Patent ID: 7679659
Filing Date: 2010-03-16
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An imaging apparatus comprising: a solid-state imaging device in which a plurality of pixel columns, each including a plurality of pixels arrayed in a column direction on a semiconductor substrate, are arrayed in a row direction perpendicular to the column direction on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the solid-state imaging device comprises charge transfer sections provided corresponding to the respective pixel columns, each charge transfer section transfers electric charges, which are generated in the pixel column corresponding to each charge transfer section, in the column direction, and the plurality of pixels of each pixel column comprise a dark current correcting unit that performs dark current correction based on a linear function for correction that expresses a level of a dark current using a position coordinate of each light receiving pixel as a variable, wherein the dark current correction subtracts the dark current from a signal corresponding to an electric charge which is generated in each light receiving pixel by imaging, the dark current being a signal corresponding to a dark charge superimposed on the electric charge generated in each light receiving pixel when the electric charge is transferred through the corresponding charge transfer section; an average calculating unit that calculates an average of first-pixel signals, which are acquired from the respective first pixels of each pixel column by the imaging, the average calculating unit that calculates an average of second-pixel signals, which are acquired from the respective second pixels of each pixel column by the imaging; and a linear function generating unit that sets the average of the first-pixel signals of each pixel column to a level of a dark current superimposed on a signal corresponding to an electric charge, which is generated in a light receiving pixel adjacent to the first pixels of each pixel column by the imaging, the linear function generating unit that sets the average of the second-pixels signals of each pixel column to a level of a dark current superimposed on a signal corresponding to an electric charge, which is generated in a light receiving pixel adjacent to the second pixels of each pixel column by the imaging, the linear function generating unit that generates the linear function for correction using the average of the first-pixel signals of each pixel column, the average of the second-pixel signals of each pixel column, and number of the light receiving pixels of each pixel column.