Method and apparatus for interpolating missing colors in a color filter array

1. A method of interpolating missing colors in a color filter array (CFA) comprising red, green and blue photosites, the method comprising:

using an edge detector and one or more interpolators to:

determine an interpolation direction for each red and each blue photosite based on local edge information;

interpolate a green color for each red and each blue photosite in the determined interpolation direction for the each red and each blue photosite;

for each green photosite, interpolate red and blue colors;

for each red photosite, interpolate a blue color in the determined interpolation direction for the each red photosite; and

for each blue photosite, interpolate a red color in the determined interpolation direction for the each blue photosite; and then

reduce Moiré by

converting each photosite from RGB color space to YCbCr to produce converted photosites;

selecting each converted photosite, and for each selected converted photosite modifying a Cb value of the each selected converted photosite to a Cb average of converted photosites within a window that is centered at the each selected converted photosite; and

wherein said green color interpolating in vertical and horizontal directions for each red photosite involves local green and red photosites; and

for an upper vertical directional gradient, local green and red photosites in a first region that extends to the sides of and above the selected red photosite are used, a central strand of photosites of the first region comprises four photosites and extends vertically upwards beginning at the selected red photosite, and adjacent flanking strands of photosites comprise three photosites;

for a lower vertical directional gradient, local green and red photosites in a second region that extends to the sides of and below the selected red photosite are used, a central strand of photosites of the second region comprises four photosites and extends vertically downwards beginning at the selected red photosite, and adjacent flanking strands of photosites comprise three photosites;

for a left horizontal directional gradient, local green and red photosites in a third region that extends above and below and to the left of the selected red photosite are used, a central strand of photosites of the third region comprises four photosites and extends horizontally to the left beginning at the selected red photosite, and adjacent flanking strands of photosites comprise three photosites; and

for a right horizontal directional gradient, local green and red photosites in a fourth region that extends above and below and to the right of the selected red photosite are used, a central strand of photosites of the fourth region comprises four photosites and extends horizontally to the right beginning at the selected red photosite, and adjacent flanking strands of photosites comprise three photosites.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said interpolation direction for each red and each blue photosite corresponds to the direction along which a local edge, proximate to the each red and each blue photosite, most likely runs.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said interpolation direction determining comprises:

for each red and blue photosite, examining different groups of photosites adjacent the photosite to detect local edges, each group of photosites being associated with a different direction;

determining the group of photosites associated with the direction that corresponds with the direction of the local edge; and

assigning the photosite an interpolation direction corresponding to the direction associated with the determined group of photosites.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein during said photosite group examining, directional gradients for each group of photosites are calculated, and wherein during said photosite group determining, the directional gradients are compared to detect the smallest gradient.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein each group of photosites comprises photosites along a central strand intersecting the photosite and photosites along strands flanking the central strand.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said directional gradients comprise vertical, horizontal and diagonal gradients.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said directional gradients comprise upper and lower vertical, left and right horizontal and forward and backward diagonal gradients.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said directional gradient calculating comprises, for each gradient, calculating differences between different pairs of photosites in each group.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said green color interopolating in vertical and horizontal directions for each blue photosite involves local green and blue photosites.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said green color interpolating in diagonal directions for each blue photosite involves local green and red photosites.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said red and blue color interpolating for each green photosite, involves interpolated green colors at local photosites.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein said blue color interpolating for each red photosite involves the interpolated green color for the photosite and interpolated colors at local photosites.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein said red color interpolating for each blue photosite involves the interpolated green color for the photosite and interpolated colors at local photosites.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said green color interpolating in diagonal directions for each red photosite involves local green and blue photosites.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program for interpolating missing colors in a color filter array comprising red, green and blue photosites, said computer program comprising:

computer program code for determining an interpolation direction for each red and each blue photosite based on local edge information;

computer program code for interpolating a green color for each red and each blue photosite in the determined interpolation direction for the each red and each blue photosite;

computer program code for interpolating, for each green photosite, red and blue colors;

computer program code for interpolating, for each red photosite, a blue color in the determined interpolation direction for the each red photosite; and

computer program code for interpolating for each blue photosite, a red color in the determined interpolation direction for the each blue photosite;

and computer program code for then reducing Moiré by

converting each photosite from RGB color space to YCbCr to produce converted photosites;

selecting each converted photosite, and for each selected converted photosite modifying a Cb value of the each selected converted photosite to a Cb average of converted photosites within a window that is centered at the each selected converted photosite; and

wherein said green color interpolating in vertical and horizontal directions for each red photosite involves local green and red photosites; and

for an upper vertical directional gradient, local green and red photosites in a first region that extends to the sides of and above the selected red photosite are used, a central strand of photosites of the first region comprises four photosites and extends vertically upwards beginning at the selected red photosite, and adjacent flanking strands of photosites comprise three photosites;

for a lower vertical directional gradient, local green and red photosites in a second region that extends to the sides of and below the selected red photosite are used, a central strand of photosites of the second region comprises four photosites and extends vertically downwards beginning at the selected red photosite, and adjacent flanking strands of photosites comprise three photosites;

for a left horizontal directional gradient, local green and red photosites in a third region that extends above and below and to the left of the selected red photosite are used, a central strand of photosites of the third region comprises four photosites and extends horizontally to the left beginning at the selected red photosite, and adjacent flanking strands of photosites comprise three photosites; and

for a right horizontal directional gradient, local green and red photosites in a fourth region that extends above and below and to the right of the selected red photosite are used, a central strand of photosites of the fourth region comprises four photosites and extends horizontally to the right beginning at the selected red photosite, and adjacent flanking strands of photosites comprise three photosites.