Patent ID: 7583305

Claim:
A method for extending dynamic range of a captured image captured by an image sensor having a plurality of pixels, the method comprising the steps of: capturing a first image using a first integration time for the plurality of pixels; analyzing the first image on a paxel by paxel basis to locate one or more paxels having an incorrect intergration time, wherein each paxel comprises a group of pixels associated geographically with each other and the pixel values in the group of pixels for each paxel are averaged together to obtain a paxel value for each paxel; determining an adjusted integration time for each paxel having an incorrect integration time, wherein a magnitude of an increment of adjustment for each integration time is selected to be one of at least two different increments based on a total number of paxels having incorrect integration times; and capturing a second image using a respective adjusted integration time for each paxel and using the first integration time for the remaining pixels, wherein the respective adjusted integration times are different from the first integration time.