Appeal No. 2005-0439 Page 2
Application No. 09/106,994
digital data, which digitally represents the captured image, and transfers the frame to a
computer for processing. (Id.)
The appellants further explains that a multi-color mosaic filter covers the array
and configures each sensor to sense the intensity of one primary color of the associated
pixel. For the set of red ("R"), green ("G"), and blue ("B") primary colors, the filter may
cause each sensor to sense either a R, G, or B color of the pixel. The omitted primary
colors are obtained through interpolation. Specifically, the missing primary color for a
given pixel are derived by interpolating colors from the nearest pixels. If a given sensor
senses only a G color of a pixel, for example, the R color for that pixel may be
interpolated from data provided by neighboring sensors that sense R colors. Of course,
the interpolation provides estimates, not the actual values, of the missing colors. (Id. at
2.)
In contrast, the appellants' digital camera includes an array of pixel sensors,
a programmable color filter, a controller, and storage locations. Each sensor indicates
at least two primary colors of an image focused onto the array. The programmable
color filter substantially covers the array, and the controller programs the color filter to
cause the pixel sensors to sense the primary colors one at a time. For each pixel
sensor, at least two of the storage locations are located in the array; these locations
store the indications from the sensor. (Id. at 2-3.)
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