Patent ID: 6876384

Claim:
A method of processing data representative of color information extracted from an array of pixels in an imaging array, the imaging array including a plurality of pixels which are responsive to photon energy in a distinct spectral region, each of the pixels being capable of outputting an intensity value which is representative of an intensity of photoexposure in the spectral region associated with the pixel over an exposure period, the method comprising: identifying each pixel responsive to photoexposure in a first spectral region having an intensity value between a minimum intensity value and a maximum intensity value to provide a plurality of first pixels, selecting a first pixel from the plurality of first pixels to form a selected first pixel, selecting, for each selected first pixel, at least one pixel associated with a second spectral region to determine at least one associated second pixel for each selected first pixel and selecting at least one pixel associated with a third spectral region to determine at least one associated third pixel for each selected first pixel, and associating the intensity value of the associated second pixel and the intensity value of the associated third pixel with the intensity value of the selected first pixel to determine a matching set therewith, the matching set including the selected first pixel, the associated second pixel, and the associated third pixel, wherein associating the intensity value of the associated second pixel and the intensity value of the associated third pixel with the intensity value of the selected first pixel includes: determining whether the intensity value of the associated second pixel is within a first range of the intensity value of the selected first pixel, and determining whether the intensity value of the associated third pixel is within a second range of the intensity value of the associated second pixel, and determining a first gain coefficient for application to the intensity values of each of the pixels associated with the second spectral region based upon an accumulation of the intensity values associated with the associated second pixels and determining a second gain coefficient for application to the intensity values of each of the pixels associated with the third spectral region based upon an accumulation of the intensity values associated with the associated third pixels.