JP2012080468A - Defective pixel information generation device and constitution method of defective pixel information - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To generate defective pixel information having a small data amount for which addition and updating are easily performed.SOLUTION: In a readout order of pixels on an imaging element, a periodic number is allocated to a pixel so as to at least be different from the number of an adjacent pixel. Then, when a pixel on the imaging element is detected to be a defective pixel, the number allocated to the detected defective pixel is added to defective pixel information as information indicating the position of the pixel. Also, when defective pixels are not detected until the next allocation of the same number as the number allocated to the pixel detected to be a defective pixel, with information indicating that a pixel to which the same number or a number allocated earlier than the same number is allocated is not a defective pixel, the number is added to the defective pixel information.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for correcting image quality deterioration of an image caused by defective pixels on an image sensor.

  In general, an image sensor formed of a semiconductor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor includes a so-called defective pixel in which a local crystal defect of the semiconductor has occurred. There is. When imaging is performed using an imaging element having defective pixels, a normal image signal is not output from the defective pixels, which causes deterioration in image quality of the output image.

  As a method for reducing image quality degradation due to such defective pixels, a method of performing correction processing using image signals output from surrounding pixels is known for image signals output from defective pixels. ing. In this case, in order to correct the image quality deterioration of the image caused by the defective pixel, it is necessary to store information on the position of the defective pixel in advance in the internal memory of the imaging apparatus.

  However, when the pixel density of an image sensor in recent years increases, the method of storing information indicating whether each pixel of the image sensor is a defective pixel increases the amount of data and increases the circuit configuration. In addition, since the state of the defective pixel changes depending on the temperature of the image sensor, for example, it is necessary to store information on the defective pixel corresponding to various states of the image sensor, and the data amount of the defective pixel information further increases. To do.

  In Patent Document 1, an address is set for a pixel of an image sensor, and the position of the defective pixel is expressed using a relative address from an arbitrary defective pixel to the next defective pixel, thereby reducing the data amount of defective pixel information. Techniques for reducing are disclosed. Further, in Patent Document 1, a maximum value is set for the relative address, and dummy defective pixel information is inserted so that the relative address between defective pixels does not exceed the maximum value. Reduction is also disclosed.

JP-A-1-103376

  The defective pixel information as described above is detected in the internal memory by detecting defective pixels of the image sensor before shipment of the imaging device such as a digital camera. However, a new defective pixel may be generated due to aging of the image sensor or the like, and the degree (scratch level) of the defective pixel detected at the time of shipment may be further deteriorated.

  In this way, when there is a change in the distribution of defective pixels on the image sensor, even if the image quality deterioration of the defective pixels in the image is corrected using the defective pixel information stored before shipment, proper correction is performed. Can't do it. In other words, in the output image, missing pixels are included due to defective pixels generated after shipment, or unnatural pixels are generated by performing correction not corresponding to the scratch level of the defective pixels.

  For this reason, it is necessary to detect defective pixels and update defective pixel information after shipment so as to cope with a change in distribution of defective pixels. However, when defective pixel information is configured using relative addresses between defective pixels as in Patent Document 1, for example, when new defective pixel information is added, the relative addresses of other defective pixels are also changed. It is necessary and processing time increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to generate defective pixel information that has a small amount of data and can be easily added and updated.

In order to achieve the above-described object, the defective pixel information configuration method of the present invention has the following configuration.
A method for constructing defective pixel information indicating a position of a defective pixel on an image sensor, wherein the counting means assigns a periodic number to the pixels in the readout order of the pixels on the image sensor, and the detection means A detecting step for detecting whether or not each pixel on the image sensor is a defective pixel, and a storage means for storing a number assigned in the counting step for a pixel detected as a defective pixel in the detecting step A storage step of adding to the defective pixel information stored in the storage step, and in the storage step, the storage means until the next same number is assigned from the number assigned to the pixel detected as a defective pixel. If there is no defective pixel detected in the detection process, use the same number or a number assigned before the same number, and the pixel to which that number is assigned is defective. Characterized by adding to the defective pixel information together with information indicating that it is not a prime.

  With this configuration, according to the present invention, it is possible to generate defective pixel information that has a small amount of data and can be easily added and updated.

1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the data structure of the information of one pixel of the defective pixel information which concerns on embodiment. FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of distribution of defective pixels on the image sensor according to the embodiment. The figure which showed the response | compatibility of the position of the pixel on the image sensor which concerns on embodiment, and a count. 9 is a flowchart of defective pixel information generation processing according to the embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the defective pixel information which concerns on embodiment. The figure which showed the defective pixel information added which concerns on embodiment. 6 is a flowchart of defective pixel information integration processing according to the embodiment. The figure which showed the integrated defective pixel information which concerns on embodiment.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, one Embodiment described below demonstrates the example which applied this invention in the digital camera provided with an image pick-up element as an example of a defective pixel information generation apparatus. However, the present invention has an image pickup device, can detect a defective pixel included in the image pickup device, and can connect with a device having the image pickup device to detect a defective pixel. Applicable to equipment.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a digital camera 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The control unit 101 is, for example, a microprocessor, and controls the operation of each block included in the digital camera 100. For example, the control unit 101 reads out an operation program of each block included in the digital camera 100 stored in the ROM 102, develops it in the RAM 103, and executes it to control the operation of each block included in the digital camera 100. In this embodiment, the operation of each block included in the digital camera 100 is described as being controlled by the operation program of the block. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and each block is processed in the same manner as the operation program. It may be composed of a circuit that performs the above.

  The ROM 102 is a rewritable non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, for example, in addition to an operation program for each block provided in the digital camera 100, such as a signal interpolation method for correcting defective pixel information and image quality degradation caused by the defective pixel. Information is stored. The RAM 103 is a rewritable volatile memory, and is used as an area for temporarily storing parameters and settings necessary for the operation of each block included in the digital camera 100.

  The imaging unit 105 is an imaging element configured by, for example, a CCD or a CMOS sensor, and an analog image signal obtained by photoelectrically converting an optical image formed on the imaging element by the optical system 104 is displayed on the imaging element. Are read out in the order in which the pixels are read out and output to the imaging signal processing unit 106.

  The imaging signal processing unit 106 outputs digital image data by performing processing such as signal amplification and A / D conversion on the analog image signal input from the imaging unit 105. Further, the imaging signal processing unit 106 includes a defective pixel detection unit 111 and a defect correction unit 112 which will be described later. The defective pixel detection unit 111 detects a defective pixel from the analog image signal for each pixel on the image sensor output from the imaging unit 105. A known method may be used as the defective pixel detection method, and the description thereof is omitted in this specification.

  Information on the detected defective pixel is stored in the ROM 102 as defective pixel information, for example. The defect correction unit 112 corrects a signal output from the defective pixel in the input analog image signal according to the defective pixel information detected by the defective pixel detection unit 111 and stored in the ROM 102. As for correction of the signal output from the defective pixel, if it is determined that the distribution of the defective pixel is not changed, for example, image quality degradation caused by the defective pixel generated from the defective pixel information and stored in the ROM 102 is corrected. The correction may be performed by using a signal interpolation method for correction.

  The image processing unit 107 performs various types of image processing, encoding processing, and the like on the digital image data input from the imaging signal processing unit 106 and outputs the result to the recording medium 109. The recording medium 109 may be, for example, a built-in memory included in the digital camera 100 or a recording device such as a memory card or HDD that is detachably connected to the digital camera 100 and records input digital image data.

  In this embodiment, the pixel counter 108 is a counting unit that counts the pixels on the image sensor in the pixel reading order. The pixel counter 108 is, for example, a 16-bit count. In this embodiment, the lower 4 bits of the count of the pixel counter 108 are stored in the ROM 102 as information for indicating the position of the defective pixel in the defective pixel information. Note that the information for indicating the position of the defective pixel in the defective pixel information may not be a method of extracting and using information at a lower level of the count as in the present embodiment. That is, in the present invention, the information on the position of the defective pixel in the defective pixel information may be a number (count) that is periodically assigned so as to have a value different from at least adjacent pixels.

(Configuration of defective pixel information)
Hereinafter, the configuration of the defective pixel information indicating the position of the defective pixel on the image sensor will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows a configuration of defective pixel information regarding one defective pixel in the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the defective pixel information relating to one defective pixel is composed of information in which the upper 4 bits indicate the defect level of the defective pixel, and the lower 4 bits indicate information indicating the position of the defective pixel. Configured to fit in bytes.

  For example, in the case where the imaging element is configured by 12 × 8 pixels as shown in FIG. 3 and the defective pixels detected by the defective pixel detection unit 111 are distributed as shown by diagonal lines in the drawing, the defective pixel information is obtained. A configuration method will be described. An output signal from the image sensor is read from the uppermost row to the lowermost row by the image capturing unit 105, for example, from the left end to the right direction for each row of the image sensor, and is output to the image signal processing unit 106. Note that in the present invention, the value counted by the pixel counter 108 is attached as information indicating the position of each pixel in the readout order normally set in the image sensor, so that the charge photoelectrically converted by each pixel of the image sensor is added. The scanning method (reading order) is not limited to the method described above.

