Patent ID: 7206461

Claim:
A digital image acquisition and processing system that automatically corrects dust artifact regions within acquired images by compiling a statistical dust map from multiple images acquired under different image acquisition conditions, comprising: (A) a digital camera, comprising: (i) an optical system for acquiring an image including a lens assembly and an aperture stop; and (ii) an electronic sensor array disposed approximately at an image focal plane of the optical system for collecting image data according to spectral information associated with multiple pixels that collectively correspond to the image; and (B) an external processing device for coupling with the digital camera to receive the image data or converted image data internally processed within the digital camera, the external device comprising digital processing electronics including a processor for processing the image data according to programming instructions; and (C) wherein the system further comprises one or more memories having programming instructions stored therein for performing a method of automatic image correction of dust defect regions, the image correction method comprising: (i) acquiring multiple original digital images with said digital acquisition device; (ii) determining probabilities that certain pixels correspond to dust artifact regions within said images based at least in part on a comparison of suspected dust artifact regions within two or more of said images; (iii) associating probable dust artifact regions with one or more values of one or more extracted parameters relating to the lens assembly of the digital acquisition device when the images were acquired; (iv) forming a statistical dust map including mapped dust regions based on the dust artifact determining and associating; (v) correcting pixels corresponding to correlated dust artifact regions within further digitally-acquired images based on the associated statistical dust map.