Mobile Camera Sensor Segmentation for Low-Light Color Accuracy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile device cameras struggle to capture low-light images due to the infrared cutoff filter, which reduces light energy and requires lower-powered flashes, resulting in darker images, especially at night or indoors.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses a combination of an infrared filter and a visible light filter over a single image sensor to capture both infrared and visible light data, enhancing low-light performance while maintaining color accuracy by maximizing light energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an infrared cutoff filter is used in mobile device cameras, then color accuracy is maintained, but light energy is reduced resulting in darker images in low-light conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensor is divided into multiple regions, with each region covered by a different filter (infrared cutoff filter, infrared pass filter, or no filter). This segmentation allows different portions of the sensor to capture different spectral information, which is then combined to produce images with both color accuracy and enhanced low-light performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the image sensor are assigned different filter characteristics based on their specific function. Some regions use infrared cutoff filters for color accuracy, while other regions use infrared pass filters or no filters for light gathering, creating local quality variations that optimize overall image quality.
2Illumination intensity
If an infrared pass filter is used to capture more light energy, then low-light performance is improved, but color accuracy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensor is divided into multiple regions, with each region covered by a different filter (infrared cutoff filter, infrared pass filter, or no filter). This segmentation allows different portions of the sensor to capture different spectral information, which is then combined to produce images with both color accuracy and enhanced low-light performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Data from multiple regions with different filter characteristics are merged together during image processing. The infrared pass filter region provides enhanced light gathering for low-light performance, while the infrared cutoff filter region maintains color accuracy, and both are combined to produce a final image that achieves both goals simultaneously.
3Device complexity
If a single filter type is used over the image sensor, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to capture both color accuracy and low-light performance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensor is divided into multiple regions, with each region covered by a different filter (infrared cutoff filter, infrared pass filter, or no filter). This segmentation allows different portions of the sensor to capture different spectral information, which is then combined to produce images with both color accuracy and enhanced low-light performance.
Solution Approach 2:
A single image sensor is designed to perform multiple functions by incorporating different filter types in different regions. The sensor can simultaneously capture color information (via infrared cutoff regions) and enhance low-light performance (via infrared pass regions), making it a multi-functional device that achieves dual capabilities without requiring separate sensors.
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
The solution enables mobile devices to capture images with enhanced brightness and accurate color representation in low-light conditions without compromising the camera's ability to sense colors, effectively addressing the limitations of existing mobile device cameras.
Implementation Method 1
An infrared filter and a visible light filter coupled to the image sensor. When light passes through the camera module and is directed towards the image sensor, the light passes through the infrared filter and the visible light filter
Implementation Method 2
an image sensor for detecting a color spectrum of ambient light
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method of capturing low-light images on a mobile device include a camera module, an image sensor, an infrared filter, and a visible light filter. The image sensor can detect a color spectrum of ambient light passed through a lens of the camera module. The visible light filter can cover a first portion of the image sensor, and the infrared filter can cover a second portion of the image sensor. A processor can be coupled to the image sensor to receive visible light data and infrared data. Visible light data can be formed from ambient light passed through the visible light filter and image sensor. Infrared data can formed from ambient light passed through the infrared filter and the image sensor. The visible light data and the infrared data are combined to form a low-light image data having enhanced brightness while maintaining color accuracy.