Method and apparatus for real time identification and correction of pixel defects for image sensor arrays
First Claim
1. An apparatus for correcting pixel image data comprising:
- a memory structure for receiving a plurality of lines of image data from an image obtained from an image sensor array, each line containing signal value data corresponding to a line of pixels in the array; and
a correction section which receives the image data from the memory structure and in which the signal value of a tested pixel in the array is compared with the signal values of at least eight surrounding pixels, and which, if the signal value of the tested pixel is larger than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels, the signal value of the tested pixel is replaced with the largest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels, and which, if the signal value of the pixel being tested is smaller than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels, the signal value of the tested pixel is replaced with the smallest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image processing system and method compares each pixel of an image obtained from an image sensor array with at least eight surrounding pixels of the same color in the filter array. If the signal of a given pixel is larger than the respective signals of all eight surrounding pixels of the same color, then the value of that central pixel signal is substituted with the maximum signal value among the surrounding eight pixels of the same color. Similarly, if the signal of a given pixel is smaller than the respective signals of all eight surrounding pixels of the same color, then the value of that central pixel signal is substituted with the minimum signal value among the surrounding eight pixels of the same color.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. An apparatus for correcting pixel image data comprising:
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a memory structure for receiving a plurality of lines of image data from an image obtained from an image sensor array, each line containing signal value data corresponding to a line of pixels in the array; and
a correction section which receives the image data from the memory structure and in which the signal value of a tested pixel in the array is compared with the signal values of at least eight surrounding pixels, and which, if the signal value of the tested pixel is larger than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels, the signal value of the tested pixel is replaced with the largest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels, and which, if the signal value of the pixel being tested is smaller than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels, the signal value of the tested pixel is replaced with the smallest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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11. An apparatus for correcting pixel image data, comprising:
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a plurality of memory banks each for receiving and temporarily storing a line of image data of an image obtained from an image sensor array, each line containing signal value data respectively corresponding to a line of pixels in the array;
a plurality of sets of shift registers for each receiving the image data from the plurality of memory banks;
a correction circuit for testing the signal value of a pixel to be tested in the image data in one of the sets of shift registers to determine if the signal value of the tested pixel is defective, and if found to be defective, for correcting the defective signal value. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for correcting pixel image data, comprising:
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a) obtaining at least three lines of image data containing signal values for a corresponding number of lines of an image obtained from a pixel array in an image sensor;
b) comparing a signal value of a pixel to be tested from among the at least three lines of signal values with the respective signal values of at least eight pixels from among the at least three lines of signal values and which surround the tested pixel, having the eight surrounding pixels the same color type as the tested pixel;
c) if the signal value of the tested pixel is larger than all of the signal values for the eight surrounding pixels, redefining the signal value of the tested pixel to be equal to the maximum signal value from among the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels;
d) if the signal value of the tested pixel is smaller than all of the signal values for the eight surrounding pixels, redefining the signal value of the tested pixel to be equal to the minimum signal value from among the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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30. The method according to claim 30, further comprising
e) repeating acts a) through d) for a next pixel in the same line of image data as the tested pixel, until all the pixels in the line have been tested.
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33. A method for correcting pixel image data, comprising:
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writing at least three lines of image data containing signal values for a corresponding number of lines of an image obtained from a pixel array in an image sensor, into a plurality of memory banks;
sequentially inputting the image data from the memory banks into a plurality of sets of shift registers;
comparing a signal value of a pixel to be tested in the shift registers with the signal values of at least eight surrounding pixels in the shift registers and which are of a same color filter type as the tested pixel;
if the signal value of the pixel being tested is larger than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels, correcting the signal value of the pixel being tested to be equal to the largest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels; and
if the signal value of the pixel being tested is smaller than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels, correcting the signal value of the pixel being tested to be equal to the smallest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An apparatus for correcting pixel image data comprising:
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a plurality of memory banks each for receiving and temporarily storing a line of image data of an image obtained from an image sensor array, each line containing signal value data corresponding to a line of pixels in the array; and
a correction section which receives the image data from the plurality of memory banks, compares the signal value of a tested pixel in the array with the signal values of at least eight surrounding pixels, and replaces the signal value of the tested pixel with the largest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels if the value of the tested pixel is larger than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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50. An apparatus for correcting pixel image data comprising:
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a plurality of memory banks each for receiving and temporarily storing a line of image data of an image obtained from an image sensor array, each line containing signal value data corresponding to a line of pixels in the array; and
a correction section which receives the image data from the plurality of memory banks, compares the signal value of a tested pixel in the array with the signal values of at least eight surrounding pixels, and replaces the signal value of the tested pixel with the smallest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels if the value of the tested pixel is smaller than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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53. A method for correcting pixel image data comprising:
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a) obtaining at least three lines of image data containing signal values for a corresponding number of lines of image data of an image obtained from a pixel array in an image sensor;
b) comparing a signal value of a pixel to be tested from among the at least three lines of image data with the respective signal values of at least eight pixels from among the at least three lines of image data and which surround the tested pixel, the eight surrounding pixels having the same color type as the tested pixel; and
c) replacing the signal value of the tested pixel with the maximum signal value from among the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels if the signal value of the tested pixel is larger than all of the signal values for the eight surrounding pixels. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55)
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56. A method for correcting image data due to defective pixels in an image sensor array, comprising:
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a) obtaining at least three lines of image data containing signal values for a corresponding number of lines of image data of an image obtained from a pixel array in an image sensor;
b) comparing a signal value of a pixel to be tested from among the at least three lines of image data with the respective signal values of at least eight pixels from among the at least three lines of image data and which surround the tested pixel, the eight surrounding pixels having the same color type as the tested pixel; and
c) replacing the signal value of the tested pixel with the minimum signal value from among the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels if the signal value of the tested pixel is smaller than all of the signal values for the eight surrounding pixels. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
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59. An apparatus for correcting pixel image data, comprising:
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a plurality of memory banks each for receiving and temporarily storing a line of image data from an image sensor array, each line containing signal values corresponding to a line of pixels in the array; and
a correction circuit which identifies and corrects signal values produced by defective pixels in the array without using a predetermined and stored map of defective pixel locations and without use of threshold values.
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60. An image processing apparatus comprising:
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an image sensing unit for obtaining an image and outputting an image signal which includes pixel image data containing signal values for each line of the image;
an image processor for processing the image signal; and
a controller for controlling the image sensing unit and the image processor, and wherein the image processor includes a defective pixel data correction circuit which receives the pixel image data and compares the signal value of a tested pixel with the signal values of at least eight pixels surrounding the tested pixel in the image, and which, if the signal value of the tested pixel is larger than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels, replaces the signal value of the tested pixel with the largest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels, and which, if the signal value of the tested pixel is smaller than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels, replaces the signal value of the tested pixel with the smallest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels.
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61. A processing system, comprising:
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a processor for receiving an processing image data; and
an image data generator for supplying image data to the processor, the image data generator comprising an image sensing unit for obtaining an image and outputting an image signal, an image processor for processing the image signal, and a controller for controlling the image sensing unit and the image processor, wherein the image processor includes a defective pixel data correction circuit which receives the pixel image data and compares the signal value of a tested pixel with the signal values of at least eight pixels surrounding the tested pixel in the image, and which, if the signal value of the tested pixel is larger than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels, replaces the signal value of the tested pixel with the largest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels, and which, if the signal value of the tested pixel is smaller than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels, replaces the signal value of the tested pixel with the smallest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels.
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Specification