Patent ID: 8670052

Claim:
A color image sensor comprising: a pixel array including a color filter array (“CFA”) overlaying an array of photo-sensors for acquiring a color image, wherein the CFA includes: first color filter elements of a first color overlaying a first group of the photo-sensors, wherein the first group generates first color signals of a first color channel; second color filter elements of a second color overlaying a second group of the photo-sensors, wherein the second group generates second color signals of a second color channel; and a plurality of filter stacks overlaying a third group of the photo-sensors, wherein each of the filter stacks includes a first stacked filter of the first color and a second stacked filter of the second color, wherein a sensitivity of the filter stacks equals a product of sensitivities of the first and the second stacked filters , and wherein the filter stacks generate a third color channel, wherein the color image sensor is integrated on a semiconductor die, wherein the color image sensor further includes an output port coupled to the pixel array to output the color image having three color channels off of the semiconductor die.