The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 23, 2007
Filed:
Mar. 10, 2004
Zhiliang Julian Chen, Plano, TX (US);
Eugene G. Dierschke, Dallas, TX (US);
Steven Derek Clynes, Allen, TX (US);
Anli Liu, Plano, TX (US);
Zhiliang Julian Chen, Plano, TX (US);
Eugene G. Dierschke, Dallas, TX (US);
Steven Derek Clynes, Allen, TX (US);
Anli Liu, Plano, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
Defective pixels in a CMOS array give rise to spot noise that diminishes the integrity of the resulting image. Because CMOS arrays and digital logic can be fabricated on the same integrated circuit using the same processing technology and relatively inexpensive and fast circuit can be employed to digitally filter the pixel data stream and to identify pixels having values that do not fall in the range defined by the immediately neighboring pixels and the deviate from the neighboring pixels by more than a threshold amount. Such conditions would indicate that the deviation is caused by a defective pixel rather than by desired image data. The threshold amount can be preprogrammed or can be provided by a user or can be dynamically set using feedback indicating image quality. The filter would also provide a solution for other sensors such as CCD, although a single chip solution would likely not be possible.