Processing of sensor values in imaging systems
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsSzepo R. Hung, Hsiang-Tsun Li
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A digital image system identifies defective pixels of a digital image sensor based on sensor values of pixels positioned in at least two dimensions on the digital image sensor. The exemplary imaging system includes a buffer for receiving sensor values that are each associated with a pixel in the digital image sensor and electronics for comparing the sensor value associated with a test pixel to the sensor values of pixels positioned in at least two dimensions on the digital image sensor. The electronics determines whether the test pixel is a defective pixel based on the comparison.
Claims17
An imaging system configured to generate a corrected sensor value associated with a defective pixel of an image sensor based on a plurality of sensor values selected from a group of sensor values associated with pixels spatially positioned in at least two dimensions on the image sensor, the imaging system comprising:
- a buffer for receiving sensor values, each sensor value associated with a pixel in the image sensor, at least one of the sensor values being associated with the defective pixel;
- electronics for selecting sensor values associated with a pair of opposing pixels from among a group of sensor values, the group of sensor values being associated with pixels spatially positioned in at least two dimensions on the image sensor, the pair of opposing pixels being positioned within two pixels of the defective pixel and on opposing sides of the defective pixel, and wherein the pair of opposing pixels are the same color as the defective pixel;
- and
- electronics for generating the corrected sensor value to be associated with the defective pixel, the corrected sensor value being a function of the sensor values associated with the opposing pair of pixels.
An imaging system, comprising:
- means for receiving sensor values, each sensor value associated with a pixel in the image sensor, at least one of the sensor values being associated with the defective pixel;
- and
- means for selecting sensor values associated with a pair of opposing pixels from among a group of sensor values associated with opposing pairs of two pixels of the same color as the defective pixel, each of the opposing pixel pair positioned within two pixels of the defective pixel and on opposing sides of the defective pixel, the pair of opposing pixels having the lowest gradient in associated sensor values of the opposing pairs of two pixels;
- and
- means for generating the corrected sensor value to be associated with the defective pixel, the corrected sensor value being a function of the sensor values associated with the selected pair of opposing pixels.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of computer-executable instructions, that when executed perform a method, the method comprising:
- receiving sensor values that are each associated with a pixel in an image sensor, at least one of the sensor values being associated with a defective pixel;
- selecting sensor values from among a group of sensor values associated with a pair of opposing pixels, the group of sensor values being associated with pixels spatially positioned in at least two dimensions on the image sensor, the pair of opposing pixels being positioned on opposing sides of the defective pixel and within two pixels of the defective pixel, and the pair of opposing pixels both being the same color as the defective pixel;
- and
- generating a corrected sensor value to be associated with the defective pixel, the corrected sensor value being a function of the selected sensor values.
A mobile camera phone, comprising:
- a buffer for receiving sensor values that are each associated with a pixel in an image sensor, at least one of the sensor values being associated with a defective pixel;
- electronics for selecting a pair of opposing pixels from among a plurality of pairs of opposing pixels,
- the pixels in a pair of opposing pixels being positioned on opposing sides of the defective pixel, being located at most two pixels away from the defective pixel, and being of the same color as the defective pixel,
- the selected pair of opposing pixels being associated with sensor values that are closer to one another than sensor values associated with the one or more unselected pairs of opposing pixels;
- and
- electronics for interpolating between the selected pair of opposing pixels to generate a corrected sensor value to be associated with the defective pixel.
A method of correcting sensor values associated with a defective pixel, comprising:
- receiving sensor values that are each associated with a pixel in an image sensor, at least one of the sensor values being associated with a defective pixel;
- selecting a plurality of sensor values from among a group of sensor values associated with a pair of opposing pixels, the group of sensor values being associated with pixels spatially positioned in at least two dimensions on the image sensor, the pair of opposing pixels being positioned on opposing sides of the defective pixel and within two pixels of the defective pixel, and the pair of opposing pixels both being the same color as the defective pixel;
- and
- generating a corrected sensor value to be associated with the defective pixel, the corrected sensor value being a function of the selected sensor values.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.