Image pickup and conversion apparatus

• US 7,479,998 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2002
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ono, Hiroaki, Kobayashi, Seiji, Mitsunaga, Tomoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US10/221,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20030197793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,568 Days
• Field of Search: 348/272, 348/273, 348/280, 382/167, 382/300
• US Class Current: 348/273
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14812 Special geometry or disposition of pixel-elements, address lines or gate-electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14818 Optical shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/045 using mosaic colour filter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/843 Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/136 using complementary colours
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/447 by preserving the colour pattern with or without loss of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/585 with pixels having different sensitivities within the sensor, e.g. fast or slow pixels or pixels having different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/155 Control of the image-sensor operation, e.g. image processing within the image-sensor

Abstract

The present invention related to an image pickup apparatus which can produce a color and sensitivity mosaic image which can be converted into a color image signal having a wide dynamic range by performing a predetermined image process. Light receiving elements of a CCD image sensor are arranged in a lattice arrangements where attention is paid to the color Green irrespective of the sensitivities. Where attention is paid to the color Red irrespective of the sensitivities, the light receiving elements are arranged on every other line. Also where attention is paid to the color Blue irrespective of the sensitivities, the light receiving elements are arranged on every other line similarly. Consequently, where attention is paid only to the colors of the pixels, the pattern P2 has a Bayer arrangement. A mosaic arrangement of a color is realized by disposing an on-chip color filter on an upper face of the light receiving elements of the CCD image sensor. A mosaic arrangement of a sensitivity is realized by an optical method or an electronic method. The present invention can be applied, for example, to CCD image sensor built in a digital camera.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

photo-electric conversion means, comprising a plurality of AND-type and OR-type electrode structures, for photo-electrically converting an optical image of a subject to produce a color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein each pixel has one of a plurality of a first to third color components and has one of a plurality of sensitivity characteristics to light intensity;

said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image using the plurality of AND-type and OR-type electrode structures such that each of a plurality of pixels having the same color components and the same sensitivity characteristics are arranged in a lattice arrangement within the mosaic image, and wherein the photo-electric conversion means generates the color and sensitivity mosaic image, wherein the pixel sensitivity characteristics at least require;

all the pixels disposed in a same line have a same sensitivity characteristic; and

all the pixels disposed in different adjacent lines have different sensitivity characteristic; and

the photo-electric conversion means generates the color and sensitivity mosaic image, wherein the color component comprising;

the pixels having the first color component are arranged in a checker pattern irrespective of an associated sensitivity characteristic;

the pixels having the second color component are arranged so as to be disposed in different adjacent lines and adjacent in a diagonal direction; and

the pixels having the third color component are arranged so as to be disposed in a different adjacent lines and adjacent in a diagonal direction.

2. An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image such that a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics are arranged in lattice arrangements.

3. An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image such that a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics are arranged in square lattice arrangements.

4. An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the plurality of color components are the three primary color components.

5. An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an insertion section for combining pixels based on color.

6. An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an extraction section for extracting pixels based on sensitivity.

7. An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a sensitivity unification section for combining pixels based on color and sensitivity.

8. An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the color and sensitivity mosaic image comprises three or more sensitivity characteristics.

9. An image pickup device, comprising a plurality of AND-type and OR-type electrode structures, for photo-electrically converting an optical image of a subject to produce a color and sensitivity mosaic image, the image pickup comprising:

a plurality of pixels wherein each pixel has one of a plurality of a first to third color components and one of a plurality of sensitivity to light intensity characteristics to light intensity, the image pickup device producing the color and sensitivity mosaic image using the plurality of AND-type and OR-type electrode structures wherein

the photo-electric conversion means generates the color and sensitivity mosaic image, wherein the pixel sensitivity characteristics at least require;

all the pixels disposed in a same line have a same sensitivity characteristic; and

all the pixels disposed in different adjacent lines have different sensitivity characteristic; and

the photo-electric conversion means generates the color and sensitivity mosaic image, wherein the color component comprising;

the pixels having the first color component are arranged in a checker pattern irrespective of an associated sensitivity characteristic;

the pixels having the second color component are arranged so as to be disposed in different adjacent lines and adjacent in a diagonal direction; and

the pixels having the third color component are arranged so as to be disposed in a different adjacent lines and adjacent in a diagonal direction.

10. An image pickup device as set for in claim 9, wherein in the color and sensitivity mosaic image, a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics are arranged in lattice arrangements.

11. An image pickup device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the plurality of color components are the three primary color components.

12. An image pickup device as set forth in claim 9, wherein in the color and sensitivity mosaic image, a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics are arranged in square lattice arrangements.

13. An image pickup device as set forth in claim 9, further comprising an insertion section for combining pixels based on color.

14. An image pickup device as set forth in claim 9, further comprising an extraction section for extracting pixels based on sensitivity.

15. An image pickup device as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a sensitivity unification section for combining pixels based on color and sensitivity.

16. An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the color and sensitivity mosaic image comprises three or more sensitivity characteristics.

17. An image capture apparatus including:

photo-electric conversion means that generate a color and sensitivity mosaic image by photo-electrically converting a light image of an object, each pixel of the color and sensitivity mosaic image having one of a first to third color components and one of a plurality of preset sensitivity characteristics to light intensity, wherein the photo-electric conversion means generates the color and sensitivity mosaic image, wherein the pixel sensitivity characteristics at least require;

all the pixels disposed in a same line have a same sensitivity characteristic; and

all the pixels disposed in different adjacent lines, have different sensitivity characteristic; and

the photo-electric conversion means generates the color and sensitivity mosaic image, wherein the color component comprising;

the pixels having the first color component are arranged in a checker pattern irrespective of an associated sensitivity characteristic;

the pixels having the second color component are arranged so as to be disposed in different adjacent lines and adjacent in a diagonal direction; and

the pixels having the third color component are arranged so as to be disposed in a different adjacent lines and adjacent in a diagonal direction.

18. An imaging device generating a color and sensitivity mosaic image by photoelectrically converting a light image of an object, each pixel of the color and sensitivity mosaic image having one of a first to third color components and one of a plurality of preset sensitivity characteristics to light intensity, wherein the photo-electric conversion means generates the color and sensitivity mosaic image, wherein the pixel sensitivity characteristics at least require:

all the pixels disposed in a same line have a same sensitivity characteristic; and

all the pixels disposed in different adjacent lines, have different sensitivity characteristic; and

the photo-electric conversion means generates the color and sensitivity mosaic image, wherein the color component comprising;

the pixels having the first color component are arranged in a checker pattern irrespective of an associated sensitivity characteristic;

the pixels having the second color component are arranged so as to be disposed in different adjacent lines and adjacent in a diagonal direction; and

the pixels having the third color component are arranged so as to be disposed in a different adjacent lines and adjacent in a diagonal direction.