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Method of color processing using a color and white filter array

Active Publication Date: 2015-12-17
HIMAX IMAGING LIMITED
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  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method for improving sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio while preserving resolution and minimizing color artifacts in color processing using a color and white filter array. The method utilizes pixel adaptive edge-sensing interpolation of white signals and effectively utilizes white and white-chroma difference for color space transformation. Additionally, the embodiment provides flexible sharpness control and low light auto-exposure adjustment.

Problems solved by technology

The image sensor with the Bayer filter generally suffers from low sensitivity and low signal noise ratio (SNR).
The conventional image sensor with RGBW filter array, however, does not make effective use of the color and white information, and therefore cannot effectively improve sensitivity and SNR while preserving resolution and minimizing color artifacts.

Method used

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  • Method of color processing using a color and white filter array

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Embodiment Construction

[0018]FIG. 2 shows a block diagram illustrated of color processing according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment, the color processing may be performed by a processor such as a digital image processor.

[0019]According to the embodiment, a color and white filter array (filter array hereinafter) 20 is used to filter light. Specifically, the filter array 20 is composed of color filters, such as red (R) filters, green (G) filters and / or blue (B) filters, which filter light by wavelength range. The filter array 20 further includes white (W) filters that pass, or is transparent to, light in visible wavelength. In the embodiment, a filter array 20 composed of red filter, green filters, blue filters and white filters is adopted, and the filter array 20 of the embodiment may sometimes be referred to as an RGBW array instead.

[0020]FIG. 3 shows an exemplary array pattern (4×4 array is shown here) of a portion of the RGBW array 20 of FIG. 2. The array pattern of the RGB...

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Abstract

A method of color processing includes providing a color and white filter array placed over an image sensor, thereby generating converted color and white signals; interpolating the converted white signals to generate interpolated white signals; interpolating white-chroma differences between the converted color signals and the converted white signals to generate interpolated white-chroma difference signals; and transforming the interpolated white signal and the interpolated white-chroma difference signals into a color space, thereby generating transformed color signals.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention generally relates to a color and white filter array, and more particularly to a method of color processing using an RGBW filter array.[0003]2. Description of Related Art[0004]A Bayer filter, as depicted in FIG. 1, is a color filter array composed of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) color filters disposed on a grid of photo-sensors, and specifically configured with a pattern of 50% green, 25% red and 25% blue. The Bayer filter with the photo-sensors forms an image sensor that is commonly used in electronic devices such as digital cameras or camcorders.[0005]As each composing color filter of the Bayer filter passes only one color, information of other colors at each pixel position need be calculated by interpolation. The image sensor with the Bayer filter generally suffers from low sensitivity and low signal noise ratio (SNR). A modified Bayer filter with transparent white (W) filter (commonly called ...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): H04N9/64G02B5/20H04N5/335
CPCH04N9/64H04N5/335G02B5/20H01L27/14643H04N2209/045H01L27/14667H01L27/14621H04N2209/046G02B5/201G06T3/4015H01L27/14685H04N5/142H04N25/133H04N25/135
Inventor SHI, MIAOHONG
Owner HIMAX IMAGING LIMITED
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