Image sensors, calibration methods of image sensors, and electronic devices for calibrating image sensors
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsDeokha Shin, Youngjun Choi, Tae-Shick Wang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of calibrating an image sensor including a color filter array having a first-type array pattern, the method includes capturing a target using the image sensor to generate first image data, performing a white balance operation on the first image data to generate second image data, performing an inverse white balance operation on the second image data based on a second-type array pattern to generate third image data, the second-type array pattern being different from the first-type array pattern, and calibrating the image sensor based on the third image data.
Claims19
A method of calibrating an image sensor including a color filter array having a first-type array pattern, the method comprising:
- capturing a target using the image sensor to generate first image data;
- performing a white balance operation on the first image data to generate second image data;
- performing an inverse white balance operation on the second image data based on a second-type array pattern to generate third image data, the second-type array pattern being different from the first-type array pattern;
- and
- calibrating the image sensor based on the third image data,
- wherein
- each of the first image data, the second image data, and the third image data includes pixel data corresponding to a plurality of pixels of the image sensor, and
- the performing the inverse white balance operation includes converting the pixel data corresponding to at least one of three or more pixels among the plurality of pixels to have a color different from an original color.
An image sensor comprising:
- a lens;
- a color filter array under the lens, the color filter array including a plurality of color filters having a first array pattern;
- a pixel array under the color filter array, the pixel array including a plurality of pixels respectively corresponding to the plurality of color filters, and the pixel array being configured to sense light incident through the lens and the color filter array;
- and
- processing circuitry configured to
- digitize the light sensed by the pixel array to generate first image data,
- perform a white balance operation on the first image data to generate second image data, and
- perform an inverse white balance operation on the second image data based on a second array pattern to generate third image data, the second array pattern being different from the first array pattern,
- wherein
- the processing circuitry is configured to perform the white balance operation and perform the inverse white balance operation in a first mode, and
- the processing circuitry is configured to output the first image data in a second mode.
An electronic device comprising:
- processing circuitry configured to
- perform a white balance operation on first image data received from an image sensor to generate second image data, the image sensor including a color filter array of a first-type array pattern,
- perform an inverse white balance operation on the second image data based on a second-type array pattern to generate third image data, the second-type array pattern being different from the first-type array pattern, and
- generate a signal for calibrating the image sensor based on the third image data,
- wherein
- each of the first image data, the second image data, and the third image data includes pixel data corresponding to a plurality of pixels of the image sensor;
- and
- the processing circuitry is configured to perform the inverse white balance operation including converting the pixel data corresponding to at least one of three or more pixels among the plurality of pixels to have a color different from an original color.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.