Color filter array, image sensor having the same, and signal interpolating method

• US 8,599,291 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Min, Dong Ki, Jin, Young Gu
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LUONG TRUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/893,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20110085063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/280
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/046 Colour interpolation to calculate the missing colour values
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/843 Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/131 including elements passing infrared wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/135 based on four or more different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

A color filter array of an image sensor, the color filter array including a plurality of infrared ray (IR) filters, each of which filters out light to transmit wavelengths in an IR region; a plurality of first type color filters; a plurality of second type color filters; and a plurality of third type color filters, wherein some adjacent IR filters are arranged to form a T shape.

Claims

1. A color filter array for use with an image sensor, the color filter array comprising:

a plurality of infrared ray (IR) filters, each of which filters out light to transmit wavelengths in an IR region;

a plurality of first type color filters;

a plurality of second type color filters; and

a plurality of third type color filters,

wherein;

some of the IR filters are arranged to form T shapes, each T shape being formed by a line of three adjacent and contiguous IR filters along a horizontal row or vertical column of the color filter array, and a fourth adjacent IR filter abutting a middle one of the three adjacent and contiguous IR filters,

at least one of the first type of color filters, second type of color filters, and third type of color filters is adjacent and contiguous to a one end of the three adjacent and contiguous IR filters of the color filter array and in line with the three adjacent and contiguous IR filters of the color filter array, and

two adjacent and contiguous different color filters of the first type of color filters, second type of color filters, and third type of color filters are abutting to the fourth adjacent IR filter, two parallel lateral boundaries of the fourth adjacent IR filter and the two adjacent and contiguous different color filters extending along two parallel lateral boundaries of the middle one of the three adjacent and contiguous IR filters.

2. The color filter array as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sum of the number of first type color filters and the number of second type color filters is equal to the number of third type color filters.

3. The color filter array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first type color filters are red filters, the second type color filters are blue filters, and the third type color filters are green filters.

4. The color filter array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the T shape is a T shape rotated 90 degrees, 180 degrees, or 270 degrees.

5. The color filter array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of IR filters equals a sum of the number of the first to third color filters.

12. The color filter array as claimed in claim 1, wherein the line of three adjacent and contiguous IR filters are along the horizontal row of the color filter array.

13. The color filter array as claimed in claim 12, wherein the fourth adjacent IR filter is below the middle one of the three adjacent and contiguous IR filters.

6. A color filter array for use with an image sensor, the color filter array comprising:

a plurality of white filters, each of which filters out light to transmit visible light;

a plurality of first type color filters;

a plurality of second type color filters; and

a plurality of third type color filters,

wherein;

some of the white filters are arranged to form T shapes, each T shape being formed by a line of three adjacent and contiguous white filters along a horizontal row or vertical column of the color filter array, and a fourth adjacent white filter abutting a middle one of the three adjacent and contiguous white filters,

at least one of the first type of color filters, second type of color filters, and third type of color filters is adjacent and contiguous to a one end of the three adjacent and contiguous white filters of the color filter array and in line with the three adjacent and contiguous white filters of the color filter array, and

two adjacent and contiguous different color filters of the first type of color filters, second type of color filters, and third type of color filters are abutting to the fourth adjacent white filter, two parallel lateral boundaries of the fourth adjacent white filter and the two adjacent and contiguous different color filters extending along two parallel lateral boundaries of the middle one of the three adjacent and contiguous white filters.

7. The color filter array as claimed in claim 6, wherein a sum of the number of first type color filters and the number of second type color filters is equal to the number of third type color filters.

8. The color filter array as claimed in claim 6, wherein the T shape is a T shape rotated 90 degrees, 180 degrees, or 270 degrees.

9. The color filter array as claimed in claim 6, wherein each white filter is transparent to visible light.

10. The color filter array as claimed in claim 6, wherein each white filter blocks infrared light.

11. The color filter array as claimed in claim 6, wherein the number of white filters equals a sum of the number of the first to third color filters.

14. The color filter array as claimed in claim 6, wherein the line of three adjacent and contiguous white filters are along the horizontal row of the color filter array.

15. The color filter array as claimed in claim 14, wherein the fourth adjacent white filter is below the middle one of the three adjacent and contiguous white filters.