Patent · US Active

System and method for detecting and correcting defective pixels in an image sensor

US8259198B2 · kind B2 · utility

64Cited by
55References
29Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateOct 20, 2009
Grant dateSep 4, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 21, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N25/618
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

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.

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