Image sensor that uses a temperature sensor to compensate for dark current

An image sensor, comprising:

• pixel array means for generating a dark image frame and a light image frame;
• temperature sensor means for sensing a temperature of said pixel array means during the dark image frame and the light image frame;
• dark frame estimator means for multiplying the dark image frame with a scale factor, said scale factor is determined from a look-up table to create a scaled dark image frame, said look-up table provides a different scale factor for at least two different pixels of said pixel array, wherein said scale factors are a function of a temperature measured by said temperature sensor means;
• and
• combiner means for combining the scaled dark image frame with the light image frame.

A method for dark signal reduction in an image sensor, comprising:

• sensing a temperature of a pixel array that generates a light image frame;
• scaling a dark image frame in accordance with the sensed temperature with a plurality of scale factors that are dependent on the sensed temperature and are provided by a look-up table to generate a scaled dark image frame, at least two different pixels of the pixel array having a different scale factor;
• and,
• combining the scaled dark image frame with the light image frame.