  The control unit 101 causes the imaging signal processing unit 106 to detect whether or not the input analog image signal is a defective pixel for each pixel by the defective pixel detection unit 111, or the defect level of the defective pixel. At the same time, the control unit 101 resets the count of the pixel counter 108 and starts counting from the readout start pixel. That is, the analog image signal input from the imaging unit 105 is counted by the pixel counter 108 for each pixel, and whether the pixel is a defective pixel or the defect level of the defective pixel is determined by the defective pixel detection unit 111. Judgment by.

  FIG. 4 shows the count value assigned by the pixel counter 108 and information on whether or not it is a defective pixel for all the pixels of the image sensor shown in FIG. Note that the coordinate information of each pixel in FIG. 4 indicates the upper left of the image sensor in FIG. 3 as the origin (x, y) = (0, 0). In this way, the control unit 101 assigns count values to all the pixels of the image sensor, and configures defective pixel information while determining whether or not the pixel is a defective pixel. The information indicating whether or not the pixel is a defective pixel may be configured as 1-bit information, or may be configured based on whether or not the defect level of the defective pixel is the minimum level.

(Defective pixel information generation process)
Hereinafter, specific processing of the defective pixel information generation processing of the present embodiment will be described using the flowchart of FIG. The processing corresponding to the flowchart can be realized by the control unit 101 reading, for example, a corresponding processing program stored in the ROM 102, developing the program in the RAM 103, and executing the program. The defective pixel information generation process will be described as being started before the shipment or when the user turns off the power of the digital camera 100, for example, and exposure is performed without opening the shutter.

  In step S501, the control unit 101 resets the count of the pixel counter 108. Then, from S502, the control unit 101 determines whether or not each pixel on the image sensor from the imaging unit 105 is added to the defective pixel information.

  In step S <b> 502, the control unit 101 determines whether output of analog image signals of all pixels on the image sensor to the image signal processing unit 106 has been completed. Specifically, the control unit 101 acquires information on whether or not the analog image signals of all the pixels have been read from the imaging signal processing unit 106, thereby completing the output of the analog image signals of all the pixels on the image sensor. Judgment is made. If the control unit 101 determines that the output of the analog image signal of all pixels has not been completed, the control unit 101 executes the processing from S503 to S506 on the analog image signal of the new target pixel, and the output is completed. If so, the loop processing is exited and the defective pixel information generation processing is completed.

  In step S <b> 503, the control unit 101 increases the count value that is information for indicating the position of the pixel (target pixel) of the analog image signal currently input to the pixel counter 108. In step S504, the control unit 101 causes the imaging signal processing unit 106 to determine whether the target pixel is a defective pixel. Specifically, the control unit 101 detects whether the analog image signal of the target pixel input in the defective pixel detection unit 111 of the imaging signal processing unit 106 is a defective pixel. In the defective pixel information of the present embodiment, when the target pixel is a defective pixel, the defective pixel detection unit 111 outputs the scratch level of the target pixel as a 4-bit value. That is, if it is determined that the target pixel is not a defective pixel, the defective pixel detection unit 111 outputs the defect pixel with a scratch level of 0 as the minimum level. If it is determined that the target pixel is a defective pixel, the control unit 101 moves the process to S506. If it is determined that the target pixel is not a defective pixel, the control unit 101 moves the process to S505.

  In step S <b> 505, the control unit 101 determines whether the target pixel count value is the same as the last pixel count value added to the defective pixel information stored in the ROM 102. The defective pixel information is information that summarizes information on the position of the defective pixel on the image sensor.For example, a new defective pixel information area having a minimum capacity is secured at the start of the defective pixel information generation process. It is assumed that information on detected defective pixels is added.

  Since the present invention uses a periodically assigned count to indicate the position of the defective pixel, for example, when the lower 4 bits of the count of the pixel counter 108 are used as information indicating the position as in this embodiment, the same count is used. Are assigned at intervals of 16 pixels. For this reason, when there is no defective pixel during one round of the count, the position of the next detected defective pixel cannot be uniquely defined. That is, in S <b> 506 described later, the control unit 101 adds information with a scratch level of 0 to the defective pixel information as a dummy defective pixel indicating that the count has made one round.

