Patent US20030197793A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US20030197793A1
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US
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Imaging device
Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp
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Filing: 2002-01-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2022-01-09
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus which can produce a color and sensitivity mosaic image which can be converted into a color image signal having a wide dynamic range by performing a predetermined image process. Light receiving elements of a CCD image sensor are arranged in a lattice arrangements where attention is paid to the color G irrespective of the sensitivities. Where attention is paid to the color R irrespective of the sensitivities, the light receiving elements are arranged on every other line. Also where attention is paid to the color B irrespective of the sensitivities, the light receiving elements are arranged on every other line similarly. Consequently, where attention is paid only to the colors of the pixels, the pattern P 2 has a Bayer arrangement. A mosaic arrangement of a color is realized by disposing an on-chip color filter on an upper face of the light receiving elements of the CCD image sensor. A mosaic arrangement of a sensitivity is realized by an optical method or an electronic method. The present invention can be applied, for example, to a CCD image sensor built in a digital camera.
Inventors
- 👤 Tomoo Mitsunaga
- 👤 Seiji Kobayashi
- 👤 Hiroaki Ono
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:48
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/10; H10F39/12; H10F39/15; H10F39/151; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/80; H04N23/84; H04N23/843; H04N25/00; H04N25/10; H04N25/11; H04N25/13; H04N25/134; H04N25/135; H04N25/136; H04N25/40; H04N25/44; H04N25/447; H04N25/50; H04N25/57; H04N25/58; H04N25/581; H04N25/585; H10F39/1515; H10F39/80; H10F39/805; H10F39/8053; H04N2209/00; H04N2209/04; H04N2209/041; H04N2209/042; H04N2209/045; H10F39/806; H10F39/8063
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
1 . (As amended) An image pickup apparatus which includes photo-electric conversion means for photo-electrically converting an optical image of a subject to produce a color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein each pixel has one of a plurality of color components and has one of a plurality of sensitivity characteristics to light intensity, characterized in that said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same color components and the same sensitivity characteristics are arranged in lattice arrangements and a plurality of pixels of at least one kind from among the plurality of pixels having the same color component and having the same sensitivity characteristic are arranged so as not to neighbor with pixels of a different kind having the same color component but having a different sensitivity characteristic.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
1 . (As amended) An image pickup apparatus which includes photo-electric conversion means for photo-electrically converting an optical image of a subject to produce a color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein each pixel has one of a plurality of color components and has one of a plurality of sensitivity characteristics to light intensity, characterized in that said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same color components and the same sensitivity characteristics are arranged in lattice arrangements and a plurality of pixels of at least one kind from among the plurality of pixels having the same color component and having the same sensitivity characteristic are arranged so as not to neighbor with pixels of a different kind having the same color component but having a different sensitivity characteristic.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
2 . (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics are arranged in lattice arrangements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
3 . (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 2 , characterized in that said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics are arranged in square lattice arrangements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
4 . (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 2 , characterized in that the plurality of color components are the three primary color components.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
5 . (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 4 , characterized in that said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image which has a Bayer arrangement where attention is paid only to the color components.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
93 words
6 . (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same sensitivity characteristics irrespective of the color components are arranged in lattice arrangements such that all of the color components included in the color and sensitivity mosaic image exist in totaling five pixels including an arbitrary pixel of the color and sensitivity mosaic image and four pixels neighboring upwardly, downwardly, leftwardly and rightwardly of the arbitrary pixel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
7 . (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 6 , characterized in that said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same sensitivity characteristics irrespective of the color components are arranged in square lattice arrangements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
8 . (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 6 , characterized in that the plurality of color components are the three primary color components.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
9 . (As amended) An image pickup apparatus as set forth in claim 8 , characterized in that said photo-electric conversion means produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein the color components form a Bayer arrangement for each of the sensitivity characteristics of the pixels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
132 words
10 . (As amended) An image pickup device for photo-electrically converting an optical image of a subject to produce a color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein each pixel has one of a plurality of color components and one of a plurality of sensitivity characteristics to light intensity, characterized in that the image pickup device produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same color components and the same sensitivity characteristics are arranged in lattice arrangements and a plurality of pixels of at least one kind from among the plurality of pixels having the same color component and having the same sensitivity characteristic are arranged so as not to neighbor with pixels of a different kind having the same color component but having a different sensitivity characteristic.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
132 words
10 . (As amended) An image pickup device for photo-electrically converting an optical image of a subject to produce a color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein each pixel has one of a plurality of color components and one of a plurality of sensitivity characteristics to light intensity, characterized in that the image pickup device produces the color and sensitivity mosaic image wherein a plurality of pixels having the same color components and the same sensitivity characteristics are arranged in lattice arrangements and a plurality of pixels of at least one kind from among the plurality of pixels having the same color component and having the same sensitivity characteristic are arranged so as not to neighbor with pixels of a different kind having the same color component but having a different sensitivity characteristic.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
11 . (As amended) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 10 , characterized in that in the color and sensitivity mosaic image, a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics are arranged in lattice arrangements.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
12 . (As amended) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 10 , characterized in that in the color and sensitivity mosaic image, a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics are arranged in square lattice arrangements.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
13 . (Added) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 11 , characterized in that the plurality of color components are the three primary color components.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
14 . (Added) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 13 , characterized in that the color and sensitivity mosaic image has a Bayer arrangement where attention is paid only to the color components irrespective of the sensitivity characteristics of the pixels.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
80 words
15 . (Added) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 10 , characterized in that in the color and sensitivity mosaic image, a plurality of pixels having the same sensitivity characteristics irrespective of the color components are arranged in lattice arrangements, and that all of the color components included in the color and sensitivity mosaic image exist in totaling five pixels including an arbitrary pixel and four pixels neighboring upwardly, downwardly, leftwardly and rightwardly of the arbitrary pixel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
16 . (Added) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 15 , characterized in that in the color and sensitivity mosaic image, a plurality of pixels having the same color components irrespective of the color components are arranged in lattice arrangements.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
17 . (Added) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 15 , characterized in that the plurality of color components are the three primary color components.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
18 . (Added) An image pickup device as set forth in claim 17 , characterized in that the color and sensitivity mosaic image has a Bayer arrangement for each of the sensitivity characteristics of the pixels irrespective of the color components of the pixels.
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