US6643386B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for adding watermarks to images and/or video data streams
Assignee: Omnivision Technologies Inc
•
Filing: 2000-08-10
•
Granted: 2003-11-04
•
Expires: 2020-08-10
Abstract
Abstract A watermark can be permanently and simultaneously added to image data, such as to a video data stream, produced by an image sensor. To produce the watermark in the image data, color filters of a filter array overlying pixels of a sensor array can be arranged in a watermark pattern different from the normal pattern of other color filters of the filter array. The color filters in the watermark pattern can have different colors than other color filters of the filter array. Alternatively or in addition to the watermark pattern of the color filters, a pattern can be formed in a microlens array overlying the filter array. The pattern in the microlens array can have regions devoid of microlenses, microlenses having different shapes, or microlenses having different colors.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald R. Foster
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:55
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T1/00; G06T1/0021; G06T1/0028; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32144; G06T2200/00; G06T2200/28; G06T2201/00; G06T2201/005; G06T2201/0051; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/0077; H04N2201/0084; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3225; H04N2201/3233
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
56 words
A CMOS integrated circuit comprising: a sensor array formed in a semiconductor substrate; and a filter array formed as part of said integrated circuit and over the sensor array, the filter array having a plurality of filters arranged in a pattern representative of a watermark that is combined with image data derived from the sensor array.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
56 words
A CMOS integrated circuit comprising: a sensor array formed in a semiconductor substrate; and a filter array formed as part of said integrated circuit and over the sensor array, the filter array having a plurality of filters arranged in a pattern representative of a watermark that is combined with image data derived from the sensor array.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The CMOS integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the filter array comprises a color filter array, the plurality of filters arranged in the pattern representative of the watermark having color transparency characteristics different from color transparency characteristics of other filters of the color filter array.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The CMOS integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the plurality of filters arranged in the pattern representative of the watermark are arranged in a pattern different from a pattern of other filters of the filter array.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The CMOS integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the filter array comprises a black-and-white filter array.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The CMOS integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein the filter array is disposed on different layers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The CMOS integrated circuit of claim 1 , further comprising an array of microlenses, formed as part of said integrated circuit, the array of microlenses having a pattern that can be combined with the pattern of the plurality of filters to represent the watermark.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The CMOS integrated circuit of claim 6 wherein the patter of the array of microlenses includes microlenses having color transparency characteristics different from color transparency characteristics of other microlenses of the array of microlenses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The CMOS integrated circuit of claim 6 wherein the pattern of the array of microlenses includes microlenses having shapes substantially different from shapes of other microlenses of the array of microlenses.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The CMOS integrated circuit of claim 6 wherein the pattern of the array of microlenses includes regions devoid of microlenses.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
A CMOS integrated circuit comprising: a sensor array formed in a semiconductor substrate; and an array of microlenses formed as part of said integrated circuit and over the sensor array; the array of microlenses having a pattern representative of a watermark that is combined with image data derived from the sensor array.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
A CMOS integrated circuit comprising: a sensor array formed in a semiconductor substrate; and an array of microlenses formed as part of said integrated circuit and over the sensor array; the array of microlenses having a pattern representative of a watermark that is combined with image data derived from the sensor array.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The CMOS integrated circuit of claim 10 wherein the pattern of the array of microlenses includes microlenses having color transparency characteristics different from color transparency characteristics of other microlenses of the array of microlenses.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The CMOS integrated circuit of claim 10 wherein the pattern of the array of microlenses includes microlenses having shapes substantially different from shapes of other microlenses of the array of microlenses.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The CMOS integrated circuit of claim 10 wherein the pattern of the array of microlenses includes regions devoid of microlenses.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
The CMOS integrated circuit of claim 10 , further comprising a filter array formed as part of said integrated circuit and disposed between the sensor array and the array of microlenses, the filter array having a plurality of filters arranged in a pattern that can be combined with the pattern of the array of microlenses to represent the watermark.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
The CMOS integrated circuit of claim 14 wherein the pattern of the plurality of filters is different from a pattern of other filters of the filter array, or includes filters having transparency characteristics different from transparency characteristics of other filters of the filter array.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
67 words
A CMOS image sensor formed on a single integrated circuit die, said image sensor comprising: a plurality of pixels formed in a semiconductor substrate; and a color filter layer formed over said plurality of pixels and as part of said integrated circuit die, said color filter layer having a watermark pattern formed therein such that images captured and output by said image sensor include said watermark pattern.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
67 words
A CMOS image sensor formed on a single integrated circuit die, said image sensor comprising: a plurality of pixels formed in a semiconductor substrate; and a color filter layer formed over said plurality of pixels and as part of said integrated circuit die, said color filter layer having a watermark pattern formed therein such that images captured and output by said image sensor include said watermark pattern.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
67 words
A CMOS image sensor formed on a single integrated circuit die, said image sensor comprising: a plurality of pixels formed in a semiconductor substrate; and an array of microlenses formed over said plurality of pixels and as part of said integrated circuit die, said array of microlenses having a watermark pattern formed therein such that images captured and output by said image sensor include said watermark pattern.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
67 words
A CMOS image sensor formed on a single integrated circuit die, said image sensor comprising: a plurality of pixels formed in a semiconductor substrate; and an array of microlenses formed over said plurality of pixels and as part of said integrated circuit die, said array of microlenses having a watermark pattern formed therein such that images captured and output by said image sensor include said watermark pattern.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The image sensor of claim 17 wherein the pattern of the array of microlenses includes microlenses having color transparency characteristics different from color transparency characteristics of other microlenses of the array of microlenses.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The image sensor of claim 17 wherein the pattern of the array of microlenses includes microlenses having shapes substantially different from shapes of other microlenses of the array of microlenses.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The image sensor of claim 17 wherein the pattern of the array of microlenses includes regions devoid of microlenses.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3971065A
Cited
US4200376A
Cited
US4880292A
Cited
US4994831A
Cited
US5771071A
Cited
US5726719A
Cited
US6249588B1
Cited
US6535629B2
Cited
US5797837A
Cited
US5937207A
Cited
US5901257A
Cited
US6097361A
Cited
US5819123A
Cited
US6231148B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-11-03 | 2007-05-05 | 2007-11-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-11-03 | 2011-05-05 | 2011-11-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-11-03 | 2015-05-05 | 2015-11-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |