Colour image pickup apparatus and method

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus having a plurality of pixels; and a color filter array of four colors disposed on the plurality of pixels, wherein the color filter array has a periodicity of two rows × two columns, and colors of four color filters in a periodical unit of two rows × two columns are all different.

Description: The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus for generating color difference signals from light incident from a color filter array. In order to obtain a color image signal in an image pickup apparatus, light is incident upon image pickup elements via a color filter. The color filter includes a primary color filter and a complementary color filter. The primary color filter has three colors, red, green, and blue, whereas the complementary color filter has four colors, cyan, yellow, magenta, and green. A cyan color filter intercepts only red color in the visible light range, an yellow color filter intercepts only blue color in the visible light range, a magenta color filter intercepts only green color in the visible light range, and a green color filter transmits only green light. In the case of complementary color filters, a luminance signal Y is given by: Y = Ye + G + Cy + Mg a blue color difference signal is given by: CB = (G + Ye) - (Mg + Cy) and a red color difference signal is given by: CR = (Cy + G) - (Ye + Mg) wherein Cy is a signal picked up by image pickup elements via cyan color filters, Ye is a signal picked up by image pickup elements via the yellow color filters, Mg is a signal picked up by image pickup elements via magenta color filters, and G is a signal picked up by image pickup elements via green color filters. Fig. 1 shows a pattern of color filters according to a first conventional example. This pattern has a periodicity of two pixels in the horizontal direction and four pixels in the vertical direction. With this color filter pattern, the luminance signal Y can be obtained through the equation (1) by using Cy, Ye, Mg, and G in a block of 2 × 2 pixels, two pixels in the horizontal direction and two pixels in the vertical direction. Similarly the blue and red color difference signals CB and CR can be obtained through the equations (2) and (3) by using Cy, Ye, Mg, and G in the block of 2 × 2 pixels. Fig. 2 shows a pattern of color filters according to a second conventional example. This pattern has a periodicity of two pixels in the horizontal direction and eight pixels in the vertical direction. With this color filter pattern, the luminance signal Y can be obtained through the equation (1) by using Cy, Ye, Mg, and G in a block of 2 × 2 pixels, two pixels in the horizontal direction and two pixels in the vertical direction. Similarly the blue and red color difference signals CB and CR can be obtained through the equations (2) and (3) by using Cy, Ye, Mg, and G in the block of 2 × 2 pixels. A digital still camera with an image pickup apparatus reads an image at high speed with a sacrifice of resolution before an image is photographed. In accordance with the image signal read at high speed, an image is displayed in a finder such as a liquid crystal finder, an iris is adjusted, a white balance is adjusted, or other preliminary operations are performed. However, with a combination of the color filter layout shown in Fig. 1 and a conventional image pickup apparatus CCD, even if the pixel signal is read at high speed with a sacrifice of resolution by thinning every second pixel in the vertical direction, for example, only cyan and yellow signals are obtained so that the white balance cannot be adjusted in accordance with outputs of the image pickup elements. Also with the combination of the color filter layout shown in Fig. 1 and a conventional image pickup apparatus CCD, data of two adjacent pixels in the vertical direction is added and thereafter transferred in the image pickup apparatus and output therefrom. Therefore, paired image data is output from the image pickup apparatus. More specifically, referring to Fig. 1, a pair of data of pixels (C1, R1) and (C1, R2) is output, then a pair of data of pixels (C2, R1) and (C2, R2) is output, then pairs of data of column pixels in the rows R1 and R2 are sequentially output. Next, a pair of data of pixels (C1, R3) and (C1, R4) is output, then a pair of data of pixels (C2, R3) and (C2, R4) is output, then pairs of data of column pixels in the rows R3 and R4 are sequentially output. Since these outputs are used, the calculation of the equation (2) can be made, for example, for the rows R1 and R2, but it cannot be made for the rows R3 and R4. Similarly, the calculation of the equation (3) can be made, for example, for the rows R3 and R4, but it cannot be made for the rows R1 and R2. Therefore, the color difference signal for each color can be obtained only from one row among the four rows of image pickup elements so that the resolution of the color difference signal lowers in the vertical direction. With the combination of the color filter layout shown in Fig. 2 and a conventional image pickup apparatus CCD, a signal read in a high speed read mode can be used for adjusting the white balance. With the combination of the color filter layout shown in Fig. 2 and a conventional image pickup apparatus CCD, data of two adjacent pixels in the vertical direction is added and thereafter transferred in the image pickup apparatus and output therefrom. Therefore, paired image data is output from the image pickup apparatus. More specifically, referring to Fig. 2, a pair of data of pixels (C1, R1) and (C1, R2) is output, then a pair of data of pixels (C2, R1) and (C2, R2) is output, then pairs of data of column pixels in the rows R1 and R2 are sequentially output. Next, a pair of data of pixels (C1, R3) and (C1, R4) is output, then a pair of data of pixels (C2, R3) and (C2, R4) is output, then pairs of data of column pixels in the rows R3 and R4 are sequentially output. Since these outputs are used, the calculation of the equation (2) can be made, for example, for the rows R1, R2, R3, and R4, but it cannot be made for the rows R5, R6, R7, and R8. Similarly, the calculation of the equation (3) can be made, for example, for the rows R5, R6, R7, and R8, but it cannot be made for the rows R1, R2, R3, and R4. Therefore, the color difference signal for each color can be obtained only from two rows among the eight rows of image pickup elements so that the resolution of the color difference signal lowers in the vertical direction. US Patent Specification US 5,541,648 discloses a color image pickup apparatus including an image pickup element, an optical low-pass filter, and a memory. The image pickup element has four types of color filters which are arranged to form an offset sampling structure in which color filters of different colors are repeatedly arranged at a two-pixel period in the horizontal direction, and color filters of different colors are repeatedly arranged at a 2-pixel period in the vertical direction while being offset in the horizontal direction by one pixel. United States Patent Specification US 5,583,568 discloses a solid state image pickup apparatus for obtaining a luminance signal from the average value of outputs of two or more pixels varying in spectral characteristic from line to line. According to the present invention there is provided an image pickup apparatus as set out in claim 1. The present invention also provides a method of generating colour difference signals as set out in claim 8. Optional features are set out in the other claims. An embodiment of the present invention provides an image signal having a high resolution both in the horizontal and vertical directions. An embodiment of the present invention provides an image pickup apparatus capable of a multi-mode having a mode of outputting an image signal at high speed which signal can be used for simple color display, autofocus, white balance adjustment and a mode of outputting an image signal having a high resolution. Embodiments will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a pattern of conventional color filters. Fig. 2 shows another pattern of conventional color filters. Fig. 3 shows a pattern of color filters according to a first embodiment of the invention. Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating a read method according to the first embodiment of the invention. Fig. 5 is a circuit diagram of an image pickup apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 6 is a timing chart illustrating the operation of the image pickup apparatus shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 3 shows a pattern of color filters according to the first embodiment of the invention. This pattern has a periodicity of two pixels in the horizontal direction and two pixels in the vertical direction. In a pattern of two pixels in the horizontal direction and two pixels in the vertical direction, the first row has G and Ye color filters disposed in this order from the left, and the second row has Cy and Mg color filters disposed in this order from the left. The pattern of color filters may be reversed right and left, or up and down. The luminance signal Y, blue color difference signal CB, and red color difference signal CR can be calculated respectively from the equations (2) and (3) by using Cy, Ye, Mg, and G signals in various color filter patterns. Fig. 4 shows a pattern of color filters constituted of a fundamental pattern of two pixels in the horizontal direction and two pixels in the vertical direction. With reference to Fig. 4, particular read methods will be described. 1st Read Method: Color difference signals CB are calculated from adjacent pairs of a series of signals output from image pickup elements, the series being: (G1 + Ye1), (Cy1 + Mg1), (G2 + Ye2), (Cy2 + Mg2), (G3 + Ye3), (Cy3 + Mg3), (G4 + Ye4), (Cy4 + Mg4),... and the color difference signals CB being, for example: CB1 = (G1 + Ye1) - (Cy1 + Mg1) CB2 = (G2 + Ye2) - (Cy2 + Mg2) CB3 = (G3 + Ye3) - (Cy3 + Mg3) CB4 = (G4 + Ye4) - (Cy4 + Mg4). Color difference signals CR are calculated from adjacent pairs of a series of signals output from image pickup elements, the series being: (G1 + Cy1), (Ye1 + Mg1), (G2 + Cy2), (Ye2 + Mg2), (G3 + Cy3), (Ye3 + Mg3), (G4 + Cy4), (Ye4 + Mg4),... and the color difference signals CR being, for example: CR1 = (G1 + Cy1) - (Ye1 + Mg1) CR2 = (G2 + Cy2) - (Ye2 + Mg2) CR3 = (G3 + Cy3) - (Ye3 + Mg3) CR4 = (G4 + Cy4) - (Ye4 + Mg4). With the first read method, the color difference signals CB and CR each can be obtained from two pixels in the horizontal direction and two pixels in the vertical direction, resulting in a high resolution. 2nd Read Method: Color difference signals CB are calculated from adjacent pairs of a series of signals output from image pickup elements, the series being: (G1 + Ye1), (Cy1 + Mg1), (G2 + Ye2), (Cy2 + Mg2),... and the color difference signals CB being, for example: CB1 = (G1 + Ye1) - (Cy1 + Mg1) CB2 = (G2 + Ye2) - (Cy2 + Mg2). Color difference signals CR are calculated from adjacent pairs of a series of signals output from image pickup elements, the series being: (G3 + Cy3), (rye3 + Mg3), (G4 + Cy4), (Ye4 + Mg4), ... and the color difference signals CR being, for example: CR1 = (G3 + Cy3) - (Ye3 + Mg3) CR2 = (G4 + Cy4) - (Ye4 + Mg4). With the second read method, a color difference line sequential signal can be obtained. The second read method is suitable for a moving image object, because the number of read signals is a half of the first read method. 3rd Read Method: Color difference signals CB are calculated from adjacent pairs of a series of signals output from image pickup elements, the series being: (G1 + Ye1), (Cy1 + Mg1), (G2 + Ye2), (Cy2 + Mg2),... and the color difference signals CB being, for example: CB1 = (G1 + Ye1) - (Cy1 + Mg1) CB2 = (G2 + Ye2) - (Cy2 + Mg2). Color difference signals CR are calculated from adjacent pairs of a series of signals output from image pickup elements, the series being: (G2 + Cy2), (Ye2 + Mg2), (G4 + Cy4), (Ye4 + Mg4),... and the color difference signals CR being, for example: CR1 = (G2 + Cy2) - (Ye2 + Mg2) CR2 = (G4 + Cy4) - (Ye4 + Mg4). The third read method is suitable for a moving image object. An image signal can be read at high speed because the number of read color difference signals of pixels is a half of the first read method. 4th Read Method: Color difference signals CB are calculated by the method similar to the third read method. Color difference signals CR are calculated from adjacent pairs of a series of signals output from image pickup elements, the series being: (G1, Cy1), (Ye1, Mg1), (G3, Cy3), (Ye3, Mg3),... and the color difference signals CR being, for example: CR1 = (G1 + Cy1) - (Ye1 + Mg1) CR2 = (G3 + Cy3) - (Ye3 + Mg3). The fourth read method is suitable for a moving image object. An image signal can be read at high speed because the number of read color difference signals of pixels is a half of the first read method. 5th Read Method: Color difference signals CB are calculated by the method similar to the third read method. Color difference signals CR are calculated from adjacent pairs of a series of signals output from image pickup elements, the series being: (G1, Cy1), (Ye1, Mg1), (G2, Cy2), (Ye2, Mg2),... and the color difference signals CR being, for example: CR1 = (G1 + Cy1) - (Ye1 + Mg1) CR2 = (G2 + Cy2) - (Ye2 + Mg2). The fifth read method is suitable for a moving image object. An image signal can be read at high speed because the number of read color difference signals of pixels is a half of the first read method. The color difference signals CB and CR are obtained from the same area. 6th to 9th Read Methods: Color difference signals CB are calculated from adjacent pairs of a series of signals output from image pickup elements, the series being: (G1+ Ye1), (Cy1 + Mg1), (G3 + Ye3), (Cy3 + Mg3),... and the color difference signals CB being, for example: CB1 = (G1 + Ye1) - (Cy1 + Mg1) CB2 = (G3 + Ye3) - (Cy3 + Mg3). The color difference signals CR are calculated by the similar method to the second to fifth read methods. The sixth to ninth read methods are suitable for a moving image object. An image signal can be read at high speed because the number of read color difference signals of pixels is a half of the first read method. 