  For example, the defective pixel detected after the pixel (x, y) = (7, 0) detected as a defective pixel in the readout order of the image sensor is (x, y) = (8, 2). There is a difference of 25 counts between the two defective pixels. That is, in this case, after the former defective pixel, a pixel of (x, y) = (11, 1) having the same count value as the defective pixel is added to the defective pixel information as a dummy defective pixel. become.

  In addition, such a unique definition of the position of the defective pixel needs to be considered for the defective pixel detected first. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the first pixel read out of the pixels of the image sensor is added to the defective pixel information regardless of whether or not it is a defective pixel. However, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to this, and when there is no defective pixel during the first round of the periodic count, it is associated with one of the counts of the first round. The pixel information may be added to the defective pixel information.

  If the count value of the target pixel is the same as the count value of the pixel added last to the defective pixel information, the control unit 101 moves the process to S506, and if not, advances the loop process and returns the process to S502. . In step S506, the control unit 101 adds information on the target pixel count and the scratch level to the defective pixel information.

  It is desirable to add the target pixel having the same value as the count value of the pixel added last to the defective pixel information to the defective pixel information, but the information added to the defective pixel information is not necessarily added to the last. The pixels need not have the same value as the pixel count. For example, when the count of the pixel added last to the defective pixel information is 8, and then the value of the target pixel count is 8, it is associated with a count of 6 or 7 that is smaller than the count of the target pixel Information on the obtained pixel may be added to the defective pixel information. In other words, the dummy defective pixel indicates that there is no defective pixel in the pixel corresponding to the count during one round of the periodic count. Therefore, the amount of data is reduced unless at least consecutive count pixels are selected. There is an effect to reduce. In addition, for the dummy pixel, for example, when there is no defective pixel during one cycle of the periodic count, information on the pixel corresponding to the count immediately before the count of the defective pixel that is not the last added dummy pixel is displayed. The configuration of defective pixel information may be set in advance so as to be added. Even with this configuration, it is possible to uniquely define the position of the defective pixel when there is no defective pixel during the first round of the above-described periodic count.

  By executing the defective pixel information generation process in this way, defective pixel information with a reduced data amount can be configured. For example, for the image sensor shown in FIG. 3, defective pixel information as shown in FIG. 6B is generated. In FIG. 6B, information with a scratch level of 0 is information added as a dummy defective pixel, and the dummy defective pixel is indicated by a circle in FIG. 6A.

(Addition and update of defective pixel information)
If the distribution of defective pixels in the image sensor or the flaw level of the defective pixels changes after the digital camera 100 is shipped, it is necessary to update the defective pixel information in order to appropriately correct the defective pixel information.

  For example, as described above, when the control unit 101 performs the defective pixel information generation process when the user turns off the power of the digital camera 100, new defective pixel information is obtained for a defective pixel that is not known. That is, for the defective pixels already included in the defective pixel information, the defect correction unit 112 corrects the analog image signal output from each pixel of the imaging element to the imaging signal processing unit 106. For this reason, the defective pixel detected by the defective pixel detection unit 111 after shipment is a defective pixel newly generated due to secular change, or the defect level of the defective pixel already included in the defective pixel information is changed (generally, Is a defective pixel that has deteriorated. That is, since the new defective pixel information generated by the defective pixel information generation process executed after shipment does not include known defective pixel information, considering the defective pixel correction process in the defect correction unit 112, It is desirable to integrate known defective pixel information and new defective pixel information.

(Defective pixel information integration process)
Hereinafter, specific processing of the defective pixel information integration processing of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The processing corresponding to the flowchart can be realized by the control unit 101 reading, for example, a corresponding processing program stored in the ROM 102, developing the program in the RAM 103, and executing the program. Note that this defective pixel information integration processing is performed, for example, when the user turns off the power of the digital camera 100 after shipment and the exposure is performed without opening the shutter. The description will be made assuming that the processing is started after completion of the processing. However, the execution of the defective pixel information integration process is not limited to this, and may be executed when the control unit 101 recognizes that there are a plurality of pieces of defective pixel information classified into the same image sensor state.

  In this defective pixel information integration process, for example, the first defective pixel information stored in the ROM 102 before shipment and the first defective pixel information generated in the defective pixel information generation process performed immediately before the processing and stored in the ROM 102 are stored. The following description will be made assuming that the two pieces of defective pixel information are integrated. It is assumed that the first defective pixel information includes information as illustrated in FIG. 6B, and the second defective pixel information includes information as illustrated in FIG. FIG. 9 shows new defective pixel information obtained by integrating the first defective pixel information and the second defective pixel information.

