Defective pixel detecting device, defective pixel detecting method, record medium storing a program for detecting defective pixels, and imaging apparatus

• US 8,169,514 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwai, Nobuo, Watanabe, Setsuko
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US12/544,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20100073526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 348/246, 348/247, 348/241
• US Class Current: 348/247
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/68 applied to defects

Abstract

A defective pixel detecting device determining defective pixels as correction targets in an imaging device that produces image signals is provided, and the device includes: defect information storage configured to store priority of defective pixels to be corrected; a defective pixel detector configured to detect defective pixels by comparing levels of imaging signals from the imaging device with a predetermined detection level; a priority setter configured to set priority of the detected defective pixels, based on the levels of the imaging signals of the defective pixels detected by the defective pixel detector; and a correction target determiner configured to newly determine defective pixels to be corrected based on the priority of the defective pixels out of the defective pixels that are currently detected by the defective pixel detector and the defective pixels to be corrected stored in the defect information storage, determining priority of the newly determined defective pixels to be corrected, and storing the priority of the newly determined defective pixels to be corrected in the defect information storage.

Claims

1. A defective pixel detecting device determining defective pixels as correction targets in an imaging device that produces image signals, the device comprising:

a defect information storage storing priority of defective pixels to be corrected;

a defective pixel detector detecting defective pixels by comparing levels of imaging signals from the imaging device with a predetermined detection level;

a priority setter setting priority of the detected defective pixels, based on the levels of the imaging signals of the defective pixels detected by the defective pixel detector; and

a correction target determiner newly determining defective pixels to be corrected based on the priority of the defective pixels out of the defective pixels that have been detected this time by the defective pixel detector and the defective pixels to be corrected stored in the defect information storage, determining priority of the newly determined defective pixels to be corrected, and storing the priority of the newly determined defective pixels to be corrected in the defect information storage.

2. The defective pixel detecting device according to claim 1, wherein

the correction target determiner, when newly determining defective pixels to be corrected and determining priority, sorts the defective pixels that have been detected this time by the defective pixel detector and the defective pixels to be corrected stored in the defect information storage in order of the priority such that defective pixels that have been detected this time by the defective pixel detector are assigned with higher priority when pixels with the same priority are present, and newly selects a predetermined number of pixels in descending order of the priority as defective pixels to be corrected.

3. The defective pixel detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a corrector carrying out a correct process to the defective pixels to be corrected that have been newly determined by the correction target determiner.

4. The defective pixel detecting device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a corrector carrying out a correct process to the defective pixels to be corrected that have been newly determined by the correction target determiner.

5. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging device that produces image signals; and

the defective pixel detecting device according to claim 1.

6. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging device that produces image signals; and

the defective pixel detecting device according to claim 2.

7. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging device that produces image signals; and

the defective pixel detecting device according to claim 3.

8. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging device that produces image signals; and

the defective pixel detecting device according to claim 4.

9. A defective pixel detecting method of determining defective pixels as correction target in an imaging device that produces image signals, the method comprising:

storing priority of defective pixels to be corrected in a defect information storage;

detecting defective pixels by comparing levels of imaging signals from the imaging device with a predetermined detection level;

setting priority of the detected defective pixels, based on the levels of the imaging signals of the defective pixels detected; and

determining newly defective pixels to be corrected based on the priority of the defective pixels out of the defective pixels that are currently detected and the defective pixels to be corrected stored in the defect information storage, determining priority of the newly determined defective pixels to be corrected, and storing the priority of the newly determined defective pixels to be corrected in the defect information storage.

10. The defective pixel detecting method according to claim 9, wherein

when newly determining defective pixels to be corrected and determining priority, the defective pixels that are currently detected and the defective pixels to be corrected stored in the defect information storage are sorted in order of the priority such that defective pixels that are currently detected are assigned with higher priority when pixels with the same priority are present, and a predetermined number of pixels in descending order of the priority are newly selected as defective pixels to be corrected.

11. The defective pixel detecting method according to claim 9, comprising:

correcting the defective pixels to be corrected that are newly determined.

12. The defective pixel detecting method according to claim 10, comprising:

correcting the defective pixels to be corrected that are newly determined.

13. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program for detecting defective pixels, the program being capable of determining defective pixels as correction target in an imaging device that produces image signals, the program causing a computer to function as:

a defect information storage storing priority of defective pixels to be corrected;

a defective pixel detector detecting defective pixels by comparing levels of imaging signals from the imaging device with a predetermined detection level;

a priority setter setting priority of the detected defective pixels, based on the levels of the imaging signals of the defective pixels detected by the defective pixel detector; and

a correction target determiner newly determining defective pixels to be corrected based on the priority of the defective pixels out of the defective pixels that have been detected this time by the defective pixel detector and the defective pixels to be corrected stored in the defect information storage, determining priority of the newly determined defective pixels to be corrected, and storing the priority of the newly determined defective pixels to be corrected in the defect information storage.

14. The recording medium storing a program for detecting defective pixels according to claim 13, wherein

the correction target determiner, when newly determining defective pixels to be corrected and determining priority, sorts the defective pixels that have been detected this time by the defective pixel detector and the defective pixels to be corrected stored in the defect information storage in order of the priority such that defective pixels that have been detected this time by the defective pixel detector are assigned with higher priority when pixels with the same priority are present, and newly selects a predetermined number of pixels in descending order of the priority as defective pixels to be corrected.

15. The recording medium storing a program for detecting defective pixels according to claim 13, the program further causing the computer to function as:

a corrector carrying out a correct process to the defective pixels to be corrected that have been newly determined by the correction target determiner.

16. The recording medium storing a program for detecting defective pixels according to claim 14, the program further causing the computer to function as:

a corrector carrying out a correct process to the defective pixels to be corrected that have been newly determined by the correction target determiner.