Imaging Sensor Infrared-Filter Integration for Color Accuracy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional color imagers suffer from IR contamination due to significant infrared sensitivity, which distorts visible color reproduction and requires costly IR cut-off filters to mitigate this issue.
Innovation Solution
An imaging sensor with a filter array comprising green, red, and blue filters, along with specific infrared filters (IRP4Gd, IRP4Rd, IRP4Bd) that allow wavelengths longer than 650 nm or 800 nm to pass, enabling color channel deductions without the need for additional IR-cut filters, thereby reducing costs and module thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an IR cut-off filter is added to reduce IR contamination, then color reproduction accuracy is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the IR cut-off function with existing color filters (red, green, blue) by integrating infrared-rejecting materials into their structure. This merging eliminates the need for a separate IR cut-off filter while maintaining color reproduction accuracy, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and simplifying the overall filter assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The color filters are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: they filter visible light for color imaging and reject infrared radiation. By making the color filters multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for a dedicated IR cut-off filter, reducing both manufacturing cost and structural complexity while maintaining accurate color reproduction.
2Measurement precision
If an IR cut-off filter is added to reduce IR contamination, then color reproduction accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the IR cut-off function with the color filters by integrating infrared-rejecting materials into the red, green, and blue filter structures. This combination reduces the number of separate filter components from four (three color filters plus one IR cut-off filter) to three (multi-functional color filters), thereby simplifying the filter assembly and reducing device complexity while maintaining color reproduction accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The color filters are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: filtering visible light for color imaging and rejecting infrared radiation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate IR cut-off filter, simplifying the overall filter assembly structure and reducing device complexity while maintaining accurate color reproduction.
3Ease of operation
If traditional color filters are used, then color imaging is achieved, but IR contamination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the color filtering function with infrared rejection by integrating infrared-rejecting materials into the red, green, and blue color filters. This merging allows the filters to simultaneously achieve color imaging and eliminate IR contamination, maintaining ease of operation while removing the harmful infrared effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The color filters are designed to perform multiple functions: transmitting visible light for color imaging and blocking infrared radiation. This multi-functionality enables the filters to achieve color imaging capability while simultaneously preventing IR contamination, eliminating the need for separate IR mitigation measures.
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
This solution achieves better color balance by subtracting infrared signals from each color channel, eliminating the need for external IR-cut filters, thus reducing the overall cost and thickness of camera modules while maintaining effective color reproduction.
Implementation Method 1
a filter array used for extracting a specified color component of an incident light; The filter array comprises: a green filter for extracting a green component; a red filter for extracting a red component; a blue filter for extracting a blue component
Implementation Method 2
photoelectric elements for receiving the incident light via the filter array
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging sensor is provided. The imaging sensor includes: a filter array used for extracting a specified color component of an incident light; and photoelectric elements for receiving the incident light via the filter array. The filter array includes: a green filter for extracting a green component; a red filter for extracting a red component; a blue filter for extracting a blue component; and a first infrared filter for extracting a first infrared component for the green component. The first infrared filter is implemented by the green filter and an infrared high-pass filter of a specific wavelength.