SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING AND CORRECTING DEFECTIVE PIXELS IN AN IMAGE SENSOR

• Main Authors: COTE GUY, FREDERIKSEN JEFFREY E
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Korean
• Published: 14.06.2012
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

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.