Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer-readable recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10425602-B2
Application number	US-201715841825-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2017
Priority date	Jul 24, 2015
Publication date	Sep 24, 2019
Grant date	Sep 24, 2019

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire defective pixel information including one of positional information on a reading circuit in which defective pixel noise occurs and positional information on each of pixels, blinking defect noise information including one of positional information on a reading circuit in which blinking defect noise occurs and the positional information on each of the pixels, and image data generated by an image sensor; and a noise reduction unit configured to reduce one of the defective pixel noise and the blinking defect noise based on the defective pixel information acquired by the acquisition unit and the blinking defect noise information acquired by the acquisition unit, with respect to the image data acquired by the acquisition unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image processing apparatus
for correcting blinking defect noise in image data generated by an image sensor, the image sensor comprising:
a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally and configured to receive light from outside to generate a signal according to an amount of the received light; and
a plurality of reading circuits configured to read the signal as a pixel value, and

for correcting defective pixel noise in the image data, the defective pixel noise being different from the blinking defect noise and occurring according to positions of the plurality of pixels,

the image processing apparatus comprising:
a processor comprising hardware, wherein the processor is configured to:
acquire:
defective pixel information including one of positional information on a reading circuit, of the plurality of reading circuits, in which the defective pixel noise occurs and positional information on each of the plurality of pixels,
blinking defect noise information including one of positional information on a reading circuit, of the plurality of reading circuits, in which the blinking defect noise occurs and the positional information on each of the plurality of pixels, and
the image data generated by the image sensor;

correct the blinking defect noise in the image data based on the defective pixel information and the blinking defect noise information; and
correct the defective pixel noise in the image data, in which the blinking defect noise has been corrected, based on the defective pixel information.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor is configured to correct the defective pixel noise by using pixel values of pixels except for a pixel which is included in the blinking defect noise information and at which the blinking defect noise is likely to occur.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the processor is configured to correct the defective pixel noise while excluding a pixel value of a pixel for which a difference between a pixel value of a pixel, which is included in the blinking defect noise information and at which the blinking defect noise is likely to occur, and a pixel value of each of neighboring pixels of the certain pixel is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the blinking defect noise information further includes feature data, which is associated with one of the positional information on the reading circuit in which the blinking defect noise occurs and the positional information on each of the pixels and which is based on a noise level of the blinking defect noise, and
wherein the processor is configured to, when a pixel at which the blinking defect noise is likely to occur and which is included in the blinking defect noise information is present around the defective pixel noise, correct the defective pixel noise by using a pixel value that is obtained by correcting a pixel value of the pixel at which the blinking defect noise is likely to occur based on the feature data.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the blinking defect noise is a random telegraph signal noise.

6. An image processing apparatus
for correcting blinking defect noise in image data generated by an image sensor, the image sensor comprising:
a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally and configured to receive light from outside to generate a signal according to an amount of the received light; and
a plurality of reading circuits configured to read the signal as a pixel value, and

for correcting defective pixel noise in the image data, the defective pixel noise being different from the blinking defect noise and occurring according to positions of the plurality of pixels,

the image processing apparatus comprising:
a processor comprising hardware, wherein the processor is configured to:
acquire:
defective pixel information including one of positional information on a reading circuit, of the plurality of reading circuits, in which the defective pixel noise occurs and positional information on each of the plurality of pixels,
blinking defect noise information including one of positional information on a reading circuit, of the plurality of reading circuits, in which the blinking defect noise occurs and the positional information on each of the plurality of pixels, and
the image data generated by the image sensor;

correct the blinking defect noise in the image data based on the defective pixel information and the blinking defect noise information; and
correct the defective pixel noise in the image data, in which the blinking defect noise has been corrected, based on the defective pixel information.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the blinking defect noise information further includes feature data, which is associated with one of the positional information on the reading circuit in which the blinking defect noise occurs and the positional information on each of the pixels and which is based on a noise level of the blinking defect noise, and
wherein the processor is configured to, when a pixel at which the blinking defect noise is likely to occur and which is included in the blinking defect noise information is present around the defective pixel noise, correct the defective pixel noise by using a pixel value that is obtained by correcting a pixel value of the pixel at which the blinking defect noise is likely to occur based on the feature data.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the processor is configured to correct the blinking defect noise by using a pixel value of a pixel except for a pixel which is included in the defective pixel information and at which the defective pixel noise occurs.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the processor is configured to:
calculate a representative value of a pixel of interest from a pixel value of a pixel except for a pixel which is included in the defective pixel information and at which the defective pixel noise occurs; and
correct the blinking defect noise so as to approach the representative value.

10. An image processing apparatus
for correcting blinking defect noise in image data generated by an image sensor, the image sensor comprising:
a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally and configured to receive light from outside to generate a signal according to an amount of the received light; and
a plurality of reading circuits configured to read the signal as a pixel value, and

for correcting defective pixel noise in the image data, the defective pixel noise being different from the blinking defect noise and occurring according to positions of the plurality of pixels,

the image processing apparatus comprising:
a processor comprising hardware, wherein the processor is configured to:
acquire:
defective pixel information including one of positional information on a reading circuit, of the plurality of reading circuits, in which the defective pixel noise occurs and positional information on each of the plurality of pixels,
blinking defect noise information including one of positional information on a reading circuit, of the plurality of reading circuits, in which the blinking defect noise occurs and the positional information on each of the plurality of pixels, and
the image data generated by the image sensor;

correct the defective pixel noise in the image data based on the defective pixel information and the blinking defect noise information;
correct the blinking defect noise in the image data based on the defective

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Maruyama Hiroki
• Ichikawa Manabu

Classifications

• H04N1/409 Primary

  Edge or detail enhancement; Noise or error suppression · CPC title

• H04N23/81

  for suppressing or minimising disturbance in the image signal generation · CPC title

• H04N23/66

  Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices · CPC title

• H04N5/21

  Circuitry for suppressing or minimising disturbance, e.g. moiré or halo · CPC title

• H04N5/378

  Electricity · mapped topic