JP2007037199A - Imaging device and noise elimination method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging device capable of eliminating noise due to dark signals from a solid-state imaging element. <P>SOLUTION: After an image signal A2 by normal imaging is stored in an image memory, an image signal B2 by imaging for which a shutter is closed, immediately after is stored in the image memory. The respective image signals A2 and B2 are supplied to a preprocessing circuit 6a via a memory controller 6c. An arithmetic circuit 61 subtracts the image signal B2 from the image signal A2 and eliminates fixed pattern noise and offset components. A luminescent spot detection circuit 62 detects a generation position of luminescent spot noise from the image signal B2 and outputs a timing pulse T1, corresponding to the detection. A black point correction circuit 63 detects a pixel with the possibility of generation of black point noise in an image signal C1 outputted from the arithmetic circuit 61, based on the timing pulse T1 and corrects the pixel by using data of the nearby pixels. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus that captures an image of a subject using a solid-state imaging device, and a noise removal method for removing noise generated during the imaging.

  In recent years, digital cameras that store captured images as digital data have become widespread. In this digital camera, an image captured by an optical lens is photoelectrically converted using a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor, and then converted into digital data for recording. Yes.

  The image signal generated by such an image sensor often includes noise due to a dark signal generated by the image sensor due to various factors in the manufacturing process and noise generated by a circuit board or the like. For example, among fixed pattern noises due to dark signals, there is noise that occurs due to the generation of a large amount of charge in a specific image sensor due to structural defects or the like. This noise appears as a white bright spot on the screen. Hereinafter, this noise is referred to as bright spot noise. The bright spot noise is rarely generated extremely large under normal use, but the generated amount depends on the exposure time and temperature, so that it becomes conspicuous when used for a long time exposure or in a high temperature environment.

  For this reason, in a digital camera, usually, a process of correcting the image signal from the image sensor to reduce these fixed pattern noises is performed. As an example, there is known a method of subtracting an image signal captured in a state where the shutter is closed under the same exposure conditions and light is completely blocked from an image signal captured as usual with the shutter opened.

  However, in the above-described noise reduction method, the influence of noise due to the dark signal cannot be completely removed, and the bright spot portion may remain on the screen as a black spot. Hereinafter, this problem will be described. FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a waveform example of an image signal captured in the above-described noise reduction method. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a waveform example of an image signal output in the above-described noise reduction method.

  FIG. 18A shows a waveform example of an analog signal output from the image sensor. This signal includes bright noises N1 to N7 due to dark signals generated by the image sensor, in addition to fine noise components and DC offset due to noise, on the captured image signal. In an imaging apparatus, such a signal is usually converted into a digital signal by an A / D converter, and then subjected to various signal processing such as noise removal processing and stored in a storage medium or the like.

  FIG. 18B shows a waveform example of a signal that is captured with the shutter closed and output from the image sensor. Note that in FIG. 18B, the bright spot noise corresponding to FIG. In the above-described noise reduction processing, the imaging of the signal in FIG. 18B is performed with the same conditions such as the exposure time immediately after or immediately before the imaging of the signal in FIG. For example, when the signal of FIG. 18A is imaged first, the signal of FIG. 18B is imaged immediately after the signal is digitized and stored in a predetermined buffer. .

  Here, since the signal in FIG. 18B was captured with the shutter closed, the signal does not include an image signal and includes only a noise component. Accordingly, by subtracting the signal of FIG. 18B from the signal of FIG. 18A, a signal waveform from which fine fixed pattern noise and DC offset are removed as shown in FIG. 19 is obtained.

  By the way, in FIGS. 18 and 19, the maximum value of the range that can be converted when these signals are A / D converted is represented by a dotted line as R. In FIG. 18A, the levels of the bright spot noises N1, N2, and N3 are particularly large among the bright spot noises N1 to N7 due to the dark signal from the image sensor, and deviate from the A / D conversion range. Therefore, the signal levels of these bright spot noises N1, N2, and N3 are all the same full scale values when A / D converted, and the original signal levels are not reflected.

  On the other hand, in the signal waveform in FIG. 18B, the same bright spot noises N1 to N7 as in FIG. 18A due to the dark signal should exist, but these signal levels are within the A / D conversion range. Since it is within the range, it is digitally converted to a signal level that matches the actual input. In FIG. 18B, it can be seen that the levels of the bright spot noises N1, N2, and N3 are actually different.

  Accordingly, in the waveform generated by subtracting these signals, a calculation error appears as shown in FIG. 19, and the signal level of the portion that has been a bright spot is extremely lowered. In the generated image, this portion becomes a dark pixel (hereinafter referred to as a black dot) and remains in a state in which a black hole is formed.

  As described above, with the conventional noise reduction method, the bright spot noise due to the dark signal cannot be completely removed, and the effect of this bright spot noise appears as a black spot in the generated image, resulting in degradation of image quality. It was a problem to do.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide an imaging apparatus capable of removing noise due to a dark signal from a solid-state imaging device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a noise removal method capable of removing noise caused by a dark signal from a solid-state imaging device.

  In the present invention, in order to solve the above-described problem, in the imaging apparatus that images a subject using a solid-state imaging device, the normal imaging is performed from the first image data that is captured by normal imaging with a shutter open and converted into digital data. Immediately before or immediately after the image capturing operation under the same exposure conditions as in the normal image capturing, and subtracting the second image data that has been converted into digital data, and high-level noise that generates bright spots on the captured image A bright spot position detecting means for detecting a spot where the bright spot noise is generated in the second image data, and generation of the bright spot noise detected by the bright spot position detecting means for the output data from the calculating means There is provided an imaging apparatus comprising noise correction means for correcting pixel data corresponding to a position.

