Imaging systems with image pixels having adjustable spectral responses

• US 9,338,413 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Keelan, Brian, Vaartstra, Brian, Mackey, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US14/090,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20150146077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 348/342, 348/273, 348/340
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2001/1517 Cyano complex compounds, e.g. Prussian blue
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14685 Process for coatings or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/043 using an alternating colour separation filter, e.g. colour wheel or colour LCD
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/84 for processing colour signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/702 SSIS architectures characterised by non-identical, non-equidistant or non-planar pixel layout

Abstract

An imaging system may include an image sensor having an array of image pixels. Some image pixels in the array may be provided with spectral response adjustment structures. For example, a plurality of broadband pixels in the array may include spectral response adjustment structures. The spectral response adjustment structures may be configured to narrow the spectral response of the broadband pixels in high light conditions. For example, the spectral response of the broadband pixels may transition from clear to gray, from clear to green, or from yellow to green as the light level increases. The spectral response adjustment structures may, for example, be formed from photochromic materials or electrochromic elements. Processing circuitry in the imaging system may generate a color correction matrix for an image based at least partly on the state of the spectral response adjustment structures.

Claims

1. An image sensor, comprising:

an image pixel array having a first group of image pixels and a second group of image pixels; and

spectral response adjustment structures in the first group of image pixels, wherein the spectral response adjustment structures are configured to adjust a spectral response of each image pixel in the first group of image pixels during operation of the image sensor, wherein the spectral response adjustment structures transition between a first spectral response in which the first group of image pixels transmit two or more colors of light and a second spectral response in which the first group of image pixels transmit only one color of light.

2. The image sensor defined in claim 1 wherein the spectral response adjustment structures are configured to adjust the spectral response of each image pixel in the first group in response to information chosen from the group consisting of:

image information, camera metadata information, environmental information, light level information, and user input information.

3. The image sensor defined in claim 1 wherein the first group of image pixels comprises broadband image pixels having broadband color filter elements and wherein the second group of image pixels comprises red and blue image pixels having red and blue color filter elements.

4. The image sensor defined in claim 3 wherein the broadband color filter elements are configured to pass at least two colors of light selected from the group consisting of:

red light, green light, and blue light.

5. The image sensor defined in claim 3 wherein the spectral response adjustment structures comprise photochromic material.

6. The image sensor defined in claim 5 wherein the photochromic material is incorporated into the broadband color filter element of each broadband pixel.

7. The image sensor defined in claim 5 wherein the photochromic material is formed above the broadband color filter element of each broadband pixel.

8. The image sensor defined in claim 5 wherein the photochromic material is formed below the broadband color filter element of each broadband pixel.

9. The image sensor defined in claim 8 wherein the broadband color filter elements, the red color filter elements, and the blue color filter elements form a color filter array that spans the image pixel array and wherein the photochromic material forms a contiguous layer below the color filter array.

10. The image sensor defined in claim 5 wherein the image pixel array comprises an array of microlenses, wherein each microlens in the array of microlenses covers a respective one of the broadband, red, and blue color filter elements, and wherein the photochromic material is incorporated into each microlens that covers a respective one of the broadband color filter elements.

11. The image sensor defined in claim 1 further comprising additional spectral response adjustment structures in the second group of image pixels, wherein the additional spectral response adjustment structures are configured to adjust a spectral response of each image pixel in the second group of image pixels during operation of the image sensor.

12. An image sensor, comprising:

a substrate;

an array of image pixels formed in the substrate, wherein the array of image pixels includes first and second groups of image pixels and comprises a color filter array; and

spectral response adjustment structures adjacent to the color filter array, wherein the spectral response adjustment structures are configured to adjust respective spectral responses of image pixels in the first group of image pixels, and wherein the spectral response adjustment structures transition between a first spectral response in which the first group of image pixels transmit two or more colors of light and a second spectral response in which the first group of image pixels transmit only one color of light.

13. The image sensor defined in claim 12 wherein the spectral response adjustment structures comprise electrochromic elements.

14. The image sensor defined in claim 13 wherein the electrochromic elements comprise an ion-conducting electrolyte interposed between first and second electrodes.

15. The image sensor defined in claim 14 wherein the electrochromic elements further comprise:

an ion-donating film interposed between the first electrode and the ion-conducting electrolyte; and

a chromophore interposed between the second electrode and the ion-conducting electrolyte.

16. The image sensor defined in claim 13 wherein electrochromic elements comprise a chromophore interposed between the color filter array and the substrate.

17. The image sensor defined in claim 13 wherein the color filter array comprises a plurality of color filter elements and wherein the electrochromic elements comprise a chromophore incorporated into the color filter elements.

18. The image sensor defined in claim 13 wherein electrochromic elements comprise first and second electrodes and wherein the electrochromic elements are configured to adjust the respective spectral responses of the image pixels in the first group in response to an applied voltage between the first and second electrodes.

19. The image sensor defined in claim 18 wherein the substrate has a surface on which the array of image pixels is formed, wherein the first and second electrodes are oriented vertically with respect to the surface, wherein the color filter array comprises a plurality of color filter elements, and wherein at least one of the color filter elements is interposed between the first and second electrodes.

20. A method for operating an imaging device having an image sensor and processing circuitry, wherein the image sensor comprises an image pixel array having spectral response adjustment structures that are configured to adjust a spectral response of at least one image pixel in the image pixel array, the method comprising:

with the processing circuitry, determining illuminant information and light level information for an image;

with the processing circuitry, determining a state of the spectral response adjustment structures; and

with the processing circuitry, generating a color correction matrix for the image based on the illuminant information, the light level information, and the state of the spectral response adjustment structures.

21. The method defined in claim 20 wherein generating the color correction matrix comprises balancing a plurality of attributes of image quality and wherein at least two of the attributes are chosen from the group consisting of:

noise, color accuracy, chromatic artifacts, and motion artifacts.

22. The method defined in claim 21 wherein the spectral response adjustment structures comprise electrochromic elements having first and second electrodes and wherein determining the state of the spectral response adjustment structures comprises determining an applied voltage between the first and second electrodes.

23. The method defined in claim 21 wherein the spectral response adjustment structures comprise a photochromic material and wherein determining the state of the spectral response adjustment structures comprises determining spectral characteristics of the photochromic material based on information chosen from the group consisting of:

image information, camera metadata information, and the light level information.