Abstract: A method for filtering a blocky noise, as well as ring and mosquito noise, from still and moving pictures is disclosed. The method has the steps for locating a block boundary in the picture and selecting pixels on one side of the block boundary as a first group and pixels on the other side of the block boundary as a second group, calculating mean values (m1, m2) and deviation (c1, c2) of the pixels in each of the first and second groups, detecting whether or not the deviations (c1, c2) are smaller than a predetermined threshold value (T2), applying a first predetermined filtering (equations (5), (6)) when the deviations (c1, c2) are not smaller than a predetermined threshold value (T2); and applying a second predetermined filtering (equations (7), (8)) when the deviations (c1, c2) are smaller than a predetermined threshold value (T2).

Abstract: An image sensor wherein the charges stored in a pickup unit of image sensing means are excluded and thereafter substantialy storage of charges is performed, is driven to improve the efficiency of charge exclusion and avoid blooming while storing the charges to be excluded and excluding the stored charges.