  In such an imaging apparatus, the computing means generates a second image that is generated by closing the shutter under the same exposure conditions as in the normal imaging immediately before or after the normal imaging from the first image data by the normal imaging with the shutter opened. The image data of is subtracted. The bright spot position detecting means detects a generation position of the bright spot noise in the second image data. The noise correction means corrects pixel data corresponding to the bright spot noise generation position detected by the bright spot position detection means with respect to the output data from the calculation means. Therefore, it is possible to easily and accurately detect and correct the bright spot noise generation position in the output data from the calculation means.

  According to the present invention, in the noise removal method for removing noise generated when a subject is imaged using a solid-state image sensor, the first image data captured by the normal imaging with the shutter open and converted into digital data From the high level of generating a bright spot on the captured image by subtracting the second image data converted into digital data by closing the shutter under the same exposure conditions as in the normal imaging immediately before or after the normal imaging Detecting a generation position of the bright spot noise as noise in the second image data, and correcting data of a pixel corresponding to the detected generation position of the bright spot noise with respect to data obtained as a result of the subtraction. A featured noise removal method is provided.

  In such a noise removal method, the position where the bright spot noise is generated is detected from the second image data that is generated by closing the shutter under the same exposure conditions as the normal imaging immediately before or after the normal imaging with the shutter opened. To do. Then, with respect to the image data obtained by subtracting the second image data from the first image data obtained by the normal imaging, the pixel data corresponding to the detected bright spot noise generation position is corrected. Therefore, it is possible to easily and accurately detect and correct the bright spot noise occurrence position in the image data obtained by subtraction.

  In the image pickup apparatus of the present invention, the bright spot position is detected from the second image data generated by the bright spot position detection unit, which is captured and generated with the shutter being closed under the same exposure condition as that of the normal imaging immediately before or after the normal imaging with the shutter opened. A noise generation position is detected. Then, with respect to the data obtained by subtracting the second image data from the first image data obtained by normal imaging by the noise correction means, the pixel data corresponding to the detected bright spot noise generation position is corrected. Therefore, since the bright spot noise occurrence position in the output data from the calculation means can be detected easily and accurately, it is possible to remove the bright spot noise and improve the quality of the captured image.

  Further, in the noise removal method of the present invention, the bright noise generation position is obtained from the second image data that is captured and generated under the same exposure conditions as in the normal imaging immediately before or after the normal imaging with the shutter opened. Is detected. Then, with respect to data obtained by subtracting the second image data from the first image data obtained by normal imaging, pixel data corresponding to the detected bright spot noise generation position is corrected. Therefore, the bright spot noise generation position in the image data obtained by subtraction can be detected and corrected easily and accurately, and it is possible to remove the bright spot noise and improve the quality of the captured image.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention.
An imaging apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an apparatus for imaging a subject to generate digital image data. A lens 2a, an iris 2b and a shutter 2c with respect to light from the subject, and an imaging element that photoelectrically converts the light. 3, an amplifier 4 that drives an analog image signal from the image sensor 3, a front end 5 that performs processing such as conversion of the analog image signal into digital data, and noise reduction processing and color signal processing for the digitalized image signal And the like, an image memory 7 that stores an output image signal from the camera system LSI 6, a TG (Timing Generator) 8 that drives the image sensor 3, and a microcomputer 9 that controls the entire apparatus.

  The lens 2 a is movable along the optical axis, and correctly collects light from the subject on the image sensor 3. The iris 2b controls the amount of light supplied to the image sensor 3 by changing the area through which the collected light is transmitted. The shutter 2c controls exposure in the image sensor 3 by blocking light transmission. Note that the iris 2b may also serve as the function of the shutter 2c. The operations of the lens 2a, the iris 2b, and the shutter 2c are controlled by the microcomputer 9.

  The image pickup device 3 is configured by integrating a large number of solid-state image pickup devices such as a CCD and a CMOS image sensor, for example, converts light from a subject into an electric signal, and outputs it as a current value or a voltage value. The amplifier 4 drives the output signal of the image sensor 3 and supplies it to the front end 5 as an analog image signal.

  The front end 5 includes an S / H (Sample / Hold) / GC (Gain Control) circuit 5a and an A / D conversion circuit 5b. The S / H / GC circuit 5a performs noise removal processing such as so-called 1 / F fluctuation noise on the analog image signal supplied via the amplifier 4 by correlated double sampling processing, and further gains as necessary. Make adjustments. The A / D conversion circuit 5 b converts the signal from the S / H • GC circuit 5 a into a digital image signal and supplies it to the camera system LSI 6.

  The camera system LSI 6 includes a preprocessing circuit 6 a that performs preprocessing such as noise removal processing on the image signal from the front end 5, a main processing circuit 6 b that performs main processing such as color signal processing, and an image signal to the image memory 7. A memory controller 6c that controls writing and reading, and a timing generation circuit 6d that generates timing signals for the respective units are provided.

  The preprocessing circuit 6a calculates the image signal read from the image memory 7 and performs a process of removing noise and the like generated by the imaging device 3 and the like. Here, as will be described later, after performing a subtraction process between an image signal obtained by normal imaging with the shutter opened and an image signal taken with the shutter closed, high level noise (bright spot noise) caused by a dark signal is further reduced. Processing for correcting dark pixels (black dots) appearing on the captured image for generation is performed.

  The processing circuit 6b converts the R / G / B (Red / Green / Blue) primary color signal read from the image memory 7 into a Y color difference signal based on a luminance signal (Y) and two color difference signals (Cb / Cr). In addition to conversion, processing such as pixel interpolation, frequency characteristic correction, and Y signal matrix and color difference matrix calculation are performed.

  The memory controller 6c performs addressing of the supplied image signal buffer and the image memory 7, stores the image signal in a specified area on the image memory 7 in accordance with control by the microcomputer 9, and a preprocessing circuit The image signal of the designated area is read and output to 6a and the processing circuit 6b.

The timing generation circuit 6d generates a timing signal that serves as an operation reference for the front end 5, the camera system LSI 6, the TG 8, and the like.
The image memory 7 is a semiconductor memory such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or SDRAM (Synchronous-DRAM), for example, and temporarily receives digital image signals from the front end 5, the preprocessing circuit 6a, and the main processing circuit 6b. To remember.

  The TG 8 controls the drive timing in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction in the image sensor 3. When the image pickup device 3 has a high-speed / low-speed electronic shutter function, exposure time control for this function is performed.

  The microcomputer 9 controls the entire imaging apparatus 1. For example, exposure amount control by the iris 2b, exposure time control by opening / closing control for the shutter 2c, gain control in the S / H / GC circuit 5a of the front end 5, operation control for the camera system LSI 6, electronic shutter function of the image sensor 3 by TG 8 Control. Also, by these controls, the normal imaging operation with the shutter 2c opened, the imaging operation with the shutter 2c closed immediately after that, the calculation in the camera system LSI 6 accompanying these operations, the control of the image correction processing, and the image Read / write control of the memory 7 is performed.

  By the way, in the image pickup device 3 used in the image pickup apparatus 1, noise due to a dark signal generated by the image pickup device 3 and noise generated by surrounding circuit boards are mixed in the output image signal. There are many. In addition, the amount of dark signal generated depends on the exposure time and temperature, and when used for a long time exposure or in a high temperature environment, bright spots appear conspicuously on the imaging screen due to high level noise. .

  In order to remove such various noises, the imaging apparatus 1 is in a state in which only the shutter 2c is closed without changing the imaging conditions such as the exposure amount immediately after the normal imaging operation in which the shutter 2c is opened for imaging. Take an image with. Then, using the two generated image signals, the camera system LSI 6 performs the process of reducing the noise and correcting the image quality.

Hereinafter, the operation at the time of imaging in the imaging apparatus 1 will be described.
When a request to start imaging is received by a user operation input or the like, the aperture amount of the iris 2 b and the opening and closing speed of the shutter 2 c are adjusted by the control of the microcomputer 9, and light from the subject enters the imaging device 3. The imaging device 3 photoelectrically converts incident light under the drive timing control by the TG 8 and outputs an image signal A1.

  The image signal A1 is supplied to the front end 5 via the amplifier 4. The front end 5 performs correlated double sampling processing on the input image signal A1 in the S / H / GC circuit 5a, and converts the image signal A1 into a digital signal in the A / D conversion circuit 5b. The image signal A2 converted into the digital signal is supplied to the camera system LSI 6, and the camera system LSI 6 temporarily stores the input image signal A2 in the image memory 7 via the memory controller 6c.

  Subsequently, the shutter 2c is closed by an instruction from the microcomputer 9 without changing imaging conditions such as gain control in the iris 2b, the TG 8, and the front end 5. The image sensor 3 outputs an image signal B1 in a state where incident light is completely blocked. The image signal B1 from the image sensor 3 is sent to the front end 5 via the amplifier 4. The front end 5 samples the image signal B 1 according to a command from the microcomputer 9, converts it to a digital image signal B 2, and supplies it to the camera system LSI 6. The camera system LSI 6 stores the input image signal B2 in a different area from the image signal A2 in the image memory 7 via the memory controller 6c.

  Next, the camera system LSI 6 reads the image signals A2 and B2 from the image memory 7 and supplies them to the preprocessing circuit 6a. The preprocessing circuit 6a subtracts the image signal B2 from the image signal A2, and performs a process of correcting the black point on the image caused by the bright spot noise due to the dark signal, with respect to the image signal C1 output thereby. The image signal C2 whose image quality has been corrected is stored again in the image memory 7 via the memory controller 6c.

  Next, based on the control of the microcomputer 9, the image signal C2 is read from the image memory 7 and supplied to the processing circuit 6b. This processing circuit 6b performs, for example, interpolation processing for improving image quality, frequency characteristic correction, color correction, γ correction, and the like for the image signal C2 configured by level values of each pixel of R / G / B. Processing is performed to convert the data into a general image data format composed of a luminance signal (Y) and a color difference signal (Cb / Cr). The converted image signal D is stored in the image memory 7 via the memory controller 6c.

Next, processing in the preprocessing circuit 6a in the camera system LSI 6 will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration example of the preprocessing circuit 6a.
As shown in FIG. 2, the preprocessing circuit 6a detects the position of the bright spot from the arithmetic circuit 61 that subtracts the signal of the corresponding pixel of the image signal B2 from the signal of each pixel in the image signal A2. And a black spot correction circuit 63 that corrects the pixel signal of the black spot in the image signal C1 output from the arithmetic circuit 61 based on the detection result in the bright spot detection circuit 62.

  The image signal A 2 read from the image memory 7 by the memory controller 6 c is supplied to the arithmetic circuit 61, and the image signal B 2 is also supplied to the bright spot detection circuit 62 together with the arithmetic circuit 61. The arithmetic circuit 61 sequentially subtracts the image signal B2 for each corresponding pixel from the image signal A2, thereby outputting the image signal C1 from which only the fixed pattern noise component is removed. At this time, the image signal C1 may not completely remove the influence of the bright spot noise. In this case, black spot noise remains.

  The bright spot detection circuit 62 detects the position of the pixel where the bright spot noise has occurred, based on a signal level L set in advance as described later, from the supplied image signal B2, and generates a timing pulse T1. Output. The black spot correction circuit 63 determines the position of a pixel with black spot noise based on the timing pulse T1 from the bright spot detection circuit 62 with respect to the image signal C1 output from the arithmetic circuit 61, and determines this pixel as the same color in the vicinity. Correction is performed using the pixel signal.

Here, signal waveform examples in each part are shown, and the black point correction processing is described in detail. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing examples of signal waveforms of the image signals A2 and B2 input to the arithmetic circuit 61. As shown in FIG.
FIG. 3A shows an example of a waveform of the image signal A2 that has been imaged by the normal imaging operation and converted into digital data. This signal includes, in addition to video information from the subject, a fixed pattern noise component due to noise caused by a dark signal generated by the image sensor 3, noise generated on a surrounding circuit board, and the like. Depending on the level of the fixed pattern noise, a DC offset may occur in the signal, but an offset also occurs in the image signal A2. Further, as noise due to dark signals, there are included bright spot noises N1 to N7 that generate a large amount of charges due to structural defects or manufacturing variations of the image pickup device 3 and thereby generate bright spots on the picked-up image. ing.

  In FIG. 3, the maximum value of the range that can be converted by the A / D conversion circuit 5 b of the front end 5 is represented by a dotted line as R. The A / D conversion circuit 5b converts all pixels having a signal level higher than the range R into digital data as the same value of full scale.

  In the signal waveform of FIG. 3A, for the image signal A1 output from the image sensor 3, the actual signal levels of the bright spot noises N1, N2, and N3 exceed the range R, and the digitally converted image signal With respect to A2, it is shown that the levels of the bright spot noises N1, N2, and N3 are in a state of being attached to the full scale within the range R. That is, in the digitally converted image signal A2, the actually generated signal level is not reflected for the bright spot noises N1, N2, and N3.

  On the other hand, FIG. 3B shows an example of a signal waveform of the image signal B2 that is captured and digitalized by closing the shutter immediately after normal imaging. This image signal B2 does not include a video signal from the subject, and is a dark signal noise from the image sensor 3, noise generated on the circuit board, etc., fixed pattern noise such as DC offset, and bright spot noise N1. Only noise components due to N7 are included. In FIG. 3B, the same symbol is assigned to the bright spot noise corresponding to the signal waveform example of FIG.

  Here, it is known that the amount of dark signal generated in the image sensor 3 is constant if the imaging conditions such as exposure time and the environmental conditions such as temperature are the same. Therefore, in the image signal B2 captured by closing the shutter 2c immediately after the image signal A2 is imaged, the signal levels of the bright spot noises N1, N2, and N3 that are stuck to the full scale within the range R in the image signal A2. The signal level originally generated is reproduced.

  The arithmetic circuit 61 sequentially subtracts the image signal B2 for each corresponding pixel from the image signal A2, thereby outputting the image signal C1 from which only the fixed pattern noise component is removed. The arithmetic circuit 61 also removes bright spot noises N4, N5, N6 and N7 whose original signal level is lower than the range R. However, with respect to the bright spot noises N1, N2, and N3 that do not reflect the original signal level in the image signal A2, there is a difference in the signal level between the image signals A2 and B2. In addition, only the pixel appears as black spot noises N11, N12, and N13 having an extremely low signal level.

  In order to remove the black spot noises N11, N12, and N13, the bright spot detection circuit 62 first detects the positions where the bright spot noises N1, N2, and N3 are generated from the image signal B2, and outputs a timing pulse T1 at this position. . Here, FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the image signal B2 and the timing pulse T1.

  As described above, the signal level of the noise component is accurately reflected in the image signal B2. Further, as shown in FIG. 4A, the image signal B2 is imaged in a state where the shutter 2c is closed and the incident light is blocked and does not include the video component of the subject. Therefore, only the bright spot noises N1 to N7 are detected. The signal form is easy to separate.

  Therefore, the bright spot detection circuit 62 detects the position of the pixel where the bright spot noises N1 to N7 appear using the image signal B2. Since the bright spot noises N1 to N7 have extremely high signal levels compared to other noises, the bright spot detection circuit 62 serves as a threshold for detecting the bright spot noises N1 to N7. The signal level L is arbitrarily set. Then, as shown in FIG. 4B, the signal level of each pixel of the image signal B2 is compared with this signal level L, and when the signal level L is reached, a timing pulse T1 is output, thereby obtaining a bright spot. The positions of noises N1 to N7 are detected.

Next, FIG. 5 shows a waveform example for explaining correction of black spot noise.
FIG. 5A shows a waveform example of the image signal C1 output from the arithmetic circuit 61. FIG. In the image signal C1, as described above, the black spot noises N11, N12, and N13 are generated in the pixels corresponding to the bright spot noises N1, N2, and N3 whose signal levels are attached to the full scale within the range R in the image signal A2. Appears.

  When the black spot correction circuit 63 receives the input of the image signal C1 from the arithmetic circuit 61 in sequence and receives the timing pulse T1 from the bright spot detection circuit 62, the black spot correction circuit 63 determines the pixel signal in the input image signal C1 as a neighborhood It corrects using the signal of the pixel. Specifically, for example, the signal of the corresponding pixel is replaced with a signal of the same color pixel before or after the adjacent one. Alternatively, the signals of two adjacent pixels of the same color are averaged, and the signal of the corresponding pixel is replaced with this average value. By such pixel correction processing, black dots with black holes are filled with neighboring colors and are not conspicuous on the captured image, and image quality deterioration is prevented.

Next, an internal configuration example of each part in the preprocessing circuit 6a will be described. First, FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a first internal configuration example of the arithmetic circuit 61.
As shown in FIG. 6, the arithmetic circuit 61 includes only a subtraction circuit 611. The subtraction circuit 611 outputs an image signal C1 obtained by subtracting the image signal B2 from the input image signal A2.

  In the case of this first internal configuration example, for example, if both input signals are unsigned 10-bit data, the operation result is signed 10-bit data, and the bit width increases by 1 bit. . Specifically, for example, a negative signal may be generated due to irregular noise or the like in the result of subtraction, but if the negative signal is removed in order not to change the bit width, noise near black will be generated. Half-wave rectification will occur, and the average DC level or average voltage level near black will change.

  On the other hand, an internal configuration example that prevents the change of the bit width of such an image signal will be described next. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a second internal configuration example of the arithmetic circuit 61. In FIG. 7, functional blocks having the same configuration as that of the first internal configuration example shown in FIG. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  The arithmetic circuit 61a shown in FIG. 7 includes an addition circuit 612 for offset addition and a limiter 613 that limits the signal level in addition to the subtraction circuit 611. The adder circuit 612 adds an offset signal O having a DC signal level that can sufficiently transmit the negative noise component included in the output signal X from the subtractor circuit 611. The limiter 613 limits the signal level so that the output signal Y offset by the adding circuit 612 maintains the original bit width.

  Here, FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the signal level of each part in the arithmetic circuit 61a by taking 10-bit digital data as an example. In FIG. 8, the waveform of fine noise components such as bright spot noise is omitted for the sake of simplicity.

  In FIG. 8, the output signal X from the subtraction circuit 611 from which fixed pattern noise has been removed from the image signals A2 and B2 input to the subtraction circuit 611 may include a negative noise component. In addition, an offset of “32” data is added to the output signal Y from the adder circuit 612 as an example to the output signal X described above. As a result, the output signal Y becomes signed 11-bit data. In the limiter 613, the negative signal level is “0” and the signal level exceeding the maximum range width value “1023” of 10-bit data is By setting “1023”, the output image signal C1 becomes unsigned 10-bit data.

In the second internal configuration example described above, it is possible to transmit the output signal X output after removing fixed pattern noise with a limited number of bits without adversely affecting image quality.
Next, an example of the internal configuration of the bright spot detection circuit 62 will be described. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a first internal configuration example of the bright spot detection circuit 62.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the bright spot detection circuit 62 includes a comparison circuit 621 that compares the signal level of the input image signal B2 with a set value and outputs the comparison result as a timing pulse T1. The signal level L serving as a comparison reference is set by the microcomputer 9. Further, when the signal level of the image signal B2 is higher than the signal level L, the output timing pulse T1 is set to the H level.

  In the first internal configuration example, when the signal level of the image signal B2 exceeds the set signal level L, the presence of bright spot noise is detected, and the timing pulse T1 is set to the H level, thereby correcting the black spot. This is notified to the circuit 63. However, in such an internal configuration, if the amount of DC offset included in the input image signal B2 is large, an error may occur in the bright spot noise level determination.

Here, FIG. 10 is a diagram showing how the bright spot noise occurrence position is detected for two image signals B2 having different offset levels.
In FIGS. 10A and 10B, as an example, the image signal B2 is 10 bits without a sign, the signal level L given from the microcomputer 9 is 10 bits without a sign, and the set value of the signal level L is 256. Has been. In addition, these two image signals B2 and the state of output of the timing pulse T1 corresponding thereto are also shown.

  In the example of FIG. 10A, six bright spot noises are detected with respect to the signal level L value of the bright spot noise detection, and the timing pulse T1 is at the H level for each. On the other hand, in the example of FIG. 10B, the offset level of the image signal B2 is higher than that of FIG. For this reason, relatively low level noise generated at timing T101 exceeds the signal level L, and seven locations including this noise are determined to be bright spot noise.

  As described above, in the first internal configuration example, an error may occur in the determination for the bright spot noise detection depending on the level of the offset included in the image signal B2 input to the bright spot detection circuit 62. For example, when the exposure time becomes longer or the ambient temperature becomes higher, the level of such an offset further increases. Therefore, depending on the setting state of the detection signal level L, the bright spot noise for all pixels. There is a risk of determining that there is.

  An example of an internal configuration capable of preventing such a determination error is shown below. First, FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a second internal configuration example of the bright spot detection circuit 62. In FIG. 11, functional blocks having the same configuration as the first internal configuration example shown in FIG. 9 are denoted with the same reference numerals.

  The bright spot detection circuit 62a shown in FIG. 11 includes a delay circuit 622 that delays an input image signal B2, a delay circuit 623 that further delays an output signal from the delay circuit 622, and an average of the delay circuit 623 and the image signal B2. An average calculation circuit 624 that calculates the level value, a subtraction circuit 625 that subtracts the output signal of the average calculation circuit 624 from the output signal of the delay circuit 622, and a limiter 626 that suppresses a negative component included in the output signal from the subtraction circuit 625. And a comparison circuit 621 similar to the first internal configuration example for detecting the bright spot noise from the output signal of the limiter 626 and outputting the timing pulse T1.

  The delay circuits 622 and 623 are constituted by delay elements such as D flip-flops, for example, and the number of delay elements is one or two. Accordingly, the output signal of the delay circuit 622 is delayed by one pixel with respect to the image signal B2 supplied from the memory controller 6c, and the output signal of the delay circuit 623 is further delayed by one pixel. Thereby, in the bright spot detection circuit 62a, the output signal from the delay circuit 622 is used as a signal to be detected for the bright spot noise, and the signal of the pixel immediately before the detection target pixel from the output signal from the delay circuit 623. And the signal of the pixel one pixel after the image signal B2 input to the delay circuit 622 is extracted.

Note that the number of delay elements in the delay circuits 622 and 623 is determined according to the element configuration of the image sensor 3 as described later.
The average arithmetic circuit 624 calculates an average level value between the output signal from the delay circuit 623 and the input image signal B2. As a result, the average value of the signal levels for the front and rear pixels adjacent to the pixel to be detected is obtained. The subtraction circuit 625 subtracts the signal from the average calculation circuit 624 from the detection target signal from the delay circuit 622. Thereby, the difference between the detection target pixel and the average signal level of the pixels on both sides adjacent to the detection target pixel is output.

  The limiter 626 cancels the negative signal generated by the calculation in the subtracting circuit 625 and outputs the signal level as “0”. This prevents the data bit width from increasing due to the generation of a negative signal. This output signal is input to the comparison circuit 621, and a timing pulse T1 is output by comparison with the signal level L of the detection reference.

Here, FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the bright spot noise detection in the comparison circuit 621 and the output of the timing pulse T1 in the second internal configuration example.
In FIG. 12, as an example, the input signal S to the comparison circuit 621 is 10 bits without a sign, the signal level L given from the microcomputer 9 is 10 bits without a sign, and the set value of the signal level L is 128. The input signal S is obtained by removing a negative signal from a difference signal between a pixel to be detected and an average signal level of pixels on both sides adjacent thereto. For this reason, for example, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the input signal S to the comparison circuit 621 no matter what offset level the image signal B input to the bright spot detection circuit 62 has. Is a state in which this offset component is removed.

  Therefore, it is necessary to set the detection reference signal level L high in order to prevent erroneous detection of bright spot noise due to the offset by using this input signal S and comparing it with the detection reference signal level L. Therefore, the bright spot noise can be accurately detected regardless of the offset level.

  In the above second internal configuration example, the pixels on both sides adjacent to the pixel to be detected are used and the average level is subtracted from the target pixel. However, the level of one pixel on the adjacent one side is used. Also, the same effect as described above can be obtained. Hereinafter, an example of the internal configuration of the bright spot detection circuit 62 will be described.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating third and fourth internal configuration examples of the bright spot detection circuit 62. In FIG. 13, functional blocks having the same configuration as the first and second internal configuration examples shown in FIGS. 9 and 11 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  In FIG. 13A, as a third internal configuration example, a bright spot detection circuit 62b that detects bright spot noise using a difference between a target pixel and a previous pixel adjacent thereto is shown. The bright spot detection circuit 62b delays an input image signal B2, a subtraction circuit 625 that subtracts the output signal of the delay circuit 627 from the image signal B2, and removes a negative component from the output signal. The limiter 626 and a comparison circuit 621 that detects bright spot noise are included.

  The delay circuit 627 includes one or two delay elements such as D flip-flops, and delays the input image signal B2 by one pixel. Accordingly, the subtracting circuit 625 subtracts the signal of the previous pixel (usually the left side) by one from the delay circuit 627 from the detection target signal, and supplies this output signal to the comparison circuit 621 via the limiter 626. Is done.

  FIG. 13B shows, as a fourth internal configuration example, a bright spot detection circuit 62c that detects bright spot noise using a difference between the target pixel and a rear pixel adjacent thereto. . The bright spot detection circuit 62c includes a delay circuit 628 that delays the input image signal B2, a subtraction circuit 625 that subtracts the input image signal B2 from the output signal from the delay circuit 628, and the output signal. The limiter 626 removes the negative component and the comparison circuit 621 that detects the bright spot noise.

  In the bright spot detection circuit 62c, the signal delayed by one pixel by the delay circuit 628 becomes a bright spot noise detection target. Accordingly, the subtracting circuit 625 subtracts the signal of the pixel one pixel behind (usually, the right side) from the detection target signal, and supplies this output signal to the comparison circuit 621 via the limiter 626.

  In the above third and fourth internal configuration examples, since the signal level is compared using the difference between the signals of the adjacent pixels from the signal of the pixel to be detected, the offset of the input image signal B2 Regardless of the level, the bright spot noise can be detected accurately.

  In the second and fourth internal configuration examples, the signal to be detected is a signal that is one pixel behind this, so the output timing pulse T1 is relative to the image signal B2. That is, it is delayed by one pixel. Therefore, when the second and fourth internal configuration examples are taken, a delay of one pixel is provided between the input stage of the image signals A2 and B2 to the arithmetic circuit 61 or between the arithmetic circuit 61 and the black spot correction circuit 63. A circuit is provided.

Next, an internal configuration example of the black spot correction circuit 63 will be described. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a first internal configuration example of the black point correction circuit 63.
14 has a delay circuit 631 that delays the image signal C1 output from the arithmetic circuit 61, a delay circuit 632 that further delays an output signal from the delay circuit 631, and an output from the delay circuit 632. An average calculation circuit 633 that calculates an average value of the signal and the input image signal C1, a delay circuit 634 that outputs a timing pulse T2 obtained by delaying the timing pulse T1 from the bright spot detection circuit 62, and a delay circuit 634 In response to the timing pulse T2, the selector 635 switches the output signal from the delay circuit 631 and the output signal from the average arithmetic circuit 633 and outputs it as an image signal C2 to the memory controller 6c.

  The image signal C1 input to the black spot correction circuit 63 is a signal that may contain black spot noise although the fixed pattern noise is removed. The delay circuit 631 delays the image signal C1 by one pixel of the same color. This signal is guided to one input of the selector 635 as an image signal C3 indicating a pixel to be black point corrected. The delay circuit 632 further delays the output signal from the delay circuit 631 by one pixel of the same color and supplies the delayed signal to the average arithmetic circuit 633. Accordingly, the average calculation circuit 633 calculates the average value of the data of the pixels before and after the pixel adjacent to the pixel in the output signal from the delay circuit 631, and uses this to calculate the image signal C4 for black point correction. To the other input of the selector 635.

  In consideration of the fact that the image signal C3 subject to black spot correction has been delayed by the delay circuit 631, the delay circuit 634 has a timing pulse T2 obtained by delaying the timing pulse T1 in order to match the phase of the timing pulse T1 to the image signal C3. Is supplied to the selector 635. The selector 635 outputs the image signal C3 from the delay circuit 631 when the input timing pulse T2 is at the L level, and outputs the image signal C4 from the average arithmetic circuit 633 when it is at the H level.

Here, FIG. 15 shows the state of input / output signals in the selector 635.
A timing pulse T2 shown in FIG. 15A indicates a pixel in which bright spot noise occurs. Further, the image signal C3 from the delay circuit 631 is obtained by removing the fixed pattern noise and simply delaying the image signal C1 that may contain black spot noise. For example, the image signal C3 shown in FIG. 15B includes black spot noises N11, N12, and N13. Further, the black spot noise appears only in the pixel where the bright spot noise has occurred.

  Therefore, the selector 635 outputs the image signal C4 from the average calculation circuit 633 only at the timing when the pixel that may have the black spot noise is supplied from the image signal C3 from the delay circuit 631. The image signal C2 output in this way is shown in FIG.

  By the way, in the pixel where black spot noise exists, the level of the color component is extremely lower than the neighboring pixels. Therefore, the average calculation circuit 633 outputs the average value of the signals of the pixels before and after the black spot correction target pixel, and the selector 635 replaces the image signal C4 with the pixel at the black spot noise generation position. It is done. As a result, on the captured image, the pixels where the black spot noise has occurred are connected to the colors of neighboring pixels gently, so that the black spots are not noticeable and the image quality is improved.

  In the black spot correction circuit 63 described above, the average value of the signals of the same color pixels before and after the black spot correction target pixel is used for correction by replacing the signal of the pixel in which black spot noise exists. The image quality can also be improved by replacing the existing pixel with the signal of only one of the pixels adjacent to this pixel. Hereinafter, an internal configuration example of the black point correction circuit 63 that performs such black point correction will be described.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating second and third internal configuration examples of the black point correction circuit 63. In FIGS. 16A and 16B, functional blocks having the same configuration as the first internal configuration example shown in FIG. 14 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  FIG. 16A shows, as a second internal configuration example, a black point correction circuit 63a that performs correction by replacing a pixel in which black point noise exists with a signal of a previous same color pixel adjacent thereto. The black point correction circuit 63a outputs a delay circuit 636 that delays the input image signal C1, and outputs the image signal C1 when the input timing pulse T1 is at the L level, and from the delay circuit 636 when the input timing pulse T1 is at the H level. A selector 635 that outputs an output signal is used.

  The delay circuit 636 includes one or two delay elements such as D flip-flops, and delays the input image signal C1 by one pixel of the same color. Therefore, the selector 635 is supplied with the black point correction target image signal C1 and the signal of the same color pixel that is one pixel earlier (usually the left side) from the delay circuit 636. Then, in accordance with the timing pulse T1, the signal of the pixel that may contain black spot noise is replaced by the signal of the previous pixel by one.

  In FIG. 16B, as a third internal configuration example, a black spot correction circuit 63b that performs correction by replacing a pixel in which black spot noise exists with a signal of the same color pixel adjacent to the black spot noise. The black dot correction circuit 63b includes a delay circuit 637 that delays the input image signal C1, a delay circuit 634 that delays the input timing pulse T1, and a delay circuit 637 when the input timing pulse T2 is at the L level. Is output by the selector 635 that outputs the image signal C1 when it is at the H level.

  In the black spot correction circuit 63b, a signal delayed by one pixel of the same color by the delay circuit 637 is subjected to black spot correction. The delay circuit 634 delays the input timing pulse T 1 to generate a timing pulse T 2 that matches the phase of the image signal C 3 delayed by the delay circuit 637 and supplies the timing pulse T 2 to the selector 635. Accordingly, the selector 635 is supplied with the image signal C1 subjected to black point correction and the signal of the same color pixel behind (usually the right side) by one from the delay circuit 637. Then, in accordance with the timing pulse T2, a signal of a pixel that may contain black spot noise is replaced by a signal of a pixel that is behind by one.

  In the second and third internal configuration examples described above, a pixel in which black spot noise exists is replaced with a signal of only one of the pixels adjacent to this pixel, so that the image quality of the captured image is improved. However, since the image is displayed in the same color as any of the adjacent pixels, the image corrected by the first internal configuration example described above has a greater effect of correcting the image quality. However, in the second and third internal configuration examples, the circuit configuration is simpler than the first internal configuration example, and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.

  By the way, in the internal configuration example of the bright spot detection circuit 62 and the black spot correction circuit 63 described above, the number of stages of delay elements included in the delay circuits for delaying the input image signals B2 and C1 and the timing pulse T1 is image pickup. It depends on the structure of the element 3. This is because the arrangement interval of the same color pixels differs depending on the structure of the image sensor 3.

Here, FIG. 17 shows an example of a difference in pixel arrangement in an image signal due to a difference in structure of the image sensor 3.
In the monochrome sensor or the three CCDs, only the same color signal is output from each element, so that the signals of adjacent pixels are all the same color. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 17A, by setting the delay elements in the delay circuit to one stage (for one clock), it is possible to obtain a delay for one adjacent pixel of the same color.

  In the case of a single-plate CCD having a 2 × 2 or 2 × 4 color filter array, the color information of adjacent pixels is different. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 17B, by setting the delay elements in the delay circuit to two stages (for two clocks), it is possible to obtain a delay for one adjacent pixel of the same color.

  In the imaging apparatus 1 described above, the pixel where the bright spot noise is generated is detected using the image signal B2 captured immediately after the normal imaging, and therefore the position of the pixel where the black spot noise may occur is detected. Can be detected easily and accurately. Also, on the basis of this detection, pixels that may generate black spot noise are corrected using the data of neighboring pixels, so the pixels that have become black spots become inconspicuous and the image quality of the captured image is reduced. It can be easily improved.

