METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETECTING DEFECTIVE PIXEL, AND IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely detect a later white point and to perform defect correction so that deterioration in picture quality is not caused, in an image pickup device having a detection function and a correction function of defective pixel. SOLUTION: An adder 162 adds image pickup data for 4 pixels in the vicinity. An averaging circuit 163 calculates the average value Save. A subtractor 164 calculates a difference SΔ between the average value Save and the image pickup data Sn. A comparing circuit 166a compares the difference SΔ between the adding data Ssum and the image pickup data Sn with a defect discrimination level. When the difference SΔ is larger, a logical value '1' is outputted. Comparing circuits 166b to 166e compare each image pickup data Sn-2 to Sn+2 of 4 pixels in the vicinity with a black level reference value. When each of image pickup data Sn-2 to Sn+2 is smaller, the logical value '1' is outputted. An AND gate 168 judges that a discrimination object pixel is a white defective pixel and outputs the logical value '1' when all logical values inputted are '1'. A defect detection section 16 writes a pixel position whose detection result is '1' into a RAM 20. A defect correction section 18 refers to the pixel position and corrects a defective pixel signal. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO