensor including a number pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix,

each of the pixels being adapted to photoelectrically convert light from an object to generate image data,

the pixels including white pixels where luminance filters are disposed on a part of the pixels, and color pixels where color filters are disposed on the pixels other than the white pixels; and

an exposure time controller for controlling an exposure time for the white pixels and an exposure time for the color pixels individually.

8. The imaging unit according to claim 7, wherein

the image sensor includes a CMOS sensor;

and

the exposure time controller includes white pixel control lines for controlling readout of outputs from the white pixels, and color pixel control lines for controlling readout of outputs from the color pixels.

9. The imaging unit according to claim 8, wherein

the exposure time controller controls the white pixel control lines and the color pixel control lines individually.

10. The imaging unit according to claim 7, wherein

the image sensor includes a CCD sensor, and

the exposure time controller generates white pixel control signals for controlling transfer of outputs from the white pixels, and color pixel control signals for controlling transfer of outputs from the color pixels.

11. The imaging unit according to claim 10, wherein the exposure time controller controls the white pixel control signals and the color pixel control signals individually.

12. The imaging unit according to claim 7, further comprising:

a luminance detector for detecting a luminance of an object, wherein

the exposure time controller controls the exposure time for the white pixels and the exposure time for the color pixels based on an output from the luminance detector.

13. The imaging unit according to claim 12, wherein

the exposure time controller sets the exposure time for the color pixels as long as the exposure time for the white pixels by an integral multiplication if the output from the luminance detector is lower than a predetermined value.

14. An image sensor comprising:

a number of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, each of the pixels being adapted to photoelectrically convert light from an object to generate a signal charge, the pixels including white pixels where luminance filters are disposed on a part of the pixels, and color pixels where color filters are disposed on the pixels other than the white pixels;

color pixel transfer sections for transferring the signal charges read out from the color pixels; and

white pixel transfer sections for transferring the signal charges read out from the white pixels, wherein

each of the white pixel transfer sections has a signal transfer capacity larger than a signal transfer capacity of each of the color pixel transfer sections.

15. The image sensor according to claim 14, wherein

each of the white pixels has a photoelectric conversion section of a size smaller than a size of a photoelectric conversion section of each of the color pixels.

16. The image sensor according to claim 14, wherein the respective pixels have a square shape.

17. An image sensor comprising:

a number of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, each of the pixels being adapted to photoelectrically convert light from an object to generate a signal charge, the pixels including white pixels where luminance filters are disposed on a part of the pixels, and color pixels where color filters are disposed on the pixels other than the white pixels, wherein

each of the white pixels has a photoelectric conversion section of a size smaller than a size of a photoelectric conversion section of each of the color pixels.

18. An image sensor comprising:

a number of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, each of the pixels being adapted to photoelectrically convert light from an object to generate a signal charge, the pixels including white pixels where luminance filters are disposed on a part of the pixels, and color pixels where color filters are disposed on the pixels other than the white pixels;

white pixel drivers, provided adjacent the white pixels, for controllably reading out the signal charges generated in the white pixels; and

color pixel drivers, provided adjacent the color pixels, for controllably reading out the signal charges generated in the color pixels, wherein

each of the white pixel drivers has a saturation amount of the signal charge larger than a saturation amount of the signal charge of each of the color pixel drivers.

19. The image sensor according to claim 18, wherein

each of the white pixels has a photoelectric conversion section of a size smaller than a size of a photoelectric conversion section of each of the color pixels.