Color filter patterns for image sensors

Abstract

Color filter patterns are invented for coating an array of imaging sensing elements so to obtain color images. Each of the color filter patterns consists of a luminance color Y and two other complementary or non-overlapping colors tessellated in a Bayer pattern, hexagonal pattern, YUV422 pattern, or other ordered tessellation. In two preferred embodiments of the invention, the color filter pattern differs from a conventional Bayer Pattern or a conventional hexagonal RGB pattern only in that the G color is replaced by a luminance color Y. The color filter for luminance Y can be realized by a transparent coating or no coating at all. In addition, the effective sensing areas of different colors are so chosen that desired signal-to-noise ratios are obtained by adjusting the color sensing areas and/or the sizes/curvatures of the micro lenses for the color pixels.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.