| Entries |
| Document | Title | Date |
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| 20080198248 | Reduced edge effect from recesses in imagers - Methods for making a recessed color filter array for a semiconductor imager employing a sidewall spacer for reducing an edge effect from the array are disclosed. In one embodiment, a substrate is provided having an upper surface. Then, a recess is formed into the upper surface of the substrate. The recess has a bottom and a sidewall. Subsequently, a sidewall spacer is formed on the sidewall of the recess. A color resist is deposited into the recess after forming the sidewall spacer. In the embodiment, the sidewall spacer is formed of a material having a surface energy lower than that of a material defining the bottom of the recess. The color resist, when deposited into the recess, adheres less to the sidewall than to the bottom of the recess. Thus, the color resist does not conform to a shape of an edge portion of the recess where the sidewall and the bottom meet, thereby reducing the edge effect. | 08-21-2008 |
| 20080204580 | Method, apparatus and system providing imaging device with color filter array - A method and apparatus that provide a color filter array for use in an imaging device and/or system. The color filter array contains a stopping layer located at least on selected color filters. The stopping layer allows a planarization process step, such as a chemical mechanical planarization process step, to be carried out during the formation of the color filter array. The color filter array so formed can have a planarized surface thereon so that microlenses and/or passivation and oxide layer(s) can be directly formed on such planarized surface of the color filter array. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080204581 | Image capturing apparatus - When a selected target color space for a digital camera is changed, the colors of a final image, i.e., the colors of an image in the changed target color space, are predicted from an image that is displayed on a display unit of the digital camera. For example, if the target color space is changed to an sRGB color space and the display unit has an AdobeRGB color space, then an image in the target color space (the sRGB color space), which is generated from a captured image by a signal processor, is converted by a matrix calculator into an image in the AdobeRGB color space, and then the image is supplied to the display unit. Hence, the colors of the final image can be predicted from the colors of the image displayed on the display unit. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080231735 | Activity-Based System and Method for Reducing Gain Imbalance in a Bayer Pattern and Digital Camera Employing the Same - An activity-based system for, and method of, reducing Gr-Gb gain imbalance and a digital camera incorporating the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a sensor configured to provide a input Bayer pattern array containing amplitudes corresponding to Gr and Gb cells and (2) a processor coupled to the sensor and configured to (2 | 09-25-2008 |
| 20080252759 | Method, apparatus and system providing green-green imbalance compensation - Method, apparatus and system for determining a value for green-green imbalance and applying the value to green pixels to correct the imbalance are described. Average pixel values of green pixels within a kernel are calculated and an imbalance value is determined based on the averages. The imbalance value is added to or subtracted from all green pixel response values in the kernel to correct the imbalance. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20080278610 | Configurable pixel array system and method - Present embodiments relate to techniques for capturing images. One embodiment may include an image sensor, comprising a substrate, a first pixel cell array disposed on the substrate, a first photographic lens arranged to focus light onto the first pixel cell array, a second pixel cell array disposed on the substrate, a second photographic lens arranged to focus light onto the second pixel cell array, and an image coordination circuit configured to coordinate the first array and lens with the second array and lens to provide an image. The first pixel cell array and the first photographic lens may be configured to cooperate to capture a first image of a scene, and the second pixel cell array and the second photographic lens may be configured to cooperate to capture a second image of the scene. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20090040345 | Color imaging device and color imaging device manufacturing method - A color imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of photoelectric transducers, and a color filter including a plurality of coloring layers provided to associate with the photoelectric transducers of the semiconductor substrate. Each of the coloring layers of the color filter including a side surface that is erected with respect to a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and an inclined surface that is continuous from an end of the side surface located in the opposite side of the semiconductor substrate toward an end portion of the coloring layer located in the opposite side of the semiconductor substrate. The coloring layers are arranged with their side surfaces being in contact with each other without a gap therebetween, and the end portion of the coloring layer has a curved surface shape protruding toward the opposite side of the corresponding photoelectric transducer. | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090046182 | PIXEL ASPECT RATIO CORRECTION USING PANCHROMATIC PIXELS - A method for forming an enhanced digital full-color image having a first pixel aspect ratio includes capturing an image using an image sensor having panchromatic pixels and color pixels corresponding to at least two color photoresponses wherein color and panchromatic pixels each have a second pixel aspect ratio different from the first pixel aspect ratio, providing from the captured image a digital high-resolution panchromatic image and changing the aspect ratio of the panchromatic pixel values from the second pixel aspect ratio to the first pixel aspect ratio to produce a digital aspect corrected high-resolution panchromatic image, providing from the captured image a digital low-resolution color difference color filter array image, providing a digital aspect corrected high-resolution color difference image from the low-resolution color difference color filter array image, and using the aspect corrected high-resolution panchromatic image and an aspect corrected high-resolution color difference image to produce the enhanced digital full-color image. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20090066820 | FILTERING OPTIMIZATION VIA IMPLICIT BAYER GRID SUBSAMPLING - Methods, systems, and apparatuses for filtering captured image data are provided. An array of pixel data values corresponding to a captured image is received. The pixel data values in the received array are pixel data values of a first color of the captured image. A filter function is performed on a portion of the pixel data values of the array that are located in Bayer pattern pixel locations of the array for the first color. Subsequent arrays of pixel data values corresponding to further colors of the captured image may be received and filtered in a similar manner. Furthermore, further captured images in a video stream may be received and filtered in a similar manner, to generate a stream of filtered video images. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090066821 | Method And Apparatus For Interpolating Missing Colors In A Color Filter Array - A method, of interpolating missing colors in a color filter array comprising red, green and blue photosites comprises determining and interpolation direction for each red and each blue photosite based on local edge information and interpolating a green color for each red and each blue photosite in the determined interpolation direction for that photosite. For each green photosite, red and blue colors are interpolated. For each red photosite, a blue color is interpolated in the determined interpolation direction for that photosite and for each blue photosite, a red color is interpolated in the determined interpolation direction for that photosite. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090073291 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - To control the potential distribution generated in a well at the time of amplification and reduce a shading in a solid-state imaging device of amplification type, the amplification type solid-state imaging device of the present invention comprises a plurality of picture elements each including photoelectric conversion elements formed in a second conductivity type common well inside a first conductivity type substrate, wherein a plurality of well contacts are disposed inside a picture element array area. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090086064 | DYNAMIC ADAPTIVE COLOR FILTER ARRAY - A microfluidic color filter array, color imager system, and method for dynamic color filtering are disclosed. The microfluidic color filter array includes a network of fluid channels configured to contain fluid solution. The color imager system includes a photodiode array and a microfluidic color filter array disposed over the photodiode array. Fluid solution is supplied through fluid channels of the microfluidic color filter array to provide color filtering when light is received through the fluid channels to a respective photodiode. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090091644 | Metallic nanostructure color filter array and method of making the same - A color filter array with metallic nanostructures and a method of fabricating the same. The color filter array is fabricated by forming a plurality of color filter regions corresponding to pixels of a pixel array, the color filter regions being formed of metallic nanostructures having different optical properties and being arranged in a color filter pattern. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090091645 | Multi-exposure pattern for enhancing dynamic range of images - The specification and drawings present a new method, apparatus and software product for enhancing a dynamic range of an image with a multi-exposure pixel pattern taken by an image sensor of a camera for one or more color channels, wherein a plurality of groups of pixels of the image sensor have different exposure times (e.g., pre-selected or adjusted by a user through a user interface using a viewfinder feedback, or adjusted by a user through a user interface after taking and storing RAW image, etc.). Processing of the captured image for constructing an enhanced image of the image for each of the one or more color channels can be performed using weighted combination of exposure times of pixels having different pre-selected exposure times according to a predetermined criterion. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090091646 | COLOR PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD THEREOF - Interpolated image data is generated from image-sensing data according to the color characteristic of an object. A color filter that has a strong correlation with the color characteristic of an object in image-sensing data captured by an image sensing device having a color filter array in which filters of a plurality of colors are arranged is determined. Interpolated image data of a color component corresponding to the determined color filter is generated by using the pixel values of the image-sensing data corresponding to the color filter. Interpolated image data of the color component corresponding to each of color filters different from the determined color filter is generated by using the generated interpolated image data and the pixel values of the image-sensing data corresponding to each of the color filters different from the determined color filter. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090096899 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ANISOTROPIC DEMOSAICING OF IMAGE DATA - A method and apparatus for determining missing color pixel values in image data. Pixel values are interpolated in a horizontal or a vertical direction based on gradient scores and optionally chroma and local statistical scores. Several techniques for refining the interpolation direction determination are also disclosed, including applying a low-pass filter, applying one or more digital filters, and growing an interpolation direction region to nearby pixels. A technique for interpolating corner pixel values is also disclosed. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20090102953 | PERFORMANCE DIGITAL IMAGE SENSING - Systems and media to capture a digital image are disclosed. Embodiments include hardware and/or software for taking multiple color data readings with a series of sensing elements in one collecting location during a single exposure, associating the collecting location with a pixel, and calculating a color value for the pixel based on the multiple color data readings. The hardware or software may also direct light successively to the sensing elements of the series of sensing elements within one exposure via reflective optics, and may determine that a sensing element of the series of sensing elements is defective. The hardware or software may redirect light to align a non-defective sensing element of the series of sensing elements with the collecting location. The non-defective sensing element and the defective sensing element may be associated with the same color. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20090109306 | HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE SENSOR WITH REDUCED LINE MEMORY FOR COLOR INTERPOLATION - An image sensor has an array of pixels organized into a row and column format. Pixels are read out in a line-by-line sequence and buffered in a line image buffer. An extended dynamic range is supported by varying a column exposure time according to a periodic sequence. As a result, the pixel exposure times vary within each row. A high dynamic range is generated by combining pixel data of adjacent pixels within the same row that are of the same filter type but having different exposure times. Color interpolation is performed on the combined line data. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090115874 | Image sensors, color filter arrays included in the image sensors, and image pickup apparatuses including the image sensors - A color filter array may include two or more yellow filter pixels, one or more green filter pixels, and one or more cyan filter pixels. The two or more yellow filter pixels may be disposed in a first row or rows in a first direction. The one or more green filter pixels and the one or more cyan filter pixels may be disposed in a second row or rows in the first direction. The first row or rows and the second row or rows may alternate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In the second direction, either the one or more green filter pixels and at least one of the two or more yellow filter pixels alternate or the one or more cyan filter pixels and at least one of the two or more yellow filter pixels alternate. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090128672 | Color solid-state image capturing apparatus and electronic information device - A color solid-state image capturing apparatus is provided, where a plurality of light receiving sections are arranged on a light receiving surface of an image capturing area, a plurality of color filters are positioned in a constant period above the plurality of light receiving sections, and a plurality of microlenses for focusing light on the plurality of respective light receiving sections are positioned on the plurality of color filters, and a plurality of color signals are output in accordance with the plurality of color filters, where the constant period of the plurality of color filters is defined as a unit, and the size of the plurality of microlenses is variable for each light receiving section so that the ratio of the plurality of color signals is constant in the unit. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090135281 | DRIVING METHOD OF SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A driving method of a solid-state imaging device including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements as defined herein, includes performing first driving which mixes a first electric charge generated in the first photoelectric conversion element with a second electric charge generated in the photoelectric conversion element for luminance detection, converts the electric charges obtained by the mixing into a signal, and outputs the signal. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090135282 | Visible imaging device with a colour filter - A visible imaging device with a colour filter, including:
| 05-28-2009 |
| 20090141152 | PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS AND PHOTOGRAPHING METHOD - Disclosed is a photographing apparatus of interlace transferring type comprising a photographing device which carries out transfer of electrification of all pixels stored in the photographing device by dividing into a plurality of fields when transferring the electrification, which has a plurality of color filters and which includes a color signal of at least RGB or YeCyMgG in the transfer data of each field for transferring the electrification, an extraction unit for extracting characteristic data of an image from transferred data before processing for the image is started, a generating unit for generating control value carrying out correction of image based on the extracted characteristic data, and a photographing processing unit for processing the image by use of a control value formed by said characteristic data. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090147111 | IMAGE ENHANCEMENT IN THE MOSAIC DOMAIN - Imaging apparatus includes a mosaic image sensor ( | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090147112 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACHIEVING PANCHROMATIC RESPONSE FROM A COLOR-MOSAIC IMAGER - A method and apparatus for achieving monochromatic response from a low-cost color imager is presented. In this method and apparatus, the out-of-band response to infrared (IR) light is by solid state sensors exploited to produce a monochrome image. The monochrome image is produced by removing the IR blocking filter from the sensor and illuminating the scene to be imaged with IR radiation from an LED. The wavelength emitted from the LED is matched to the wavelength or wavelengths that correspond to a region where the sensor's response to IR light is relatively even, despite the color-mosaic filter permanently attached to the sensor. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090153705 | IMAGE-CAPTURING ELEMENT AND IMAGE-CAPTURING APPARATUS - An image-capturing element includes a group of first pixels configured to receive object light and generate an image signal representing an object image; and a group of second pixels configured to receive the object light and generate a ranging signal for detecting a phase difference. The second pixels each include an optical filter on a light-receiving side thereof. The optical filter allows visible light in a wavelength range wider than a wavelength range of visible light that is allowed by a green primary-color filter to be transmitted therethrough within the object light to be transmitted therethrough. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090185059 | COLORED NEGATIVE PHOTORESIST COMPOSITION, COLORED PATTERN COMPRISING THE SAME, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE COLORED PATTERN - The present invention relates to a colored negative photoresist composition comprising a coloring agent (A), an alkali soluble binder polymer (B), a photopolymerizable compound (C), a photopolymerization initiator (D), and a solvent (E), wherein the alkali soluble binder polymer (B) is a polymer comprising the monomer represented by the following Formula 1 and a monomer having a carboxyl group. The colored negative photoresist composition of the present invention improves adhesion to a silicone wafer, in particular, an SiN wafer, to prevent a separation or tear in the lining, and to form a rectangular pattern, thereby being able to be effectively used in a complementary metal oxide semiconductor. | 07-23-2009 |
| 20090195678 | IMAGE CAPTURE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CAPTURING LABELED IMAGE - An image capture system is provided. The image capture system for capturing an image of an object includes a light emitting module, a lens, a base unit and a filter unit. The light emitting module provides a plurality of light beams to form a reference area. The base unit includes a light sensor corresponding to the lens. The filter unit includes at least one visible light passing portion and at least one invisible light passing portion. The filter unit is driven to position one of the visible light passing portion and the invisible light passing portion between the lens and the light sensor. The actual size of the object can be estimated via the reference area. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20090207286 | Colored photosensitive composition, and color filter array and solid image pickup device using the same - An object of the present invention is to provide a colored photosensitive composition capable of forming a color filter array having improved spectral characteristics. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090207287 | Colored photosensitive composition, and color filter array and solid image pickup device using the same - An object of the present invention is to provide a colored photosensitive composition capable of forming a color filter array having improved spectral characteristics. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090231475 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BREAKING SURFACE TENSION DURING A RECESSED COLOR FILTER ARRAY PROCESS - A method of making a color filter array of an imaging device comprises forming a main recess for a color filter array, forming a tension breaking feature at an edge of the main recess, and providing a color filter array material across the tension breaking feature and main recess as part of forming the color filter array. The tension breaking feature reduces the settling distance of the color filter array material. An imaging device having the thus formed color filter array is also described. | 09-17-2009 |
| 20090244332 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND DRIVING METHOD FOR SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - When a solid-state imaging apparatus which has A/D conversion circuits in every column and subjects a digitized signal to arithmetic processing carries out a horizontal skipping operation and calculates respective signals held in a plurality of register circuits, an A/D converter and a register circuit in a column which is skipped, specifically, is not read out, do not participate in the operation, so that the circuit has been susceptible to investigation in terms of use efficiency. The solid-state imaging apparatus has a unit for connecting a register circuit in a certain column with a register circuit in a different column. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090251573 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF - A solid-state imaging apparatus and a manufacturing method of a solid-state imaging apparatus are provided. Metal wirings | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090284627 | Image processing Method - An image processing method includes photographing an object by a camera via a filter, separating image data, which is obtained by photographing by the camera, into a red component, a green component and a blue component, determining a relationship of correspondency between pixels in the red component, the green component and the blue component, with reference to departure of pixel values in the red component, the green component and the blue component from a linear color model in a three-dimensional color space, and finding a depth of each of the pixels in the image data in accordance with positional displacement amounts of the corresponding pixels of the red component, the green component and the blue component. The image processing method further includes processing the image data in accordance with the depth. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090290051 | SOLID-STATE IMAGER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A solid-state imager including an imaging region, a color filter layer, and an electro-conductive component, wherein the imaging region has a plurality of light receiving elements positioned therein, the plurality of light receiving elements are formed to a substrate, while being arranged in a two-dimensional manner, the color filter layer is formed over and around the imaging region, the electro-conductive component exposes from the color filter layer, the electro-conductive component is positioned around the imaging region but without overlapping the imaging region. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20090316025 | IMAGE PICKUP - An image pickup including a light emission portion that irradiates an object with near infrared; and an image pickup portion that receives a reflection light image of the object by the near infrared. The image pickup portion includes a lens array containing a substrate on which multiple lenses to respectively receive the reflection light image of the object by the near infrared are arranged; a light shield spacer that shields beams of light that have passed through the lens array from each other; a color filter separated into areas according to beams of light that pass through the light shield spacer, each of which transmits only particular beams of near infrared depending on the wavelengths thereof; and an image pickup element that simultaneously obtains multiple images of the object which are formed of each of the particular beams of near infrared having independent wavelengths that have passed through each of the areas of the color filter. | 12-24-2009 |
| 20090322917 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid-state imaging device capable of operating at high-speed, and suppressing the deterioration of image quality caused by coupling. A solid-state imaging device according to the present invention includes: pixels arranged in rows and columns; color filters each of which is arranged on a light incidence plane of a corresponding one of the pixels, each of the color filters being one of at least two colors; and column signal lines provided for each of the columns of the pixels, and each of which transmits the signals from the pixels in a column direction, in which one of the color filters is arranged on one of the pixels connected to the column signal line, and is of a same color as another one of the color filters arranged on another one of the pixels connected to the column signal line. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20100002105 | Imaging apparatus - An imaging device includes a color filter having a predetermined color array and converts an optical image into image data of an electrical signal. A coordinate transforming unit transforms a first coordinate value of the imaging device into a second coordinate value in a state of the color array according to a color of the color filter corresponding to the first coordinate value. The imaging device reads out a pixel value of a pixel at the second coordinate value as a pixel value of a pixel at the first coordinate value by setting the first coordinate value as a coordinate transform destination and the second coordinate value as a coordinate transform source. | 01-07-2010 |
| 20100013966 | Electo-optical color imaging systems having strong lateral chromatic aberration compensated by digital image processing - A spatially-varying sharpening filter and a color registration module compensate for significant lateral color in poorly corrected optics. In one aspect, a color imaging system includes image-forming optics, a sensor array and a processing module. The processing module includes a color registration module and a spatially-varying sharpening filter. The image-forming optics suffers from lateral chromatic aberration. The sensor array captures color pixels of the chromatically aberrated optical image. The spatially-varying sharpening filter sharpens the image (e.g., reduces the blurring caused by lateral color), and the color registration module realigns different color channels of the image. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100013967 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid state imaging device includes: a light receiving portion; a transfer gate; a clock wiring group; and a substance. The light receiving portion includes a plurality of light receiving elements formed on a substrate. The charge transfer portion transfers electric charges supplied from the light receiving portion. The transfer gate is provided between the light receiving portion and the charge transfer portion and supplies the electric charges accumulated in the light receiving portion to the charge transfer portion. The clock wiring group includes a plurality of wirings and supplies a plurality of clocks for transferring the electric charges. The substance shields light with a wavelength lower than a predetermined wavelength. The plurality of wirings is arranged away from one another with a gap corresponding to the predetermined wavelength. The substance is arranged to cover the gap and shields light with a wavelength possibly passing through the gap. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100033607 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A solid state imaging device includes: a solid state imaging element including a light receiving element, a microlens formed above the light receiving element, a first transparent layer formed on the microlens and a second transparent layer formed on or above the microlens and harder than the first transparent layer; a transparent component formed above the second transparent layer; and an adhesive layer for bonding the second transparent layer and the transparent component. The hard second transparent layer prevents the occurrence of scratches during a dicing step. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100045831 | Imaging Apparatus and Image Processing Program - There is provided an imaging apparatus capable of creating RAW data subsequent to predetermined processing including distortion correction and reduction/enlargement processing of an image. The imaging apparatus includes an imaging device operable to create image data in a first color arrangement pattern (for example, Bayer array) by converting an optical signal to an electrical signal; a color arrangement conversion unit operable to convert a color arrangement pattern of the image data from the first color arrangement pattern to a second color arrangement pattern; an image processing unit operable to perform predetermined processing (enlargement, distortion correction and the like) on the image data converted by the color arrangement conversion unit; and a color arrangement reverse-conversion unit operable to convert reversely the color arrangement pattern of the image data processed by the image processing unit from the second color arrangement pattern back to the first color arrangement pattern. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100053385 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF GENERATING A HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGE - An image generating apparatus including a filtering unit to filter a plurality of light signals including a first filter region and a second filter region. The first filter region may allow a complementary color wavelength band of an incident light signal to pass through and the second filter region may allow a whole wavelength band of the incident light signal to pass through. At least one of the first filter region and the second filter region includes two sub-regions configured to pass filtered light signals with two different sensitivities. In addition, an image sensing unit may sense at least one of the filtered light signals of different sensitivities in the complementary color wavelength band and the filtered light signals of different sensitivities in the whole wavelength band from the filtering unit and an image processing unit may generate an image based on the sensed light signals. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100053386 | IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF DRIVING IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a photoelectric converting film that is forms on the semiconductor substrate and that generates charges corresponding to an incident light; a plurality of pixel portions that receive the charges from the photoelectric converting film, a floating gate that is electrically connected to the photoelectric converting film; and a transistor that fluctuates a threshold voltage so as to start to increase a drain current when an electric potential of the floating gate changes. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100053387 | Image sensor with multiple types of color filters - An image sensor includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices formed in a substrate and first and second color filters. The first color filter is formed over a first photoelectric conversion device and comprised of an organic material. The second color filter is formed over a second photoelectric conversion device and comprised of a plurality of inorganic layers. With such different types of color filters, spectral characteristic of the image sensor are enhanced. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100066876 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE AND IMAGING SYSTEM - A photoelectric conversion device comprises a semiconductor substrate; a multilayer wiring structure; a first color filter layer including a plurality of first color filters which are arranged above a first photoelectric conversion units to allow light of a first color to enter the first photoelectric conversion units, each first color filter being connected to an adjacent first color filter; and a second color filter layer including a plurality of second color filters which are arranged above a second photoelectric conversion units to allow light of a second color to enter the second photoelectric conversion units, wherein the multilayer wiring structure including an uppermost wiring layer which defines the aperture regions corresponding to the respective photoelectric conversion units, and an insulation film arranged to cover the uppermost wiring layer, and wherein the first color filter layer and the second color filter layer are arranged to cover the insulation film. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100085452 | NEW SPATIO-SPECTRAL SAMPLING PARADIGM FOR IMAGING AND A NOVEL COLOR FILTER ARRAY DESIGN - One aspect of the present invention relates to a new alternative to the Bayer pattern for spatial subsampling in color imaging applications. One aspect of the present invention relates to a new design paradigm for spatio-spectral sampling, which is also described. The proposed scheme offers the potential to significantly reduce hardware complexity in a wide variety of applications, while at the same time improving output color image quality. According to another aspect, it is realized that conventional processing techniques are subject to diminishing returns, and with the exception of the most sophisticated processing techniques generate imperfections perceptible to a practiced eye. According to one aspect, a framework for CFA design in presented. In one embodiment the physical characteristics of the CFA are generated so that the spectral radii of luminance and chrominance channels are maximized. In another embodiment, the CFA designed to subject to the conditions of perfect reconstruction. In one aspect, the physical characteristics of CFA design are constrained to require physically realizable CFA(s). Alternatively, certain physical characteristics can be emphasized to generate easier to manufacture CFA(s). According to another aspect, conventional methods and systems are evaluated, confirming shortcomings regarding aliasing in imaging and bandwidth, against which certain embodiments are benchmarked, showing improved performance under at least some embodiments of proposed designs and methods. According to another aspect, a display device CFA is evaluated in terms of throughput of stimuli as limited by aliasing. It is shown the spectral replicas of the chrominance signals induced by existing CFA patterns are centered around frequencies that are not sufficiently far from the DC, consequently overlapping with the luminance signal spectrum and reducing the throughput of the stimuli. By reinterpreting the interactions between the stimuli, display CFA, and CSF in terms of amplitude modulation, an alternative CFA coding scheme that modulates the chrominance signals to a higher frequency relative to common schemes is provided in some embodiments. