Abstract: A method of driving a plasma display panel for generating a stable sustain discharge is disclosed. In the method, first sustaining pulses are applied to the scan electrodes such that a sustain discharge can be generated. Second sustaining pulse are applied to the sustain electrodes in such a manner to be alternated with the first sustaining pulses. A stabilization pulse is applied to an address electrode provided alternately with the scan electrode for each discharge cell such that said sustain discharge can be generated via a surface-discharge area of a voltage close curve.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel in which a gray scale inversion phenomenon can be prevented. According to the present invention, the apparatus for driving the PDP includes an error diffusion unit for diffusing error of data received from an inverse gamma correction unit, a gray scale inversion check unit connected to the inverse gamma correction unit, for checking whether a gray scale value of the data received from the inverse gamma correction unit is a gray scale value where a gray scale inversion phenomenon is generated, and generating a 1-bit control signal according to the check result, an adder disposed between the error diffusion unit and the gray scale inversion check unit, for adding the 1-bit control signal to lower bits of the data received from the error diffusion unit, and a dithering unit for performing dithering by using the lower bits received from the adder.

Abstract: A reset pulse generating section applies the total of voltages of a positive voltage source and two constant-voltage sources from a high side ramp wave generating section to a high side scan switching device as the upper limit of a reset voltage pulse, and applies the ground potential from a low side ramp wave generating section to a low side scan switching device as the lower limit of the reset voltage pulse. A sustaining pulse generating section applies the upper and lower limits of a sustaining voltage pulse through a common sustaining pulse transmission path to the low side scan switching device.

Abstract: A plasma display panel is provided having a plurality of scan electrodes and sustain electrodes formed parallel to each other in pairs on a first substrate, and a plurality of address electrodes formed on a second substrate that cross the plurality of first and second electrode pairs. A reset waveform is applied to a scan electrode during a reset period, and a scan pulse that falls from a first voltage level to a second voltage level is applied to the can electrode during an address period. A pre-scan pulse of a third voltage level, which is higher than the first voltage level, is applied to a scan electrode between the reset and address periods, and either a magnitude of the third voltage level or a width of the pre-scan pulse is adjusted according to patterns of subfield data.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus of driving a plasma display panel that is adaptive for reducing discharge delay upon reset discharge. A driving method and apparatus of a plasma display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention applies a plurality of pulses to the plasma display panel for the reset period in order to reduce a discharge delay.

Abstract: An emission display includes data lines, select signal lines, emit signal lines, and pixel circuits including switches, a transistor, and an emission element. The first switch transmits a data current from the data line in response to a first scan signal from the select signal line, and the capacitor charges a voltage corresponding to the data current from the first switch. The second switch supplies the current from the transistor to the emission element in response to a second scan signal having a first level from the emit signal line during a display period. During a non-display period, the second switch is turned off in response to the second scan signal having a second level, and no current from the transistor is supplied to the emission element.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a display device for making it possible to accurately adjust a gradation current even if there is a variation in characteristics of a transistor for driving an organic EL element in a display device using an organic EL element. The following are included: a current detecting circuit for detecting a current circulating through a light emitting element, a current adjustment control circuit for comparing the detected current value with a reference current value and adjusting a current to be supplied to the light emitting element of a display portion in accordance with the comparison result, and a reference current circuit for generating a reference current correspondingly to the adjusted current. Moreover, a reference current circuit is formed on the substrate same as the substrate on which a light emitting element of a display portion is formed.

Abstract: Provided is a method for driving an electroluminescence display panel in which data electrode lines and scan electrode lines cross each other with predetermined gaps to form electroluminescence cells in the crossing areas. The method includes performing a preliminary charging stage in which the signal input terminals of the data electrode lines are switched and electrically disconnected from a data driving unit, and the other terminals of the data electrode lines are switched and electrically connected to one another in the initial stage of each parallel driving period. The preliminary charging stage is performed in the following parallel driving period when the data of the present parallel driving period and the data of the following parallel driving period are different.

