Electronic camera capable of detecting defective pixel

• US 6,683,643 B1
• Filed: 03/18/1998
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Konica Corporation (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Takayama, Jun, Takizawa, Naruo
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc-Yen, Vu, Ngoc-Yen
• Application Number:
  US09/040,442
• Time in Patent Office: 2,141 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207, 348/222, 348/224, 348/228, 348/229, 348/230, 348/241, 348/244-247, 348/345, 348/347, 348/349-351, 348/362-365, 348/222.1, 348/223.1, 348/224.1, 348/335, 348/340, 348/342, 348/272, 348/273, 348/277, 348/280
• US Class Current: 348/247
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/045 using mosaic colour filter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/68 applied to defects

Abstract

Photographing for one image plane is conducted by CCD1 under the completely dark condition created by closing aperture 12 when the power supply is turned on, then image data obtained from this photographing are compared with a threshold value, and when the image data show higher luminance than the threshold value, the image data are detected to be defective pixels (white flaws) and positional information thereof is stored. Further, under the condition that the mode for detecting defective pixels is selected by mode switch 16, photographing for one image plane is conducted by CCD1 while a camera is directed to an exclusive subject, then image data obtained through this photographing are compared with a threshold value, and when the image data show lower luminance than the threshold value, the image data are detected to be defective pixels (black flaws), and positional information thereof is stored. In ordinary photographing, a mean value of peripheral pixels surrounding the image data of the defective pixel is used for replacement based on positional information of the defective pixel.

Claims

1. A camera, comprising:

an image pickup element for converting optical image information into electric signals and for outputting the electric signals as image data;

a positional information output means for outputting positional information of a defective pixel;

a memory in which the positional information is stored;

a focus controlling means for controlling a focus; and

a defocus control means for controlling said focus controlling means so that a focus is deviated for defocusing from the focused position,

wherein said image pickup element converts optical image information when the focus is deviated from the focused position by the defocus control means into electric signals, and outputs them as defocused image data, and, thereafter, the positional information output means compares said defocused image data or data based on said defocused image data with a first reference data and outputs the positional information of a defective pixel having image data which satisfies a prescribed condition as a result of the comparison.

2. The camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image processing means for conducting image processing to replace image data of the pixel whose positional information is stored in the memory with a mean value of image data of pixels corresponding to color filters having the same color as that of the aforesaid color filter corresponding to the pixel whose positional information is stored among peripheral pixels surrounding the aforesaid pixel.

3. The camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

a contrast calculating means for calculating contrast of a targeted pixel based on image data of the targeted pixel representing the pixel whose positional information is stored and of peripheral pixels surrounding said targeted pixel,

wherein the positional information output means compares the contrast pixel representing the data based on said image data with the first reference data, and outputs positional information of a pixel having image data which satisfy the prescribed condition.

4. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup element outputs a plurality of image data per one pixel and the positional information output means compares data based on the plural image data with the first reference data and outputs positional information of a pixel having image data which satisfy the prescribed condition.

5. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the positional information output means compares image data outputted by the image pickup element in synchronization with switching of a power supply switch of the camera from OFF to ON or data based on the image data with the first reference data and outputs positional information of a pixel having image data which satisfy the prescribed condition.

6. The camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

a timer to output output signals at prescribed intervals,

wherein the positional information output means compares image data outputted by the image pickup element in synchronization with the output signals or data based on the image data with the first reference data, and outputs positional information of a pixel having image data which satisfy the prescribed condition.

7. The camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

a targeted pixel extracting means for comparing the image data or data based on the image data with the first reference data, and extracting the image data which satisfy a prescribed condition after the comparison as a targeted pixel;

a difference calculating means for calculating a difference between the image data or data based on the image data of the targeted pixel and a mean value of image data or data based on image data of peripheral pixels surrounding the targeted pixel;

a positional information output means for comparing the difference representing the data based on the image data with a second reference data and for outputting positional information of a pixel having image data which satisfy the prescribed condition; and

an image processing means for conducting image processing on image data of the pixel whose positional information is stored in the memory.

8. The camera according to claim 7, wherein said image processing is a processing to replace image data of the pixel whose positional information is stored in the memory with image data of pixels adjoining the aforesaid pixel.

9. The camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

a defective pixel detection commanding means for inputting a command for starting detection of defective pixels; and

a defective pixel detection signal outputting means for outputting defective pixel detection signals for making the output of the positional information to be started to the positional information output means in synchronization with the input of commands conducted by the defective pixel detection commanding means.