Patent ID: 6801248
Filing Date: 2004-10-05
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An image pick-up device for producing a synthesized image signal having a wide dynamic range by partially combining a plurality of images picked-up with different exposure amounts comprising:an image picking-up means including a solid state image sensing element and picking-up an object by a plurality of times with different exposure amounts to derive a plurality of image signals; a memory means for storing at least a part of said plurality of image signals derived successively from said image picking-up means; an image synthesizing means for synthesizing said plurality of image signals at least a part of which is read out of said memory means to derive a synthesized image signal; a synthetic unsuitable portion detecting means for detecting a synthetic unsuitable portion in said plurality of image signals which is not suitable for synthesizing, said synthetic unsuitable portion detecting means being constructed such that a difference between a plurality of image signals picked-up with different exposure amounts is calculated, and a synthetic unsuitable portion is detected on the basis of said difference; and a correcting means for correcting a pixel signal of said synthetic unsuitable portion detected by said detecting means to derived a corrected pixel signal.