Patent ID: 7667735

Claim:
An image pickup device having a mask function, comprising: mask area setting means for setting a mask area to be masked in a pickup image area, wherein said pickup image area includes the mask area and (i) is an area of an optical image detected by an image sensor that photoelectrically converts the optical image within the pickup image area into an image signal, and (ii) is to be displayed with the mask area being included within the displayed pickup image area and being masked such that an image representing the image signal of the pickup image area is not displayed in the mask area, the image representing the image signal of the pickup image area thereby not being viewable in the masked area by viewers of the displayed pickup image area; image processing means for subjecting the image signal of the pickup image area to image processing while removing, independent of a signal level of the image signal of the pickup image area within the mask area, the mask area set by said mask area setting means from the pickup image area, wherein the image signal subjected to processing is generated by said image sensor and is provided for generating a displayed image of the pickup image area; and wherein said image processing means generates a signal representing an integral of a signal level of a RGB signal over a plurality of pixels within the pickup image area and excluding, independent of the signal level of the image signal of the pickup image area within the mask area, said mask area.