Abstract: A display controller includes a blanking adjustment signal generation section which generates first and second horizontal blanking adjustment signals for respectively setting first and second horizontal blanking periods; first and second horizontal blanking period setting registers in which periods until the first and second horizontal blanking adjustment signals change are respectively set; and a grayscale clock signal generation section which generates first and second grayscale clock signals, which have first to N-th grayscale pulses within predetermined periods specified by the first and second horizontal blanking adjustment signals, respectively. The first horizontal blanking adjustment signal and the first grayscale clock signal are output to the first data driver, and the second horizontal blanking adjustment signal and the second grayscale clock signal are output to the second data driver.

Abstract: The present invention provides a circuit configuration for applying a reverse voltage (or a reverse bias) for enhancing the reliability by controlling the degradation of the light emitting element in a display device having a pixel circuit, and a method thereof. A reverse voltage is applied to a pixel circuit having at least a switching transistor connected to a signal line, a driving transistor connected to a light emitting element, and a current controlling transistor connected to the driving transistor in series. A reverse voltage applying circuit includes an analog switch or a clocked inverter, and a reverse voltage applying transistor which is turned ON when a reverse voltage is applied.

Abstract: A display device (1) comprising: a liquid crystal display (2) having pixels (8) which are arranged in columns C and rows R; and a gate driving arrangement (4) for activating the pixels (8) of rows (R) in dependence on a row scanning scheme; a source driving arrangement (3) for providing column voltages representing the respective image data, a number of buffers (40) depending on the number of grey levels for supplying the respective voltage levels to the columns (C), a switching unit (31) for selecting a voltage level which corresponds to the grey level to be displayed; and a control unit (32) for controlling the buffers (40). For reducing the power consumption, an analyzing unit (39) is provided which analyzes the image data to be displayed such that the control unit (32) can determine the number of required buffers in dependence on the number of grey levels to be displayed and can switch off any unused buffers.

Abstract: Disclosed are reset techniques for a spatial light modulator, and related system for displaying an image. The systems and methods have pixels that are loaded with data and reset commands to take on binary states, where the methods employ adaptable algorithms to provide flexibility in placement of the reset commands. Specifically, valid regions for such reset commands are determined, and times for consecutive bit segments are calculated; and DMD load times are adjusted for a proper sequence. An advantage of the disclosed methods is that two consecutive bit segments are no longer restricted to following a pattern of normal/short bit segments. In contrast, with the disclosed technique short segments may be consecutive, allowing the implementation of additional enhancements, including neutral density filtering (NDF) techniques that typically include adjacent short bits in the bit sequence.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device has odd- and even-numbered rows of pixels sequentially and repeatedly arranged on a substrate in the horizontal direction, alternate rows being shifted horizontally, first and second groups of data lines for dividing the odd and even-numbered rows of pixels, respectively, into first sub-pixels and second sub-pixels and partitioning the even and odd-numbered rows of pixels, respectively. First and second groups of data lines are alternately arranged on the substrate in the vertical direction, for supplying data signals to the first and second sub-pixels, respectively, through switching devices disposed in each sub-pixel. Gate lines arranged on the first substrate in every two row of pixels in the horizontal direction, for supplying pulse-type scan signals to row units of the first sub-pixels and the second sub-pixels, and common voltage lines are arranged between the gate lines.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a driving method for an LCD device, including conducting two of the gate driving lines respectively controlled by different gate integrated circuits. Then, it is determined that one of the two conducted gate driving lines is applied with the scan signal, according to a first output enabling signal and a second output enabling signal being received. A latch signal is received, wherein during a period at a high logic level of the latch signal, the adjacent source driving lines are shorted.

Abstract: A display controller including: a latch pulse signal generation section which generates first and second latch pulse signals having pulses which specify one horizontal scan period; and an offset period setting register in which a phase difference between the first and second latch pulse signals is set. The second latch pulse signal changes earlier than the first latch pulse signal by a period corresponding to the phase difference set in the offset period setting register. The display controller outputs the first and second latch pulse signals respectively to first and second data drivers which store display data for one horizontal scan period based on the first and second latch pulse signals.

Abstract: A display method for a liquid crystal panel is provided. The method includes a step of scanning pixels, arranged in a matrix, in an horizontal direction and in a vertical direction, to write video signals, thereby performing display; and a step of delaying the vertical-direction scanning for writing the video signals by a predetermined amount of time and writing a first predetermined fixed-level signal to all pixels in a row specified by the vertical-direction scanning delayed by the predetermined amount of time, in a predetermined time in the horizontal blanking period, thereby performing display.

Abstract: A display driver which drives at least a plurality of scan lines of a liquid crystal device which has a plurality of data lines and a plurality of pixels in addition to the scan lines, the display driver including a plurality of scan drive cells; a plurality of scan order registers; and a plurality of coincidence detection circuits. Each of the scan drive cells drives one of the scan lines. Each of the scan order registers is connected to one of the coincidence detection circuits, and stores a scan order address which is used to show a scan order. Each of the coincidence detection circuits is connected to one of the scan drive cells, and outputs a result of comparison of the scan order address stored in each of the scan order registers with a scan line address designated by a scan control signal, to one of the scan drive cells.

Abstract: A display circuit for a liquid crystal display panel is provided. The display circuit comprises a control circuit, a data driving circuit, a partial display mode driving circuit, a scanning circuit, and a liquid crystal display panel. When the LCD works in the partial display mode, the control circuit will stop sending out the shift clock signal for controlling the data driving circuit for the non-display area and will make both ends of the pixel electrodes in the non-display area equipotential. Hence, there is no complicated operation for the data driving circuit, and power consumption and thus be reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tactile device provided with a number of fluid elements (1) containing an electrically conducting fluid (3, 4). The fluid level in each element is movable by actuator means (V, 6) applying a electric power to said fluid elements. Each fluid element is in contact with the fluid for perception of the fluid level by a user. The fluid elements comprise capillary tubes (2) in which the fluid level is movable as a result of electro-capillary pressure.

Abstract: A system and method for setting up a user interface of a remote control. The remote control displays a logical group of function keys the activation of which will cause the remote control to transmit a command to a target device and a plurality of indicators representative of devices. A user input functions to select one of the plurality of indicators and the device represented by the selected indicator is assigned as the target device for the logical group of function keys.

Abstract: A light brightness controller for an optical mouse, which has a light source, a current switch and a control unit. The light source illuminates a sampling plane of a mouse. The current switch has a plurality of switches respectively connected to the light source such that the control unit connected to the current switch can control an amplitude of current flowing through the light source by turning the switches on and off, thereby controlling a brightness of the light source.

Abstract: A mobile communication device capable of providing a candidate phone number list and a method of controlling an operation of the mobile communication device is provided. The method includes displaying a phone number input window and a display window on the touch screen, displaying a string of numbers input to the phone number input window in the display window and displaying a candidate phone number list on the touch screen if a touch input to the display window is detected when the input number string is displayed in the display window, the candidate phone number list including a plurality of phone numbers that contain the input number string.

Abstract: A tactile touch-sensitive device for use as an electronic input device for indicating a position of an electronic document on a display device is described. The illuminable document position indicator aspect of the device provides a relative location of the electronic document on the display. The device may be included as part of a keyboard or an electronic book device. The illuminable document position indicator may be one or more static illuminable LEDs and/or a moveable light source and pivotable translucent elements which act as light wave guides. A controller may be used to control the illuminable document position indicator. The controller may change the color and/or intensity of LEDs based upon a displayed location of the electronic document relative to a beginning and an end of the electronic document.

Abstract: A combined transmission unit for TMDS signals and LVDS signals. A first (LVDS) transmission unit comprises a set of first input terminals to receive first data, and a second (TMDS) transmission unit comprises a set of second input terminals to receive second data. A switching controller enables the first transmission unit to transmit the first data to the first external input units through a pair of signal lines coupled to a set of common output line or enables the second transmission unit to transmit the second data to the second external input units through a pair of signal lines coupled to the set of common output line, according to a mode selection signal.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for driving gates lines of a flat panel display, wherein gate driver circuit architectures provide compact designs that enable smaller chip sizes for gate driver ICs. In one aspect, a semiconductor integrated gate driver IC comprises a plurality of gate driver circuits, wherein each gate driver circuit drives a corresponding gate line of a display, and a level shifter circuit, for generating a precharge control signal for the gate driver circuits. Each gate driver circuit comprises a line decoder for decoding a gate line control signal and generating a decoded gate line control signal and a precharge circuit for precharging a gate driver turn-on voltage in response to the precharge control signal before activating the gate line.

