RGBW sensor array

• US 8,264,576 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FotoNation Limited (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation Europe Limited (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Susanu, George, Petrescu, Stefan, Nanu, Florin, Capata, Adrian, Corcoran, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): HANNETT, JAMES M
• Application Number:
  US12/330,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20090167893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 347/272
• US Class Current: 348/272
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10144 Varying exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/92 based on global image properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/843 Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/589 with different integration times, e.g. short and long exposures

Abstract

A color filter enhancement method for a portable digital image acquisition device includes digitally exposing color pixels of a color sensor array for a first digital exposure duration and digitally exposing white pixels of a color sensor array for a second digital exposure time shorter than the first digital exposure duration. A color filter enhanced digital image is generated using data from both the color pixels exposed for the first digital exposure duration and the white pixels exposed for the second digital exposure duration.

Claims

1. A color filter enhancement method for a portable digital image acquisition device, comprising:

(a) digitally exposing color pixels of a color sensor array for a first digital exposure duration;

(b) digitally exposing white pixels of a color sensor array for a second digital exposure time shorter than the first digital exposure duration;

(c) generating a color filter enhanced digital image using data from both the color pixels exposed for the first digital exposure duration and the white pixels exposed for the second digital exposure duration, including applying color information using data from the color pixels to a sharp grayscale image generated using data from the white pixels to generate a sharp color image, without de-blurring using motion estimation nor a point spread function (PSF); and

(d) storing, transmitting, communicating, displaying, or projecting the color filter enhanced digital image or a further processed version, or combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second digital exposure time comprises not more than half of the first digital exposure time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second digital exposure time comprises approximately a third of the first digital exposure time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the digitally exposing of the color pixels and the white pixels for different exposure times comprises clocking the color pixels and the white pixels independently.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digitally-exposing of the color pixels and the white pixels for different exposure times comprises including sensor data over different temporal ranges.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the different temporal ranges are overlapping.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a first temporal range corresponding to the digitally-exposing of the color pixels comprises an entire second temporal range corresponding to the digitally-exposing of the white pixels.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the color pixels comprise greater motion blurring effect than the white pixels due to the color pixels being digitally-exposed for a longer duration than the white pixels, and the method further comprises compensating blurring in the color pixels using less-blurred data from the white pixels.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the color sensor array comprises a CMOS-based sensor.

10. A portable digital image acquisition device, comprising:

(a) optics and a color sensor array for acquiring a color digital image;

(b) a processor;

(c) one or more processor-readable media having code embedded therein for programming the processor to perform a color filter enhancement method that comprises;

(i) digitally exposing color pixels of the color sensor array for a first digital exposure duration;

(ii) digitally exposing white pixels of the color sensor array for a second digital exposure time shorter than the first digital exposure duration;

(iii) generating a color filter enhanced digital image using data from both the color pixels exposed for the first digital exposure duration and the white pixels exposed for the second digital exposure duration, including applying color information using data from the color pixels to a sharp grayscale image generated using data from the white pixels to generate a sharp color image, without de-blurring using motion estimation nor a point spread function (PSF); and

(iv) storing, transmitting, communicating, displaying, or projecting the color filter enhanced digital image or a further processed version, or combinations thereof.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the second digital exposure time comprises not more than half of the first digital exposure time.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the second digital exposure time comprises approximately a third of the first digital exposure time.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the digitally exposing of the color pixels and the white pixels for different exposure times comprises clocking the color pixels and the white pixels independently.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the digitally-exposing of the color pixels and the white pixels for different exposure times comprises including sensor data for over different temporal ranges.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the different temporal ranges are overlapping.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein a first temporal range corresponding to the digitally-exposing of the color pixels comprises an entire second temporal range corresponding to the digitally-exposing of the white pixels.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the color pixels comprise greater motion blurring effect than the white pixels due to the color pixels being digitally-exposed for a longer duration than the white pixels, and the method further comprises compensating blurring in the color pixels using less-blurred data from the white pixels.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein the color sensor array comprises a CMOS-based sensor.

19. One or more non-transitory processor-readable media having code embedded therein for programming the processor to perform a color filter enhancement method that comprises:

(a) digitally exposing color pixels of the color sensor array for a first digital exposure duration;

(b) digitally exposing white pixels of the color sensor array for a second digital exposure time shorter than the first digital exposure duration;

(c) generating a color filter enhanced digital image using data from both the color pixels exposed for the first digital exposure duration and the white pixels exposed for the second digital exposure duration, including applying color information using data from the color pixels to a sharp grayscale image generated using data from the white pixels to generate a sharp color image, without de-blurring using motion estimation nor a point spread function (PSF); and

(d) storing, transmitting, communicating, displaying, or projecting the color filter enhanced digital image or a further processed version, or combinations thereof.

20. The one or more media of claim 19, wherein the second digital exposure time comprises not more than half of the first digital exposure time.

21. The one or more media of claim 20, wherein the second digital exposure time comprises approximately a third of the first digital exposure time.

22. The one or more media of claim 19, wherein the digitally exposing of the color pixels and the white pixels for different exposure times comprises clocking the color pixels and the white pixels independently.

23. The one or more media of claim 19, wherein the digitally-exposing of the color pixels and the white pixels for different exposure times comprises including sensor data for over different temporal ranges.

24. The one or more media of claim 23, wherein the different temporal ranges are overlapping.

25. The one or more media of claim 24, wherein a first temporal range corresponding to the digitally-exposing of the color pixels comprises an entire second temporal range corresponding to the digitally-exposing of the white pixels.

26. The one or more media of claim 19, wherein the color pixels comprise greater motion blurring effect than the white pixels due to the color pixels being digitally-exposed for a longer duration than the white pixels, and the method further comprises compensating blurring in the color pixels using less-blurred data from the white pixels.

27. The one or more media of claim 19, wherein the color sensor array comprises a CMOS-based sensor.