Patent ID: 7830435
Filing Date: 2010-11-09
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image sensor comprising: a plurality of pixels arranged in an array of rows and columns; a color filter pattern spanning at least a portion of the pixels, wherein the color filter pattern forms a plurality of color filter kernels having at least one color of every color in the color filter pattern in a predetermined arrangement with an identical pattern of colors in each color filter kernel, and wherein the color filter kernels are arranged in at least two different uniformly distributed sets that are correlated with the color filter pattern; and a mechanism for independent control of an integration time of each color filter kernel according to its spatial location, wherein at least one color filter kernel includes at least one fast pixel having a first integration time and at least one slow pixel having a second integration time, wherein the first integration time is longer than the second integration time and data from at least one slow pixel includes valid signal level information with adequate signal to noise ratio while data from at least one fast pixel does not contain valid signal level information.