Image pickup apparatus and method of correcting captured image data

A method of correcting captured image data read out from a solid-state image pickup device including a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array, a transistor necessary for each pixel being shared between not more than four of the pixels having a same arrangement pattern, the method comprising:

• generating first values for pixel data read out from a pixel position of each pixel having the same arrangement pattern by calculating an average of black levels of pixels arranged at a same position in the arrangement pattern in an area where a black level is detected in the solid-state image pickup device;
• generating second values for pixel data read out from the pixel position of each pixel having the same arrangement pattern by calculating an average of white levels of the pixels arranged at a same position in the arrangement pattern in an area where a white level is detected in the solid-state image pickup device;
• generating a linearity correction table including greater than two correction values for each pixel based on the first and second values, each correction value corresponding to different signals levels of pixel data read out from the pixel position of each pixel having the same arrangement pattern, the correction values being used for correcting a nonuniformity in output linearity between pieces of pixel data output from each pixel at each of the plurality of different signal levels caused by a difference in position between the pixels in the arrangement pattern;
• and
• correcting each pixel data read out from the solid-state image pickup device on the basis of the generated correction values for the corresponding pixel data.

An image pickup apparatus comprising:

• a solid-state image pickup device including a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array, a transistor necessary for each pixel being shared between not more than four of the pixels having a same arrangement pattern;
• a correction value generating unit that generates a linearity correction table including greater than two correction values for each pixel, each correction value corresponding to different signal levels of pixel data read out from a pixel position of each pixel having the same arrangement pattern, the correction values being used for correcting a nonuniformity in output linearity between pieces of pixel data output from each pixel at each of the plurality of different signal levels caused by a difference in position between the pixels in the arrangement pattern;
• and
• a correcting unit that corrects each pixel data read out from the solid-state image pickup device on the basis of the correction values for the corresponding pixel data, generated by the correction value generating unit, wherein
• the correction value generating unit generates first values for the pixel data read out from a pixel position of each pixel having the same arrangement pattern by calculating an average of black levels of the pixels arranged at a same position in the arrangement pattern in an area where a black level is detected in the solid-state image pickup device,
• the correction value generating unit generates second values for the pixel data read out from a pixel position of each pixel having the same arrangement pattern by calculating an average of white levels of the pixels arranged at the same position in the arrangement pattern in an area where a white level is detected in the solid-state image pickup device, and
• the correction value generating unit generates the linearity correction table including the greater than two correction values for each pixel based on the first and second values.