Patent ID: 8902338

Claim:
A color separating filter array in which a plurality of unit elements, each having the shape of a triangular pyramid, are arranged two-dimensionally, each said unit element comprising: first, second, and third filters that are arranged to form the three lateral faces of the triangular pyramid and that have mutually different transmission wavelength ranges and reflection wavelength ranges; and a reflective region that is arranged to form a transverse face of the triangular pyramid and further reflect a light ray that has been incident on a region surrounded with the first, second and third filters and reflected from any of the first, second and third filters and to guide the reflected light ray to another one of the first, second and third filters that is different from the one that has already reflected the light ray once, the first filter being designed to transmit visible radiation falling within a first wavelength range and reflect visible radiation falling within any wavelength range other than the first wavelength range, the second filter being designed to transmit visible radiation falling within a second wavelength range and reflect visible radiation falling within any wavelength range other than the second wavelength range, the third filter being designed to transmit visible radiation falling within a third wavelength range and reflect visible radiation falling within any wavelength range other than the third wavelength range.