JPS61228782A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reproduce a picture without necessitating a large storing capacity and in real-time by detecting a part where a multiple element sensor is to be corrected before an image pick up, storing the part to the position corresponding to a correction part memory means and correcting immediately a picture element the image of which is picked up by the content of a correction part storing circuit. CONSTITUTION:With connecting a change-over switch 13 with an output voltage comparison circuit 14, the correcting part of the picture element of a multiple element sensor 1 is stored at a correction part storing circuit 15. Next, with connecting the change-over switch 13 with the side of a sample hold circuit 16, a picture signal is inputted to the sample hold circuit 16 according to a driving signal from a timing generating circuit 17 through an amplifier circuit 2 and the change-over switch 13. The driving signal from the timing generating circuit 17 operates also the correction part memory circuit 15 synchronizing with the above and generates an information in a correction part obtaining mode, and at an address set as ON, the output of the sample hold circuit 16 is held and outputted to a picture display unit 10 so that the output is kept as the same output of the previous address.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an imaging device equipped with a one-dimensional or two-dimensional multi-element sensor.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a conventional example of this type of imaging device.

This imaging device includes a multi-element sensor l, an amplification circuit 2 that amplifies an image signal from the multi-element sensor l, and an amplification circuit 2.
an A/D converter 3 that converts the output from analog to digital; a storage circuit 6 that stores the A/D converted image signal;
An address generation circuit 5 that generates an address for storing an image signal from the A/D converter 3 in a storage circuit 6, and a multi-element sensor l.
, an A/D converter 53, a timing generation circuit 4 that drives the address generation circuit 5, an image processing circuit 7 that processes the image signal of the storage circuit 6, and a digital signal output from the storage circuit 6 that returns the digital signal to an analog signal. D/A converter 9, image display device lO, and address generation circuit l! for instructing the storage location of memory circuit 6! , D/A converter 9, and image display device 10
It also includes a timing generation circuit 12 that drives the address generation circuit 11, and a changeover switch 8 that is switched depending on the operation of inputting and outputting the image signal of the storage circuit 6.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In this conventional imaging device, the memory circuit 6 requires a large storage capacity, although this differs depending on the number of pixels and the gradation of pixel depth. In addition, in order to output the image in a processed state, it takes time to take the image into the storage circuit 6, time to process the image in the image processing circuit 7, and output from the storage circuit 6 to the image display device 10. It takes time, and therefore it is difficult to reproduce images in real time, and there is a drawback that more circuits are required when attempting to reproduce images in real time.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to eliminate these drawbacks, the present invention stores locations to be corrected in advance in a storage circuit, and then immediately performs correction on signals that are imaged.

That is, the imaging device of the present invention includes a correction point storage circuit;
A means for detecting a point to be corrected in a multi-element sensor before taking an image and storing it in a corresponding position of a correction point storage means, and a means for immediately correcting a pixel to be imaged according to the contents of a correction point storage circuit at the time of taking an image. It is characterized by having a means for performing.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an imaging device according to the present invention.

The image processing device of this embodiment includes a multi-element sensor 1, an amplifier circuit 2, an output voltage comparison circuit 14 for detecting correction points of the multi-element sensor 1, and a multi-element sensor 1 detected by the output voltage comparison circuit 14. A correction point memory circuit 15 stores correction points (flawed pixels), and a correction point memory circuit 15 stores the pixel output voltage during image capture, and a correction point memory circuit 15 stores pixel output voltages for which "ON" (indicating a correction point) is stored. output voltage is output to a sample-and-hold circuit 16 that outputs the output voltage of the previous pixel, an output voltage comparator circuit 14 in the correction point acquisition mode before imaging, and an output to the sample-and-hold circuit 1B during imaging (imaging mode). The changeover switch 13 to be changed, the address generation circuit 18 that generates the address of the correction point storage circuit 15, the image display device 10, the multi-element sensor 1, the address generation circuit 18, and the image display device 10 are driven in synchronization. The timing generating circuit 17 is also provided with a timing generating circuit 17.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

First, the changeover switch 13 is connected to the output voltage comparison circuit 14, and the correction points of the pixels of the multi-element sensor 1 are stored in the correction point storage circuit 15. For example, at a location where there is a pixel where an output voltage appears even though there is no light incident on the multi-element sensor l, the comparison result is ON in the output voltage comparison circuit 14.
”, and the information is stored in the correction point storage circuit 15. If the multi-element sensor 1 is operating normally, the comparison result of the output voltage comparison circuit 14 is set as “OFF” and the information is also stored in the correction point storage circuit 15. The address is memorized.The steps up to this point are the correction point acquisition mode.

Next, the changeover switch 13 is connected to the sample/hold circuit 16.
The sample signal is connected to the side, and the sample signal is output via the amplifier circuit 2 and the changeover switch 13 according to the drive signal from the timing generation circuit 17.
An image signal is input to the hold circuit 16. The drive signal from the timing generation circuit 17 also operates the correction point storage circuit 15 in synchronization with this to reproduce information in the correction point acquisition mode, and the output of the sample/hold circuit 16 is held at an address that is "ON". , are output to the image display device 10 so as to have the same output as the previous address.

Note that the correction does not necessarily have to be the same output as the previous address, but may also be the same output as the previous address or a value obtained by interpolating the output of the previous address.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an imaging screen of the multi-element sensor 1 in a matrix, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents of the correction point storage circuit 15 corresponding to this imaging screen.

The pixel (X
Et3. C32, C44, -C Pixels CII + CI2 + that do not require correction as "ON"
... are stored as "OFF" in the correction point storage circuit 15 as shown in FIG. Next, in the imaging mode, the sample/hold circuit 1B selects pixels CII + CI2.
“OFF” at +..., pixel CI3 *
Since it operates so that C32+C44+, .

In this way, by storing in advance the address of the multi-element sensor l to be corrected, it is possible to instantly determine each pixel of the captured image to be corrected and perform the correction. Furthermore, the multi-element sensor 1 does not need to be a specific multi-element sensor, and any multi-element sensor can be used as long as the address to be corrected is memorized before imaging.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention stores in advance the points that require correction in a multi-element sensor, so that correction can be performed immediately while capturing an image, and it is also possible to perform corrections in -dimensional or two-dimensional, and depending on the number of pixels. First, by ensuring a sufficient capacity for storing the address to be corrected, the present invention can be applied to any multi-element sensor, and this device also has the advantage of being easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an imaging device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a matrix diagram showing an example of an imaging screen of a multi-element sensor l, and Fig. 3 is a memory of correction points corresponding to this imaging screen. FIG. 4, which is a diagram showing the contents of the circuit 15, is a block diagram of a conventional example of an imaging device. l: multi-element sensor, 2: amplifier circuit, 10: image display device, 13: changeover switch, 14: output voltage comparison circuit, 15: correction point storage circuit, 18: sample/hold circuit, 17: timing generation circuit, 18 Near address generation circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an imaging device that is equipped with a one-dimensional or two-dimensional multi-element sensor and performs imaging using an electronic scanning method, a correction point storage circuit detects a point to be corrected in the multi-element sensor before image capturing, and performs the correction. An imaging device comprising: means for storing data in a corresponding position of a location storage circuit; and means for immediately correcting pixels to be imaged based on the contents of the correction location storage circuit during imaging.