IP Library Granted Patent US 12684252
Granted Patent B2
US 12684252 · App. 18/438,851 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Imaging apparatus, method for controlling imaging apparatus, and storage medium

Inventors: Toshiya Ishioka (Kanagawa, JP); Aihiko Numata (Tokyo, JP); Suguru Hosono (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
H04N23/80
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12684252
App. No.
18/438,851
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus includes at least one processor executing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to store first information indicating a first pixel of a sensor to be a target of predetermined correction processing and second information indicating a second pixel of the sensor to be a target of the predetermined correction processing in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied, set the second pixel to a target of the predetermined correction processing in a case where an estimation value based on an output of the second pixel specified by the second information satisfies the predetermined condition, and correct, in an image acquired by the sensor, through the predetermined correction processing, a value of the first pixel and a value of the second pixel set to be a target of the predetermined correction processing.

Claims (58)

1 . An apparatus comprising:

a sensor including a plurality of pixels;

at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

store first information indicating a first pixel to be a target of predetermined correction processing and second information indicating a second pixel to be a target of the predetermined correction processing in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied, the first pixel and the second pixel being included in the plurality of pixels of the sensor;

set the second pixel to a target of the predetermined correction processing in a case where an estimation value based on an output of the second pixel specified by the second information satisfies the predetermined condition; and

correct, through the predetermined correction processing, a value of the first pixel in an image acquired by the sensor and a value of the second pixel set to be a target of the predetermined correction processing in the image acquired by the sensor,

wherein each pixel of the sensor includes an avalanche photodiode; and

wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to acquire an estimation value for the change in the value of the second pixel with the use of the sensor based on the number of times an avalanche phenomenon occurs in the avalanche photodiode of the sensor.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first pixel outputs a value greater than or equal to a first threshold even in a state without incident light,

wherein the second pixel has a characteristic of outputting a value greater than or equal to a second threshold value lower than the first threshold even in the state without incident light, and

wherein the predetermined condition is that the estimation value for the second pixel in the state without incident light is greater than or equal to the first threshold.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to correct, through the predetermined correction processing, a value of a pixel specified by the first information in the image acquired by the sensor and a value of a pixel set to a target of the predetermined correction processing based on the second information in the image acquired by the sensor.

4 . An apparatus comprising:

a sensor including a plurality of pixels;

at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

store first information indicating a first pixel to be a target of predetermined correction processing and second information indicating a second pixel to be a target of the predetermined correction processing in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied, the first pixel and the second pixel being included in the plurality of pixels of the sensor;

set the second pixel to a target of the predetermined correction processing in a case where an estimation value based on an output of the second pixel specified by the second information satisfies the predetermined condition; and

correct, through the predetermined correction processing, a value of the first pixel in an image acquired by the sensor and a value of the second pixel set to be a target of the predetermined correction processing in the image acquired by the sensor,

wherein the first pixel outputs a value greater than or equal to a first threshold even in a state without incident light,

wherein the second pixel has a characteristic of outputting a value greater than or equal to a second threshold value lower than the first threshold even in the state without incident light,

wherein the predetermined condition is that the estimation value for the second pixel in the state without incident light is greater than or equal to the first threshold,

wherein the first information includes information indicating a first type indicating that the first pixel is a pixel having a predetermined characteristic and information indicating a position of the first pixel in the image acquired by the sensor,

wherein the second information includes information indicating a second type indicating that the second pixel is a pixel having a characteristic with a possibility of becoming the predetermined characteristic, information indicating the value of the second pixel in the state without incident light, and information indicating a position of the second pixel in the image acquired by the sensor, and

wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to update the second type of the stored second information to the first type and update the information indicating the value of the second pixel to the estimation value of the second pixel in a case where the second pixel is set to a target of the predetermined correction processing.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to correct, through the predetermined correction processing, a value of a pixel specified by the stored information indicating the first type in the image acquired by the sensor.

6 . An apparatus comprising:

a sensor including a plurality of pixels;

at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

store first information indicating a first pixel to be a target of predetermined correction processing and second information indicating a second pixel to be a target of the predetermined correction processing in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied, the first pixel and the second pixel being included in the plurality of pixels of the sensor;

set the second pixel to a target of the predetermined correction processing in a case where an estimation value based on an output of the second pixel specified by the second information satisfies the predetermined condition; and

correct, through the predetermined correction processing, a value of the first pixel in an image acquired by the sensor and a value of the second pixel set to be a target of the predetermined correction processing in the image acquired by the sensor,

wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to acquire the estimation value of the second pixel specified by the second information based on a time of use of the sensor.

7 . A method for controlling an apparatus, the method comprising:

storing first information indicating a first pixel to be a target of predetermined correction processing and second information indicating a second pixel to be a target of the predetermined correction processing in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied, the first pixel and the second pixel being included in a plurality of pixels of a sensor;

setting the second pixel to a target of the predetermined correction processing in a case where an estimation value based on an output of the second pixel specified by the second information satisfies the predetermined condition; and

correcting, through the predetermined correction processing, a value of the first pixel in an image acquired by the sensor and a value of the second pixel set to be a target of the predetermined correction processing in the image acquired by the sensor,

wherein each pixel of the sensor includes an avalanche photodiode; and

wherein the method further comprises acquiring an estimation value for the change in the value of the second pixel with the use of the sensor based on the number of times an avalanche phenomenon occurs in the avalanche photodiode of the sensor.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , further comprising correcting, through the predetermined correction processing, a value of a pixel specified by the first information in the image acquired by the sensor and a value of a pixel set to a target of the predetermined correction processing based on the second information in the image acquired by the sensor.

9 . The method according to claim 7 ,

wherein the first pixel outputs a value greater than or equal to a first threshold even in a state without incident light,

wherein the second pixel has a characteristic of outputting a value greater than or equal to a second threshold value lower than the first threshold even in the state without incident light, and

wherein the predetermined condition is that the estimation value for the second pixel in the state without incident light is greater than or equal to the first threshold.

10 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a method comprising:

storing first information indicating a first pixel to be a target of predetermined correction processing and second information indicating a second pixel to be a target of the predetermined correction processing in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied, the first pixel and the second pixel being included in a plurality of pixels of a sensor;

setting the second pixel to a target of the predetermined correction processing in a case where an estimation value based on an output of the second pixel specified by the second information satisfies the predetermined condition; and

correcting, through the predetermined correction processing, a value of the first pixel in an image acquired by the sensor and a value of the second pixel set to be a target of the predetermined correction processing in the image acquired by the sensor,

wherein each pixel of the sensor includes an avalanche photodiode; and

wherein the method further comprises acquiring an estimation value for the change in the value of the second pixel with the use of the sensor based on the number of times an avalanche phenomenon occurs in the avalanche photodiode of the sensor.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10 , further comprising correcting, through the predetermined correction processing, a value of a pixel specified by the first information in the image acquired by the sensor and a value of a pixel set to a target of the predetermined correction processing based on the second information in the image acquired by the sensor.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10 ,

wherein the first pixel outputs a value greater than or equal to a first threshold even in a state without incident light,

wherein the second pixel has a characteristic of outputting a value greater than or equal to a second threshold value lower than the first threshold even in the state without incident light, and

wherein the predetermined condition is that the estimation value for the second pixel in the state without incident light is greater than or equal to the first threshold.