Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer-readable recording medium

An image processing method for correcting blinking defect noise included in a plurality of pieces of image data generated by an image sensor, the image sensor including a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally to receive light from outside and generate a signal corresponding to an amount of the received light, and including a plurality of read-out circuits configured to read out the signal as a pixel value, the method comprising:

• acquiring noise information that associates the pixel value with positional information of the plurality of read-out circuits or positional information of each of the plurality of pixels, and with feature data related to blinking defect noise attributed to the plurality of read-out circuits;
• determining whether the blinking defect noise occurs on a pixel of interest based on the noise information;
• calculating a plurality of candidate values indicating a correction amount for correcting the blinking defect noise based on the noise information and a pixel value of the pixel of interest if the blinking defect noise occurs;
• and
• correcting the pixel value of the pixel of interest based on the plurality of candidate values.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium with an executable program stored thereon, the program causing an image processing apparatus configured to correct blinking defect noise included in a plurality of pieces of image data generated by an image sensor, the image sensor including a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally to receive light from outside and generate a signal corresponding to an amount of the received light, and including a plurality of read-out circuits configured to read out the signal as a pixel value, to execute:

• acquiring noise information that associates the pixel value with positional information of the plurality of read-out circuits or positional information of each of the plurality of pixels, and with feature data related to blinking defect noise attributed to the plurality of read-out circuits;
• determining whether the blinking defect noise occurs on a pixel of interest based on the noise information;
• calculating a plurality of candidate values indicating a correction amount for correcting the blinking defect noise based on the noise information and a pixel value of the pixel of interest if the blinking defect noise occurs;
• and
• correcting the pixel value of the pixel of interest based on the plurality of candidate values.