Patent ID: 7564491

Claim:
A pixel defect detecting and correcting apparatus which detects and corrects pixel defects in image data picked up by imaging means, comprising: color difference and luminance calculating means which calculates the absolute values of the color differences of adjacent pixels and a defect judgment target pixel necessary for defect detection, color difference and luminance data, and data on interpolated value calculation target pixels; maximum and minimum data values detecting means which detects the maximum and minimum values of various kinds of data based on values calculated in the color difference and luminance calculating means; color difference interpolated value calculating means which obtains the color difference interpolated values of the defect judgment target pixel with respect to interpolated value calculation target pixels; luminance interpolated value calculating means which obtains the luminance interpolated values of the defect judgment target pixel with respect to interpolated value calculation target pixels; defect judgment and interpolation processing means which, using a plurality of defect detecting methods, concurrently performs defect judgment of the defect judgment target pixel with respect to each of defect detecting methods, based on data from said maximum and minimum data values detecting means, from said color difference interpolated value calculating means and from said luminance interpolated value calculating means, and which replaces original data of pixels with interpolated values according to defect detecting methods to execute interpolation processing if the pixels have been judged to be defective; and interpolated value for use selecting means which selects the final output value of the pixel judged to be defective obtained in said defect judgment and interpolation processing means; wherein pixel defects are continuously detected and corrected during imaging, and pixel defects in image data are detected and corrected by combining a plurality of defect detecting methods and interpolation methods.