  In step S <b> 801, the control unit 101 reads a count value, which is information for indicating the position of the leading defective pixel in the reading order of the image sensor, from each of the first and second defective pixel information. In the present embodiment, each piece of defective pixel information stores information of a pixel that is read first in the reading order of the image sensor regardless of whether or not the pixel is a defective pixel. For this reason, the count value read from each of the first and second defective pixel information in this step is the same.

  In step S <b> 802, the control unit 101 detects the last pixel added to the new defective pixel information stored in the ROM 102 with respect to the count value read from each of the first and second defective pixel information. Compare the magnitude of each value after subtracting the count value. Specifically, the control unit 101 is finally added to the new defective pixel information from each of the count X read from the first defective pixel information and the Y read from the second defective pixel information. The pixel count Z is subtracted to determine the magnitude of XZ and YZ. That is, in this step, it is determined which of the pixels read from each of the first and second defective pixel information is the pixel read first in the reading order of the image sensor.

  When the value (XZ) obtained by subtracting the count of the pixel added last from the count value read from the first defective pixel information is smaller, the control unit 101 moves the process to S803. In addition, when the value (YZ) obtained by subtracting the count of the last added pixel from the count value read from the second defective pixel information is smaller, the control unit 101 moves the process to S805. . If the two values are the same, the control unit 101 moves the process to S807.

In this step, the count of the pixel added last to the new defective pixel information is subtracted, but if there is no pixel information added to the new defective pixel information, the subtraction is not necessary. Easy to understand. When a negative value is output as a result of the subtraction, the comparison is performed using a value obtained by converting the value into a positive value. For example, when the count value is indicated by 4 bits as in the present embodiment, if the calculation result is also a 4-bit value, that is, -3, it is converted to 2 ⁴ -3 = 16-3 = 13. And

  In step S <b> 803, the control unit 101 acquires pixel information (count + scratch level) corresponding to the count read from the first defective pixel information and adds it to the new defective pixel information stored in the ROM 102. To do. In step S804, the control unit 101 reads the count value of the pixel next to the added pixel from the first defective pixel information, and moves the process to step S809.

  Similarly, in step S <b> 805, the control unit 101 acquires pixel information corresponding to the count read from the second defective pixel information and adds it to the new defective pixel information stored in the ROM 102. In step S806, the control unit 101 reads the count value of the pixel next to the added pixel from the second defective pixel information, and moves the process to step S809.

  In step S <b> 807, the control unit 101 reads pixel information corresponding to the count read from each of the first and second defective pixel information, and adds the scratch levels of the two to obtain pixel information of the count. Update. Then, the control unit 101 adds the updated pixel information to new defective pixel information stored in the ROM 102. In step S808, the control unit 101 reads out the count value of the pixel next to the added pixel from each of the first and second defective pixel information, and moves the process to step S809.

  In step S809, the control unit 101 determines whether information on all defective pixels included in any of the first and second defective pixel information is added to the new defective pixel information. That is, in any of S804, S806, and S808, the information on the next pixel of the pixel added to the new defective pixel information is read out, and the information on all the pixels is determined depending on the presence / absence of the information on the next pixel. Determine whether information has been added. If the control unit 101 determines that none of the information on all the defective pixels included in the first and second defective pixel information has been added to the new defective pixel information, the process returns to step S802. . In addition, when the control unit 101 determines that the addition of information on all defective pixels included in at least one of the first and second defective pixel information to the new defective pixel information has been completed, the processing is performed. To S810.

  In step S <b> 810, the control unit 101 determines which of the first and second defective pixel information is defective pixel information for which reading of information on all defective pixels has not been completed. The control unit 101 proceeds to S811 when the defective pixel information for which reading of all defective pixel information has not been completed is the first defective pixel information, and proceeds to S812 when the defective pixel information is the second defective pixel information. Move to. In addition, when the reading of information of all defective pixels is completed for both pieces of defective pixel information, the control unit 101 moves the process to S813.

  In step S811, the control unit 101 adds information that has not been added to the new defective pixel information, among the pixel information included in the first defective pixel information, to the new defective pixel information. In step S <b> 812, the control unit 101 adds information that has not been added to the new defective pixel information among the pixel information included in the second defective pixel information to the new defective pixel information.

