Optical Filter Segmentation for Sensor Color Accuracy

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional optical sensor devices using RGB filters suffer from color accuracy issues due to broad, overlapping wavelength bands, leading to artifacts such as false color, zippering, and purple fringing in images.

Innovation Solution

An optical sensor device with a filter comprising multiple regions of optical channels configured to pass light associated with narrow, nonoverlapping wavelength ranges for red, blue, and green light, allowing for increased spectral fidelity and accurate color point determination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional RGB filters with broad, overlapping wavelength bands are used, then device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but color accuracy deteriorates and artifacts such as false color, zippering, and purple fringing occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidcolor accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The optical filter is divided into multiple regions, with each region containing optical channels tuned to specific narrow wavelength subranges. This segmentation allows precise spectral filtering while maintaining manufacturability through modular design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the optical filter have different wavelength filtering characteristics, with each region optimized for specific color channels. This local quality approach enables precise color separation without requiring uniformly complex filtering across the entire filter

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If conventional RGB filters with broad wavelength bands are used, then device complexity is reduced, but spectral fidelity deteriorates leading to loss of information

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidspectral fidelity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The optical filter is divided into multiple regions, with each region containing optical channels tuned to specific narrow wavelength subranges. This segmentation allows precise spectral filtering while maintaining manufacturability through modular design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extends the traditional 3-color RGB model to a multi-dimensional spectral space by adding multiple wavelength subranges beyond the conventional red, green, and blue bands. This dimensional expansion captures broader spectral information including infrared and ultraviolet ranges

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Measurement precision

If optical channels pass light with narrow, nonoverlapping wavelength ranges, then color accuracy and spectral fidelity are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor accuracyVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The optical filter is divided into multiple regions, with each region containing optical channels tuned to specific narrow wavelength subranges. This segmentation allows precise spectral filtering while maintaining manufacturability through modular design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the wavelength parameters of the optical channels from broad, overlapping ranges to narrow, nonoverlapping ranges. This parameter optimization achieves superior color accuracy while the modular regional structure controls the increase in device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 enhances color accuracy by reducing the likelihood of artifacts in images, providing a more accurate representation of the scene through improved spectral fidelity and demosaicing computation techniques.

Implementation Method 1

an optical filter disposed over the optical sensor, wherein the optical filter includes a plurality of regions, and a region, of the plurality of regions, includes: a first set of optical channels comprising optical channels that are configured to pass light associated with respective subranges of a first wavelength range

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical filtering: Filter (optical)

Data Source

PatentUS20240410757A1Optical filter for an optical sensor device

Publication Date: 2024.12.12 VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC(US)

AI summary

An optical sensor device, includes an optical sensor that has a set of sensor elements, an optical filter that includes a plurality of regions, and one or more processors. A region, of the plurality of regions, includes a first set of optical channels comprising optical channels that are configured to pass light associated with respective subranges of a first wavelength range, a second set of optical channels comprising optical channels that are configured to pass light associated with respective subranges of a second wavelength range, and a third set of optical channels comprising optical channels that are configured to pass light associated with respective subranges of a third wavelength range. The one or more processors are configured to obtain, from the optical sensor, sensor data associated with a scene and determine image information associated with the scene based on the spectral information.