Patent ID: 8274715
Filing Date: 2012-09-25
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for forming a digital color image comprising: capturing an image using a solid state image sensor having a pixel array that includes both panchromatic pixels and color pixels, wherein the color pixels correspond to at least two color photoresponses and wherein the pixel array is made up of a plurality of tiled minimal repeating units, each minimal repeating unit including a plurality of cells, each cell including at least two panchromatic pixels and at least two pixels having the same color photoresponse; grouping signals from all of the color pixels in each cell into one or more group signals to increase color photosensitivity, wherein all pixels whose signals are grouped into a group signal have the same color photoresponse; combining the group signals to form a low-resolution digital color image having a first resolution based on the resolution of the cells; using second signals from the individual panchromatic pixels to provide a high-resolution digital panchromatic image having a second resolution based on the resolution of the pixels in the image sensor; and combining the high-resolution digital panchromatic image and the low-resolution digital color image to provide a high-resolution digital color image.