Camera Assembly Panchromatic Color Pixel Subunits Sharpness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging technologies using Bayer arrays in image sensors face challenges with loss of sharpness after demosaicing.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an image processing method utilizing a pixel array with subunits containing both panchromatic and color light-sensitive pixels, where the processor generates full-size, color, and panchromatic images, and processes them through an image processing pipeline to obtain YUV images, thereby improving signal-to-noise ratio and sharpness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a Bayer array filter is used in the image sensor to capture color images, then color image capture capability is improved, but sharpness is lost after demosaicing
Solution Approach 1:
The pixel array is divided into multiple subunits, where each subunit contains both color light-sensitive pixels and panchromatic light-sensitive pixels. This segmentation allows different types of pixels to work together, with color pixels providing color information and panchromatic pixels providing high-quality luminance information for sharpness, thereby resolving the contradiction between color capture capability and sharpness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines color light-sensitive pixels and panchromatic light-sensitive pixels in the same pixel array. The color pixels capture color information while panchromatic pixels capture full-spectrum luminance information. By merging these two types of pixels and processing their outputs together through the image processing pipeline, the system achieves both color capture capability and sharpness.
2Measurement precision
If panchromatic light-sensitive pixels are used to improve sharpness, then signal-to-noise ratio is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The image processing pipeline is designed to handle multiple types of pixel outputs universally. It can process both color pixel data and panchromatic pixel data through the same processing stages, including demosaicing, color interpolation, and YUV conversion. This multi-functionality allows the system to improve signal-to-noise ratio using panchromatic pixels without requiring separate processing paths, thereby avoiding excessive device complexity.
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 approach enhances the signal-to-noise ratio and sharpness of YUV images by effectively utilizing the pixel values from panchromatic light-sensitive pixels during image processing.
Implementation Method 1
The camera assembly is arranged with an image sensor. In order to capture color images, a filter array in the form of Bayer arrays is usually arranged in the image sensor, such that multiple pixels in the image sensor can receive light passing through corresponding filters to generate pixel signals with different color channels.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing method, a camera assembly, and a mobile terminal. The image processing method includes: obtaining a full-size image in a first operation mode; obtaining a first YUV image by processing the full-size image with an image processing pipeline; obtaining a color image and a panchromatic image in a second operation mode; and obtaining a second YUV image by processing the color image and the panchromatic image with the image processing pipeline.