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100097505 | CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICE IMAGE SENSOR WITH VERTICAL BINNING OF SAME-COLOR PIXELS - A CCD image sensor comprises photosensitive elements arranged in rows and columns, vertical CCDs each having vertical shift elements associated with respective ones of the photosensitive elements of a corresponding one of the columns, and a horizontal CCD comprising horizontal shift elements. The image sensor further comprises a transition region arranged between the vertical CCDs and the horizontal CCD. The transition region is configured to separate each of a plurality of signal channels provided by respective ones of the vertical CCDs into first and second parallel signal channels and to controllably direct selected ones of the parallel signal channels to the horizontal shift elements of the horizontal CCD in accordance with a designated readout sequence. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100103294 | Image pickup devices and image processing methods using the same - An image pickup device may include a sensor array including a plurality of pixels and an actuator operatively connected to the sensor array. The actuator may be configured to sequentially move the sensor array, in a horizontal or vertical direction by one pixel pitch, in response to a control signal. A method of processing image signals using an image pickup device may include moving the plurality of pixels by the one pixel pitch using the actuator in order to allow multiple pixels to be sequentially located at a position on which light is incident, and sequentially detecting color component signals of each of the multiple pixels from the incident light. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100110242 | Anthraquinone dye containing material, composition including the same, camera including the same, and associated methods - A (meth)acrylate ester includes a (meth)acrylate monomer moiety having an ester oxygen, an anthraquinone moiety having a transmittance spectrum producing red light, and a linking group covalently coupled to the ester oxygen and the anthraquinone moiety, the linking group including phenyl, naphthyl, a linear alkyl group having from 2 to about 10 carbons, a branched alkyl group having from 3 to about 10 carbons, a cycloalkyl group having from about 3 to about 20 carbons, or a substituted aromatic group. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100110243 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device is capable of simplifying the pixel structure to reduce the pixel size and capable of suppressing the variation in the characteristics between the pixels when a plurality of output systems is provided. A unit cell ( | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100110244 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device is capable of simplifying the pixel structure to reduce the pixel size and capable of suppressing the variation in the characteristics between the pixels when a plurality of output systems is provided. A unit cell ( | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100128151 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - There is provided an image pickup apparatus comprising two-dimensionally arrayed pixels, a plurality of read-out channels each including a read-out circuit and an amplifier circuit, a parallel-serial conversion circuit which sequentially selects pixel signals output via the plurality of read-out channels and outputs a series of pixel signals, and a clamp unit which clamps the reset level included a in an output signal from the read-out circuit in order to remove an offset generated in each read-out channel. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100134663 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A solid-state imaging device | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100165157 | APPARATUS FOR DEMOSAICING COLORS AND METHOD THEREOF - An apparatus and method for demosaicing colors in an image sensor can accurately locate edge directionality by detecting a successive 1-line edge precisely. The embodiments may include an image sensor containing information on a color signal detected from each pixel, a first line memory receiving and storing output data from the image sensor, a missing green information extractor extracting missing green pixel information from the data of the first line memory, a delayer receiving the data of the first line memory, the delayer delaying the received data for a prescribed duration, the delayer outputting the delayed data, a second line memory temporarily storing the data outputted from the missing green information extractor and the data provided via the delayer, and a missing red/blue information outputter extracting missing red/blue information from the data of the second line memory. | 07-01-2010 |
| 20100182464 | Joint Automatic Demosaicking And White Balancing - Joint automatic demosaicking and white balancing. In one example embodiment, a digital image processing method includes several acts. First, directional color correlation signals, global gains, and orientations of edges are calculated in a CFA input image. Next, missing luminance components in CFA chrominance locations are demosaicked along edges in the input image using CFA chrominance components and the directional color correlation signals. Then, the CFA chrominance components are white-balanced using the demosaicked luminance components, the CFA chrominance components, and white-balancing gains expressed as a function of the global gains and local gains calculated directly from a pixel under consideration. Next, missing chrominance components in CFA chrominance locations in the input image are demosaicked. Finally, missing chrominance components in CFA luminance locations in the input image are demosaicked. Performance of these acts results in the transformation of the CFA input image into a full-color white-balanced output image. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100182465 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging apparatus wherein an FD capacitor value is variable without increasing the number of elements. There is provided a solid-state imaging apparatus including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, for generating an electric charge by photoelectric conversion; a plurality of transfer transistors each connected to each of the photoelectric conversion elements, for transferring the electric charge generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; a plurality of floating diffusion regions for holding the electric charge transferred by the transfer transistors; a plurality of amplifiers each connected to each of the floating diffusion regions, for amplifying a signal based on the electric charge in the plurality of floating diffusion regions; and a connecting unit for connecting and disconnecting between the plurality of floating diffusion regions. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100182466 | IMAGE INTERPOLATION METHOD AND APPARATUS USING PATTERN CHARACTERISTICS OF COLOR FILTER ARRAY - An image interpolating method and apparatus, in which horizontal and vertical Differences of Absolute Inter-channel Differences (DAIDs) are calculated from a color filter array (CFA) image, and an unknown pixel is interpolated in horizontal and vertical directions estimated in consideration of the DAIDs of R, G, and B pixels. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100194939 | IMAGING DEVICE - An imaging device includes an imagine lens, an imaging sensor having a color filter array with color filters of a plurality of colors having a plurality of pixels which are arranged on a light-receiving surface, a computing section obtaining a pixel value of an objective pixel by adding pixel values of a plurality of adjacent pixels which are adjacent to the objective pixel and which have one of the color filters of same color as the objective pixel among pixel values output from the imaging sensor, and a control section making the computing section compute, while shifting the objective pixel one by one in one direction, a pixel row formed of pixel values of the objective pixel in the one direction with respect to each predetermined pixel width in other direction, and generating an image thinned out at the predetermined pixel width in the other direction. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100194940 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE - In a solid-state imaging device, a primary-color Bayer color filter is provided on an imaging pixel area defined by pixels having different structures. Color-component filters for the same color in the color filter are disposed correspondingly to pixels having the same structure. More specifically, pixels are arranged in consideration of the arrangement of color-component filters of the color filter, or the color-component filters are arranged in consideration of the arrangement of the pixels. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100214455 | CAMERA SET-UP AND METHOD FOR ASCERTAINING PICTURE SIGNALS HAVING COLOR VALUES - A method for ascertaining image signals having color values and a camera set-up, which has: a camera having camera optics, an image sensor for recording an environment and for outputting first image signals, and a color mask applied in front of the image sensor, and an evaluation device, which picks up the first image signals emitted by the image sensor, the image sensor having a plurality of sensor pixels and the color mask having a plurality of filter pixels which are each situated in front of the sensor pixels and include first colored filter pixels and transparent filter pixels; and some of the sensor pixels picking up the light via the colored filter pixels and outputting the first color values, and additional sensor pixels picking up the light via the transparent filter pixels and outputting the intensity values. The evaluation device ascertains second color values from the intensity values and the first color values of various sensor pixels, and forms second image signals from the first color values and the second color values. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100225791 | Solid-state imaging device, manufacturing method thereof, and electronic apparatus - A solid-state imaging device includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion units disposed on an imaging surface of a substrate; and a plurality of inner-layer lenses that are disposed in correspondence with each of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units on the upper side of the photoelectric conversion units and are formed in shapes protruding in directions toward the photoelectric conversion units, wherein each of the plurality of inner-layer lenses is formed to have different lens shapes in the center and in the periphery of the imaging surface. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100225792 | Solid-state imaging device, manufacturing method of solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus - A solid-state imaging device, includes: plural unit pixels including a photoelectric conversion portion converting incident light into an electrical signal, and a waveguide having a quadratic curve surface at an inner surface and introducing the incident light to the photoelectric conversion portion. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20100231765 | METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR GENERATING A COLOR VIDEO SIGNAL - Method and apparatus for demosaicing a mosaic pattern of a color picture. To improve the picture quality, especially in case of a non-uniform mosaic pattern, a kernel of the mosaic pattern is selected, and the pixel values of the kernel are multiplied by coefficients that comply with a non-linear bi-dimensional interpolation algorithm. Additionally the pixels of the selected kernel may be multiplied by sharpening coefficients that comply with a derivative of the non-linear bi-dimensional interpolation algorithm. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100238330 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD THEREOF AND IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes a color filter array based on a checkered pattern array and in which two pixels adjacent to each other in at least one of upper/lower and right/left directions have the same color. The color filter array is a color filter array in which a spatial sampling point (x, y) is approximately arranged in at least one of (x=3*(2n−1+oe)+1±2 and y=3m−2 (n and m are an integer, oe has a value of 0 when m is an odd number and 1 when m is an even number)) and (x=3*(2n−1+oe)+1 and y=3m−2±2 (n and m denote an integer, and oe has a value of 0 when m is an odd number and 1 when m is an even number)). | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100245636 | PRODUCING FULL-COLOR IMAGE USING CFA IMAGE - A method of forming a full-color output image using a color filter array image having a plurality of color channels and a panchromatic channel, comprising capturing a color filter array image having a plurality of color channels and a panchromatic channel, wherein the panchromatic channel is captured using a different exposure time than at least one of the color channels; computing an interpolated color image and an interpolated panchromatic image from the color filter array image; computing a chrominance image from the interpolated color image; and forming the full color output image using the interpolated panchromatic image and the chrominance image. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100245637 | Solid-state imaging device, method of manufacturing the same, and electronic apparatus - A solid-state imaging device includes: an on-chip color filter having color filter components formed to correspond to pixels; light-shielding members each formed at the boundary of adjacent color filter components; and lenses concave toward a light incident direction, each formed directly below a corresponding one of the color filter components by self-alignment with the light-shielding members as a mask. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100253817 | ORIENTATION-BASED APPROACH FOR FORMING A DEMOSAICED IMAGE, AND FOR COLOR CORRECTING AND ZOOMING THE DEMOSAICED IMAGE - A method and apparatus for forming a demosaiced image from a color-filter-array (“CFA”) image is provided. The CFA image comprises a first set of pixels colored according to a first (e.g., a green) color channel, a second set of pixels colored according to a second (e.g., a red) color channel and a third set of pixels colored according to a third (e.g., blue) color channel. The method may include obtaining an orientation map, which includes, for each pixel of the color-filter-array image, an indicator of orientation of an edge bounding such pixel. The method may further include interpolating the first color channel at the second and third sets of pixels as a function of the orientation map so as to form a fourth set of pixels. The method may also include interpolating the second color channel at the first and third sets of pixels as a function of the orientation map and the fourth set of pixels; and interpolating the third color channel at the first and second sets of pixels as a function of the orientation map and the fourth set of pixels. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100253818 | DIGITAL IMAGE SENSOR, IMAGE CAPTURE AND RECONSTRUCTION METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING SAME - The invention aims to solve the problem of eliminating the trade-off between the complexity of the digital image capture device and captured image reconstruction and the quality of the image. For this purpose, the invention provides a digital image capture sensor ( | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100253819 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A solid state imaging device includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in a matrix pattern on a semiconductor substrate; a wall portion provided above a region between the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; and a plurality of color filter portions provided above the photoelectric conversion elements so as to fill openings surrounded by the wall portion. The wall portion is formed from a dye containing resist. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100259656 | Apparatus For Fluorescence Diagnosis - An apparatus for fluorescence diagnosis comprises an illumination system for illuminating a target area. The observation system has an observation instrument and a camera. The illumination system can be switched between at least two illumination modes. The observation system has an optical arrangement having at least one optical element that selectively can be introduced into the observation beam path or can be removed therefrom in order to switch the optical properties of the observation system between at least two observation modes. The optical arrangement of the observation system has a motor drive for introducing the at least one optical element into the observation beam path and for removing said element therefrom, and there is a control unit which is connected to the illumination system and to the observation system and which controls the motor drive as a function of the set illumination mode of the illumination system. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100295978 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging apparatus that shortens a time for reading out pixel signals of all pixels and improves the aperture ratio of pixels is provided. The solid-state imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixels ( | 11-25-2010 |
