1. An imaging device comprising:
an image sensor, having standard pixels and focus detection pixels in a predetermined pattern on an imaging surface, for outputting an image signal of one frame from said pixels;
a focus evaluation unit for evaluating an in-focus state by referring to brightness of said focus detection pixels from said image signal of said one frame;
a first correction value determination unit for arithmetically determining a first correction value by multiplying said brightness of said focus detection pixels by a predetermined gain;
a focus detection pixel correction unit for comparing brightness of said standard pixels of a predetermined number disposed around said focus detection pixels with said first correction value, and if said first correction value is in a normal value range equal to or less than a maximum of said brightness of said standard pixels of said predetermined number and equal to or more than a minimum of said brightness of said standard pixels of said predetermined number, replacing said brightness of said focus detection pixels with said first correction value, and if said first correction value is in a value range outside said normal value range, averaging said brightness of said standard pixels of said predetermined number to determine a second correction value, for replacing said brightness of said focus detection pixels with said second correction value to correct said brightness of said focus detection pixels.
2. An imaging device as defined in claim 1, comprising a defective pixel correction unit for storing a position of a defective pixel with failure among said standard pixels, and correcting said brightness of said defective pixel according to brightness of said standard pixels without failure disposed around said defective pixel.
3. An imaging device as defined in claim 1, comprising a defective pixel correction unit for storing a position of a defective pixel with failure among said standard pixels, determining a third correction value by averaging brightness of said standard pixels without failure disposed around said defective pixel, and replacing brightness of said defective pixel with said third correction value, to correct said brightness of said defective pixel.
4. An imaging device as defined in claim 3, wherein if said defective pixel is plural defective pixels adjacent to one another to constitute a defective pixel set, said defective pixel correction unit averages brightness of said standard pixels disposed around said defective pixel set to determine said third correction value.
5. An imaging device as defined in claim 3, comprising a check unit for checking whether said defective pixel is adjacent to said focus detection pixels;
wherein said focus detection pixel correction unit, if said defective pixel is adjacent to said focus detection pixels, replaces said brightness of said focus detection pixels with said first correction value, to correct said brightness of said focus detection pixels.
6. An imaging device as defined in claim 3, comprising a check unit for checking whether said defective pixel is adjacent to said focus detection pixels;
wherein said focus detection pixel correction unit, if said defective pixel is adjacent to said focus detection pixels, replaces said brightness of said focus detection pixels with said third correction value in said defective pixel correction unit.
7. An imaging device as defined in claim 5, wherein if said defective pixel is adjacent to one of said focus detection pixels, said check unit registers a position of said one focus detection pixel for said defective pixel;
wherein said defective pixel correction unit designates said registered focus detection pixel as said defective pixel for correcting said brightness of said defective pixel, and replaces said brightness of said defective pixel and brightness of said registered focus detection pixel with said third correction value.
8. An imaging device as defined in claim 1, wherein said image sensor includes first and second pixel groups for operating in conditions discrete from one another;
wherein said focus detection pixel correction unit, if said first and second pixel groups operate for imaging in exposure times different from one another, uses said standard pixels in a common one of said pixel groups for said standard pixels of said predetermined number.
9. An imaging device as defined in claim 1, wherein said image sensor includes first and second pixel groups for operating in conditions discrete from one another;
wherein said focus detection pixel correction unit, if said first and second pixel groups operate for imaging in exposure times different from one another, uses said standard pixels in a common one of said pixel groups for said standard pixels of said predetermined number, and if said first and second pixel groups operate for imaging in an equal exposure time, uses said standard pixels in said first and second pixel groups for said standard pixels of said predetermined number.
10. An imaging device as defined in claim 1, wherein said predetermined pattern of said image sensor is honeycomb arrangement, and said predetermined number is four or more.
11. An imaging device as defined in claim 1, wherein said image sensor is a color image sensor having pixels of at least three colors, and said focus detection pixels are included in pixels of a predetermined one of said three colors.
12. An image processing method comprising:
a focus evaluation step of evaluating an in-focus state by referring to brightness of focus detection pixels from an image signal of one frame output by an imaging unit in which standard pixels and said focus detection pixels are arranged in a predetermined pattern on an imaging surface;
a first correction value determination step of arithmetically determining a first correction value by multiplying said brightness of said focus detection pixels by a predetermined gain;
a focus detection pixel correction step of comparing brightness of said standard pixels of a predetermined number disposed around said focus detection pixels with said first correction value, and if said first correction value is in a normal value range equal to or less than a maximum of said brightness of said standard pixels of said predetermined number and equal to or more than a minimum of said brightness of said standard pixels of said predetermined number, replacing said brightness of said focus detection pixels with said first correction value, and if said first correction value is in a value range outside said normal value range, averaging said brightness of said standard pixels of said predetermined number to determine a second correction value, for replacing said brightness of said focus detection pixels with said second correction value to correct said brightness of said focus detection pixels.
