Imaging device

1. An imaging device comprising:

an imaging unit having an imaging element to conduct photoelectric conversion on incident light from a subject and output a resultant signal as an electric signal;

a signal gain control unit for controlling an output signal level of the imaging unit;

a plurality of defective pixel correction units for correcting defective pixels contained in a signal which is output from the signal gain control unit;

an image signal processing unit for generating an image signal from a signal which is output from the defective pixel correction units;

a temperature measurement unit for measuring temperature in vicinity of the imaging element; and

a system control unit for controlling the imaging unit, the signal gain control unit, the plurality of defective pixel correction units, and the image signal processing unit;

wherein the system control unit using the plurality of defective pixel correction units jointly and causing the plurality of defective pixel correction units to operate according to occurrence causes of defective pixels;

wherein one of the plurality of defective pixel correction units comprises a first correction unit;

wherein the first correction unit detects a defective pixel when a power supply is turned on, and has a memory for retaining defective pixel position information;

wherein the first correction unit determines a defective pixel in a signal which is output from the signal gain control unit, on the basis of the defective pixel position information, generates an interpolation signal from pixels located around the defective pixel, and replaces the defective pixel by the interpolation signal;

wherein the first correction unit is caused by the system control unit to correct a defective pixel which is always caused in the imaging unit by a defect in the photoelectric conversion; and

wherein the system control unit controls a threshold for determining whether there is a defect to be detected in defective pixel detection in the first correction unit, and causes always the first correction unit to conduct correction regardless of an external condition.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein

one of the plurality of defective pixel correction units comprises a second correction unit;

the second correction unit makes a decision whether each of differences between an object pixel and eight reference pixels having an identical color filter located around the object pixel is greater than a difference threshold;

if a number of reference pixels which is greater in difference than the difference threshold is greater than a predetermined number threshold, then the second correction unit regards the object pixel as a defective pixel, generates a predetermined interpolation signal from the reference pixels, and replaces the object pixel by the interpolation signal.

3. The imaging device according to claim 2 , wherein

the second correction unit is caused by the system control unit to correct defective pixels which are caused in the imaging unit and the signal gain control unit by signal amplification in the photoelectric conversion and which are dynamically changed in positions, number and magnitude by temperature and a gain; and

the system control unit controls the difference threshold and the number threshold in dependence upon a gain of the signal gain control unit and the temperature measured by the temperature measurement unit.