IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,477,850
Granted Patent B2
US 12,477,850 · App. 18/177,826 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Image sensor pixel array having minimal repeating unit

Inventors: Xiaodong Yang (San Jose, CA); Masao Sambongi (Fremont, CA); Chengming Liu (Fremont, CA); Chen Zhang (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
H10F39/8053H10F39/182H10F39/8063
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,477,850
App. No.
18/177,826
Granted
Nov 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an embodiment, an image sensor comprises a pixel array having a minimal repeating unit, where the minimal repeating unit consists of 4×4 pixels including 12 green pixels, 2 blue pixels, and 2 red pixels, where a minimal repeating unit is immediately next to another minimal repeating unit in row and column directions. In another embodiment, an image sensor comprises a pixel array having a minimal repeating unit, where the minimal repeating unit consists of 8×8 pixels including 48 green pixels, 8 blue pixels, and 8 red pixels.

Claims (422)

1 . An image sensor comprising a pixel array having a minimal repeating unit, wherein the minimal repeating unit consists of 4×4 pixels including 12 green pixels, 2 blue pixels, and 2 red pixels; wherein a minimal repeating unit is immediately next to another minimal repeating unit in row and column directions.

2 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the minimal repeating unit is:

B

G

G

G

G

B

G

G

G

G

R

G

G

G

G

R,

wherein B stands for a blue pixel, G stands for a green pixel, and R stands for a red pixel.

3 . The image sensor of claim 2 , wherein the minimal repeating unit is diagonally binned in a first direction to produce a Bayer pattern, and wherein the minimal repeating unit is diagonally binned in a second direction, the second direction opposite to the first direction, to produce a pattern consisting of all green pixels.

4 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the minimal repeating unit is:

G

G

G

B

G

G

B

G

G

R

G

G

R

G

G

G,

wherein B stands for a blue pixel, G stands for a green pixel, and R stands for a red pixel.

5 . The image sensor of claim 4 , wherein the minimal repeating unit is diagonally binned in a first direction to produce a Bayer pattern, and wherein the minimal repeating unit is diagonally binned in a second direction, the second direction opposite to the first direction, to produce a pattern consisting of all green pixels.

6 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the minimal repeating unit is:

FC

G

G

G

G

FC

G

G

G

G

G

SC

G

G

SC

G,

wherein G stands for a green pixel, FC stands for a first color pixel, and SC stands for a second color pixel; and

wherein the first color is one of blue and red, the second color is one of blue and red, and the second color is different from the first color.

7 . The image sensor of claim 6 , wherein the minimal repeating unit is diagonally binned in a first direction to produce a first-color-green pattern having no second color pixel, and wherein the minimal repeating unit is diagonally binned in a second direction, the second direction opposite to the first direction, to produce a second-color-green pattern having no first color pixel.

8 . The image sensor of claim 1 , wherein the minimal repeating unit is:

G

G

G

FC

G

G

FC

G

SC

G

G

G

G

SC

G

G,

wherein G stands for a green pixel, FC stands for a first color pixel, and SC stands for a second color pixel; and

wherein the first color is one of blue and red, the second color is one of blue and red, and the second color is different from the first color.

9 . The image sensor of claim 8 , wherein the minimal repeating unit is diagonally binned in a first direction to produce a first-color-green pattern having no second color pixel, and wherein the minimal repeating unit is diagonally binned in a second direction, the second direction opposite to the first direction, to produce a second-color-green pattern having no first color pixel.

10 . An image sensor comprising an image pixel array having a minimal repeating unit, wherein the minimal repeating unit consists of 8×8 pixels including 48 green pixels, 8 blue pixels, and 8 red pixels; wherein a minimal repeating unit is immediately next to another minimal repeating unit in row and column directions.

11 . The image sensor of claim 10 wherein the minimal repeating unit is:

B

B

G

G

G

G

G

G

B

B

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

B

B

G

G

G

G

G

G

B

B

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

R

R

G

G

G

G

G

G

R

R

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

R

R

G

G

G

G

G

G

R

R,

wherein B stands for a blue pixel, G stands for a green pixel, and R stands for a red pixel.

12 . The image sensor of claim 11 , wherein each pixel of the minimal repeating unit has a microlens.

13 . The image sensor of claim 11 , wherein a microlens covers four pixels of the minimal repeating unit.

14 . The image sensor of claim 11 , wherein after four-to-one binning, the minimal repeating unit becomes:

B

G

G

G

G

B

G

G

G

G

R

G

G

G

G

R.

15 . The image sensor of claim 10 wherein the minimal repeating unit is:

G

G

G

G

G

G

B

B

G

G

G

G

G

G

B

B

G

G

G

G

B

B

G

G

G

G

G

G

B

B

G

G

G

G

R

R

G

G

G

G

G

G

R

R

G

G

G

G

R

R

G

G

G

G

G

G

R

R

G

G

G

G

G

G,

wherein B stands for a blue pixel, G stands for a green pixel, and R stands for a red pixel.

16 . The image sensor of claim 15 , wherein each pixel of the minimal repeating unit has a microlens.

17 . The image sensor of claim 15 , wherein a microlens covers four pixels of the minimal repeating unit.

18 . The image sensor of claim 15 , wherein after four-to-one binning, the minimal repeating unit becomes:

G

G

G

B

G

G

B

G

G

R

G

G

R

G

G

B.

19 . The image sensor of claim 10 wherein the minimal repeating unit is:

FC

FC

G

G

G

G

G

G

FC

FC

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

FC

FC

G

G

G

G

G

G

FC

FC

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

SC

SC

G

G

G

G

G

G

SC

SC

G

G

G

G

SC

SC

G

G

G

G

G

G

SC

SC

G

G,

wherein G stands for a green pixel, FC stands for a first color pixel, and SC stands for a second color pixel; and

wherein the first color is one of blue and red, the second color is one of blue and red, and the second color is different from the first color.

20 . The image sensor of claim 19 , wherein each pixel of the minimal repeating unit has a microlens.

21 . The image sensor of claim 19 , wherein a microlens covers four pixels of the minimal repeating unit.

22 . The image sensor of claim 19 , wherein after four-to-one binning, the minimal repeating unit becomes:

FC

G

G

G

G

FC

G

G

G

G

G

SC

G

G

SC

G.

23 . The image sensor of claim 10 wherein the minimal repeating unit is:

G

G

G

G

G

G

FC

FC

G

G

G

G

G

G

FC

FC

G

G

G

G

FC

FC

G

G

G

G

G

G

FC

FC

G

G

SC

SC

G

G

G

G

G

G

SC

SC

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

G

SC

SC

G

G

G

G

G

G

SC

SC

G

G

G

G,

wherein G stands for a green pixel, FC stands for a first color pixel, and SC stands for a second color pixel; and

wherein the first color is one of blue and red, the second color is one of blue and red, and the second color is different from the first color.

24 . The image sensor of claim 23 , wherein each pixel of the minimal repeating unit has a microlens.

25 . The image sensor of claim 23 , wherein a microlens covers four pixels of the minimal repeating unit.

26 . The image sensor of claim 23 , wherein after four-to-one binning, the minimal repeating unit becomes:

G

G

G

FC

G

G

FC

G

SC

G

G

G

G

SC

G

G.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2023
From: YANG, XIAODONG; SAMBONGI, MASAO; LIU, CHENGMING; ZHANG, CHEN
To: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 062866/0034 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240297191A1 · Sep 5, 2024
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