10th Read Method: Color difference signals CB are calculated from adjacent pairs of a series of signals output from image pickup elements, the series being: (G1 + Ye1), (Cy1 + Mg1), ... and the color difference signal CB being, for example: CB1 = (G1 + Ye1) - (Cy1 + Mg1) Color difference signals CR are calculated from adjacent pairs of a series of signals output from image pickup elements, the series being: (G4, Cy4), (Ye4, Me4),... and the color difference signal CR being, for example: CR1 = (G4 + Cy4) - (Ye4 + Mg4) The tenth method is suitable for a moving image object. An image signal can be read at high speed because the number of read color difference signals of pixels is a quarter of the first read method. The above read methods may be used while pixels are read by thinning them in the unit of a fundamental pattern or a plurality of fundamental pattern to thereby speed up a read operation. Next, a circuit structure realizing the read methods above using CMOS sensors as an example of image pickup elements will be described. Fig. 5 is a circuit diagram showing the structure of a CMOS sensor of the circuit structure. The CMOS sensor includes: a first output series for outputting a difference between an average value of detection light amounts of two pixels adjacent in the vertical direction in one column and an average value of detection light amounts of two pixels adjacent in the vertical direction in the next column; and a second output series for outputting a difference between an average value of detection light amounts of two pixels adjacent in the horizontal direction in one row and an average value of detection light amounts of two pixels adjacent in the horizontal direction in the next row. Therefore, the CMOS sensor of this configuration can effect the first read method. Referring to Fig. 5, reference numeral 1 represents a vertical scan circuit for generating an enable signal which enables a control signal of each row, the enable signal sequentially becoming active in the vertical direction. Reference numeral 100 represents a photodiode serving as a photodetector for converting incidence light into electric charges. Reference numeral 101 represents a transfer transistor for transferring the electric charges generated by the photodiode 100 to a floating diffusion region 102 which temporarily stores the transferred electric charges. Reference numeral 103 represents a reset transistor for discharging electric charges accumulated in the gate of an amplifier transistor 104. Reference numeral 121 represents a switching transistor. The elements 100 to 104, and 121 constitute one pixel. Reference numeral 112 represents a constant current source transistor which is activated by a voltage applied to a terminal 7. Reference numeral 105 represents a transistor for discharging electric charges in capacitors 109, 110, 117, and 118. Reference numeral 106 represents a current distribution division transistor for connecting the source of the transistor 104 to the capacitor 109. Reference numeral 107 represents a current distribution transistor for connecting the source of the transistor 104 to the capacitor 110. The capacitors 109 and 110 function as a line memory which is charged by a voltage supplied from the transistor 104. Reference numeral 108 represents an averaging transistor for averaging the electric charges in the capacitors 109 and 110. Reference numeral 111 represents a switching transistor for applying a voltage of the line memory 109 to a buffer 123 at the front stage of a differential amplifier 122 which amplifies a difference between voltages across the capacitors 109 and 109'. Reference numeral 113 represents a switching transistor for connecting the source of the transistor 104 to a capacitor 117. Reference numeral 114 represents a switching transistor for connecting the source of the transistor 104 to a capacitor 118. The capacitors 117 and 118 are charged by a current supplied from the source of the transistor 104. Reference numeral 115 represents a switching transistor for controlling to average the electric charges stored in the capacitors 117 and 117'. Reference numeral 116 represents a switching transistor for controlling to average the electric charges stored in the capacitors 118 and 118'. Reference numeral 119 represents a switching transistor for supplying a voltage of the line memory 117 to a buffer 129 at the front stage of a differential amplifier 127 which amplifies a difference between voltages across the capacitors 117 and 118'. The constant current source transistor 112 is activated in the unit of a row, and paired with the transistor 104 to constitute an amplifier. Fig. 6 is a timing chart illustrating an operation of the CMOS sensor shown in Fig. 5. With reference to Figs. 5 and 6, the operation of the CMOS sensor shown in Fig. 5 will be described. At timing T201, a pulse applied to a terminal 11 takes a high state, and pulses applied to M terminals 30, 31, 50, and 51 take the high state. Therefore, the line memories 109, 110, 117, and 118 are reset to initial potentials. At the same time, a start pulse applied to a terminal 2 of the vertical scan circuit 1 and a scan pulse applied to