| US 7,551,213 B2 | ||
| Method for detecting vertical transfer defects in image sensors | ||
| Toshiyuki Nakashima, Osaka (Japan); Toshiya Kogishi, Kyoto (Japan); Kenji Arakawa, Osaka (Japan); Toshinobu Hatano, Kyoto (Japan); and Jun Kajiwara, Kyoto (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Panasonic Corporation, Osaka (Japan) | ||
| Filed on May 12, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/127,250. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. P2004-143478 (JP), filed on May 13, 2004; and application No. P2005-132660 (JP), filed on Apr. 28, 2005. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2005/0253939 A1, Nov. 17, 2005 | ||
| Int. Cl. H04N 9/64 (2006.01); H04N 3/14 (2006.01); H04N 5/335 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 348—246 [348/250; 348/311] | 22 Claims |
| 1. An image processing method for correcting a defective signal level of an image pickup sensor comprising image sensor elements
two-dimensionally disposed and a transfer section for transferring charges stored in the image sensor elements along one direction
on a surface where the image sensor elements are disposed, comprising:
a first step of halting the transfer of the charges by the transfer section for a predetermined length of time;
a second step of transferring the charges from the transfer section without reading the charges from the image sensor elements
after the transfer of the charges is halted for the predetermined length of time;
a third step of identifying a position where a defect is generated in the image pickup sensor based on signal levels of the
charges transferred in the second step; and
a fourth step of correcting the defective signal level of the image pickup sensor generated on a line including the defect-generating
position identified in the third step and in parallel with the one direction,
wherein the charges in the image sensor elements and the transfer section are erased temporally prior to the implementation
of the first step,
the transfer of the charges by the transfer section is halted until a volume of a dark current stored in the transfer section
can reach a detectable signal level as a result of the halt of the transfer of the charges in the first step, and
the defect-generating position is identified by comparing signal levels at respective positions on the image pickup sensor
and a signal level in a periphery of the respective positions in the third step.
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