Self-diagnostic image sensor
US6693668B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 4, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 17, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 4, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/485
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A self-diagnosing image sensor (100) detects and stores maps of functioning and malfunctioning pixels (124) in a memory (144) directly coupled to the sensor (100). The memory (144) is coupled to an external monitoring computer (118) which retrieves the pixel map and adjusts the sensor data received from the image sensor (100) in accordance with the retrieved pixel map. A defect discriminator (140) is coupled directly to the image sensor (100) and to the memory (144) for detecting whether a pixel (124) malfunctions, and updates the map accordingly. Additionally, if the number of malfunctioning pixels (124) in the sensor (100) exceeds a predefined threshold, an alert message is available to the external monitoring computer or display (118) to warn the user that the sensor (100) may be generating inaccurate information. An on-plate pixel processor (148) performs any necessary interpolation of the date responsive to the pixel map, and a complete image is sent to the remote display (118), without requiring any further processing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.