Patent ID: 7477302
Filing Date: 2009-01-13
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A solid-state image pickup apparatus, comprising: a pixel sensor section formed as an array of solid-state image pickup elements for generating signals corresponding to incoming light; an image signal reading out section which performs parallel reading out of the signals obtained by said pixel sensor section to produce pickup image signals; an A/D conversion section for A/D converting the pickup image signals output from said image signal reading out section; and a digital processing section which performs a correction process including removing fixed pattern noise from the pickup image signals, wherein, said digital processing section performs the correction process such that, within a period within which the pickup image signals which are based on a fixed value are input within a one-frame period of the pickup image signals, and a reference signal average is calculated from the pickup image signals based on the fixed value and sum values of difference values of the pickup image signals based on the fixed value from the reference signal average are stored, and then within a period within which the pickup image signals from valid pixels of said pixel sensor section are input within the one-frame period, division averages obtained by dividing the stored sum values are used for the correction, and during the correction process, said digital processing section adds random noise to the division averages.