  In the above embodiment, the imaging with the shutter closed is performed immediately after the normal imaging, but conversely, the imaging may be performed with the shutter closed immediately before the normal imaging. Good. In this case, when the microcomputer 9 receives a request to start imaging by a user's operation input or the like, the microcomputer 9 performs settings for normal imaging in the iris 2b, the front end 5, and the TG 8, and first closes the shutter 2c to the front end 5. The image signal is sampled, and then the shutter 2c is set to the normal setting to capture an image to generate the image signal. The image memory 7 first stores an image signal B2 obtained by imaging with the shutter closed, and then stores an image signal A2 obtained by normal imaging, which is simultaneously output to the preprocessing circuit 6a.

  In the above embodiment, both the image signal A2 obtained by normal imaging and the image signal B2 obtained by imaging with the shutter closed are temporarily stored in the image memory 7 and then output to the preprocessing circuit 6a. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, after one image signal is stored in the image memory 7 and then the other image is taken, one image signal is read from the image memory 7 and both are simultaneously preprocessed. It is good also as a structure supplied to the circuit 6a. Furthermore, the image signal C2 output from the preprocessing circuit 6a may be directly supplied to the main processing circuit 6b without being temporarily stored in the image memory 7.

  With such a configuration, the number of accesses to the image memory 7 and the amount of transfer data are suppressed, so the time from the start of imaging to the storage of the final image signal is shortened and the power consumption is reduced. be able to.

It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the imaging device of this invention. It is a figure which shows the internal structural example of a pre-processing circuit. It is a figure which shows the example of the signal waveform of each image signal input into an arithmetic circuit. It is a figure for demonstrating the relationship between the image signal imaged with the shutter closed, and a timing pulse. It is a figure which shows the example of a waveform for demonstrating correction | amendment of a black spot noise. It is a figure which shows the 1st internal structural example of an arithmetic circuit. It is a figure which shows the 2nd internal structural example of an arithmetic circuit. It is a figure for demonstrating 10 bits of digital data as an example about the signal level of each part in the 2nd internal structural example of an arithmetic circuit. It is a figure which shows the 1st internal structural example of a luminescent point detection circuit. It is a figure which shows the mode of the detection of the bright spot noise generation position about two image signals from which an offset level differs with respect to a bright spot detection circuit. It is a figure which shows the 2nd internal structural example of a luminescent point detection circuit. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the bright spot noise detection in the comparison circuit in a 2nd internal structural example, and the output of a timing pulse. It is a figure which shows the 3rd and 4th internal structure example of a luminescent point detection circuit. It is a figure which shows the 1st internal structural example of a black point correction circuit. It is a figure which shows the mode of the input / output signal in a selector. It is a figure which shows the 2nd and 3rd internal structural example of a black point correction circuit. It is a figure shown about the example of the difference in the pixel arrangement | sequence in an image signal by the difference in the structure of an image pick-up element. It is a figure which shows the example of a waveform of the image signal imaged in the conventional noise reduction method. It is a figure which shows the example of a waveform of the image signal output in the conventional noise reduction method.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Imaging device, 2a ... Lens, 2b ... Iris, 2c ... Shutter, 3 ... Imaging device, 4 ... Amplifier, 5 ... Front end, 5a ... S / H / GC circuit, 5b ... ... A / D conversion circuit, 6 ... Camera system LSI, 6a ... Pre-processing circuit, 6b ... This processing circuit, 6c ... Memory controller, 6d ... Timing generation circuit, 7 ... Image memory, 8 ... TG, 9 ... Microcomputer, 61 ... Calculation circuit, 62 ... Bright spot detection circuit, 63 ... Black spot correction circuit

Claims (8)

In an imaging device that images a subject using a solid-state imaging device,
From the first image data captured and converted into digital data by the normal imaging with the shutter opened, the image was converted into digital data by closing the shutter under the same exposure conditions as the normal imaging immediately before or after the normal imaging. Arithmetic means for subtracting the second image data;
Luminescent spot position detecting means for detecting a generation position in the second image data of luminescent spot noise, which is a high-level noise generating a luminescent spot on a captured image;
Noise correction means for correcting pixel data corresponding to the generation position of the bright spot noise detected by the bright spot position detection means for output data from the calculation means;
An imaging device comprising: The computing means is
A subtractor for subtracting the second image data from the first image data;
An adder for adding an offset signal to the output signal from the subtractor;
A limiter for limiting the output signal level from the adding unit;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:   The bright spot position detecting means detects the bright spot noise occurrence position when the signal level of each pixel in the second image data reaches a preset value arbitrarily set. Item 2. The imaging device according to Item 1.   The bright spot position detecting means has a value obtained by subtracting an average signal level of two pixels adjacent to the pixel from a signal level of the pixel in the second image data reaches a set value that is arbitrarily set in advance. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a position where the bright spot noise is generated is detected.   The bright spot position detecting means has a value obtained by subtracting the signal level of any one of the pixels adjacent to the pixel from the signal level of the pixel in the second image data reaches a set value that is arbitrarily set in advance. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a position where the bright spot noise is generated is detected.   2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the noise correcting unit replaces pixel data corresponding to the bright spot noise generation position with average data of two adjacent pixels of the same color.   2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the noise correction unit replaces pixel data corresponding to the bright spot noise generation position with data of any one of the adjacent same color pixels. In a noise removal method for removing noise generated when a subject is imaged using a solid-state image sensor,
From the first image data captured and converted into digital data by the normal imaging with the shutter opened, the second image is converted into digital data by closing the shutter under the same exposure conditions as the normal imaging immediately before or after the normal imaging. Subtract image data of
Detecting a generation position in the second image data of a bright spot noise, which is a high-level noise generating a bright spot on the captured image;
For the data resulting from the subtraction, correct the pixel data corresponding to the detected location of the bright spot noise,
The noise removal method characterized by this.

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