Patent Document ID: 9288408
Application ID: 14276189
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for correcting defective pixels ( 19 ) of an image sensor ( 17 ), the image sensor having a plurality of pixels ( 19 ) for generating respective exposure dependent pixel signals, wherein for each pixel ( 10 ) a respective defect characteristic is associated with the image sensor ( 17 ) and comprises information on at least whether the pixel ( 19 ) is unusable, can be used without requiring correction or corresponds to one of a plurality of predefined defect classes, wherein the method comprises the steps of: after the generation of the pixel signals: at least for each pixel ( 19 ) whose respective defect characteristic does not correspond to an unusable pixel ( 19 ) or to a pixel ( 19 ) which can be used without requiring correction, making a determination of whether the generated pixel signal of the pixel ( 19 ) should be corrected, wherein the determination depends on at least the corresponding defect class of the pixel ( 19 ) and on pixel signals of a plurality of adjacent pixels ( 19 ); and replacing the generated pixel signal of the pixel ( 19 ) with a replacement value if the making the determination yields the result that the generated pixel signal of the pixel ( 19 ) should be corrected; wherein the making the determination comprises the steps of: determining an interpolation error of the pixel ( 19 ) in dependence on at least the pixel signals of the plurality of adjacent pixels ( 19 ); determining an error comparison value of the pixel ( 19 ) in dependence on at least the corresponding defect class of the pixel ( 19 ); and comparing the interpolation error with the error comparison value; wherein the making the determination yields the result that the generated pixel signal of the pixel ( 19 ) should be corrected, only if the interpolation error is smaller than the error comparison value.