Imaging device

A method for imaging an object comprising:

• reading at least four series of color signals corresponding to at least four color elements from an image sensor, a color filter being located on said image sensor and having the at least four color elements that are based on primary colors and respectively have different spectral transmission distribution properties, said spectral transmission distribution properties characterizing spectral response distribution properties of said imaging device, that correspond to three spectral response distribution curves based on a color space;
• and
• generating primary color signals on the basis of at least one predetermined series of color signals in which information associated with a spectral distribution of an object is included, and an adopted series of color signals that is obtained from the remaining series of color signals;
• wherein the at least one predetermined series of color signals corresponds to a related spectral response distribution curve over the entire spectrum, and each remaining series of color signals corresponds to a related spectral response distribution curve over a part of the entire spectrum,
• defining a series of color signals that corresponds to the related spectral response distribution curve for a wavelength range in which spectral values in the spectral distribution of the object are relatively large, as the adopted series of color signals.

An apparatus for imaging an object comprising:

• an image sensor;
• a color filter that is located on said image sensor and has four color elements that are based on primary colors and respectively have different spectral transmission distribution properties, said spectral transmission distribution properties characterizing a spectral response distribution properties of an imaging system, that correspond to three spectral response distribution curves based on a color space;
• a signal reading processor that reads four series of color signals corresponding to the four color elements, from said image sensor;
• a matrix operation processor that performs a matrix operation for the four series of color signals;
• and
• a primary color signal generator that generates primary color signals on the basis of two series of color signals in which information associated with a spectral distribution of an object is included, and an adopted series of color signals that is obtained from the remaining two series of color signals,
• wherein two spectral response distribution curves corresponding to the two series of color signals have generally a linear relationship with the corresponding spectral response distribution curves that are based on the color space, over the entire spectrum, and the remaining two spectral response distribution curves corresponding to the remaining two series of color signals have respectively a linear relationship with the remaining one corresponding spectral response distribution curve that is based on the color space, over different parts of the entire spectrum,
• wherein said primary color signal generator defines a series of color signals that is generally the same as the corresponding remaining spectral response distribution curve for a wavelength range in which spectral values in the spectral distribution of the object are relatively large.

An apparatus for imaging an object comprising:

• an image sensor;
• a color filter that is located on said image sensor and has four color elements that are based on primary colors and respectively have different spectral transmission distribution properties, said spectral transmission distribution properties characterizing spectral response distribution properties of an imaging system, that correspond to three spectral response distribution curves based on a color space;
• a signal reading processor that reads four series of color signals corresponding to the four color elements, from said image sensor;
• an signal definer that defines an adopted series of color signals that is obtained from two series of color signals that are not two predetermined series of color signals, information associated with a spectral distribution of an object being included in the two predetermined series of color signals, and
• a matrix operation processor that performs a matrix operation for the two predetermined series of color signals and the adopted series of color signals to generate primary color signals,
• wherein two spectral response distribution curves corresponding to the two series of color signals have generally a linear relationship with a corresponding spectral response distribution curve that is based on a color space, over the entire spectrum, and the reaming two spectral response distribution curves corresponding to the remaining two series of color signals have respectively a linear relationship with the remaining one corresponding spectral response distribution curve that is based on the color space, over a part of the entire spectrum,
• wherein said signal definer defines a series of color signals that is generally the same as the corresponding remaining spectral response distribution curve for a wavelength range in which spectral values in the spectral distribution or the object are relatively large.

An imaging device comprising:

• an image sensor;
• a color filter that is located on said image sensor and has at least four color elements that are based on primary colors and respectively have different spectral transmission distribution properties;
• a signal reading processor that reads at least four series of color signals corresponding to the at least four color elements from said image sensor;
• and
• a signal processor that generates primary color signals on the basis of at least one predetermined series of color signals in which information associated with a spectral distribution of an object is included, and an adopted series of color signals that is obtained from the remaining series of color signals;
• wherein said signal processor defines a series of color signals that corresponds to standard spectral response distribution curve over wavelength for which spectral values in the spectral distribution of the object are relatively large, as the adopted series of color signals.

A method for imaging an object comprising:

• reading at least four series of color signals corresponding to at least four color elements from an image sensor, a color filter being located on said image sensor and having at least four color elements that are based on primary colors and respectively have different spectral transmission distribution properties;
• generating primary color signals on the basis of at least one predetermined series of color signals in which information associated with a spectral distribution of an object is included, and an adopted series of color signals that is obtained from the remaining series of color signals;
• and
• defining a series of color signals that corresponds to a standard spectral response distribution curve over a wavelength range for which spectral values in the spectral distribution of the object are relatively large, as the adopted series of color signals.