Method, apparatus and system providing adjustment of pixel defect map
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of adjusting a pixel array defect map comprising:
- storing an initial pixel defect map corresponding to a pixel sensor array;
obtaining pixel output signals from said pixel sensor array;
using said pixel output signals to determine current defective pixel locations in accordance with pixel defect criteria;
comparing the stored pixel defect map with said current defective pixel locations;
determining if said stored pixel defect map needs adjusting by using the results of said comparison; and
updating and storing the pixel defect map if adjusting is determined to be necessary.
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Abstract
A method, apparatus and system that allows for the identification of defective pixels, for example, defective pixel clusters, in an imager device. The method, apparatus and system determine, during use of the imager device, that a pixel defect, e.g., cluster defect, exists and accurately maps the location of the defective pixel. By analyzing more than one frame of an image, the method increases the accuracy of the defect mapping, which is used to improve the quality of the resulting image data.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method of adjusting a pixel array defect map comprising:
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storing an initial pixel defect map corresponding to a pixel sensor array; obtaining pixel output signals from said pixel sensor array; using said pixel output signals to determine current defective pixel locations in accordance with pixel defect criteria; comparing the stored pixel defect map with said current defective pixel locations; determining if said stored pixel defect map needs adjusting by using the results of said comparison; and updating and storing the pixel defect map if adjusting is determined to be necessary. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of operating an imager device comprising:
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saving a pre-trigger pixel defect map having a location for each of a plurality of pixel sensors in an imager device; perceiving a triggering event; subsequently obtaining at least one pixel output signal from a pixel-under-test associated with a first location in said map; determining whether a true pixel defect cluster is currently detected at the location for the pixel-under-test; and updating the pre-trigger defect map after the triggering event with data created based on the act of determining if a pixel defect cluster is detected. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An imager device comprising:
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an array of pixel image sensors for creating a plurality of signals in response to an applied image; a circuit for sensing a triggering event; a memory for storing a pre-trigger pixel defect map, the map having data on a plurality of locations, each location corresponding a pixel image sensor in the array; and a circuit for obtaining at least one pixel output signal for a first location of a pixel image sensor array, determining whether a pixel defect exists at the location, comparing data in the pre-trigger pixel defect map associated with the location to current data based on the obtained pixel output signals, and updating the pixel defect map based on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A camera system, comprising:
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an array of image sensors for creating a plurality of signals in response to an applied image; a memory for storing a pixel defect map, the map having data on a plurality of image sensors in the array; and a pixel signal processor for processing said pixel output signals, wherein the processor is designed for; using the pixel output signals to locate pixel defects in accordance with pixel defect criteria; comparing saved data in the pixel defect map to current data based on the obtained pixel output signals; and determining if an update of the pixel defect map is necessary based on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification