Color Separation Lens Array Processing for Blur and Color Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image sensors with color separation lens arrays suffer from reduced spatial resolution due to blur, grid artifacts, and color mixing, despite increased light utilization efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that includes a color separation lens array to separate and concentrate incident light based on color, combined with a signal processor that performs demosaicing, sharpening, white balance processing, edge detection, and image blending to enhance spatial resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a color separation lens array is used to concentrate light of different wavelengths in adjacent light sensing cells, then light utilization efficiency is increased, but spatial resolution is reduced due to blur, grid artifacts, and color mixing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing task into multiple specialized processing units: demosaicing unit for color interpolation, sharpening filter unit for edge enhancement, direction image generation unit for directional processing, gray detection unit for luminance analysis, edge detection unit for boundary identification, and selection unit for adaptive blending. Each unit handles specific aspects of the image data to collectively resolve the spatial resolution degradation caused by color separation lens arrays
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary signal processing system between the color separation lens array and the final image output. This intermediary processing chain includes multiple transformation stages that mediate the conflicting requirements: the demosaicing unit interpolates color information, the sharpening unit enhances edges, and the selection unit adaptively blends processed images. These intermediary processing steps compensate for the spatial resolution loss while preserving the light gathering advantage of the color separation lens array
2Measurement precision
If color filters are arranged in a Bayer pattern structure, then color imaging capability is improved, but light utilization efficiency is reduced because color filters absorb light of remaining colors
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using color filters that block unwanted wavelengths, the patent inverts the approach by using color separation lens arrays with phase distribution that actively direct different wavelengths to adjacent light sensing cells. This inversion replaces the absorptive filtering mechanism with a refractive wavelength-routing mechanism, allowing each pixel to receive its designated color while peripheral pixels capture additional light information that would otherwise be absorbed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional color filter arrangement (Bayer pattern on the sensor plane) to a three-dimensional optical path manipulation using color separation lens arrays. The lens arrays create phase distributions that route different wavelengths along different optical paths in the third dimension (depth/focus plane), enabling adjacent cells to receive specific wavelengths without the need for absorptive filters at each pixel location
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Improves spatial resolution while maintaining increased light utilization efficiency by effectively handling blur and color mixing issues in image sensors with color separation lens arrays.
Implementation Method 1
a color separation lens array which is formed to have a phase distribution that concentrates light of different wavelengths in light sensing cells, among a plurality of light sensing cells, adjacent to each other
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an apparatus for obtaining an image includes an image sensor and a signal processing unit that includes a demosaicing unit configured to reconstruct a green signal to have a full pixel resolution by using the input image, a sharpening filter unit configured to generate a first image by sharpening the reconstructed green signal for each preset direction, a direction image generation unit which generates a second image by removing a base band and extracting only a detail band, a gray detection unit configured to detect a gray region of the white balance-processed input image, an edge detection unit configured to detect an edge direction of the white balance-processed input image, and a selection unit configured to generate a third image by blending the first image and the second image, based on the detected gray region and the detected edge direction.