Camera module for high resolution auto focusing and electronic device including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11895401-B2
Application number	US-202217861788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2022
Priority date	Nov 18, 2020
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic device including a camera module, and at least one processor, wherein the camera module includes a micro-lens array, a color filter array, and a light-receiving element array, wherein a first row of the micro-lens array includes a first micro-lens and a second micro-lens adjacent to the first micro-lens, wherein a first row of the color filter array includes a first color filter and a second color filter disposed under the first micro-lens, and a third color filter and a fourth color filter disposed under the second micro-lens, and wherein a first row of the light-receiving element array includes a first light-receiving element disposed under the first color filter, a second light-receiving element disposed under the second color filter, a third light-receiving element disposed under the third color filter, and a fourth light-receiving element disposed under the fourth color filter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a camera module; and
at least one processor electrically connected to the camera module,
wherein the camera module includes:
a micro-lens array including a plurality of micro-lenses,
a color filter array disposed under the micro-lens array and including a plurality of color filters, and
a light-receiving element array disposed under the color filter array and including a plurality of light-receiving elements,

wherein a first row of the micro-lens array includes a first micro-lens and a second micro-lens adjacent to the first micro-lens,
wherein a first row of the color filter array corresponding to the first row of the micro-lens array includes a first color filter and a second color filter disposed under the first micro-lens, and a third color filter and a fourth color filter disposed under the second micro-lens,
wherein a first row of the light-receiving element array corresponding to the first row of the color filter array includes a first light-receiving element disposed under the first color filter, a second light-receiving element disposed under the second color filter, a third light-receiving element disposed under the third color filter, and a fourth light-receiving element disposed under the fourth color filter,
wherein the at least one processor is configured to obtain image data based on a first pixel value, a second pixel value and a third pixel value, and
wherein the first pixel value, the second pixel value and the third pixel value are obtained from first data acquired by the first light-receiving element, second data acquired by the second light-receiving element, third data acquired by the third light-receiving element, and fourth data acquired by the fourth light-receiving element.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
acquire the first pixel value based on the first data, the second data, and the third data,
acquire the second pixel value based on the second data and the third data, and
acquire the third pixel value based on the second data, the third data, and the fourth data.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to acquire the first pixel value by applying different weights to the first data, the second data, and the third data, respectively.

4. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to acquire the second pixel value by applying a same weight to each of the second data and the third data.

5. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to acquire the third pixel value by applying different weights to the second data, the third data, and the fourth data, respectively.

6. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to generate auto-focusing (AF) data based on the first light-receiving element, the second light-receiving element, the third light-receiving element, and the fourth light-receiving element.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
generate color data based on the first pixel value, the second pixel value, and the third pixel value, and
sequentially output the color data and the AF data.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first color filter, the second color filter, the third color filter, and the fourth color filter of the color filter array have a first color, and
wherein color filters disposed in a column that is identical to any one of the first color filter, the second color filter, the third color filter, and the fourth color filter of a second row and a third row located next to the first row of the color filter array include a first group having a first color.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein a second group including a same number of color filters as the first group is included, the color filters of the second group having a second color,
wherein a third group including a same number of color filters as the first group is included, wherein the color filters of the third group have a third color, and
wherein the first group, the second group, and the third group form a specific pattern.

10. A camera module, comprising:
an image signal processor;
a micro-lens array including a plurality of micro-lenses;
a color filter array disposed under the micro-lens array and including a plurality of color filters; and
a light-receiving element array disposed under the color filter array and including a plurality of light-receiving elements,
wherein a first row of the micro-lens array includes a first micro-lens and a second micro-lens adjacent to the first micro-lens,
wherein a first row of the color filter array corresponding to the first row of the micro-lens array includes a first color filter and a second color filter disposed under the first micro-lens, and a third color filter and a fourth color filter disposed under the second micro-lens,
wherein a first row of the light-receiving element array corresponding to the first row of the color filter array includes a first light-receiving element disposed under the first color filter, a second light-receiving element disposed under the second color filter, a third light-receiving element disposed under the third color filter, and a fourth light-receiving element disposed under the fourth color filter, and
wherein the image signal processor is configured to acquire a first pixel value, a second pixel value, and a third pixel value based on first data acquired by the first light-receiving element, second data acquired by the second light-receiving element, third data acquired by the third light-receiving element, and fourth data acquired by the fourth light-receiving element.

11. The camera module of claim 10 , wherein the image signal processor is configured to:
acquire the first pixel value based on the first data, the second data, and the third data,
acquire the second pixel value based on the second data and the third data, and
acquire the third pixel value based on the second data, the third data, and the fourth data.

12. The camera module of claim 11 , wherein the image signal processor is further configured to acquire the first pixel value by applying different weights to the first data, the second data, and the third data, respectively.

13. The camera module of claim 11 , wherein the image signal processor is further configured to acquire the second pixel value by applying a same weight to each of the second data and the third data.

14. The camera module of claim 11 , wherein the image signal processor is further configured to acquire the third pixel value by applying different weights to the second data, the third data, and the fourth data, respectively.

15. An electronic device, comprising:
a camera module; and
a processor operatively connected to the camera module,
wherein the camera module includes:
a micro-lens array;
a color filter array including a plurality of color filters, wherein each of the plurality of color filters selectively passes a wavelength of incident light, which passes through the micro-lens array, and
a light-receiving element array disposed below the color filter array,

wherein the micro-lens array is arranged in an N/2×M array, the color filter array is arranged in an N×M array, and the light-receiving element array is arranged in an N×M array, wherein M is larger than N, and
wherein the processor is configured to obtain pixel values of an M×M pixel array from the li

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kang Hwayong
• Kim Dongsoo
• Park Jaehyoung

Classifications

• H04N25/134

  based on three different wavelength filter elements · CPC title

• H04N25/136

  using complementary colours · CPC title

• H04N25/135

  based on four or more different wavelength filter elements · CPC title

• H04N23/672 Primary

  based on the phase difference signals · CPC title

• G02B3/0056

  arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses (G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085) · CPC title