Patent ID: 7061533

Claim:
An image processing apparatus comprising: extraction means for extracting a pixel signal of an image pickup means that has a plurality of pixels, and for determining positional information of defective pixels based on the pixel signal; block-forming means for judging whether a plurality of the defective pixels are adjacent to each other on the basis of the positional information of the defective pixels, and encoding the adjacent defective pixels which are continuously located in one direction by using run-length codes which are information on the first coordinate values and lengths of the plurality of defective pixels, said block-forming means defining a block containing the adjacent defective pixels and peripheral, non-defective pixels for correcting the defective pixels based on said pixel signal; storage means for storing positional information of the plurality of defective pixels and the peripheral, non-defective pixels for correcting the defective pixels within the block as regional information of the defective pixels; and correction means for correcting the defective pixels by using the peripheral, non-defective pixels of the defective pixels, wherein said correction means corrects the plurality of defective pixels within the block based on the positional information of the plurality of defective pixels and the peripheral, non-defective pixels for correcting the defective pixels within the block as region information of the defective pixels.