Wafer level camera having movable color filter grouping

Abstract

An image capture unit includes an image sensor and a lens structure disposed proximate to the image sensor to focus an image onto the image sensor. A movable color filter grouping is disposed over the lens structure. The movable color filter grouping includes a plurality of N color filters arranged therein such that all light that is incident upon the image sensor through the lens structure is directed through only one of the plurality of N color filters of the movable color filter grouping per each exposure of the image sensor. A positioning device is attached to the movable color filter grouping to reposition the movable color filter grouping such that substantially all of the light that is incident upon the image sensor through the lens structure is directed through a different one of the plurality of N color filters for each successive exposure of the image sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image capture unit, comprising:
 an image sensor including a pixel array having M pixels; 
 a lens structure disposed proximate to the image sensor to focus an image onto the image sensor; 
 a movable color filter grouping disposed over the lens structure, wherein the movable color filter grouping includes a plurality of N color filters arranged therein such that all light that is incident upon the image sensor through the lens structure is directed through only one of the plurality of N color filters of the movable color filter grouping per each exposure of the image sensor; 
 a positioning device attached to the movable color filter grouping to reposition the movable color filter grouping between each exposure of the image sensor such that substantially all of the light that is incident upon the image sensor through the lens structure is directed through a different one of the plurality of N color filters for each successive exposure of the image sensor; and 
 circuitry and logic coupled to the image sensor to:
 capture N single-color images each with M pixel resolution, and 
 combine the N single-color images into one multi-color image with substantially M×N pixel resolution. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The image capture unit of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of N color filters includes a red filter, a green filter, a blue filter, and a clear filter. 
     
     
       3. The image capture unit of  claim 1  wherein the positioning device includes a motor attached to the movable color filter grouping to rotate the movable color filter grouping with respect to the lens structure and the image sensor. 
     
     
       4. The image capture unit of  claim 1  wherein the positioning device includes an actuator attached to the movable color filter grouping to shift the movable color filter grouping along an x direction with respect to the lens structure and the image sensor. 
     
     
       5. The image capture unit of  claim 4  wherein the actuator attached to the movable color filter grouping is further coupled to shift the movable color filter grouping along a y direction with respect to the lens structure and the image sensor. 
     
     
       6. The image capture unit of  claim 4  wherein the actuator comprises a voice coil module actuator attached to the movable color filter grouping. 
     
     
       7. The image capture unit of  claim 4  wherein the actuator comprises a piezo actuator attached to the movable color filter grouping. 
     
     
       8. The image capture unit of  claim 4  wherein the actuator comprises a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator attached to the movable color filter grouping. 
     
     
       9. The image capture unit of  claim 4  wherein a frequency of the actuator attached to the movable color filter grouping is greater than a frame rate of the image sensor. 
     
     
       10. The image capture unit of  claim 4  wherein a moving speed of the actuator attached to the movable color filter grouping is greater than a shutter speed of the image sensor. 
     
     
       11. An imaging system, comprising:
 an image sensor including a pixel array; 
 a lens structure disposed proximate to the image sensor to focus an image onto the image sensor; 
 a movable color filter grouping disposed over the lens structure, wherein the movable color filter grouping includes a plurality of N color filters arranged therein such that all light that is incident upon the image sensor through the lens structure is directed through only one of the plurality of N color filters of the movable color filter grouping per each exposure of the image sensor; 
 a positioning device attached to the movable color filter grouping to reposition the movable color filter grouping between each exposure of the image sensor such that substantially all of the light that is incident upon the image sensor through the lens structure is directed through a different one of the plurality of N color filters for each successive exposure of the image sensor; 
 control circuitry coupled to the pixel array to control operation of the pixel array, the control circuitry further coupled to the positioning device to control the repositioning of the movable color filter grouping; 
 readout circuitry coupled to the image sensor to readout image data from the plurality of pixels; and 
 function logic coupled to the readout circuitry to store the image data; 
 wherein the function logic is coupled to the readout circuitry to combine N successive single-color exposures into a single multi-color image by re-arranging the pixel order of each of the N successive single-color exposures; and 
 wherein number of pixels in the multi-color image is substantially N times the number of pixels in each of the single-color exposures. 
 
     
     
       12. The imaging system of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of N color filters includes a red filter, a green filter, a blue filter, and a clear filter. 
     
     
       13. The imaging system of  claim 11  wherein the positioning device includes a motor attached to the movable color filter grouping to rotate the movable color filter grouping with respect to the lens structure and the image sensor. 
     
     
       14. The imaging system of  claim 11  wherein the positioning device includes an actuator attached to the movable color filter grouping to shift the movable color filter grouping along an x direction with respect to the lens structure and the image sensor. 
     
     
       15. The imaging system of  claim 14  wherein the actuator attached to the movable color filter grouping is further coupled to shift the movable color filter grouping along a y direction with respect to the lens structure and the image sensor. 
     
     
       16. The imaging system of  claim 14  wherein the actuator comprises a voice coil module actuator attached to the movable color filter grouping. 
     
     
       17. The imaging system of  claim 14  wherein the actuator comprises a piezo actuator attached to the movable color filter grouping. 
     
     
       18. The imaging system of  claim 14  wherein the actuator comprises a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator attached to the movable color filter grouping.