Dead pixel correction apparatus, image sensor having the same, and operation method of image sensor
AssigneeSK hynix Inc.
InventorsChang-Hee PYEOUN, Jong-Suk LEE
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Abstract
A dead pixel correction apparatus includes a storage unit suitable for storing position information of dead pixels obtained from pixel data, a data scanning section suitable for scanning the position information stored in the storage unit, a valid data determination section suitable for determining valid data with respect to the scanned position information, a valid data pre-processing section suitable for pre-processing the determined valid data, and a dead pixel correction section suitable for correcting pixel values corresponding to the dead pixels in current pixel data based on the pre-processed valid data, and outputting the corrected pixel data.
Claims14
A dead pixel′ correction apparatus comprising:
- a storage unit suitable for storing position information of dead pixels obtained from pixel data;
- a data scanning section suitable for scanning the position information stored in the storage unit;
- a valid data determination section suitable for determining valid data by using the scanned position information;
- a valid data pre-processing section suitable for pre-processing the determined valid data;
- and
- a dead pixel correction section suitable for correcting pixel values corresponding to the dead pixels in current pixel data based on the pre-processed valid data, and outputting the corrected pixel data.
A dead pixel correction method comprising:
- (a) reading pixel data to extract position information of dead pixels from pixel data, and storing the position information in a storage unit;
- (b) searching the position information on an initial row line from the storage unit, and storing the position information in a register;
- (c) correcting dead pixels with respect to a corresponding row line by using the position information stored in the register when pixel data is inputted;
- and
- (d) searching position information on each of row lines from the storage unit in units of predetermined windows, storing the position information in the register, and correcting dead pixels with respect to the corresponding row line by using the position information stored in the register.
An image sensor comprising:
- a pixel array suitable for generating an analog pixel signal;
- a column circuit suitable for converting the analog pixel signal generated in the pixel array into a digital pixel signal, and outputting the digital pixel signal as a pixel data;
- a storage unit suitable for storing position information of dead pixels obtained from pixel data;
- a data scanning section suitable for scanning the position information stored in the storage unit;
- a valid data determination section suitable for determining valid data with respect to the scanned position information;
- a valid data pre-processing section suitable for preprocessing the determined valid data;
- and
- a dead pixel correction section suitable for correcting pixel values corresponding to the dead pixels in current pixel data output from the column circuit based on the pre-processed position information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.