Patent ID: 7667762

Claim:
A dual-sensor digital video camera comprising: a panchromatic sensor; a color filter array (CFA) sensor including a low-pass filter; and a beam splitter; wherein the beam splitter is configured to split a beam of light into a first beam directed to the panchromatic sensor and a second beam directed to the CFA sensor; wherein the panchromatic sensor produces first image information from the first beam; wherein the CFA sensor produces second image information from the second beam; wherein the dual-sensor digital video camera further comprises a memory medium storing alignment difference information indicating an alignment difference between the panchromatic sensor and the CFA sensor; wherein the dual-sensor digital video camera further comprises one or more computational elements configured to: determine a first plurality of pixels representing the first image information, wherein each pixel of the first plurality of pixels includes luminance information; determine a second plurality of pixels representing the second image information, wherein each pixel of the second plurality of pixels includes luminance information and chrominance information; produce a digital output signal including a third plurality of pixels, wherein the one or more computational elements are configured to produce each respective pixel of the third plurality of pixels by: including in the respective pixel the luminance information of a particular pixel of the first plurality of pixels; using the alignment difference information to determine a particular pixel of the second plurality of pixels that corresponds to the particular pixel of the first plurality of pixels; and including in the respective pixel the chrominance information of the particular pixel of the second plurality of pixels.