Patent ID: 7893972

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a memory circuit for receiving a plurality of lines of image data from an image obtained from an image sensor array, each line contains signal value data corresponding to a line of pixels in the array; a correction circuit for testing and correcting pixel image data, the correction circuit is configured to use the image data from the memory circuit in comparing the signal value of a test pixel in the array with the signal value data of at least eight surrounding pixels, if the signal value of the test pixel is larger than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels, the correction circuit is configured to replace the signal value of the test pixel with the largest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels, and if the signal value of the test pixel is smaller than all of the signal values of the eight surrounding pixels, the correction circuit is configured to replace the signal value of the test pixel with the smallest signal value from among the eight surrounding pixels; and an image processing circuit for performing an image processing operation on the test pixel, the image processing circuit is configured to use the tested and corrected pixel image data in the memory circuit, wherein at least a portion of the memory circuit is shared between the image processing circuit and the correction circuit, the memory circuit providing simultaneous access of the same image data to the image processing circuit and the correction circuit.