  In step S813, the control unit 101 deletes the first and second defective pixel information from the ROM 102, holds only the new defective pixel information generated in the defective pixel information integration process, and performs the defective pixel information integration process. To complete. That is, the analog image signal that is captured next and output from the imaging unit 105 is corrected by the defect correction unit 112 based on the new defective pixel information generated by the processing.

  In the present embodiment, the defective pixel information integration process has been described as integrating all pixel information including dummy defective pixels. However, the information on the dummy defective pixel which becomes unnecessary by adding information on a new defective pixel before the dummy defective pixel may be deleted from the viewpoint of reducing the data amount of the defective pixel information. .

  As described above, in the defective pixel information configured by the defective pixel information configuration method of the present invention, when a new defective pixel is generated or a flaw level of the defective pixel is changed, a known defective pixel is detected. It is possible to add and update defective pixel information without updating the address information of the information.

(Delete defective pixel information)
In addition, since the ROM 102 is a storage area with an upper limit, it is conceivable that an upper limit is set for the data amount of defective pixel information in order to prevent a situation in which data cannot be stored due to an increase in the data amount of defective pixel information. In such a case, for example, when the data amount of defective pixel information obtained by adding information on a new defective pixel caused by secular change by the above-described defective pixel integration processing exceeds a predetermined upper limit of the data amount May be processed as follows. That is, for example, the control unit 101 deletes information on defective pixels having a low scratch level from information on all defective pixels included in defective pixel information. That is, in the defective pixel information configured by the defective pixel information configuration method of the present invention, it is possible to delete the defective pixel information without updating the position information of other defective pixels. In the case where defective pixels with a low scratch level are concentrated at relatively close positions and the situation occurs when there is no defective pixel during one round of counting by deleting these pieces of information, the method described above Thus, a dummy defective pixel may be added to the defective pixel information.

  As described above, by using the defective pixel information configuration method of the present invention, defective pixel information indicating the position of the defective pixel on the image sensor is generated so that the amount of data is small and addition and updating are easy. can do. Specifically, the defective pixel information generation device assigns periodic numbers to the pixels so that the numbers are different from at least adjacent pixels in the readout order of the pixels on the image sensor. When it is detected that the pixel on the image sensor is a defective pixel, the number assigned to the detected defective pixel is added to the defective pixel information as information indicating the position of the pixel. In addition, when the next defective pixel is not detected until the next same number is assigned from the number assigned to the pixel detected as the defective pixel, the pixel assigned the same number is not a defective pixel. The same number is added to the defective pixel information together with information indicating the absence. At this time, the number added to the defective pixel may be a number assigned before the same number.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, or the like) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

Claims (4)

A defective pixel information generation device indicating a position of a defective pixel on an image sensor,
Counting means for assigning periodic numbers to the pixels in the readout order of the pixels on the image sensor;
Detecting means for detecting whether each pixel on the image sensor is a defective pixel;
Storage means for adding the number assigned by the counting means to the defective pixel information stored in the storage means for the pixels detected as defective pixels by the detection means,
The storage means, when there is no defective pixel detected by the detection means until the next same number is assigned from the number assigned to the pixel detected as the defective pixel, the same number, Alternatively, a defective pixel information generating apparatus, wherein a number assigned before the same number is added to the defective pixel information together with information indicating that a pixel to which the number is assigned is not a defective pixel.   The defective pixel information generation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein information indicating a state of a defective pixel to which the number is assigned is added to the defective pixel information together with a number by the storage unit. When the information indicating the state of the defective pixel includes information indicating the level of scratches on the defective pixel,
3. The storage unit according to claim 2, wherein the storage unit adds information indicating that the defect pixel has a minimum scratch level to the storage unit as information indicating that the pixel is not the defective pixel. Defective pixel information generation device. A method of configuring defective pixel information indicating a position of a defective pixel on an image sensor,
A counting step in which the counting means assigns a periodic number to the pixels in the readout order of the pixels on the image sensor;
A detecting step for detecting whether or not each of the pixels on the image sensor is a defective pixel;
A storage step of adding, to the defective pixel information stored in the storage means, the number assigned in the counting step for a pixel detected as a defective pixel in the detection step;
In the storage step, the storage means, when the defective pixel detected in the detection step does not exist until the next same number is allocated from the number allocated to the pixel detected as the defective pixel, The defective pixel, wherein the same number or a number assigned before the same number is added to the defective pixel information together with information indicating that the pixel to which the number is assigned is not a defective pixel. How information is organized.

Images