SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING AND CORRECTING DEFECTIVE PIXELS IN AN IMAGE SENSOR
First Claim
1. A method for detecting and correcting defective image pixels during image processing, comprising:
- using an image processor;
receiving an input pixel of image data acquired using an image sensor;
comparing the location of the input pixel within a processing region of an imaging frame of the image sensor to a set of location entries stored in a static defect table;
if the location of the input pixel corresponds to one of the set of location entries, marking the input pixel as a static defect and determining a first replacement value for the input pixel;
if the location of the input pixel does not correspond to one of the set of location entries, identifying a set of neighboring pixels having the same color component as the input pixel, determining whether the input pixel is either a dynamic defect or speckled with respect to the set of neighboring pixels, and determining a second replacement value for the input pixel if it is determined to be either a dynamic defect or speckled; and
correcting the input pixel, wherein correcting the input pixel comprises;
replacing a current value of the input pixel with the first replacement value if the input pixel is marked as a static defect; and
replacing the current value of the input pixel with the second replacement value if the input pixel is determined to be either a dynamic defect or speckled.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various techniques are provided for the detection and correction of defective pixels in an image sensor. In accordance with one embodiment, a static defect table storing the locations of known static defects is provided, and the location of a current pixel is compared to the static defect table. If the location of the current pixel is found in the static defect table, the current pixel is identified as a static defect and is corrected using the value of the previous pixel of the same color. If the current pixel is not identified as a static defect, a dynamic defect detection process includes comparing pixel-to-pixel gradients between the current pixel a set of neighboring pixels against a dynamic defect threshold. If a dynamic defect is detected, a replacement value for correcting the dynamic defect may be determined by interpolating the value of two neighboring pixels on opposite sides of the current pixel in a direction exhibiting the smallest gradient.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for detecting and correcting defective image pixels during image processing, comprising:
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using an image processor; receiving an input pixel of image data acquired using an image sensor; comparing the location of the input pixel within a processing region of an imaging frame of the image sensor to a set of location entries stored in a static defect table; if the location of the input pixel corresponds to one of the set of location entries, marking the input pixel as a static defect and determining a first replacement value for the input pixel; if the location of the input pixel does not correspond to one of the set of location entries, identifying a set of neighboring pixels having the same color component as the input pixel, determining whether the input pixel is either a dynamic defect or speckled with respect to the set of neighboring pixels, and determining a second replacement value for the input pixel if it is determined to be either a dynamic defect or speckled; and correcting the input pixel, wherein correcting the input pixel comprises; replacing a current value of the input pixel with the first replacement value if the input pixel is marked as a static defect; and replacing the current value of the input pixel with the second replacement value if the input pixel is determined to be either a dynamic defect or speckled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An image signal processing circuit comprising:
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an interface configured to receive image data acquired using an image sensor of an imaging device; and an image processing pipeline configured to perform a set of processing operations on the image data, wherein one of the set of processing operations detects and corrects for defective pixels in the image data, and wherein the image processing pipeline comprises defective pixel detection and correction logic configured to; receive an input pixel of the image data; determine if the location of the input pixel corresponds to a location entry in a static defect table, identify the input pixel as being a static defect if its location is found in the static defect table, and determine a first replacement value for correcting the input pixel; if the input pixel is not identified as a static defect, determine if the input pixel is either a dynamic defect or speckled, and determine a second replacement value for the input pixel if it is determined to be either a dynamic defect or speckled; and correct the input pixel using either the first or second replacement value based upon whether the input pixel is determined to be a static defect, a dynamic defect, or speckled. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system, comprising:
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an imaging device comprising an image sensor; and image processing circuitry configured to process image data acquired using the image sensor, wherein the image processing circuitry comprises; defective pixel detection and correction logic configured to; determine, for a current image frame of the image data, if the location of an input pixel corresponds to a location entry in a static defect table, identify the input pixel as being a static defect if its location is found in the static defect table, and correct the input pixel using a static defect replacement value; and if the input pixel is not identified as a static defect, determine if the input pixel is either a dynamic defect or speckled, and correct the input pixel using a non-static defect replacement value if it is determined to be a dynamic defect or speckled. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. One or more tangible computer-readable storage media having instructions encoded thereon for execution by a processor, the instructions comprising:
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code to determine if an input pixel in a current frame of image data acquired by an image sensor corresponds to a location entry in a static defect table, and to identify the input pixel as a static defect if its location is found in the static defect table, wherein each location entry in the static defect table is associated with a minimum gradient value; code to correct the input pixel using a static defect replacement value determined as the value of a previous pixel of the same color in scanning order; code to, if the input pixel is not identified as a static defect, determine whether the input pixel is a dynamic defect by identifying eight neighboring pixels of the same color as the input pixel, calculating pixel-to-pixel gradients with respect to the input pixel for each of the eight neighboring pixels located within a processing region defined within an imaging frame of the image sensor, determining a count of the number of the gradients which are less than a dynamic defect threshold value, and identifying the input pixel as a dynamic defect if the determined count is less than a maximum count value; code to calculate a dynamic defect replacement value by calculating directional gradients as the sum of the difference between the input pixel and two neighboring pixels of the eight neighboring pixels in each of a horizontal direction, a vertical direction, a diagonal-positive direction, and a diagonal-negative direction, determining the direction corresponding to the minimum gradient, and interpolating the values of the two neighboring pixels associated with the minimum gradient direction code to correct the input pixel using the dynamic defect replacement value; code to determine if the input pixel was identified as a dynamic defect for a particular number of consecutive frames preceding the current frame and, if the input pixel was identified as a dynamic defect for the particular number of consecutive frames, determine a minimum value of the pixel-to-pixel gradients for each of the eight neighboring pixels located within the processing region, and store the location of the input pixel and the minimum gradient value into the static defect table. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification