Patent ID: 7176446

Claim:
A method of constructing an electronic image sensor device, said method comprising: forming an electronic image sensor array sensitive to at least three distinct wavelengths, comprising a plurality of individual image sensors, each made sensitive to substantially only one of the three distinct wavelengths, the plurality of individual image sensors arranged in a plurality of parallel lines defining an imaging plane; and mounting a pattern of refractive elements in front of said electronic image sensor array, the pattern of refractive elements configured such that light of each one of the three distinct wavelengths is refracted in a direction oblique in the imaging plane relative to the parallel lines and is concentrated onto the individual image sensors sensitive to the one of the three distinct wavelengths: wherein said act of mounting the pattern of refractive elements in front of said electronic image sensor array further comprises configuring the pattern of refractive elements to refract light at a first wavelength in a first direction oblique in the imaging plane relative to the parallel lines and to refract light at a second wavelength in a second direction oblique in the imaging plane relative to the parallel lines onto the individual image sensors sensitive to the second wavelength; and wherein said act of refracting light in the first direction and in the second direction comprises refracting the light in the first direction substantially 180 degrees from said second direction.