Color Sensor Signal Compensation Without Physical Filter Arrays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Increasing sensor resolution reduces the surface area of photosites, leading to insufficient light reaching the sensor, especially under normal light conditions, due to the absorption of light by physical color filters and the complexity of their production.
Innovation Solution
A method that digitally processes signals from photosites with diverse spectral sensitivities, eliminating the need for physical color filters by applying a spatial-chromatic transfer function, which accounts for the spectral diversity of each photosite, using hyperspectral images to simulate and calibrate the sensor's sensitivity, and reconstructing color images without a physical filter array.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensor resolution is increased, then the number of useful pixels per unit area is improved, but the surface area of photosites is reduced, resulting in insufficient light reaching the sensor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical color filters with a digital processing system. Instead of using optical filters to separate colors, the invention uses a spatial-chromatic transfer function applied to signals from photosites with diverse spectral sensitivities, eliminating the need for physical filtering components that block light.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from physical parameter control (optical filters) to digital parameter processing. By measuring spectral sensitivity for each photosite and applying computational algorithms, the system achieves color separation through data processing rather than physical light filtering, allowing maximum light capture.
2Loss of information
If physical color filters are used to capture color images, then color information is obtained at each pixel, but light absorption by filters reduces the amount of light reaching the photosite
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical color filters with a digital processing system. Instead of using optical filters to separate colors, the invention uses a spatial-chromatic transfer function applied to signals from photosites with diverse spectral sensitivities, eliminating the need for physical filtering components that block light.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts color information through computational methods rather than physical separation. By taking out the spectral sensitivity characteristics of each photosite and processing the signals digitally, the system obtains color data without the energy loss inherent in physical filter absorption.
3Loss of information
If physical color filters are used, then color image capture is achieved, but production complexity increases due to additional manufacturing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical color filters with a digital processing system. Instead of using optical filters to separate colors, the invention uses a spatial-chromatic transfer function applied to signals from photosites with diverse spectral sensitivities, eliminating the need for physical filtering components that block light.
4Measurement precision
If photosite surface area is reduced to increase resolution, then more pixels per unit area are achieved, but signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates under normal light conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical color filters with a digital processing system. Instead of using optical filters to separate colors, the invention uses a spatial-chromatic transfer function applied to signals from photosites with diverse spectral sensitivities, eliminating the need for physical filtering components that block light.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to the acquisition of color images by a sensor including a plurality of photosites comprising spectral sensitivities that can to be different between photosites. The invention provides for a digital processing of signals emitted by the photosites, which comprises applying a spatial-chromatic transfer function to said signals, taking into account a variety of spectral sensitivities of the photosites. The sensor can then be devoid of a physical matrix of color filters. Spectral calibration of the sensor is also provided for this purpose, thus comprising the following steps: obtaining spectral sensitivity data of each photosite (S91), building a spatial-chromatic transfer function (S94) taking into account a variety of said spectral sensitivities of the photosites, and applying same to the signals emitted by the photosites in order to compensate for the aforementioned variety of sensitivities.