| 20100309347 | INTERPOLATION FOR FOUR-CHANNEL COLOR FILTER ARRAY - A method is described for forming a full-color output image from a color filter array image comprising capturing an image using an image sensor including panchromatic pixels and color pixels having at least two different color responses, the pixels being arranged in a rectangular minimal repeating unit wherein for a first color response, the color pixels having the first color response alternate with panchromatic pixels in at least two directions, and for each of the other color responses there is at least one row, column or diagonal of the repeating pattern that only has color pixels of the given color response and panchromatic pixels. The method further comprising, computing an interpolated panchromatic image from the color filter array image; computing an interpolated color image from the color filter array image; and forming the full color output image from the interpolated panchromatic image and the interpolated color image. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100309348 | IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF DRIVING IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - Integers n and k are set to be equal to or greater than 1, and reading of signals from pixels is controlled as follows. In a first frame, signals are output from pixels in every (n+1)th row of the pixel array, and in a second frame following the first frame, signals are output from pixels that are different from the pixels from which the signals are output in the first frame and that are located in a first set of rows defined by selecting every (k+1)th row of the pixel array. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100309349 | High sensitivity color filter array - A color filter array (CFA) and image processing system wherein a color filter overlaying an image sensor has a luminance element (i.e. green filter in RGB space, or yellow in CMY space) that is made larger than the other two chrominance elements (i.e. red, blue or cyan, magenta). Additionally, overlaying micro-lenses may be sized to correspond to the relative sizes of the underlying color filters. The optimized filter array is compatible with existing de-mosaic image processing. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100321542 | Gradient color filters for sub-diffraction limit sensors - An apparatus includes an array of sub-diffraction limit-sized light receptors formed in a substrate having a light receiving surface. Each receptor is configured to output an n-bit element and to change state based on the absorption of at least one photon (n is an integer >0). The apparatus includes an optical filter structure disposed over the light receiving surface, the structure having an array of filter pixels, each having an associated passband spectral characteristic. A data element obtained from the array of receptors is generated from a combination of a plurality of the n-bit elements output from a plurality of light receptors that underlie filter pixels having at least two different passband spectral characteristics. The filter pixels having at least two different passband spectral characteristics form a gradient filter wherein bandpass regions increase when moving from a central region of the gradient filter towards an edge region. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20100328504 | Adaptive method for processing digital images, and an image processing device - A method for providing an output image based on an input image, the method comprising determining a location of an output pixel with respect to an input image, determining values of elements of a filter array such that the effective width of the filter array depends on the density of exposed input pixels within the input image, and determining the value of the output pixel by performing a sum-of-products operation between non-zero values of the elements of the filter array and the values of input pixels of the input image located at respective positions, when the filter array is superimposed on the input image such that the center of the filter array corresponds to the location of the output pixel. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20100328505 | IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGING MODULE AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An imaging device includes a plurality of pixels which convert incident light to pixel signals which are electric charge signals and output the pixel signals, color filters which filter light incident to the respective pixels, and a pixel binning unit which bins pixel signals from pixels on adjacent lines and outputs a binned pixel signal. The color filters have a repeating pattern of a unit array corresponding to a unit of 16 pixels arranged in 4 rows×4 columns. In an image obtained from an output signal after pixel binning, the color filters constituting first pixels adjacent to each other in a row direction, and the color filters constituting second pixels having the same center-of-mass position in the row direction as that of the first pixels and being adjacent to each other in a column direction, have the same color component ratio. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110001855 | IMAGE SENSOR - An imaging sensor comprising a plurality of pixels is provided. The pixels comprise photoelectric converters and optical members. The optical member covers the photoelectric converter. Incident light passes through the optical member. The pixels are arranged in two dimensions on a light-receiving area. First differences are created for the distances between the photoelectric converter and a far-side surface of the optical member in two of the pixels in a part of pixel pairs among all of the pixel pairs. The far-side surface is an opposite surface of a near-side surface. The near-side surface of the optical member faces the photoelectric converter. The pixel pair includes two of the pixels selected from the plurality of the pixels. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110013054 | Color filters and demosaicing techniques for digital imaging - Color filter arrays or mosaics are provided for imaging a scene with diffraction limited optics. A distribution of color types in a color filter array is biased toward smaller wavelengths to avoid or reduce loss of spatial resolution information at higher wavelengths due to a larger extent of diffraction at the higher wavelengths. Demosaicing methods for reconstructing a partial or full color image from raw image data involve applying correction factors to account for diffraction. The correction factors are based on pixel size and/or a measure of the extent of diffraction (e.g., an Airy disk diameter) for each wavelength in the color filter array. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110013055 | Optical sensor and semiconductor device - Example embodiments are directed to a semiconductor device including a color pixel array on a substrate; a distance pixel array on the substrate; a light-inducing member on the color pixel array and the distance pixel array; an infrared light cut filter on the light-inducing member and configured to block infrared light; a near infrared light filter on the light-inducing member and configured to allow near infrared light to pass; and an RGB filter on the light-inducing member and configured to allow visible light to pass. According to example embodiments, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include forming a color pixel array on a substrate; forming a distance pixel array on the substrate; forming a light-inducing member on the color pixel array and the distance pixel array; forming an infrared light cut filter on the light-inducing member; forming a near infrared light filter on the light-inducing member; forming a RGB filter on the light-inducing member; and forming a plurality of lenses on the infrared light cut filter and the near infrared light filter. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110019040 | IMAGE SENSOR AND IMAGE CAPTURE SYSTEM WITH EXTENDED DYNAMIC RANGE - An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels; a color filter pattern spanning at least a portion of the pixels, wherein the color filter pattern forms a color filter kernel having colors in a predetermined arrangement; and a mechanism for controlling integration time of the pixels, wherein the integration time of the plurality of pixels is spatially variant in a pattern that is correlated with the color filter array kernel. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110025891 | POLYMERIZABLE COMPOSITIONS, COLOR FILTERS, PRODUCTION METHODS THEREOF, AND SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICES - Disclosed is a polymerizable composition characterized by containing at least (A) a photopolymerization initiator represented by the following general formula (1); (B) a coloring agent; (C) a polymerizable monomer; (D) a binder polymer; and (E) a solvent. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110032396 | EDGE-ADAPTIVE INTERPOLATION AND NOISE FILTERING METHOD, COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM, AND PORTABLE TERMINAL - An edge-adaptive interpolation and noise filtering method is provided including performing primary interpolation on a first color, based on a first preset number of directions, with respect to a first color window obtained from an input image window, estimating an edge direction within a primary interpolated first color window obtained by the primary interpolation, based on a second preset number of directions, the second preset number of directions being larger than the first preset number, with respect to the primary interpolated first color window, performing secondary interpolation on the first color, based on the estimated edge direction, with respect to the primary interpolated first color window, and performing interpolation on a second color, based on the estimated edge direction, with respect to a second color window obtained from the input image window. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110037883 | Image sensors - Image sensors including a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of photo detecting elements, a dielectric layer, a plurality of color filters, and a plurality of micro lenses. The photo detecting elements may be in the semiconductor substrate and may convert an incident light into an electric signal. The dielectric layer may be on the semiconductor substrate and may include a plurality of photo blocking regions on regions between the photo detecting elements. The color filters may be on the dielectric layer and may be disposed corresponding to the plurality of photo detecting elements, respectively. The micro lenses may be on the plurality of color filters and may be disposed corresponding to the plurality of photo detecting elements, respectively. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110058075 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device includes: photoelectric conversion units provided on an imaging face of a semiconductor substrate; a color filter provided on the imaging face; and a light shielding portion provided on the imaging face; wherein photoelectric conversion units are arrayed on the imaging face in a first direction a second direction; and wherein the color filter includes a first filter layer having high light transmissivity regarding a first wavelength band, and a second filter layer having high light transmissivity regarding a second wavelength band, with the first and second filter layers arrayed above the photoelectric conversion units arrayed in the first direction so as to extend in the first direction and be arrayed adjacently in the second direction; and wherein the light shielding portion extends in the first direction between the photoelectric conversion units arrayed in the second direction, between the first filter layer and the second filter layer. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110063481 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes: an R pixel provided with an R filter for transmitting red-color light; a B pixel provided with a B filter for transmitting blue-color light; an S | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110063482 | IMAGE SENSOR FOR OUTPUTTING RGB BAYER SIGNAL THROUGH INTERNAL CONVERSION AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - The image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels arranged in a non-red-green-blue (RGB) Bayer pattern, an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert an analog pixel signal output from each of the pixels into a digital pixel signal, and an RGB converter configured to convert the digital pixel signal into an RGB Bayer signal. Accordingly, the image sensor is compatible with a universal image signal processor (ISP), which receives and processes RGB Bayer signals, without an additional compatible device or module. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110074988 | Dual-Mode Extended Depth-of-Field Imaging Systems - A digital-optical imaging system can be operated in two modes, which shall be referred to as broadband mode and grayscale mode. In broadband mode, different color images are captured and then image processed together. The optics are intentionally aberrated to increase the depth of field, with the image processing compensating for the aberrations. In grayscale mode, the different color images are captured and then image processed separately. The color images are assumed to be correlated so that it is not necessary to have clear images of all color channels. Accordingly, the optics are designed so that the different color images focus at different locations, thus increasing the overall depth of field where at least one color image is in focus. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110074989 | IMAGE SENSORS - Provided is an image sensor having a depth sensor. The image sensor includes a substrate including a visible light region and a non-visible light region, a first well and a second well having a first conductivity type and in the non-visible light perception region, and a first gate and a second gate configured to receive voltages of opposite phases, respectively, and apply voltages to the first well and the second well, respectively. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110074990 | DIGITAL CAMERA HAVING A DISPLAY MENU USED TO SELECT EITHER COLOR PHOTOGRAPHING OPERATION OR A BLACK/WHITE PHOTOGRAPHING OPERATION - A digital camera includes: an imaging unit that photoelectrically converts light to output a color image; a selecting unit that selects any one identifier from identifiers which are colored in different colors from each other; and a black/white image producing unit that produces a black/white image by weighting gradation values of respective colors for each of pixels of the output color image and adding the weighted gradation values to each other. When the light entered to the imaging unit is entered to a color filter having a color equal to a color of the selected identifier, a correlation between a light amount of light having a wavelength which penetrates the color filer and a light amount of the entered light becomes stronger than a correlation between a light amount of light having a wavelength which is absorbed by the color filter and the light amount of the entered light. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110096210 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT - A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric transformation portion and a micro lens, the micro lens has a first refractive index layer which is a first refractive index and a second refractive index layer which is a second refractive index different from the first refractive index, wherein the micro lens is configured so that a vertical cross section, which is a surface perpendicular to the capturing surface, has a rectangular shape, wherein each of the first refractive index layer and the second refractive index layer are arranged adjacent to each other in a direction along the capturing surface, and an interface between the first refractive index layer and the second refractive index layer in the vertical cross section is formed so as to follow a direction perpendicular to the capturing surface. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110096211 | IMAGE-CAPTURING APPARATUS - In an image sensor having a plurality of pixels which photoelectrically convert a subject image, a plurality of pairs of focus detection pixels including first focus detection pixels (S | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110096212 | IMAGE-CAPTURING APPARATUS - In an image sensor having a plurality of pixels which photoelectrically convert a subject image, a plurality of pairs of focus detection pixels including first focus detection pixels (S | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110109776 | IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging device includes a plurality of pixels each of which includes a microlens, first and second photoelectric conversion portions. The first photoelectric conversion portion is between the microlens and a focal point of the microlens. The second photoelectric conversion portion is at a position being different from that of the focal point on a plane which is parallel to an imaging plane and which contains the focal point, and has a photoelectric conversion region deviated from an optical axis of the microlens in a direction of the imaging plane. The plurality of pixels includes a first pixel group and a second pixel group. The photoelectric conversion region is deviated from the optical axis in the direction in the first pixel group. The photoelectric conversion region is deviated from the optical axis in the direction to be opposite to the first pixel group in the second pixel group. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110109777 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A HIGH PERFORMANCE COLOR FILTER MOSAIC ARRAY - A method of implementing high-performance color filter mosaic arrays (CFA) using luminance pixels. The introduction of luminance pixels greatly improves the accuracy of the image acquisition process for a given pixel and image sensor size. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110122302 | COLOR SENSOR - A pixel that detects short-wavelength light is provided in a light receiving unit on a silicon substrate and has a first color filter. A pixel that detects long-wavelength light is provided in the light receiving unit on the silicon substrate, is provided in a position closer to an outer edge of the light receiving unit than the pixel that detects the short-wavelength light, and has a second color filter. A longest-wavelength transmission band of the first color filter is a first transmission band, and the longest-wavelength transmission band of the second color filter is a second transmission band. The second transmission band has a longer wavelength than the first transmission band. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110176036 | IMAGE INTERPOLATION METHOD USING BAYER PATTERN CONVERSION, APPARATUS FOR THE SAME, AND RECORDING MEDIUM RECORDING THE METHOD - A method of interpolating a signal output from an image sensor including a pixel array having an M×N matrix as a basic pixel block where M and N are integers is provided. The method includes selecting a target pixel signal from among pixel signals output from the basic pixel block; and converting a pattern of a pixel signal output from the pixel array into a Bayer pattern by converting a pixel signal output from the basic pixel block into the Bayer pattern through an operation on the target pixel signal and a neighboring pixel signal of the target pixel signal and interpolating an output signal converted into the Bayer pattern. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110181762 | Image processing apparatus and image processing method - According to the embodiments, there is provided an image processing apparatus including: an acquisition section configured to acquire 3×3 pixel block data to have one red pixel at a center; an estimation section configured to compute blue value differences between blue values of diagonal pairs of blue pixels in the block data, and to estimate a direction of a contrast boundary based on the blue value differences; and a processing section configured to compute a computed blue value based on the blue values of the four blue pixels within the block data according to the estimated direction of the contrast boundary, to compute a computed green value based on green values of two green pixels within the block data, and to output a color image pixel to have a red value of the red pixel and the computed blue and green values. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110181763 | IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP ELEMENT OF THE TYPE ILLUMINATED FROM BOTH FACES - In an image capture device according to the present invention, a number of photosensitive cells are arranged between a first surface | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110194000 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION ELEMENT AND SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A photoelectric conversion element includes a pair of electrodes, a photoelectric conversion layer, a charge blocking layer, an intermediate layer. The photoelectric conversion layer contains an organic material between the electrodes. The charge blocking layer is disposed between the photoelectric conversion layer and one of the electrodes. The intermediate layer includes an organic compound disposed between the photoelectric conversion layer and the charge blocking layer and having a glass transition temperature of 200° C. or higher. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110205410 | IMAGE SENSOR HAVING COLOR FILTERS - Provided is an image sensor having a color filter. The image sensor includes a photoelectric conversion device formed in a semiconductor substrate. Interlayer insulating layers are laminated on an upper portion of the semiconductor substrate. The interlayer insulating layers defines an opening located on an upper portion of the photoelectric conversion device. A color filter is disposed in the opening, and a planarization layer fills the opening on the color filter. The planarization layer has a refractive index which is greater than an average refractive index of the interlayer insulating layers. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110211098 | NOISE FILTER FOR BAYER PATTERN IMAGE DATA - A method of filtering an image filter is disclosed. The filter is provided for a digital camera including image sensors sensitive to light, a color filter placed over sensitive elements of the sensors and patterned according to a Bayer mosaic pattern layout and an interpolation algorithm joining together the digital information provided by differently colored adjacent pixels in said Bayer pattern. The filter is adaptive and includes a noise level computation block for operating directly on a said Bayer pattern data set of for each color channel thus removing noise while simultaneously preserving picture detail. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110216228 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSING ELEMENT, METHOD FOR DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSING ELEMENT AND IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - A solid-state image sensing element includes a plurality of pixels, a color filter, a plurality of vertical charge transfer paths, a plurality of readout electrode portions. The pixels are formed on one face of a semiconductor substrate in a two-dimensional array arrangement. The color filter corresponds to a plurality of colors and includes a plurality of color filter elements disposed color by color on the pixels respectively so as to be arranged as a mosaic pattern as a whole. The vertical charge transfer paths are formed one by one between two of pixel columns composed of the pixels so that each of the vertical charge transfer paths transfers signal corresponding to one of the colors. The readout electrode portions connect each of the vertical charge transfer paths to pixels arranged in both sides of each of the vertical charge transfer paths. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110216229 | NANOSTRUCTURED SPECTRAL FILTER AND IMAGE SENSOR - A spectral filter ( | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110216230 | Image data processing apparatus and electronic camera - An image data processing apparatus includes a data size conversion device that changes a data size of an image data at an optional ratio, the image data has a plurality of pixels each of which includes any one of a plurality of color components, and the plurality of color components being arranged in a specific order. The data size conversion device newly calculates a value of color component of each pixel after changing the data size based upon values of color components of a plurality of same color pixels before changing the data size, while maintaining the order of arrangement of the plurality of color components. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110228147 | Image pickup apparatus and camera - At least some of the pixels on which color filters that give the largest weight to a brightness signal or color filters that have the highest transmittance among the plurality of color filters are provided are pixels for focus detection that are designed in such a way that the direction of incidence of light beams incident thereon is restricted, the pixels other than the pixels for focus detection are pixels for image picking-up that are designed in such a way that the degree of restriction placed on light beams incident thereon is smaller than that placed on light beams incident on the pixels for focus detection, the pixels for focus detection output at least a signal for ranging, the pixels for image picking-up output at least a signal for an image, and there are at least three pixels for focus detection in an area defined between a circle having its center at the center of any one of the pixels for focus detection and having a radius equal to 3.1 times the pixel pitch and a circle having its center at the center of the aforementioned any one of the pixels for focus detection and having a radius equal to 5.9 times the pixel pitch. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110228148 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION FILM STACK-TYPE SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A photoelectric conversion film stack-type solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate, a photoelectric conversion layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a conductive light shield film. A signal reading portion is formed on the semiconductor substrate. The photoelectric conversion layer is stacked above the semiconductor substrate and includes a photoelectric conversion film formed between a first electrode film and a second electrode films which is divided into a plurality of regions corresponding to pixels respectively. The first light transmission layer is stacked above the light incidence side of the photoelectric conversion layer and made of a material that transmits light at least partially. The conductive light shield film is formed in the same layer level as the first light transmission layer and covers an outside of an effective pixel region. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110228149 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - According to one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes a photodiode module in which first photodiodes corresponding to high-sensitivity pixels and second photodiodes corresponding to low-sensitivity pixels are alternately arranged at preset pitch P in a semiconductor substrate, high-sensitivity pixel interconnection lines formed at preset pitch C on the substrate, low-sensitivity pixel interconnection lines that are formed at preset pitch D on the substrate, high-sensitivity pixel color filters formed at preset pitch A on the opposite side of the respective interconnection lines with respect to the substrate, and low-sensitivity pixel interconnection lines that are formed at preset pitch B on the other side of the interconnection lines with respect to the substrate. The relationship between the above pitches is set to D=B| 09-22-2011 | |
| 20110249157 | CAMERA DESIGN FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS CAPTURE OF NEAR-INFRARED AND VISIBLE IMAGES - The present invention aims to capture two images simultaneously in the visible part of the spectrum and a NIR image. This is achieved through a camera for simultaneously capturing a visible and near-infrared image by at least a sensor producing sensor response data and having at least one colour filter array (CFA) comprising at least four different filters, said colour filter array having visible and near-infrared light filters, and said camera comprising means to obtain a visible image while using the sensor response data from the visible part of the spectrum and a NIR image using the sensor response data from the near-infrared part of the spectrum. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20110261238 | PATTERN OF COLOR FILTER ARRAY - The present invention relates to a pattern of a color filter array. The pattern includes a plurality of pixel arrays, which has four color filters arranged in an array. The color of the neighboring color filters is distinct to each other. Moreover, the pattern of the color filter array has enlarged color filters or extended edges in corners of the pattern. These enlarged color filters or extended edges increase the contact area between the pattern and a substrate that the pattern formed on. Therefore, the adhesion strength between the pattern and the substrate can be augmented to prevent peeling from the substrate. According to the invention, the yield of the product will be raised substantially. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110285880 | COLOR FILTER ARRAY ALIGNMENT MARK FORMATION IN BACKSIDE ILLUMINATED IMAGE SENSORS - A backside illuminated image sensor includes a sensor layer comprising photosensitive elements of the pixel array, an epitaxial layer formed on a frontside surface of the sensor layer, and a color filter array formed on a backside surface of the sensor layer. The epitaxial layer comprises polysilicon color filter array alignment marks formed in locations corresponding to respective color filter array alignment mark openings in the frontside surface of the sensor layer. The color filter array is aligned to the color filter array alignment marks of the epitaxial layer. The image sensor may be implemented in a digital camera or other type of digital imaging device. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110310276 | OPTICAL APPARATUS AND IMAGING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - An optical apparatus and an imaging apparatus capable of facilitating capturing images with a simpler structure are provided. The imaging apparatus includes a color filter divided into a plurality of regions, each of the regions configured to allow light of a preset wavelength range to pass therethrough, a main lens disposed at a front or a rear of the color filter to allow light to pass therethrough, and an optic unit to allow the light passing through the color filter or the main lens to pass therethrough. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110317047 | HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PARTITIONED IMAGE PROCESSING PIPELINE - Methods and systems may provide for an image processing pipeline having a hardware module to spatially filter a raw image in the horizontal direction to obtain intermediate image data. The pipeline can also include a set of instructions which, if executed by a processor, cause the pipeline to spatially filter the intermediate image data in the vertical direction. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20120008023 | IMPROVING THE DEPTH OF FIELD IN AN IMAGING SYSTEM - A method is described of capturing an image. The method comprising the steps of: exposing an image sensor to radiation from a first part of the electromagnetic spectrum using a first aperture and to radiation from a second part of the spectrum using a second aperture having a different size than the first aperture; and, forming an image on the basis of first image data generated by the radiation from the first part of the spectrum and second image data generated by radiation from the second part of the spectrum. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120019694 | RECORDING SUCCESSIVE FRAMES OF RAW SENSOR DATA DEPICTING A MOVING SCENE - The recording of successive frames of raw sensor data depicting a moving scene is provided. The raw sensor data comprises pixel data for an image sensor having pixels arranged in correspondence to a mosaic of plural different colors in a color filter array. A first sampling mosaic pattern for sampling the pixel data at a first resolution is designated. A second sampling mosaic pattern for sampling the pixel data at a second resolution which is lower than the first resolution is designated. One of the first or the second sampling mosaic patterns is selected for a frame by applying a predetermined rule. Pixel data of the frame is sampled using the selected sampling mosaic pattern. The sampled pixel data for the frame is recorded onto a recording medium. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120019695 | IMAGE SENSOR HAVING DARK SIDEWALLS BETWEEN COLOR FILTERS TO REDUCE OPTICAL CROSSTALK - An apparatus and technique for fabricating an image sensor including the dark sidewall films disposed between adjacent color filters. The image sensor further includes an array of photosensitive elements disposed in a substrate layer, a color filter array (“CFA”) including CFA elements having at least two different colors disposed on a light incident side of the substrate layer, and an array of microlenses disposed over the CFA. Each microlens is aligned to direct light incident on the light incident side of the image sensor through a corresponding CFA element to a corresponding photosensitive element. The dark sidewall films are disposed on sides of the CFA elements and separate adjacent ones of the CFA elements having different colors. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120033114 | ACTIVE DEVICE ARRAY SUBSTRATE - An active device array substrate including a substrate, multiple scan lines, multiple data lines, multiple of pixels are provided. The scan lines and the data lines are disposed on the substrate. Each pixel includes multiple sub-pixels including at least a transistor, a pixel electrode, and a color filter. The transistor is disposed on the substrate and electrically connected to the scan line and the data line correspondingly. A portion of the color filter is disposed between the pixel electrode and the corresponding scan line. The pixel electrode is coupled with the corresponding scan line to form a first capacitor. The drain of the transistor is coupled with the corresponding scan line to form a second capacitor. In a single pixel, the coupling areas of the pixel electrodes corresponding to various color filters with the corresponding scan lines are different, so that capacitance of the first capacitors are substantially the same. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120044395 | IMAGE SENSORS WITH ANTIREFLECTIVE LAYERS - An electronic device may have an image sensor array that captures images. The image sensor array may include antireflective layers that increase the efficiency of the image sensor in gathering incoming light. The image sensor array may include a first antireflective layer between a color filter layer and a passivation layer and a second antireflective layer between the passivation layer and a dielectric stack. The first antireflective layer may have an index of refraction that is between the indexes of refraction of the color filter layer and the passivation layer and the second antireflective layer may have an index of refraction that is between the indexes of refraction of the dielectric stack and the passivation layer, thereby reducing the proportion of incident light that reflects off the interface between the color filter layer and the passivation layer and the interface between the passivation layer and the dielectric stack. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120057055 | Imaging device and imaging apparatus - An imaging device includes: an imaging area in which a plurality of pixels used to acquire an image are provided; a spectrum area in which a plurality of pixels used to acquire a color spectrum are provided; and a filter that is formed above the pixels provided in the spectrum area and allows an electromagnetic wave with a desired wavelength to pass, wherein the filter is formed of a plasmon resonator that is a conductive metal structure having an unevenness structure at a predetermined pitch, and the imaging area and the spectrum area are provided on a single chip. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120069228 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS MANUFACTURING METHOD - A photoelectric conversion apparatus having a pixel array region and a peripheral region includes a pixel array, a readout unit, an output unit, a plurality of output lines, and a color filter layer which is arranged in the pixel array region and the peripheral region and includes a color filter arranged above the plurality of pixels. The color filter layer extends to surround the output lines when viewed from a direction perpendicular to a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and has an opening arranged above the plurality of output lines. The opening of the color filter layer is filled with gas or an insulator lower in dielectric constant than the color filter. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120075510 | COLOR CAMERA - The present invention enables switching between bright-light shooting and low-light shooting with an infrared cut filter placed on an optical path. An optical system captures and focuses image light from a subject. The focused image light passes through a multilayer infrared cut filter placed on an optical path of the image light and forms an image on an imaging device. The imaging device has sensitivity to at least the visible to near-infrared region. The infrared cut filter is constructed by forming a multilayer dielectric film on a surface of a transparent substrate. The infrared cut filter has a cutoff wavelength near a boundary between the visible region and near-infrared region and is configured so as to have a high incident-angle dependence. An angle of the infrared cut filter with respect to an optical axis of the optical system is varied by an incident angle varying mechanism according to an amount of light on the subject, shifting the cutoff wavelength. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120113302 | IMAGE PICK UP UNIT - An image pickup unit includes an image pickup lens, a lens array disposed on an image formation plane of the image pickup lens, and an image pickup device having a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally along first and second directions intersecting each other. The lens array includes a plurality of lens sections each being assigned to a region of m- by n-pixel in the image pickup device, where each of m and n is an integer of 1 or more, and m is different from n. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120113303 | APPARATUS AND METHOD TO GENERATE IMAGE - An apparatus and method to generate an image in which images having different exposure amounts are generated are provided. The apparatus and method synthesize the generated images and a high-sensitivity (or quality) image can be generated. The apparatus to generate an image includes an exposure adjustment unit to adjust an exposure amount, an image generation unit to generate a plurality of images of different exposure amounts and different resolutions, and an image synthesis unit to synthesize the plurality of generated images. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120120288 | SOLID STATE IMAGE SENSOR - A solid state image sensor includes an extracting unit including a plurality of pixels, each having an optical waveguide formed by a core and a clad for guiding incident light entering the pixel to a photoelectric converter section via the core. The extracting unit is formed by at least two pixels including a first pixel and a second pixel and the cores in the optical waveguides of the first and second pixels are designed to show an oblate cross section and arranged with their respective major axes disposed in different directions. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120147230 | METHOD FOR CHARACTERIZING PIXELS OF AN IMAGE SENSOR - A method for characterizing image sensor pixels arranged in an array, including the steps of: (a) illuminating a first portion of the array formed of pixels associated with a color filter of a first color; (b) measuring the detection performed by a central pixel of the first portion; (c) illuminating a second portion of the array formed of a central pixel associated with a color filter of a second color and of peripheral pixels associated with a color filter of the first color; (d) measuring the detection performed by the central pixel and the peripheral pixels of the second portion; (e) comparing the measurements of steps (b) and (d). | 06-14-2012 |
| 20120182454 | Chromatic Noise Reduction Method and Apparatus - A chromatic noise reduction method is provided for removing chromatic noise from the pixels of a mosaic image. In one implementation, an actual chroma value and a de-noised chroma value are derived for the central pixel of a matrix of pixels. Based at least in part upon these chroma values, a final chroma value is derived for the central pixel. The final chroma value is then used, along with the actual luminance of the central pixel, to derive a final de-noised pixel value for the central pixel. By de-noising the central pixel based on its chroma (which takes into account more than one color) rather than on just the color channel of the central pixel, this method allows the central pixel to be de-noised in a more color-coordinated fashion. As a result, improved chromatic noise reduction is achieved. | 07-19-2012 |
| 20120188419 | Multisection Light Guides for Image Sensor Pixels - Image sensors may contain arrays of image sensor pixels, each of which includes a microlens and a photosensitive element. A multisection light guide that is made up of multiple light guide layers may be interposed between the microlens and the photosensitive element. The light guide layers may have alternating indicies of refraction to form a spectral filter. The lateral dimensions of the light guide layers may also be configured so that the light guide layers perform spectral filtering. Light guide shapes and sizes may be altered as a function of the lateral position of each image sensor pixel within the image sensor array. The uppermost light guide may be aligned with the microlens and the lowermost light guide may be aligned with the photosensitive element. The lateral positions of each light guide may be laterally shifted with respect to the next to form a staggered stack of light guides. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120200749 | IMAGERS WITH STRUCTURES FOR NEAR FIELD IMAGING - An imaging system may include an image sensor configured to image materials at near field imaging ranges from the image sensor. Near field imaging ranges may be on the scale of 1-10 pixel sizes from the image sensor. The materials being imaged may be fluorescent materials that emit radiation at fluorescent wavelengths when the materials are exposed to radiation at excitation wavelengths. The image sensor may include color filter materials that block radiation at excitation wavelengths while transmitting radiation at fluorescent wavelengths. The image sensor may include light guides that reduce cross-talk between pixels and improve localization of emitted radiation, thereby allowing the image sensor to determine which pixel(s) is (are) located beneath the materials being imaged. The light guides may include may include sloped sidewalls and may include reflective sidewalls, which may improve radiation collection (e.g., efficiency) and localization of emitted radiation. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20120200750 | SOLID-STATE PICKUP APPARATUS, ITS DRIVING METHOD AND CAMERA SYSTEM - There is used an XY address type solid-state image pickup element (for example, a MOS type image sensor) in which two rows and two columns are made a unit, and color filters having a color coding of repetition of the unit (repetition of two verticals (two horizontals) are arranged, and when a thinning-out read mode is specified, a clock frequency of a system is changed to 1/9, and on the basis of the changed clock frequency, a pixel is selected every three pixels in both a row direction and a column direction to successively read out a pixel signal. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20120218448 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND PORTABLE INFORMATION TERMINAL - A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment includes: an imaging element formed on a semiconductor substrate, and comprising an imaging region including a plurality of pixel blocks each including a plurality of pixels; a first optical system forming an image of an object on an imaging plane; and a second optical system comprising a microlens array including a plurality of microlenses each corresponding to one of the pixel blocks, and reducing and re-forming the image to be formed on the imaging plane on the pixel blocks corresponding to the respective microlenses. The imaging plane of the first optical system is located further away from the first optical system than the imaging element when the object is located at an infinite distance. | 08-30-2012 |
| 20120236187 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR IMAGE DECIMATION FOR IMAGE SENSORS - Previously available analog domain decimation techniques are limited to simple equally-weighted averaging of photosite outputs. Decimation of a Bayer pattern image by an even-factor, such as by two or six, using simple equally-weighted averaging of photosite outputs in the analog domain results in effective sampling locations that are unevenly spaced apart. Standard interpolation of the unevenly spaced effective sampling locations generates image artifacts that reduce the quality of the reconstructed image in the smaller format because standard interpolation methods assume that the effective sampling locations are evenly spaced. Implementations of systems, methods and apparatus disclosed herein aim to produce substantially evenly spaced effective sampling locations in the analog domain. More specifically, in some implementations, the unequally-weighted-average even-factor decimation methods disclosed herein produce substantially more evenly spaced effective sampling locations as compared to the equally-weighted-average even-factor decimation processes previously used in the analog domain. | 09-20-2012 |
| 20120242873 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel that has a photoelectric conversion section which converts incident light into an electric signal; a color filter which is formed corresponding to the pixel; a micro lens which focuses the incident light to the photoelectric conversion section via the color filter; and an in-layer lens which is formed between the color filter and the micro lens and has a refractive index smaller than that of the micro lens. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20120257090 | PIXEL, PIXEL ARRAY, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE PIXEL ARRAY AND IMAGE SENSOR INCLUDING THE PIXEL ARRAY - Disclosed are a pixel, a pixel array, a method for manufacturing the pixel array, and an image sensor including the pixel array. The pixel includes a first color filter layer to transmit a visible light and an IR, and a second color filter layer to transmit a light, in which the visible light is blocked, at one side of the first color filter layer. | 10-11-2012 |
| 20120262610 | Pixel Information Reproduction Using Neural Networks - The invention relates to forming an image using binary pixels. Binary pixels are pixels that have only two states, a white state when the pixel is exposed and a black state when the pixel is not exposed. The binary pixels have color filters on top of them, and the setup of color filters may be initially unknown. A neural network may be used to learn the color filter setup to produce correct output images. Subsequently, the trained neural network may be used with the binary pixel array to produce images from the input images that the binary pixel array records. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20120262611 | METHOD FOR CALCULATING SHIFT AMOUNT OF IMAGE PICKUP ELEMENT AND IMAGE PICKUP ELEMENT - A method for calculating a shift amount of a microlens from a position of a light receiving element arranged in a pixel of an image pickup element is provided. The microlens collects incident light from an image pickup lens. The method comprises: acquiring an incident angle characteristic value indicating a relation between an arranged position of the pixel and an incident angle of the incident light to the pixel; calculating a sampled shift amount of the microlens from the position of the light receiving element corresponding the incident angle characteristic value based on light collection efficiency of the incident light; approximating the sampled shift amount by a second or higher order function to calculate a shift amount characteristic function indicating a relation between the arranged position and the shift amount; and calculating the shift amount of the pixel using the shift amount characteristic function. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20120268631 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - A solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of light-receiving portions (PD) formed therein, a wiring layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, color filters formed on the wiring layer in a manner individually corresponding to the light-receiving portions (PD) of the semiconductor substrate, and partition walls each formed between the individual color filters. Each of the partition walls includes a lower layer portion and an upper layer portion, an upper surface of the lower layer portion is modified into a modified layer, and an interface for facilitating reflection of penetration light from outside is structured between the modified layer and the upper layer portion. | 10-25-2012 |
| 20120307115 | COLOR INTERPOLATION SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF - A color interpolation system is disclosed. An enhancement unit receives raw signals from an image sensor, and then processes the raw signals to output an enhanced first signal. A first interpolation unit receives and processes a raw first signal and accordingly outputs an interpolated first signal. A gain generator generates an enhancement gain according to the enhanced first signal and the interpolated first signal. | 12-06-2012 |
| 20120307116 | Learning of Image Processing Pipeline for Digital Imaging Devices - A learning technique is provided that learns how to process images by exploiting the spatial and spectral correlations inherent in image data to process and enhance images. Using a training set of input and desired output images, regression coefficients are learned that are optimal for a predefined estimation function that estimates the values at a pixel of the desired output image using a collection of similarly located pixels in the input image. Application of the learned regression coefficients is fast, robust to noise, adapts to the particulars of a dataset, and generalizes to a large variety of applications. The invention enables the use of image sensors with novel color filter array designs that offer expanded capabilities beyond existing sensors and take advantage of typical high pixel counts. | 12-06-2012 |
| 20130010165 | OPTICAL MICRO STRUCTURE, METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE SAME AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF - An image sensor comprises a plurality of color filtering elements, a plurality of lenses and an image sensing device, wherein the lenses are correspondingly formed over the color filtering elements, and the image sensing device having a sensing area engaged with the color filtering elements. | 01-10-2013 |
| 20130021507 | IMAGE PROCESSORS AND METHODS FOR PROCESSING IMAGE DATA - Image processors and methods of processing image data from monochrome and color sensors, for example, pixels, are provided. The exposure time of the monochrome pixels is limited and the exposure time of the color pixels is extended to enhance image quality while limiting the “cross talk” that can interfere with prior art methods and devices. The monochrome and color sensors may be provided in two-dimensional image sensor arrays which can be provided in optical readers, for example, portable hand-held optical readers. Aspects of the invention can be applied to visual imaging, for example, in bar code or image handling applications, and to the detection and processing of any form of electromagnetic radiation. | 01-24-2013 |
| 20130057735 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD THEREOF AND IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes a color filter array based on a checkered pattern array and in which two pixels adjacent to each other in at least one of upper/lower and right/left directions have the same color. The color filter array is a color filter array in which a spatial sampling point (x, y) is approximately arranged in at least one of (x=3*(2n−1+oe)+1±2 and y=3m−2 (n and m are an integer, oe has a value of 0 when m is an odd number and 1 when m is an even number)) and (x=3*(2n−1+oe)+1 and y=3m−2±2 (n and m denote an integer, and oe has a value of 0 when m is an odd number and 1 when m is an even number)). | 03-07-2013 |
| 20130076947 | SINGLE-SHOT HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGING - A method for generating a high dynamic range image. An image is captured using a Bayer pattern color filter array to generate raw pixel sensor data for the image. The pixel sensor data is separated into highpass (Z | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130088620 | METHOD OF CONTROLLING A SYSTEM INCLUDING AN IMAGE SENSOR AND A LIGHT SOURCE - A method for driving a sensor comprises, during a first time interval, generating a first type sensor value by repeatedly generating alternating periods of sensitivity and insensitivity of at least one pixel of the sensor, and reading out the sensor, and during a second time interval, generating a second type sensor value by irradiating the scene facing the sensor with pulses of electromagnetic energy having a wavelength detectable by the sensor and having predefined start times and durations, and repeatedly generating alternating periods of sensitivity and insensitivity of the at least one pixel, and reading out the pixel once again. Generating alternating periods of sensitivity and insensitivity includes repeatedly controlling transfer means and reset means of the at least one pixel to alternately enable charge transfer while removing reset from the detector element and to disable charge transfer while resetting the detector element, respectively. | 04-11-2013 |
