In one example, at least a portion of a digital raw image frame captured by a digital image sensor is accessed. The accessed at least a portion of the digital raw image frame is de-noised without substantially modifying defective pixel values when present. In response to determining that at least one image frame pixel in the de-noised at least a portion of the digital raw image frame has a defective pixel value: the locations of each of the at least one image frame pixel having a defective pixel value are detected, and each defective pixel value in each detected location is corrected in the de-noised at least a portion of the digital raw image frame or the originally accessed at least a portion of the digital raw image frame.

Systems and methods for detecting defective camera arrays, optic arrays and/or sensors are described. One embodiment includes capturing image data using a camera array; dividing the captured images into a plurality of corresponding image regions; identifying the presence of localized defects in any of the cameras by evaluating the image regions in the captured images; and detecting a defective camera array using the image processing system when the number of localized defects in a specific set of image regions exceeds a predetermined threshold, where the specific set of image regions is formed by: a common corresponding image region from at least a subset of the captured images; and any additional image region in a given image that contains at least one pixel located within a predetermined maximum parallax shift distance along an epipolar line from a pixel within said common corresponding image region within the given image.

An image capturing apparatus comprises: an image sensor that includes a plurality of pixels, each including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; a readout unit that reads out a signal from a portion of the photoelectric conversion elements of each pixel as a first signal and reads out a sum of signals from the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements of each pixel as an image signal; a generation unit that generates a second signal for each pixel using the image signal and the first signal; and a calculation unit that calculates a moving amount of a focus lens for achieving an in-focus state based on a phase difference between the first signal and the second signal. The calculation unit performs the calculation without using a signal from a defective line.

An image capturing apparatus comprises an image sensor in which a plurality of pixels are arranged two-dimensionally, and a control unit configured to control a band gap of the pixels of the image sensor, wherein the control unit, in a case where defective pixel detection processing is performed on the image sensor, controls the band gap so as to be smaller than in a case where normal image capture is performed.

Methods of fixing defective pixels are described wherein a predicted value for a target pixel in a target color channel is determined based on the values of nearby pixels, wherein the target pixel value can be selectively replaced with the predicted value. The predicted value is determined by determining a candidate value for each of a plurality of directions using: (i) a gradient of pixel values in one color channel along the respective direction and (ii) a pixel value of a pixel in the target color channel which is aligned with the target pixel along the respective direction. Using gradients can provide better predicted values than averaging nearby pixel values since rates of change of pixel values are taken into account. The median of the candidate values may be used in order to reduce the impact of other defective pixels on the predicted value for the target pixel.

Systems and methods for correcting intensity drop-offs due to geometric properties of lenses are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving an input pixel of the image data, the image data acquired using an image sensor. A color component of the input pixel is determined. A gain grid is determined by pointing to the gain grid in external memory. Each of the plurality of grid points is associated with a lens shading gain selected based upon the color of the input pixel. A nearest set of grid points that enclose the input pixel is identified. Further, a lens shading gain is determined by interpolating the lens shading gains associated with each of the set of grid points and is applied to the input pixel.

Systems and methods for calibrating an array camera are disclosed. Systems and methods for calibrating an array camera in accordance with embodiments of this invention include the detecting of defects in the imaging components of the array camera and determining whether the detected defects may be tolerated by image processing algorithms. The calibration process also determines translation information between imaging components in the array camera for use in merging the image data from the various imaging components during image processing. Furthermore, the calibration process may include a process to improve photometric uniformity in the imaging components.

A camera system includes an imager unit for recording image data and converting the image data into a digital image signal, and a video processing unit operatively connected to the imager unit for receiving the digital image signal from the imager unit and for generating a corrected video output signal. The video processing unit has a dead pixel correction unit and a subsequent non-uniform offset error correction unit. The dead pixel correction unit is configured for correcting the signal of confirmed dead pixels, which are referenced in a map of confirmed dead pixels associated to the dead pixel correction unit. The non-uniform offset error correction unit is configured for correcting readout amplifier non-uniformity and pixel level non-uniformity in the digital image signal. The non-uniform offset error correction unit is further configured for new dead pixel detection simultaneously to the pixel level non-uniformity correction.

A method, apparatus and system that allows for the identification of defective pixels, for example, defective pixel clusters, in an imager device. The method, apparatus and system determine, during use of the imager device, that a pixel defect, e.g., cluster defect, exists and accurately maps the location of the defective pixel. By analyzing more than one frame of an image, the method increases the accuracy of the defect mapping, which is used to improve the quality of the resulting image data.

Provided is an imaging device and a defective pixel correction method which can improve the accuracy of a defective pixel correction. In a case where a correction target pixel is a G pixel, a defective pixel correction unit determines whether there is an edge portion around the G pixel; when there is an edge portion, the defective pixel correction unit performs a defect correction by using G pixels adjacent to the G pixel in a X shaped direction; when there is no edge portion, it performs the defect correction using G pixels adjacent to the G pixel in the cross direction.