# US 2017/0257584 A1 · Image processing device, image processing method, and image processing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0257584 A1 - Document ID: US20170257584A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/505,063 - Filed: 2015-08-14 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2014-08-27 - Assignees: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Applicants: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Inventors: KAZUHIDE FUJITA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170257584A1 ## CPC - H04N 25/683: by defect estimation performed on the scene signal, e.g. real time or on the fly detection - G06T 3/4038: Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images - H04N 9/646: {for image enhancement, e.g. vertical detail restoration, cross-colour elimination, contour correction, chrominance trapping filters} - H04N 23/12: with one sensor only - H04N 23/84: for processing colour signals - H04N 25/133: including elements passing panchromatic light, e.g. filters passing white light - H04N 25/135: {based on four or more different wavelength filter elements} - H04N 25/68: applied to defects - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract The present technology relates to an image processing device, an image processing method, and an image processing system capable of improving detection accuracy of a defective pixel. Provided is an image processing device including a defective pixel estimation unit that estimates a defect of a pixel of interest in an image captured by a solid-state imaging device that contains a two-dimensional array of color pixels, and high-sensitivity pixels having higher sensitivity than sensitivities of the color pixels. The defect of the pixel of interest is estimated on the basis of a correlation between pixel values of the high-sensitivity pixels, and pixel values of the color pixels. The image processing device further includes a defective pixel correction unit that corrects the pixel of interest when it is estimated that the pixel of interest is a defective pixel. The present technology is applicable to an image processing device which corrects a defective pixel by signal processing, for example. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image processing device comprising: a defective pixel estimation unit that estimates a defect of a pixel of interest in an image captured by a solid-state imaging device that contains a two-dimensional array of color pixels, and high-sensitivity pixels having higher sensitivity than sensitivities of the color pixels, the defect of the pixel of interest being estimated on the basis of a correlation between pixel values of the high-sensitivity pixels, and pixel values of the color pixels; and a defective pixel correction unit that corrects the pixel of interest when it is estimated that the pixel of interest is a defective pixel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the defective pixel estimation unit obtains the correlation between the pixel values of the high-sensitivity pixels and the pixel values of the color pixels on the basis of distribution information on pixel values of the peripheral high-sensitivity pixels and the peripheral color pixels surrounding the pixel of interest. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image processing device according to claim 2, wherein when the pixel of interest is one of the color pixels, the defective pixel estimation unit compares a gradient of the pixel values of the peripheral high-sensitivity pixels surrounding the pixel of interest with a gradient of the pixel values of the peripheral color pixels surrounding the pixel of interest and having the same color as the color of the pixel of interest, when the pixel of interest is one of the high-sensitivity pixels, the defective pixel estimation unit compares a gradient of the pixel values of the peripheral color pixels surrounding the pixel of interest with a gradient of the pixel values of the peripheral high-sensitivity pixels surrounding the pixel of interest, and the defective pixel estimation unit obtains the correlation between the pixel values of the high-sensitivity pixels and the pixel values of the color pixels on the basis of the comparison. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image processing device according to claim 3, wherein the defective pixel estimation unit obtains the gradient of the pixel values of the high-sensitivity pixels, and the gradient of the pixel values of the color pixels in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction with respect to the pixel of interest. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the defective pixel estimation unit estimates a possibility of a defect of the pixel of interest by comparing a predetermined threshold with a difference between a pixel value of the pixel of interest and an average of the pixel values of the peripheral color pixels surrounding the pixel of interest and having the same color as the color of the pixel value, and the defective pixel estimation unit estimates the defect of the pixel of interest on the basis of the correlation between the pixel values of the high-sensitivity pixels and the pixel values of the color pixels when it is estimated that the pixel of interest may be a defective pixel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image processing device according to claim 1, wherein the high-sensitivity pixels are white (W) pixels, and the color pixels are red (R) pixels, green (G) pixels, or blue (B) pixels. ### Claim 7 An image processing method for an image processing device, the method being performed by the image processing device and comprising steps of: estimating a defect of a pixel of interest in an image captured by a solid-state imaging device that contains a two-dimensional array of color pixels, and high-sensitivity pixels having higher sensitivity than sensitivities of the color pixels, the defect of the pixel of interest being estimated on the basis of a correlation between pixel values of the high-sensitivity pixels, and pixel values of the color pixels; and correcting the pixel of interest when it is estimated that the pixel of interest is a defective pixel. ### Claim 8 An image processing system comprising: a solid-state imaging device that contains a two-dimensional array of color pixels, and high-sensitivity pixels having higher sensitivity than sensitivities of the color pixels; and an image processing device that includes a defective pixel estimation unit for estimating a defect of a pixel of interest in an image captured from the solid-state imaging device on the basis of a correlation between pixel values of the high-sensitivity pixels, and pixel values of the color pixels, and includes a defective pixel correction unit for correcting the pixel of interest when it is estimated that the pixel of interest is a defective pixel.