Imaging devices, such as cameras, can be used to capture images of portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as the visible light spectrum, incident upon an image sensor. For ease of discussion, the term light is generically used to cover radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. In a typical imaging device, light enters through an opening (aperture) at one end of the imaging device and is directed to an image sensor by one or more optical elements such as lenses. The image sensor includes pixels or sensor elements that generate signals upon receiving light via the optical element. Commonly used image sensors include charge-coupled device (CCDs) sensors and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors. Each pixel in an image sensor is capable of capturing light and converting the captured light into electrical signals. In order to separate the colors of light and capture a color image, a Bayer filter is often placed over the image sensor, filtering the incoming light into its red, blue, and green (RGB) components that are then captured by the image sensor. The RGB signal captured by the image sensor using a Bayer filter can then be processed and a color image can be created.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds