Magenta-white-yellow (MWY) color system for digital image sensor applications

• US 5,914,749 A
• Filed: 03/31/1998
• Issued: 06/22/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Ronald Dean, Li, Zong-Fu, Bawolek, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Martin, Andrew D.
• Application Number:
  US09/052,370
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 348/290, 348/332, 348/266, 348/272, 348/273, 348/276, 348/277, 348/280, 348/274, 348/224, 348/275, 348/237, 257/440
• US Class Current: 348/273
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14623 Optical shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14645 Colour imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14685 Process for coatings or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/133 including elements passing panchromatic light, e.g. filters passing white light
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/135 based on four or more different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

A color imaging device of a plurality of light selective elements. The light selective elements include a first light selective element selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to the Magenta region of the spectrum, a second light selective element selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to the White region of the spectrum, and a third light selective element selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to the Yellow region of the spectrum.

Claims

1. A color imaging device comprising an array of light selective elements, consisting of a first light selective element selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to magenta, a second light selective element selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to white, and a third light selective element selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to yellow.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said first, second, and third light selective elements occur in a repeating pattern in said array.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein over a major portion of said array, said second light selective element occurs at every other element position along both of two orthogonal directions.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said light selective elements are arranged in a substantially rectangular pattern and said first light selective element and said third light selective element alternate with said second light selective element.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said first light selective element consisting of a first polymer that is selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to magenta and a third polymer that is selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to yellow.

6. A color image sensor comprising:

an array of light sensitive elements; and

an array of light selective elements overlying said array of light sensitive elements, said array of light selective elements consisting of a first light selective element over a first light sensitive element selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to magenta, a second light selective element over a second light sensitive element selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to white, and a third light selective element over a third light sensitive element selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to yellow, wherein each of said light selective elements defines a color space for said respective light sensitive elements.

7. The sensor of claim 6, wherein said first, second, and third filter elements occur in a repeating pattern in said filter array.

8. The sensor of claim 6, wherein over a major portion of said array of filter elements, said second filter element occurs at every other element position along both of two orthogonal directions.

9. The sensor of claim 6, wherein said filter elements of said array are arranged in a substantially rectangular pattern and said first filter element and said third filter element alternate with said second filter element.

10. An imaging system comprising:

an imaging sensor having;

an array of light sensitive elements;

an array of light selective elements overlying said array of light sensitive elements and each defining a color space for said light sensitive elements, said array of light selective elements consisting of a first light selective element over a first light sensitive element selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to magenta, a second light selective element over a second light sensitive element selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to white, and a third light selective element over a third light sensitive element selective to light having a wavelength corresponding to yellow;

control circuitry configured to generate control signals for controlling said imaging sensor; and

signal processing circuitry for generating image data in response to said sensor signals.

11. The imaging system of claim 10, wherein said first, second, and third filter elements of said imaging sensor occur in a repeating pattern in said filter array.

12. The imaging system of claim 10, wherein over a major portion of said array of said filter elements of said imaging sensor, said second filter element occurs at every other element position along both of two orthogonal directions.

13. The imaging system of claim 10, wherein said filter elements of said array of filter elements of said imaging sensor are arranged in a substantially rectangular pattern and said first filter element and said third filter element alternate with said second filter element.