13. An image processing method as defined in claim 12, wherein a position of a defective pixel with failure among said standard pixels is stored, and said brightness of said defective pixel is corrected according to brightness of said standard pixels without failure disposed around said defective pixel.
14. An image processing method as defined in claim 12, wherein said imaging unit includes first and second pixel groups for operating in conditions discrete from one another;
wherein in said focus detection pixel correction step, if said first and second pixel groups operate for imaging in exposure times different from one another, said standard pixels in a common one of said pixel groups are used for said standard pixels of said predetermined number.
15. An image processing method as defined in claim 12, wherein said predetermined pattern of said imaging unit is honeycomb arrangement, and said predetermined number is four or more.
16. An image processing method as defined in claim 12, wherein said imaging unit is a color imaging unit having pixels of at least three colors, and said focus detection pixels are included in pixels of a predetermined one of said three colors.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A circuit for reordering data units of a data block in accordance with a first pre-determined function, the circuit comprising:
a single-port memory module having a plurality of memory locations, wherein (i) each memory location has a corresponding address and (ii) each memory location corresponds to a different delay;
a first address generator configured to, for each data unit of the data block, generate an address corresponding to a memory location into which the data unit is to be stored, wherein the first address generator generates each address in accordance with the first pre-determined function,
wherein as the data units are read out of the plurality of memory locations of the single-port memory, the data units of the data block are reordered in accordance with (i) the first pre-determined function and (ii) the different delays associated with the plurality of memory locations;
a dual-port memory module having a plurality of memory locations, wherein each memory location of the dual-port memory module has a corresponding address; and
a second address generator configured to, for each data unit read out of a memory location of the single-port memory module, generate an address corresponding to a memory location of the dual-port memory module into which the data unit is to be stored,
wherein the second address generator generates each address in accordance with a second pre-determined function.
2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the first pre-determined function implements, at least in part, a general convolutional interleaving scheme.
3. The circuit of claim 2, wherein the general convolutional interleaving scheme is compliant with one or more of the following International Telecommunication Union (ITU) specifications: 992.1, 992.3, or 993.1.
4. The circuit of claim 2, wherein the general convolutional interleaving scheme comprises a triangular convolutional interleaving scheme.
5. The circuit of claim 1, wherein each data unit corresponds to a byte of the data block.
6. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the second pre-determined function is different from the first pre-determined function.
7. A method for reordering data units of a data block in accordance with a first pre-determined function, the method comprising:
for each data unit of the data block,
generating an address corresponding to a memory location of a single-port memory module into which the data unit is to be stored, wherein each address is generated in accordance with the first pre-determined function, and wherein each memory location of the single-port memory has a different delay associated with the memory location, and
storing the data unit in the memory location based on the address generated for the data unit;
reading each data unit out of the single-port memory in accordance with the first pre-determined function, wherein data units of the data block are reordered based on each different delay associated with each memory location; and
for each data unit read out of a memory location of the single-port memory, generating a storage address corresponding to a memory location of a dual-port memory module into which the data unit is to be stored, wherein the storage addresses are generated in accordance with a second pre-determined function.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first pre-determined function implements, at least in part, a general convolutional interleaving scheme.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the general convolutional interleaving scheme is compliant with one or more of the following International Telecommunication Union (ITU) specifications: 992.1, 992.3, or 993.1.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the general convolutional interleaving scheme comprises a triangular convolutional interleaving scheme.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein each data unit corresponds to a byte of the data block.
12. A computer program, tangibly stored on a computer readable medium, for reordering data units of a data block in accordance with a first pre-determined function, the computer program being executable by a processor and comprising instructions for:
for each data unit of the data block,
generating an address corresponding to a memory location of a single-port memory module into which the data unit is to be stored, wherein each address is generated in accordance with the first pre-determined function, and wherein each memory location of the single-port memory has a different delay associated with the memory location, and
storing the data unit in the memory location based on the address generated for the data unit;
reading each data unit out of the single-port memory in accordance with the first pre-determined function, wherein data units of the data block are reordered based on each different delay associated with each memory location; and
for each data unit read out of a memory location of the single-port memory, generating a storage address corresponding to a memory location of a dual-port memory module into which the data unit is to be stored, wherein the storage addresses are generated win accordance with a second pre-determined function.
13. The computer program of claim 12, wherein the first pre-determined function implements, at least in part, a general convolutional interleaving scheme.
14. The computer program of claim 13, wherein the general convolutional interleaving scheme is compliant with one or more of the following International Telecommunication Union (ITU) specifications: 992.1, 992.3, or 993.1.
15. The computer program of claim 13, wherein the general convolutional interleaving scheme comprises a triangular convolutional interleaving scheme.
16. The computer program of claim 12, wherein each data unit corresponds to a byte of the data block.