IMAGING DEVICE

• US 20110157451A1
• Filed: 06/21/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: CHANG, JEN-TSORNG
• Application Number:
  US12/820,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20110157451A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/336
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/049 having three pick-up sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/13 with multiple sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/843 Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/131 including elements passing infrared wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/135 based on four or more different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

An exemplary imaging device includes first camera modules, second camera modules, third camera modules, and a processing device. The first camera modules each have a red filter and is capable of capturing red images. The second camera modules each have a green filter and is capable of capturing green images. The third camera module each have a blue filter and is capable of capturing blue images. The processing device is electronically connected with the first, second, and third camera modules to combine the red, green, and blue images to form a full-color image. The imaging device can also include one or more fourth camera module, which includes an IR-cut filter.

Claims

1. An imaging device, comprising:

a plurality of first camera modules, each of the first camera module having a red filter, capable of capturing a plurality of red images;

a plurality of second camera modules, each of the second camera module having a green filter, capable of capturing a plurality of green images;

a plurality of third camera modules, each of the third camera module having a blue filter, capable of capturing a plurality of blue images; and

a processing device, wherein the processing device is electronically connected with the first, second, and third camera modules to combine the red, green, and blue images to form a full-color image.

2. The image device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first camera module, the second camera module, and the third camera module, each has a single lens therein.

3. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance between every two neighboring camera modules in the first, second, and third camera modules is not greater than 4 mm.

4. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third camera modules are arranged in one line.

5. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third camera modules are arranged in a bayer pattern.

6. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third camera modules are arranged in a repeating honeycomb pattern.

7. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one fourth camera module, electrically connected to the processing device, wherein the at least one fourth camera module includes an IR-cut filter.

8. The imaging device claimed in claim 7, wherein the pluralities of first, second, third camera modules, and the fourth camera module are arranged in a line.

9. The imaging device claimed in claim 7, wherein the pluralities of first, second, third camera modules, and the fourth camera module are arranged in a repeating honeycomb pattern.

10. The image device claimed in claim 7, wherein the first camera modules, the second camera modules, the third camera modules, and the fourth camera modules form at least two units, each unit comprising a first camera module, a second camera module, a third camera module, and a fourth camera module, the gap distance between every two neighboring units is greater than the gap distance of every two neighboring camera modules in a unit.