QUANTUM DOT IMAGE SENSOR WITH DUMMY PIXELS USED FOR INTENSITY CALCULATIONS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A camera unit for generating a processed digital image represented by a plurality of image pixels, the camera unit comprising:
- an image sensor comprising a plurality of raw image pixels and a plurality of dummy pixels, the plurality of raw image pixels configured to generate raw color image data representing an image exposed by the image sensor, and the plurality of dummy pixels configured to generate supplemental image data representing at least one characteristic of a light source used to expose the scene image; and
an image sensor processor coupled to the image sensor to receive the raw color image data and the supplemental image data, the image sensor processor configured to generate the processed digital image by processing the raw color image data using the supplemental image data to adjust at least one image attribute of the processed digital image based on the at least one characteristic of the light source.
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Abstract
An image sensor of a camera unit comprises raw image pixels for generating raw image color representing the exposed scene image. The sensor also comprises dummy pixels for supplemental data pertaining to characteristics of light exposing the scene image. A image sensor processor generates a processed digital image by adjusting component color values, obtained from raw image color data, by one or more adjustment factors calculated from supplemental image data. The adjustment factors are calculated according a selected mode of operation.
129 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A camera unit for generating a processed digital image represented by a plurality of image pixels, the camera unit comprising:
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an image sensor comprising a plurality of raw image pixels and a plurality of dummy pixels, the plurality of raw image pixels configured to generate raw color image data representing an image exposed by the image sensor, and the plurality of dummy pixels configured to generate supplemental image data representing at least one characteristic of a light source used to expose the scene image; and an image sensor processor coupled to the image sensor to receive the raw color image data and the supplemental image data, the image sensor processor configured to generate the processed digital image by processing the raw color image data using the supplemental image data to adjust at least one image attribute of the processed digital image based on the at least one characteristic of the light source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for controlling a camera unit to generate a processed digital image represented by a plurality of image pixels, the method comprising:
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receiving raw color image data representing an image exposed by an image sensor; receiving supplemental image data representing at least one characteristic of a light source used to expose the scene image; and processing the raw color image data in an image sensor processor of the camera unit to generate the processed digital image using the supplemental image data to adjust at least one image attribute of the processed digital image based on the at least one characteristic of the light source. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An image sensor for a camera unit comprising an image sensor processor for generating a processed digital image represented by a plurality of image pixels, the image sensor comprising:
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a plurality of raw image pixels, each of the raw image pixels sensitive to light in a corresponding one of a plurality of visible light ranges to generate raw color image data representing an image exposed by the image sensor; and a plurality of dummy pixels comprising at least one dummy pixel sensitive to light in a different light range from each of the plurality of visible light ranges to generate supplemental image data representing at least one characteristic of a light source used to expose the scene image, the supplemental image data for processing the raw color image data in the image sensor processor to adjust at least one image attribute of the processed digital image based on the at least one characteristic of the light source. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification