COLOR INFRARED LIGHT SENSOR, CAMERA, AND METHOD FOR CAPTURING IMAGES
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A light sensor, comprising:
- an array of light sensitive elements; and
an array of transmissive filters provided on the array of light sensitive elements and in substantial registration therewith, said array of transmissive filters comprising an infrared transmissive filter that substantially transmits infrared light and substantially blocks visible light and at least one non-infrared transmissive filter that substantially transmits non-infrared light.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A light sensor may include an array of light sensitive elements and an array of transmissive filters provided over the array of light sensitive elements and in substantial registration therewith. The array of transmissive filters comprises an infrared transmissive filter that substantially transmits infrared light and substantially blocks visible light as well as at least one non-infrared transmissive filter that substantially transmits non-infrared light.
84 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A light sensor, comprising:
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an array of light sensitive elements; and an array of transmissive filters provided on the array of light sensitive elements and in substantial registration therewith, said array of transmissive filters comprising an infrared transmissive filter that substantially transmits infrared light and substantially blocks visible light and at least one non-infrared transmissive filter that substantially transmits non-infrared light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A light sensor, comprising:
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an array of light sensitive elements; and an array of transmissive filters provided over the array of light sensitive elements and in substantial registration therewith, said array of transmissive filters comprising an infrared transmissive filter and at least one visible color transmissive filter, the infrared transmissive filter substantially transmitting infrared light and substantially blocking visible light.
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19. A method for capturing an image of an object, comprising:
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providing a light sensor, said light sensor comprising; an array of light sensitive elements arranged in a plurality of rows and columns; and an array of transmissive filters provided over the array of light sensitive elements and in substantial registration therewith, said array of transmissive filters comprising an infrared transmissive filter and at least one visible color transmissive filter, said infrared transmissive filter and said at least one visible color transmissive filter being arranged in columns; moving said light sensor and the object with respect to one another in a direction of motion that includes a component that is substantially aligned with the columns of said infrared transmissive filter and said at least one visible color transmissive filter; sensing electrical signals from the light sensitive elements; and compensating for the relative movement of said light sensor and the object in the direction of motion.
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20. A light sensor, comprising:
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a two-dimensional array of light sensitive elements; and an array of transmissive filters provided over said two-dimensional array of light sensitive elements and in substantial registration therewith, said array of transmissive filters comprising an infrared transmissive filter, a first color transmissive filter, a second color transmissive filter, and a third color transmissive filter, said infrared transmissive filter substantially transmitting light in an infrared wavelength range and substantially blocking light in a visible wavelength range, said first color transmissive filter transmitting light a first wavelength range, said second color transmissive filter transmitting light in a second wavelength range, said third color transmissive filter transmitting light in a third wavelength range, the infrared, first, second, and third wavelength ranges being generally consecutive and progressing from long wavelength ranges to short wavelength ranges, said infrared, first, second, and third color transmissive filters being arranged so that no two transmissive filters having consecutive wavelength ranges are located adjacent one another along at least one dimension of said two-dimensional array of light sensitive elements.
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21. A camera, comprising:
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a light sensor, said light sensor comprising; an array of light sensitive elements; and an array of transmissive filters provided over the array of light sensitive elements and in substantial registration therewith, said array of transmissive filters comprising an infrared transmissive filter and at least one visible color transmissive filter, the infrared transmissive filter substantially transmitting infrared light and substantially blocking visible light; an optical assembly operatively associated with said array of light sensitive elements, said optical assembly forming an image of an object on said array of light sensitive elements; and a signal processor operatively associated with said array of light sensitive elements, said signal processor processing output signals from said array of light sensitive elements to produce multi-spectral image data containing infrared spectral information and visible color information, wherein said camera lacks a filter for preventing infrared light from reaching the entirety of the array of transmissive filters.
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Specification