| 20130093928 | RECORDING SUCCESSIVE FRAMES OF RAW SENSOR DATA DEPICTING A MOVING SCENE - The recording of successive frames of raw sensor data depicting a moving scene is provided. The raw sensor data comprises pixel data for an image sensor having pixels arranged in correspondence to a mosaic of plural different colors in a color filter array. A first sampling mosaic pattern for sampling the pixel data at a first resolution is designated. A second sampling mosaic pattern for sampling the pixel data at a second resolution which is lower than the first resolution is designated. One of the first or the second sampling mosaic patterns is selected for a frame by applying a predetermined rule. Pixel data of the frame is sampled using the selected sampling mosaic pattern. The sampled pixel data for the frame is recorded onto a recording medium. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130093929 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CALCULATING COLOR TEMPERATURE - A control unit calculates the color temperature using at least a first visible light signal and a near-infrared signal when the amount of the near-infrared signal is larger than a predetermined amount. The first visible light signal is a signal generated by photoelectrically converting visible light. The near-infrared signal is a signal generated by photoelectrically converting near-infrared light. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130107086 | IMAGE CAPTURE APPARATUS | 05-02-2013 |
| 20130120621 | APPARATUS AND ASSOCIATED METHOD FOR FORMING COLOR CAMERA IMAGE - An apparatus, and an associated method, for creating a color image at a camera module. A plurality of lenses is positioned to receive incident light energy of a target. An optical filter is associated with one or more of the lenses. Different filters exhibit different optical characteristics. Incident light is filtered and then focused by the lenses towards respective focal points of the lenses. A monochrome sensor element senses light intensity of focused light, focused by the lenses. Sensed indications are utilized to form a color image. | 05-16-2013 |
| 20130135502 | COLOR SEPARATION FILTER ARRAY, SOLID-STATE IMAGING ELEMENT, IMAGING DEVICE, AND DISPLAY DEVICE - A color separating filter array has a configuration in which unit elements | 05-30-2013 |
| 20130147993 | Apparatus and Method for Reducing Optical Cross-Talk in Image Sensors - An image sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a front surface and a back surface; an array of pixels formed on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate, each pixel being adapted for sensing light radiation; an array of color filters formed over the plurality of pixels, each color filter being adapted for allowing a wavelength of light radiation to reach at least one of the plurality of pixels; and an array of micro-lens formed over the array of color filters, each micro-lens being adapted for directing light radiation to at least one of the color filters in the array. The array of color filters includes structure adapted for blocking light radiation that is traveling towards a region between adjacent micro-lens. | 06-13-2013 |
| 20130293749 | IMAGING SYSTEMS WITH PLASMONIC COLOR FILTERS - An image sensor integrated circuit may contain image sensor pixels. A channel for receiving a fluid with particles such as fluorescent biological samples may be formed on top of the image sensor. Light-control layers may be interposed between the fluid channel and the top of the image sensor. The light-control layers may include a color filter array, a microlens array over the color filter array, and a plasmonic color filter. The plasmonic color filter may be formed from a patterned metal layer on the color filter array or on the microlens array. The patterned metal layer may include openings that are configured to use plasmonic effects to control the colors of light that pass through the plasmonic color filter. The color filter array and the plasmonic color filter, in combination, may block light from a light source in the system while passing fluorescent light from the sample. | 11-07-2013 |
| 20130300902 | COLOR IMAGE SENSOR PIXEL ARRAY - An image sensor that has a two-dimensional pixel array consisting of blue, green, and red pixels. The blue pixel comprises a blue color filter, a doped region of a second conductivity type disposed in the substrate and arranged to collect charge carriers generated by photons that enter the substrate from the blue color filter, and a transfer switch connected to transfer charges from the doped region. A trap region of the second conductivity type is buried under the doped region. Charge carriers collected by the trap region during a charge integration period of the doped region are drained to a surface of the substrate. No charges collected by the trap region during the charge integration period is used for generating a color image that is generated using a signal that results from charge carriers collected by the doped region during the charge integration period. | 11-14-2013 |
| 20130321680 | MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A step of forming a connecting member configured to electrically connect a first conductive line and a second conductive line includes a phase of perforating a laminate from a first semiconductor wafer to form a plurality of connection holes that reach the second conductive line and a phase of filling the plurality of penetrating connection holes with a conductive material to form conductive sections in contact with the second conductive line. | 12-05-2013 |
| 20130329101 | CAMERA SYSTEM WITH MULTI-SPECTRAL FILTER ARRAY AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD THEREOF - A camera system with a multi-spectral filter array and an image processing method thereof are disclosed. The method of processing an image that is output from an image sensor including a multi-spectral filter array including a color filter and a near infrared (NIR) filter includes interpolating an NIR channel of the image by using spatial information of color channels including a red channel, a green channel, and a blue channel; and interpolating the color channels of the image by using spatial information of the NIR channel. | 12-12-2013 |
| 20130335604 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD THEREOF, AND IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes a color filter array based on a checkered pattern array and in which two pixels adjacent to each other in at least one of upper/lower and right/left directions have the same color. The color filter array is a color filter array in which a spatial sampling point (x, y) is approximately arranged in at least one of (x=3*(2n−1+oe)+1±2 and y=3m−2 (n and m are an integer, oe has a value of 0 when m is an odd number and 1 when m is an even number)) and (x=3*(2n−1+oe)+1 and y=3m−2±2 (n and m denote an integer, and oe has a value of 0 when m is an odd number and 1 when m is an even number)). | 12-19-2013 |
| 20140002699 | IMAGING APPARATUS HAVING IMAGING LENS | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140002700 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140049669 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - A band processing circuit which generates image signals corresponding to different frequency bands from an image signal in which signals corresponding to different colors are arranged and which suppresses noise by synthesizing the image signals of the different frequency bands, a sampling circuit which generates image signal corresponding to the colors by sampling the image signal input from the band processing circuit in accordance with a predetermined arrangement, and a luminance/color generation circuit which generates a luminance signal in which aliasing is suppressed using an image signal output from the sampling circuit. | 02-20-2014 |
| 20140063298 | METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE RESOLUTION OF A HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGE - Method of controlling the resolution of a hyperspectral image from an image sensor comprising pixels and at least one filter that defines subpixels within each pixel includes defining a window on the image sensor with an array of rows and columns of subpixels; weighting the subpixels within the window based upon one or more predefined parameters of the hyperspectral image to establish a value for a weighted average for the array for the predefined parameters; shifting the window by a predefined number of rows or columns; repeating the weighting and shifting steps for all possible windows on the image sensor; and processing the hyperspectral image based on the weighted averages. | 03-06-2014 |
| 20140063299 | MOVABLE PIXELATED FILTER ARRAY - An optical imaging system and method including a movable pixelated filter array, a shutter mechanism to which the pixelated filter array is attached, and a controller configured to implement a data reduction algorithm. The shutter mechanism is configured to move the pixelated filter array into and out of the optical path, and the data reduction algorithm allows the controller to account for axial and/or lateral misalignment of the filter array relative to the imaging detector array or its conjugate. In certain examples, the controller is further configured to use the data reduction algorithms also to perform wavefront sensing, for example to estimate wavefront error. | 03-06-2014 |
| 20140078355 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR - This solid-state image sensor includes an array of photosensitive cells and an array of dispersive elements. The photosensitive cell array is comprised of a plurality of unit blocks | 03-20-2014 |
| 20140078356 | IMAGING SYSTEMS WITH HIGH DIELECTRIC CONSTANT BARRIER LAYER - An imaging system may include a camera module with an image sensor having an array of image sensor pixels. The image sensor may include a substrate having an array of photodiodes, an array of microlenses formed over the array of photodiodes, an array of color filter elements interposed between the array of microlenses and the array of photodiodes, and a barrier layer interposed between the array of color filter elements and the array of photodiodes. The barrier layer may be formed from a material with a high dielectric constant. The material used to form the barrier layer may have a dielectric constant above the dielectric constant of silicon dioxide. The barrier layer may replace an antireflective coating over the array of photodiodes and may be used in connection with a silicon dioxide passivation layer interposed between the array of photodiodes and the barrier layer. | 03-20-2014 |
| 20140085516 | SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, CAMERA MODULE, AND DIGITAL CAMERA - According to an embodiment of the present invention, a solid state image pickup device is provided. The solid state image pickup device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, a light shielding unit, and a correction unit. The plurality of photoelectric conversion elements photoelectrically converts an incident light into charges corresponding to a received light amount. The light shielding unit is disposed in a light receiving surface side of a predetermined photoelectric conversion element of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and shields an incident light entering the predetermined photoelectric conversion element from a light receiving surface side. The correction unit corrects a received light amount of an incident light received by another photoelectric conversion element other than the predetermined photoelectric conversion element, based on a received light amount of an incident light received by the predetermined photoelectric conversion element. | 03-27-2014 |
| 20140146206 | IMAGING DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - The present technique relates to an imaging device that can reduce color mixing that occurs between an on-chip lens and a photodiode, and a method of manufacturing the imaging device. | 05-29-2014 |
| 20140152878 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of color filters, which are composed of a plurality of first color filters and a plurality of second color filters. In plan view: the first color filters and the second color filters are arranged alternatively in each of an X direction and a Y direction, and thus form a checkerboard pattern; and each of the first color filters, at a corner portion thereof, (i) has an oblique side that extends diagonally with respect to the X and Y directions, and (ii) is adjacent to another one of the first color filters that is located diagonally therefrom. Each one of the first color filters is partitioned from another one of the first color filters located diagonally therefrom and adjacent thereto at a corner portion by a shift portion of the barrier wall that extends in parallel with the oblique side. | 06-05-2014 |
| 20140211051 | SOLID STATE IMAGE CAPTURING ELEMENT, IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS, AND FOCUSING CONTROL METHOD - An image capturing element | 07-31-2014 |
| 20140218571 | IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD CAPABLE OF REDUCING IMAGE NOISE - An image processing method includes searching a plurality of reference image blocks with pixel patterns identical to a pixel pattern of a main image block in image data; generating a plurality of weight values according to brightness values of pixels of the main image block and brightness values of pixels of the plurality of reference image blocks; summing values of multiplying the plurality of weight values with brightness values of center pixels of the corresponding main image block and the corresponding reference image blocks to generate a sum result; generating a first brightness value according to the sum result and a normalizing factor; and updating the brightness value of the center pixel of the main image block according to the first brightness value. | 08-07-2014 |
| 20140253766 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device includes an imaging region in which unit pixels which are obtained by arranging color filters in a photodiode are two-dimensionally arranged in matrix, and readout signal lines which are provided in plural with respect to an arbitrary one row at which the plurality of unit pixels are arranged, in which the readout signal lines are provided according to the number of color types of the plurality of unit pixels which are arranged at the one arbitrary row, and the same readout signal lines are connected to unit pixels of which color of color filters are the same, in the plurality of unit pixels which are arranged on the one arbitrary row. | 09-11-2014 |
| 20140307131 | COLOR IMAGING ELEMENT - A single-plate color imaging element, where a basic array pattern in which the color filters are arrayed according to an array pattern corresponding to M×N (M and N are even numbers equal to or more than 6) pixels in horizontal and vertical directions is formed, the basic array pattern includes two each of two types of a first sub array and a second sub array in which the color filters are arrayed according to an array pattern corresponding to (M/2)×(N/2) pixels, the color filters include first filters corresponding to a first color and second filters corresponding to a second color whose contribution rates are lower than a contribution rate of the first color, a ratio of a number of pixels of the first color being greater than a ratio of a number of pixels of each color of the second color. | 10-16-2014 |
| 20140307132 | COLOR IMAGING ELEMENT - A single-plate color imaging element where an array of the color filters includes a basic array pattern of M×N provided with first filters corresponding to a first color with one or more colors and second filters corresponding to a second color with two or more colors with contribution ratios for obtaining luminance signals lower than the first color, the first filters are arranged in a check pattern shape in the basic array pattern, one or more second filters corresponding to each color of the second color are arranged in each line in the horizontal and vertical directions of the array of the color filters in the basic array pattern, and a proportion of the number of pixels of the first color corresponding to the first filters is greater than a proportion of the number of pixels of each color of the second color corresponding to the second filters. | 10-16-2014 |
| 20140307133 | COLOR IMAGING ELEMENT - A single-plate color imaging element, where color filters of the same color are arranged on a predetermined number of vertically and horizontally adjacent photoelectric conversion elements, the color filter array includes a plurality of unit blocks including the color filters arranged on the predetermined number of vertically and horizontally adjacent photoelectric conversion elements, the color filter array includes a basic array pattern including the unit blocks arranged in a square grid shape, one or more first filters are arranged in the horizontal, vertical, upper right, and lower right directions of the color filter array, one or more second filters corresponding to each color of the second color are arranged in the horizontal and vertical directions of the color filter array, and a proportion of the number of pixels of the first color is greater than a proportion of the number of pixels of each color of the second color. | 10-16-2014 |
| 20140320709 | IMAGING DEVICE AND FOCUS CONTROL METHOD HAVING FIRST AND SECOND CORRELATION COMPUTATIONS - Provides an imaging device including, imaging element in which plural first lines arrayed with first phase difference detection pixels, and plural second lines arrayed with second phase difference detection pixels, are arrayed alternately; reading out section read out signals of the phase difference detection pixels; first correlation computing section carry out first correlation computation on signals read out from a set of the first and the second phase difference detection pixel; second correlation computing section carry out second correlation computation on signals read out from at least one set among a set of plural first phase difference detection pixels of the first line, and a set of plural second phase difference detection pixels of the second line; correcting section corrects results of the first correlation computation, by results of the second correlation computation; and focusing section control focusing based on the corrected correlation computation. | 10-30-2014 |
| 20140327798 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND CAMERA - A solid-state imaging apparatus, comprising a plurality of pixels respectively including photoelectric conversion portions arranged on a semiconductor substrate, wherein the plurality of pixels include pixels for imaging arranged according to a Bayer array and pixels for focus detection each having a light-shielding portion with an opening, and the opening of the light-shielding portion of a first pixel for focus detection arranged in a position where a red pixel of the Bayer array is to be arranged is made larger than that of a second pixel for focus detection arranged in a position where a blue pixel of the Bayer array is to be arranged. | 11-06-2014 |
