Photographing apparatus and method for the light leakage correction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016227136-A1
Application number	US-201615001606-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 20, 2016
Priority date	Feb 2, 2015
Publication date	Aug 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An photographing apparatus includes: an image sensor that includes a plurality of pixels and is configured to perform a first readout on charges stored in a group of pixels among the plurality of pixels at a first readout time and perform a second readout on charges stored in the plurality of pixels, including the group of pixels, at a second readout time; and an image processor configured to detect a pixel in which a light leakage has occurred of among the plurality of pixels based on at least one of a value the first readout charges and a value of the second read out charges, and perform a correction on the detected pixel to generate an image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A photographing apparatus comprising:
an image sensor that comprises a plurality of pixels and is configured to perform a first readout on charges stored in a group of pixels among the plurality of pixels at a first readout time and perform a second readout on charges stored in the plurality of pixels, including the group of pixels, at a second readout time; and an image processor configured to detect a pixel in which a light leakage has occurred of among the plurality of pixels based on at least one of a value the first readout charges and a value of the second read out charges, and perform a correction on the detected pixel to generate an image.

2 . The photographing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processor is further configured to compare the second readout value of the group of pixels with a threshold value, and determine at least one of the group of pixels as a light leakage pixel in which a light leakage has occurred in response to the second readout value of the at least one of the group of pixels exceeding the threshold value.

3 . The photographing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the image processor is further configured to determine a difference value between a second readout value of charges of a periphery pixel on the periphery of the light leakage pixel and a first readout value of charges of the light leakage pixel, and determine the periphery pixel as a periphery light leakage pixel in which a light leakage has occurred based on the difference value and the second readout value of the light leakage pixel.

4 . The photographing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the image processor is further configured to determine a correction value to correct the second readout value of the periphery light leakage pixel by deducting the difference value from the second readout value of the periphery light leakage pixel or by deducting the second readout value of the light leakage pixel from the second readout value of the periphery light leakage pixel.

5 . The photographing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the image processor is further configured to generate an image based on the first readout value of the group of pixels, the correction value of the periphery light leakage pixel, and the second readout value of the plurality of pixels other than the periphery light leakage pixel.

6 . The photographing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the image processor is further configured to determine the first read out value of the light leakage pixel as the correction value of the periphery light leakage pixel in response to the second readout value of the periphery light leakage pixel being equal to or greater than a threshold value.

7 . The photographing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the image processor is further configured to, in response to the first readout value of the group of pixels being less than the threshold value, generate an image based on the first readout value of the group of pixels and the second readout value of charges of the plurality of pixels other than the group of pixels.

8 . The photographing apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising an illuminance sensor configured to measure an illuminance value of a photographed subject;
wherein the image processor is further configured to analyze the illuminance value to determine the group of pixels as pixels on which the first readout is to be performed.

9 . The photographing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the image processor is further configured to determine whether a light source area exists in an image of the photographed subject based on the illuminance value, determine the group of pixels in a crop method in response to the light source area existing, and determine the group of pixels in a skip method in response to the light source area not existing.

10 . The photographing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the image processor is further configured to analyze the illuminance value to determine a multiple readout on the group of pixels to perform the first read out in the skip method.

11 . A method for light leakage correction of a photographing apparatus, the method comprising:
performing a first readout on charges stored in a group of pixels among a plurality of pixels at a first readout time; performing a second readout on charges stored in the plurality of pixels, including the group of pixels, at a second readout time; detecting a pixel in which a light leakage has occurred of among the plurality of pixels based on at least one of a value of the first readout charges and a value of the second readout charges; performing a correction on the detected pixel to correct a value of charges stored in the detected pixel; and generating an image based on the corrected value of the detected pixel and values of charges stored in the plurality of pixels other than the detected pixel.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the detecting comprises comparing the second readout value of the group of pixels with a threshold value, and determining at least one of the group of pixels as a light leakage pixel in response to the second readout value of the at least one of the group of pixels exceeding the threshold value.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the detecting comprises determining a difference value between a second readout value of charges of a periphery pixel on the periphery of the light leakage pixel and a first readout value of charges of the light leakage pixel, and
determining the periphery pixel as a periphery light leakage pixel in which a light leakage has occurred based on the difference value and the second readout value of the light leakage pixel.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the performing the correction comprises determining a correction value to correct the second readout value of the periphery light leakage pixel by deducting the difference value from the second readout value of the periphery light leakage pixel or by deducting the second read out value of the light leakage pixel from the second read out value of the periphery light leakage pixel.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the generating the image comprising generating the image based on the first readout value of the group of pixels, the correction value of the periphery light leakage pixel, and the second readout value of the plurality of pixels other than the periphery light leakage pixel.

16 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the performing the correction comprises, in response to the second readout value of the periphery light leakage pixel being equal to or greater than a threshold value, determining the correction value o of the periphery light leakage pixel based on the first readout value of the light leakage pixel.

17 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the generating the image comprises, in response to the first readout value of each of the group of pixels being less than the threshold value, generating the image based on the first readout value of the group of pixels and the second readout value of the plurality of pixels other than the first of pixels.

18 . The method according to claim 12 , further comprising analyzing an illuminance value measured by an illuminance sensor and determining the group of pixels as pixels on which the first readout is to be performed.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the determining comprises determining the group of pixels in a crop m

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Moon Jae-Joon
• Kim Il-Do

Classifications

• H04N25/445 Primary

  by skipping some contiguous pixels within the read portion of the array · CPC title

• H04N25/50

  Control of the SSIS exposure · CPC title

• H04N25/771

  comprising storage means other than floating diffusion · CPC title

• H04N25/44 Primary

  by partially reading an SSIS array · CPC title

• H04N25/78

  Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters · CPC title