a terminal 3 take the high level, so that the vertical scan circuit 1 starts scanning to select the first row. A high level pulse is applied to a terminal 8 to reset the floating diffusion regions of the pixel area. At timing T202, a reset pulse at the terminal 8 falls so that the floating diffusion regions of first row pixels are made in an electrically floating state. At timing T203, a high level pulse is applied to a terminal 9 so that electric charges are transferred from photodiodes of the first row to the floating diffusion regions. At timing T204, a high level pulse is applied to terminals 10, 30, and 50 so that a voltage proportional to light amounts detected with the photodetectors of the first row is read to the capacitors 109 and 117 via the amplifier 104. At timing T205, the vertical scan pulse 3 falls. At timing T206, the vertical scan pulse 3 again rises to select the second row. At timing T207, a reset pulse false so that the floating diffusion regions of pixels of the second row are made in an electrically floating state. At timing T208, similar to timing T203, a high level pulse is applied to the terminal 9 so that electric charges are transferred from photodiodes of the second row to the floating diffusion regions. At timing T209, similar to timing T204, a high level pulse is applied to terminals 10, 30, and 51 so that a voltage proportional to light amounts detected with the photodetectors of the second row is read to the capacitors 110 and 118 via the amplifier 104 of the second row. At timing T210, a high level pulse is applied to terminals 40, 60, and 61 to average the electric charges on the line memories. At timing T211, a horizontal scan circuit 4 starts scanning so that averaged voltages are sequentially applied in the horizontal direction to the differential amplifiers 122 and 127. The differential amplifiers 122 and 127 outputs a blue color difference signal CB and a red color difference signal CR. By connecting adders (not shown) made of an operational amplifier or the like to the terminals 70 and 71 and to the terminals 80 and 81, luminance signals can be output using the luminance read methods described below. 1st Luminance Read Method: Luminance signals Y are calculated from adjacent pairs of a series of signals output from image pickup elements, the series being: (G1 + Ye1), (Cy1 + Mg1), (G2 + Ye2), (Cy2 + Mg2), (G3 + Ye3), (Cy3 + Mg3), (G4 + Ye4), (Cy4 + Mg4),... and the luminance signals Y being, for example: Y1 = (G1 + Ye1) + (Cy1 + Mg1) Y2 = (G2 + Ye2) + (Cy2 + Mg2) Y3 = (G3 + Ye3) + (Cy3 + Mg3) Y4 = (G4 + Ye4) + (Cy4 + Mg4). 2nd Luminance Read Method: Luminance signals Y are calculated from adjacent pairs of a series of signals output from image pickup elements, the series being: (G1 + Cy1), (Ye1 + Mg1), (G2 + Cy2), (Ye2 + Mg2), (G3 + Cy3), (Ye3 + Mg3), (G4 + Cy4), (Ye4 + Mg4),... and the luminance signals Y being, for example: Y1 = (G1 + Cy1) + (Ye1 + Mg1) Y2 = (G2 + Cy2) + (Ye2 + Mg2) Y3 = (G3 + Cy3) + (Ye3 + Mg3) Y4 = (G4 + Cy4) + (Ye4 + Mg4). In the operation described with reference to Fig. 5, a reset voltage at the floating diffusion regions may be read to another line memory, prior to reading image signals of pixels. In this case, by using a difference between the reset voltage and the image signal, a variation of output voltages to be caused by a variation of threshold voltages of transistors 104 can be eliminated. Therefore, an image signal with a high S/N ratio can be obtained which does not contain noise components to be generated by a variation of image signals caused by a variation of amounts of light detected with photodetectors. Vertical/horizontal scanning may be performed by thinning pixels in the unit of one block or a plurality of blocks so that more compressed image signals can be obtained. Other photoelectric conversion elements may be used to obtain similar advantages of the above embodiments. In the above embodiments, a CMOS sensor is used as an example of image pickup elements. Other image pickup elements such as CCD and SIT may also be used. In the above embodiments, color filters of four colors including yellow Ye, magenta Mg, cyan Cy, and green G are used. Other color filters may also be used if they can obtain a luminance signal and color difference signals. As described so far, according to the embodiments, a color image signal with color difference signals having a high resolution both in the horizontal and vertical directions can be obtained, for example by using the first read method. According to the embodiments, there are various read modes relative to the same color filer pattern. Accordingly, the embodiments can be applied to a multi-mode such as a mode of outputting an image signal at high speed which signal can be used for simple color display, autofocus, white balance adjustment and a mode of outputting an image signal having a high resolution.

Claims: An image pickup apparatus comprising a plurality of photosensitive photoconductor elements (100) providing a plurality of pixels in a 2-dimensional array, a color filter array associated with said plurality of pixels, and color difference signal generating means for generating color difference signals from the values of light amounts detected by pixels within the 2-dimensional array; characterised in that : the color filter array (Fig. 4) comprises a pattern of four colors A, B, C and D (Fig. 3) arranged in two rows and two columns with one of said two rows comprising A and B and the other comprising C and D, and one of said two columns comprising A and C and the other comprising B and D, and wherein each color is associated with one pixel, and the pattern is repeated at a period of two rows x two columns (Fig. 4); and the color difference signal generating means is arranged to: generate a first color difference signal (A+B)-(C+D) using the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels adjacent to each other in a first row of the 2-dimensional array and the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels adjacent to each other in a second row of the 2-dimensional array; generate a second color difference signal (A+C)-(B+D) using the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels adjacent to each other in a first column of the 2-dimensional array and the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels adjacent to each other in a second column of the 2-dimensional array. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color difference signal generating means is arranged to: generate the first color difference signal using the values of light amounts detected by pixels associated with color filters in a first position of the filter pattern; and generate the second color difference signal using the values of light amounts detected by pixels associated with color filters in a second position of the filter pattern. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising luminance signal generating means arranged to generate a luminance signal A+B+C+D using the values of light amounts detected by pixels within the 2-dimensional array. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the luminance signal generating means is arranged to generate the luminance signal A+B+C+D using the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels in a first row of the 2-dimensional array and the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels in a second row of the 2-dimensional array, but not the sum of the values of light amounts detected by pixels in a column. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the luminance signal generating means is arranged to generate the luminance signal A+B+C+D using the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels in a first column of the 2-dimensional array and the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels in a second column of the 2-dimensional array, but not the sum of the values of light amounts detected by pixels in a row. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the four colors of the filter array are cyan, magenta, green and yellow: Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: the first color difference signal comprises (green + yellow)-(magenta + cyan); and the second color difference signal comprises (green + cyan)-(yellow + magenta). A method of generating color difference signals using an image pickup apparatus comprising a plurality of photosensitive photoconductor elements (100) providing a plurality of pixels in a 2-dimensional array, and a color filter array associated with said plurality of pixels, the color filter array (Fig. 4) comprising a pattern of four colors A, B, C and D (Fig. 3) arranged in two rows and two columns with one of said two rows comprising A and B and the other comprising C and D, and one of said two columns comprising A and C and the other comprising B and D, and wherein each color is associated with one pixel, and the pattern is repeated at a period of two rows x two columns (Fig. 4), the method comprising: generating a first color difference signal (A+B)-(C+D) using the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels adjacent to each other in a first row of the 2-dimensional array and the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels adjacent to each other in a second row of the 2-dimensional array; and generating a second color difference signal (A+C)-(B+D) using the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels adjacent to each other in a first column of the 2-dimensional array and the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels adjacent to each other in a second column of the 2-dimensional array. A method according to claim 8, wherein: the first color difference signal is generated using the values of light amounts detected by pixels associated with color filters in a first position of the filter pattern; and the second color difference signal is generated using the values of light amounts detected by pixels associated with color filters in a second position of the filter pattern. A method according to claim 8 or claim 9, further comprising generating a luminance signal A+B+C+D using the values of light amounts detected by pixels within the 2-dimensional array. A method according to claim 10, wherein the luminance signal is generated using the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels in a first row of the 2-dimensional array and the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels in a second row of the 2-dimensional array, but not the sum of the values of light amounts detected by pixels in a column. A method according to claim 10, wherein the luminance signal is generated using the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels in a first column of the 2-dimensional array and the sum of the values of light amounts detected by a pair of pixels in a second column of the 2-dimensional array, but not the sum of the values of light amounts detected by pixels in a row. A method according to any of claims 8 to 12, wherein the color difference signals are generated using an image pickup apparatus in which the four colors of the filter array are cyan, magenta, green and yellow. A method according to claim 13, wherein: the first color difference signal comprises (green + yellow)-(magenta + cyan); and the second color difference signal comprises (green + cyan)-(yellow + magenta).

Inventors: HIYAMA HIROKI, KOCHI TETSUNOBU, KOIZUMI TORU, OGAWA KATSUHISA, SAKURAI KATSUHITO, SUGAWA SHIGETOSHI, UENO ISAMU, HIYAMA, HIROKI, KOCHI, TETSUNOBU, KOIZUMI, TORU, OGAWA, KATSUHISA, SAKURAI, KATSUHITO, SUGAWA, SHIGETOSHI, UENO, ISAMU
Applicants: CANON KK, CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1999
Main classification: H04N9
IPC codes: H04N9