SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A HIGH PERFORMANCE COLOR FILTER MOSAIC ARRAY

• US 20070127040A1
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RJS Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RJS Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Davidovici, Sorin
• Granted Patent: US 7,872,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/629
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/201 in the form of arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133514 Colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/52 RGB geometrical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/045 using mosaic colour filter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

A method of implementing high-performance color filter mosaic arrays (CFA) using luminance pixels. The introduction of luminance pixels greatly improves the accuracy of the image acquisition process for a given pixel and image sensor size.

Claims

1. A pixel comprising:

a luminance filter comprising a plurality of colors, wherein the size of each of the colors of the luminance filter is proportional to a share of the color used to calculate luminance using the plurality of colors.

2. The pixel of claim 1 including an image sensor, coupled to receive a luminance filtered electromagnetic radiation signal from the luminance filter, and to provide an output indicative of a luminance of an input electromagnetic radiation signal.

3. The pixel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of colors include red, green and blue, and wherein the green filter comprises 70% of the luminance filter, the red filter comprises 20% of the luminance filter and the blue filter comprises 10% of the luminance filter.

4. A color filter array comprising:

a luminance pixel, the luminance pixel comprising a luminance filter including a plurality of colors, wherein the size of each of the colors of the luminance filter is proportional to a share of the color used when calculating luminance using the plurality of colors.

5. The color filter array of claim 4 wherein the luminance pixel includes an image sensor, coupled to receive a luminance filtered electromagnetic radiation signal from the luminance filter, and to provide an output indicative of a luminance of an input electromagnetic radiation signal.

6. The color filter array of claim 4, wherein the plurality of colors include red, green and blue, and wherein the green filter comprises 70% of the luminance filter, the red filter comprises 20% of the luminance filter and the blue filter comprises 10% of the luminance filter.

7. The color filter array of claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of luminance pixels; and

a plurality of chroma pixels, wherein each chroma pixel is adjacent to at least two luminance pixels.

8. The color filter array of claim 7, wherein each chroma pixel is adjacent to at least four luminance pixels.

9. The color filter array of claim 8, wherein the luminance pixels surround each of the plurality of chroma pixels.