Camera module comprising complementary color filter array and electronic device comprising same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11558587-B2
Application number	US-201816759246-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2018
Priority date	Nov 6, 2017
Publication date	Jan 17, 2023
Grant date	Jan 17, 2023

Abstract

A camera module according to various embodiments of the present invention comprises a lens module including at least one lens, and an image sensor module coupled to the lens module, wherein the image sensor module comprises a micro lens, at least one photodiode, and a filter array, the filter array includes a first filter capable of transmitting light of a first designated band and a second filter capable of transmitting light of a second designated band corresponding to a color having a complementary color relationship with another color corresponding to the first designated band, and the filter array may be disposed between the micro lens and the at least one photodiode. Various other embodiments are possible.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A camera module comprising:
a lens module comprising at least one lens;
an image signal processor; and
an image sensor module connected to the lens module,
wherein the image sensor module comprises:
a micro lens;
a photo diode comprising at least two areas that are configured to sense a light intensity independently from each other, wherein the photo diode is configured to read out separate data from each of the at least two areas; and
a filter array comprising a first filter passing a first designated band of light, a second filter passing a second designated band of the light, a third filter passing a third designated band of light and a fourth filter passing a fourth designated band of light, the first and second designated bands corresponding to colors complementary to each other and the third and fourth designated bands corresponding to colors complementary to each other,

wherein the photo diode is split into first and second areas based on a first floating diffusion region being activated, and wherein the photo diode is split into third and fourth areas based on a second floating diffusion region being activated,
wherein the image sensor module is configured to:
acquire first data corresponding to light sensed in the first area and second data corresponding to light sensed in the second area based on an activation of the first floating diffusion region, the first data and the second data being acquired independently from each other, or
acquire third data corresponding to light sensed in the third area and fourth data corresponding to light sensed in the fourth area based on an activation of the second floating diffusion region, the third data and the fourth data being acquired independently from each other, and

wherein the image signal processor is configured to generate brightness data by summing the first and second data or summing the third and fourth data.

2. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the image signal processor is configured to generate first chrominance data based on the first data, second chrominance data based on the second data, and third chrominance data by summing the first and second chrominance data.

3. The camera module of claim 2 , wherein the image signal processor is configured to generate image data based on the brightness data and the third chrominance data.

4. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the image signal processor is configured to transfer the first and second data to an external processor outside the camera module through an interface.

5. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the image signal processor is configured to adjust a white balance of image data based on the first and second data.

6. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the third designated band of the light is higher in frequency than the first and second designated bands and the fourth designated band of the light is lower in frequency than the first and second designated bands.

7. The camera module of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor module comprises:
a plurality of photo diodes; and
a plurality of filter arrays corresponding to the plurality of photo diodes, the plurality of photo diodes and the plurality of filter arrays being configured to form at least one pixel.

8. An electronic device comprising:
a camera module; and
an image signal processor,
wherein the camera module comprises:
a micro lens;
a photo diode for converting light passing the micro lens to an electric signal, the photo diode comprising at least two areas that are configured to sense a light intensity independently from each other, wherein the photo diode is configured to read out separate data from each of the at least two areas;
a filter array comprising a first filter passing a first designated band of the light, a second filter passing a second designated band of the light, a third filter passing a third designated band of light and a fourth filter passing a fourth designated band of light, the first and second designated bands corresponding to colors complementary to each other and the third and fourth designated bands corresponding to colors complementary to each other; and
an image sensor module,

wherein the photo diode is split into first and second areas based on a first floating diffusion region being activated, third and fourth areas based on a second floating diffusion region being activated,
wherein the image sensor module is configured to:
acquire first data corresponding to light sensed in the first area and second data corresponding to light sensed in a second area based on the image signal processor activating the first floating diffusion region, the first data and the second data acquired independently from each other, or
acquire third data corresponding to light sensed in the third area and fourth data corresponding to light sensed in the fourth area based on the image signal processor activating the second floating diffusion region, the third data and the fourth data acquired independently from each other, and
wherein the image signal processor is configured to generate brightness data by summing the first and second data or summing the third and fourth data.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the image signal processor is configured to generate first chrominance data based on the first data, second chrominance data based on the second data, third chrominance data by summing the first and second chrominance data, and image data based on the brightness data and the third chrominance data.

10. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the image signal processor comprises at least one of an application processor of the electronic device, an image sensor IC of the camera module, or a companion chip that is electrically connected to the application processor and the camera module.

11. An image data generation method of a camera module comprising a micro lens, a photo diode arranged to correspond to the micro lens, the photo diode comprising at least two areas that are configured to sense a light intensity independently from each other, the photo diode configured to read out separate data from each of the at least two areas, and a filter array comprising a first filter passing a first designated band of light, a second filter passing a second designated band of the light, a third filter passing a third designated band of light and a fourth filter passing a fourth designated band of light, the first and second designated bands corresponding to colors complementary to each other, the third and fourth designated bands corresponding to colors complementary to each other, wherein the photo diode is split into first and second areas based on a first floating diffusion region being activated and third and fourth areas based on a second floating diffusion region being activated, the method comprising:
acquiring, by an image sensor module, either:
first data corresponding to the light sensed in the first area and second data corresponding to the light sensed in a second area based on an image signal processor activating the first floating diffusion region, the first data and the second data being acquired independently from each other, or
third data corresponding to the light sensed in the third area and fourth data corresponding to the light sensed in the fourth area based on the image signal processor activating the second floating diffusion region, the third data and the fourth data being acquired independently from each other; and

generating, by the image signal processor, brightness data by summing the first and second data or summing the third and fourth data.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the fir

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jang Soongeun
• Kim Ildo

Classifications

• H04N25/13 Primary

  characterised by the spectral characteristics of the filter elements · CPC title

• H04N25/131 Primary

  including elements passing infrared wavelengths · CPC title

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• G02B5/28

  Interference filters · CPC title

• H04N25/136

  using complementary colours · CPC title