Patent ID: 7367537
Filing Date: 2008-05-06
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A color-image pickup device comprising: a color filter unit which includes R filters, G filters, B filters, and an optical element having a dielectric multilayer film for infrared blocking, for decomposing light into a first component in a red wavelength range, a second component in a green wavelength range, and a third component in a blue wavelength range, wherein the R filters determine a lower wavelength limit of the red wavelength range, the G filters determine the green wavelength range, the B filters determine the blue wavelength range, and the dielectric multilayer film determines an upper wavelength limit of the red wavelength range; an image pickup unit which is placed in a stage following said color filter unit, includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements being arranged in a light-reception area to receive said first, second, and third components, picks up an optical image from the first, second, and third components received by the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, and outputs picture signals corresponding to the first, second, and third components; a color-picture-signal generation unit which generates a color-picture signal based on said picture signal outputted from said image pickup unit; and a transmittance distribution means for realizing a spatial distribution of a ratio of a transmittance of said first component received by ones of said plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in each portion of said light-reception area to a transmittance of each of the second and third components received by ones of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in each said portion of the light-reception area, so that the ratio increases with a distance from a center of said light-reception area to each said portion of the light-reception area.