| 20140333806 | Method and device for adapting a filter property of an adaptive color filter and for operating an imager - A method for adapting a filter property of an adaptive color filter of an image point of an imager of a camera. The method includes ascertaining a required detection property of the image point, determining a required filter property of the color filter, to implement the required detection property of the image point, and providing a setting signal for setting the filter property of the color filter according to the required filter property. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140368702 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE, PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR DRIVING PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE - Sum signals are generated in each region provided with a plurality of photoelectric converters. Furthermore, a second signal line is included to which signals based on the sum signals are output, in addition to a first signal line to which individual signals of a plurality of pixels are output. | 12-18-2014 |
| 20150015749 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - Provided is a solid-state image pickup apparatus including a crosstalk suppression mechanism included in each pixel arranged in a pixel array, the crosstalk suppression mechanism of a part of the pixels differing from that of other pixels in an effective area of the pixel array. | 01-15-2015 |
| 20150022699 | IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND FOCUS DETECTION APPARATUS - An image pickup device includes pixels arranged in a matrix shape, vertical signal lines to which the pixels are respectively connected via normal connection lines for each column, focus detection pixels discretely arranged among the pixels, focus connection lines that set, in a range in which a total number of the focus detection pixels included in a row group including a plurality of rows is not more than a number of the vertical signal lines, the row group and respectively connect all the focus detection pixels included in the row group to the different vertical signal lines, focus readout switches respectively provided on the focus connection lines, and a vertical scanning circuit that causes the focus readout switches to simultaneously operate by a unit of the row group. | 01-22-2015 |
| 20150029366 | COLOR FILTER ARRAY, SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR, AND IMAGING DEVICE - A color filter array includes a plurality of color filters having different center frequencies and each formed of static metal structures and an insulator, a first common electrode formed across the plurality of color filters, a second common electrode opposed to the first common electrode, separated from the static metal structures of the plurality of color filters by the insulator, and formed across the plurality of color filters, and a voltage applying unit configured to apply a voltage between the first common electrode and the second common electrode and change charge density on the surfaces of the static metal structures to thereby simultaneously change the center frequencies of the plurality of color filters. | 01-29-2015 |
| 20150036029 | IMAGE SENSOR WITH SHADING DETECTION - An image sensor comprising a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, the plurality of pixels comprising: image pixels arranged for providing image data, and shading detection pixels arranged for providing signals from which a degree of shading can be derived, wherein the shading detection pixels are located in substantially the same area as defined by the image pixels. | 02-05-2015 |
| 20150062389 | FOCUS DETECTION APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR, AND IMAGE CAPTURE APPARATUS - A plurality of image signals for focus detection are generated from combined signals obtained by combining output signals of a pixel in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion areas obtained by dividing are arranged in a predetermined direction, in units of the photoelectric conversion areas, and the defocus amount is detected based on a correlation amount between the plurality of image signals. The combined signals are generated for each pixel block, for a plurality of pixel block lines in which pixel blocks each having a predetermined size are arranged in the predetermined direction. The pixel data amount for focus detection can be effectively reduced by, in the combining, making combining central points of signals, in the plurality of pixel block lines, shifted relative to each other or phases of positions of the pixel blocks different from each other. | 03-05-2015 |
| 20150062390 | PHASE DIFFERENCE DETECTION PIXEL USING MICROLENS - Disclosed is a phase difference detection pixel using a microlens, which detects a phase difference without the loss of an input signal by modifying the shape of a microlens, which collects light incident into a photodiode, such that the light passes through only in a specific direction. In the phase difference detection pixel using a microlens, a signal reduction problem, which is a disadvantage of the existing phase difference detection pixel, is solved and a phase difference detection function is achieved in all areas of an image sensor. The phase difference detection pixel using a microlens is variously applied for distance measurement between objects or three-dimensional image capturing. | 03-05-2015 |
| 20150070538 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment is a solid-state imaging device in which a plurality of pixel regions are formed into a two-dimensional array isolating the pixel regions from each other by element isolation regions, including a plurality of microlenses, a plurality of color filters arranged below the plurality of microlenses, a plurality of photoelectrical conversion sections arranged below the plurality of color filters and a magnetic field generating section provided on the element isolation regions between the plurality of microlenses and the plurality of photoelectrical conversion sections. | 03-12-2015 |
| 20150077600 | COLOR FILTER ARRAY AND SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR - According to an embodiment, a color filter array includes a plurality of color filters of multiple colors. The color filters are arranged so that each of the color filter of each color corresponds to any one of a plurality of microlenses included in a microlens array. Each microlens is configured to irradiate a plurality of pixels with light. | 03-19-2015 |
| 20150085168 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels composed of a photoelectric conversion section and a pixel transistor is arranged; an on-chip color filter; an on-chip microlens; and a multilayer interconnection layer in which a plurality of layers of interconnections is formed through an interlayer insulating film. The solid-state imaging device further includes a light-shielding film formed through an insulating layer in a pixel boundary of a light receiving surface in which the photoelectric conversion section is arranged. | 03-26-2015 |
| 20150109491 | COLOR IMAGING ELEMENT AND IMAGING DEVICE - In the color imaging element, a basic array pattern is repeatedly placed in a first direction and in a second direction, the basic array pattern includes two sets of patterns each including a first pattern corresponding to 2×2 pixels composed of first filters, a second pattern corresponding to 1×2 pixels composed of the first filters, third patterns each corresponding to 2×2 pixels each composed of second filters, and fourth patterns each corresponding to 1×2 pixels each composed of the second filters, in a color filter array, first patterns and the third patterns are alternately disposed in the first direction, and the first patterns and the fourth patterns are alternately disposed in the second direction. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20150303233 | IMAGE SENSORS WITH THROUGH-OXIDE VIA STRUCTURES - An imaging system may include an image sensor die stacked on top of a digital signal processor (DSP) die. The image sensor die may be a backside illuminated image sensor die. Through-oxide vias (TOVs) may be formed in the image sensor die and may extend at least partially into in the DSP die to facilitate communications between the image sensor die and the DSP die. Color filter housing structures may be formed over active image sensor pixels on the image sensor die. In-pixel grid structures may be integrated with the color filter housing structures to help reduce crosstalk. Light shielding structures may be formed over reference image sensor pixels on the image sensor die. The TOVs, the in-pixel grid structures, and the light shielding structures may be formed simultaneously. The formation of the color filter housing structures may also be integrated the formation of the TOVs. | 10-22-2015 |
| 20150318323 | IMAGE SENSORS WITH REDUCED STACK HEIGHT - An imaging system may include an image sensor die stacked on top of a digital signal processor (DSP) die. The image sensor die may be a backside illuminated image sensor die. Through-oxide vias (TOVs) may be formed in the image sensor die and may extend at least partially into in the DSP die to facilitate communications between the image sensor die and the DSP die. Bond pad structures may be formed on the surface of the image sensor die and may be coupled to off-chip circuitry via bonding wires soldered to the bad pad structures. Color filter elements may be formed over active image sensor pixels on the image sensor die. Microlens structures may be formed over the color filter elements. An antireflective coating (ARC) liner may be simultaneously formed over the microlens structures and over the bond pad structures to passivate the bond pad structures. | 11-05-2015 |
| 20150323800 | COLOR SEPARATION DEVICES AND IMAGE SENSORS INCLUDING THE SAME - Color separation devices, and image sensors including the color separation devices and color filters, include at least two transparent bars that face each other with a gap therebetween. Mutually-facing surfaces of the at least two transparent bars are separated from each other by the gap such that the at least two transparent bars allow diffraction of visible light passing therebetween. The at least two transparent bars have a refractive index greater than a refractive index of a surrounding medium. | 11-12-2015 |
| 20150332433 | IMAGING DEVICE - An RGB mosaic filter is disposed on one imaging element ( | 11-19-2015 |
| 20150372036 | IMAGE SENSOR AND IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME - An image sensor is provided. The image sensor includes a first photoelectric conversion element and a second photoelectric conversion element, which are formed in a semiconductor substrate; a red color filter formed on the first photoelectric conversion element; a cyan color filter formed on the second photoelectric conversion element; and an organic photoelectric conversion layer formed on the red color filter and the cyan color filter, the organic photoelectric conversion layer configured to absorb wavelengths in a green range. | 12-24-2015 |
| 20160006994 | DIGITAL PICTURE TAKING OPTICAL READER HAVING HYBRID MONOCHROME AND COLOR IMAGE SENSOR ARRAY - A portable hand held optical reader having a specially constructed two-dimensional image sensor array is operational in a bar code decoding mode and in a picture taking mode. The specially constructed image sensor array, in one embodiment, is a hybrid monochrome and color image sensor pixel array, wherein a first subset of the pixels are monochrome pixels devoid of wavelength selective color filter elements and a second subset of the pixels are color sensitive pixels including wavelength selective color filter elements. | 01-07-2016 |
| 20160011050 | IMAGING UNIT | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160013226 | IMAGE SENSOR AND AN IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE IMAGE SENSOR | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160014314 | CAMERA DEVICE INCLUDING MULTIPLE OPTICAL CHAINS AND RELATED METHODS | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160014354 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, IMAGING DEVICE, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160037141 | SPECTRAL IMAGE ACQUISITION APPARATUS AND LIGHT RECEPTION WAVELENGTH ACQUISITION METHOD - A spectral camera includes a wavelength variable interference filter, an imaging unit having a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a two-dimensional array configuration, and a wavelength acquisition unit which acquires center wavelengths of light beams received by the light receiving elements in accordance with signal values output from the light receiving elements when reference light is received by the imaging unit. Light amounts of the reference light corresponding to different wavelength components in a certain wavelength range are uniform in a plane, and different signal values are acquired when light beams of the different wavelength components are received by the light receiving elements. | 02-04-2016 |
| 20160065915 | CODED SPECTRAL IMAGER - Embodiments herein provide for imaging objects. In one embodiment, a spectral imaging system includes an optical element configured to receive electromagnetic energy of a two-dimensional scene and a filter configured to provide a plurality of spectral filter profiles. The filter also transmits multiple spectral wavebands of the electromagnetic energy substantially simultaneously through at least one of the spectral profiles. The spectral imaging system also includes a detector configured to measure intensities of the multiple spectral wavebands, and a processor configured to generate a spectral image of the scene based on the measured intensities. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20160073065 | IMAGE SENSOR, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE IMAGE SENSOR, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING THE IMAGE SENSOR - Provided are an image sensor, a method of manufacturing the image sensor, and an electronic device including the image sensor. An image sensor according to an embodiment may include a photoelectric conversion element, a pixel lens formed over the photoelectric conversion element and comprising a plurality of light condensing layers, wherein an upper layer of plurality of light condensing layers has a smaller area than a lower layer, and the pixel lens comprises a color filter substance. | 03-10-2016 |
| 20160080669 | IMAGE SENSOR WITH EMBEDDED INFRARED FILTER LAYER - An image sensor includes a substrate, photosensitive devices, a color filter layer, a micro-lens layer and an infrared filter layer. The photosensitive devices are disposed in the substrate. The color filter layer is disposed to cover the photosensitive devices. The micro-lens layer is disposed on the color filter layer. The infrared filter layer directly covers the micro-lens layer. | 03-17-2016 |
| 20160080707 | IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHING METHOD THEREOF - An image photographing apparatus and an image photographing method thereof are provided. The image photographing method includes determining an illuminance of a photograph environment during image photographing; and controlling a resolution of a captured image according to the determined illuminance. | 03-17-2016 |
| 20160088239 | DEPTH OF FIELD IN AN IMAGING SYSTEM - A method is described of capturing an image. The method comprising the steps of: exposing an image sensor to radiation from a first part of the electromagnetic spectrum using a first aperture and to radiation from a second part of the spectrum using a second aperture having a different size than the first aperture; and, forming an image on the basis of first image data generated by the radiation from the first part of the spectrum and second image data generated by radiation from the second part of the spectrum. | 03-24-2016 |
| 20160094817 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing device includes a processor including hardware. The processor is configured to implement an image acquisition process that acquires an image captured by an image sensor that includes a first-color filter having first transmittance characteristics, a second-color filter having second transmittance characteristics, and a third-color filter having third transmittance characteristics, and a correction process that multiplies a pixel value that corresponds to a second color by a first coefficient to calculate a component value that corresponds to the overlapping region of the first transmittance characteristics and the third transmittance characteristics, and corrects a pixel value that corresponds to a first color, the pixel value that corresponds to the second color, and a pixel value that corresponds to a third color based on the component value that corresponds to the overlapping region. The second color is longer in wavelength than the first color and shorter in wavelength than the third color. | 03-31-2016 |
| 20160165159 | SOLID STATE IMAGE SENSOR WITH ENHANCED CHARGE CAPACITY AND DYNAMIC RANGE - Certain aspects relate to imaging systems and methods for manufacturing imaging systems and image sensors. The imaging system includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, the pixels configured to generate a charge when exposed to light and disposed on a first layer. The imaging system further includes a plurality of pixel circuits for reading light integrated in the pixels coupled thereto, each of the plurality of pixel circuits comprising one or more transistors shared between a subset of the plurality of the pixels, the one or more transistors disposed on a second layer different than the first layer. The imaging system further includes a plurality of floating diffusion nodes configured to couple each of the plurality of pixels to the plurality of pixel circuits. | 06-09-2016 |
| 20160204141 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS | 07-14-2016 |
| 20160255289 | HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGING SYSTEMS HAVING DIFFERENTIAL PHOTODIODE EXPOSURES | 09-01-2016 |
| 20180027196 | HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGE SENSOR WITH VIRTUAL HIGH-LOW SENSITIVITY PIXELS | 01-25-2018 |
