JPS63305226A - Optical sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to identify the type of a light source automatically, by constituting a device with an image sensor having three or more picture elements and a reflecting plate in which reference colors are aligned. CONSTITUTION:Incident light passes through a scattering plate 1 at first. Specified color picture elements are laterally aligned in a reflecting plate 2. The light, which is reflected with the reflecting plate 2, passes through a one- dimensional lens 3. Then the light is inputted into a one-dimensional array type sensor 4. The alignment of the colors in the reflecting plate 2 is intactly inputted into the one-dimensional array type sensor 4 without mixing of the colors of the picture elements of the reflecting plate 2 when the light passes through the one-dimensional lens 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention is used in devices such as video cameras that input images and light using photoelectric conversion elements.

[Summary of the invention]

In the present invention, incident light is reflected by pixels having colors of at least three wavelengths set in several stages on a reflecting plate arranged according to a certain arrangement, and the reflected light is applied to a pixel that corresponds to each color. The light is incident on a light sensor with a pixel, and the light sensor outputs an output according to the color reflection of each pixel.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, white balance adjustment has been necessary to operate a video camera, and this has been done manually or by setting the light source for the shooting conditions using a switch, etc., depending on the shooting environment. Since it does not have a function to distinguish the type of light source, it has the disadvantage that normal image quality cannot be obtained if the settings are incorrect. In addition, although there are measuring instruments for spectroscopy of light, there are none that can be incorporated into portable devices. [Problems to be solved by the invention] The present invention eliminates such drawbacks and provides a compact portable device. The purpose of this research is to realize an optical sensor that can be mounted on a light source and that can automatically identify the type of light source.

[Means for solving problems]

The optical sensor of the present invention is characterized by comprising an image sensor having three or more pixels and a reflector on which reference colors are arranged. In other words, an optical sensor having at least three or more pixels corresponding to each color can reflect reflected light of at least three or more preset colors, so that the optical sensor can detect the reflected light of at least three or more preset colors as information obtained by dividing the wavelength of the light source. outputs.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment using a -dimensional array type optical sensor.

A is the light (incident light) that is about to enter the pilot sensor. The incident light a first passes through one scattering plate. b is the scattered light that has passed through the l scattering plate. Reference numeral 2 denotes a reflecting plate, on which pixels of respective predetermined colors are arranged horizontally. C is the reflected light reflected from the second reflecting plate and enters the third one-dimensional lens. d is light that has passed through three one-dimensional lenses. 4 is a one-dimensional array type optical sensor. By passing through the one-dimensional lens 3 to the one-dimensional array optical sensor 4 (hereinafter referred to as an optical sensor), the colors of each pixel of the reflecting plate C are not mixed, and the colors of the reflecting plate C are different. The array is input as is.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a horizontal cross section of a 2nd reflector, 3rd, -dimensional lens, and 4 photosensor, and the output side of the photosensor corresponding to the color arrangement of the reflector.

e is the output of the sensor'? I! This is an optical signal, and shows an example of an output waveform corresponding to the color of each color pixel. Here, as an example, four colors of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet were arranged on the second reflecting plate. e is the output signal of the sensor according to the intensity of reflected light of each color. The JllSJ diagram is a block diagram showing an example of the operation and processing of the pilot sensor in blocks.

e is the output Tt outputted from the optical sensor 4, which is a signal. 5 is a specialized processing circuit for processing the output electrical signal e. f is a light source determination signal indicating the type of light source obtained by processing the output electric signal e by the processing circuit 5;

〔Effect of the invention〕

By using the present invention, it becomes possible to extract the determination of the type of light source as an electrical signal by processing the output electrical signal of the optical sensor, which also has a waveform corresponding to each color separated by the reflector.

By incorporating the present invention into a video camera and using the signal indicating the judgment of the light source, manual adjustments and operations such as white balance adjustment and light source setting operations are no longer necessary, and automatic settings are possible. This will prevent mistakes in color reproduction.

Furthermore, by applying sensors in the future to image input devices that can handle changes in light sources and various types of light sources, it will be possible to achieve accurate color reproducibility in response to changes in light sources without making adjustments. Become.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure m1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the optical sensor of the present invention. 1
2 is a scattering plate, 2 is a reflection plate, 3 is a one-dimensional lens, and 4 is a photosensor, a is incident light, b is scattered light, C is reflected light, and d is light that has passed through the lens. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the optical sensor of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the optical sensor of the present invention, and e is an output electric signal of the optical sensor. The second reflecting plate is an example of the arrangement of reference colors, and the second reflecting plate f54 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the optical sensor of the present invention, and even shows an application example. Reference numeral 5 denotes a geographical circuit, which is a foreign communication circuit and has a function of processing an output electrical signal e and determining the type of light source. f is a light source determination signal, which is an electrical signal indicating the type of light source determined and output by a processing circuit 5; Applicant: Agent for Seiko Epson Co., Ltd. (r. Mutsumi Mogami and 1 other person)

Claims (1)

[Claims] An optical sensor comprising an image sensor having three or more pixels and a reflector on which reference colors are arranged.