Patent · US Active

Method for checking functional reliability of an image sensor having a plurality of pixels

US7872678B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by

22References

31Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Pilz GmbH & Co. KG · DE

Inventors

Oliver Fuchs · Offenbach am Main, DE
Dieter Bittner · Deggingen, DE
Martin Wendler · Glückstadt, DE
Dietmar Doettling · Scharnhauser Park, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Jul 30, 2004
Grant date	Jan 18, 2011
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Feb 19, 2029

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH04N25/68
WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for checking the functional reliability of an image sensor evaluates statistical fluctuations in the grey-scale values provided by the pixels of the image sensor. An actual noise factor, which is derived for light impinging on the pixels, is evaluated. A pixel failure is assumed if the actual noise factor misses a predetermined criterion defined by a reference noise factor. According to one embodiment, the reference noise factor is a dark noise factor. An electronic camera that operates in accordance with the above-described method is also disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.