Patent ID: 7633537

Claim:
A color imaging device, in which pixel blocks are arranged in an array state, comprising a signal processing unit generating color signals based on respective outputs of a first pixel, second pixel, and third pixel, said pixel blocks including: said first pixel detecting red light; said second pixel detecting green light; said third pixel detecting blue light; and a fourth pixel detecting light having one of wavelengths between the green light and the blue light and between the green light and the red light, wherein sensitivity of said second pixel is higher than sensitivity of any one of said first pixel, said third pixel, and said fourth pixel, and the sensitivity of said fourth pixel to the light detected is kept lower than the sensitivity of said second pixel to the green light, and said signal processing unit generates the color signals based on four color components including respective outputs of said first pixel, said second pixel, said third pixel, and said fourth pixel when the output of said second pixel does not reach a saturation level, and generates the color signals based on three color components including respective outputs of said first pixel, said third pixel, and said fourth pixel and excluding the output of said second pixel when the output of said second pixel reaches the saturation level.