Abstract: A light source driving circuit is adapted for driving a light-emitted component. The light source driving circuit includes a power supply, a dimming circuit, and a feedback circuit. An output terminal of the power supply is coupled to one terminal of the light-emitted component to supply a power to the light-emitted component, and determine the power value according to a feedback signal received by a feedback terminal of the power supply. A first terminal of the dimming circuit is coupled to another terminal of the light-emitted component. A second terminal of the dimming circuit is coupled to a common voltage. According to a logic state of a pulse width signal, the dimming circuit determines the conduction of the first terminal and the second terminal. The feedback circuit is coupled between the first terminal and the feedback terminal, and determines the feedback signal according to on/off state of the dimming circuit.

Abstract: A clock signal in synchronization with a data writing signal, every scanning line, which is supplied from a light-emitting control circuit 4 to a scanning driver 6, is supplied to an oscillator 12 which generates a reference switching signal, according to a PWM method, in a DC-DC converter 8. Thereby, the timing at data writing every scanning line is in synchronization with the phase of a ripple component superimposed on a driving voltage Va from the DC-DC converter 8. Accordingly, a problem that there is caused a state in which light-emitting intensity is different every scanning line can be solved because the same voltage Vgs between a gate and a source is supplied every scanning line to a light-emitting driving transistor Tr2 at any time even if the ripple component by switching of the DC-DC converter is superimposed on the driving voltage Va.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a timing controller to generate a control signal according to image data, a driver IC to take in image data according to the control signal and to supply the image data to source lines, and a display panel to perform screen-displaying according to the image data supplied to the source lines. Plural input ports of the driver IC, from which the image data are inputted, are arranged asymmetrically with respect to an input port for the control signal. The timing controller includes plural data output ports to output image data to the driver IC, an arrangement information storing unit to store arrangement information defining normal and reverse orders of arrangement of the image data, and an output port switching unit to determine an order of arrangement of the image data according to the arrangement information and to supply the image data.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus are described for posture detection. Orientations of a body are detected with respect to first and second axes. A movement of the body with respect to a third axis is also detected. Three-dimensional orientations of the body are determined based on the orientations and the movement. The detected posture may be used for applications such as controlling medical devices and detecting patient disorders.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for real-time volume processing and universal three-dimensional rendering. The apparatus includes a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) memory units; at least one pixel bus for providing global horizontal communication; a plurality of rendering pipelines; at least one geometry bus; and a control unit. The apparatus includes a block processor having a circular ray integration pipeline for processing voxel data and ray data. Rays are generally processed in image order thus permitting great flexibility (e.g., perspective projection, global illumination). The block processor includes a splatting unit and a scattering unit. A method for casting shadows and performing global illumination in relation to light sources includes sweeping a two dimensional array of rays through the volume can also be implemented with the apparatus. A method for approximating a perspective projection includes using parallel projection.

Abstract: A system that receives a first video stream of a scene having a first viewpoint and a second video stream having a second viewpoint wherein camera calibration between the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint is unknown. A viewer selects a viewer viewpoint generally between the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint, and the system synthesizes the viewer viewpoint based upon the first video stream and the second video stream.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for displaying calendar-based service level objective (SLO) results and breach values. The method comprises: generating a plurality of area charts, wherein each area chart displays SLO result data for a different calendar period and for a different state of the service, and wherein each area chart displays a start and end of a respective calendar period; generating a first line chart displaying calendar periods corresponding to a predetermined state of the service, wherein the first line chart displays a start and end of each calendar period corresponding to the predetermined state; and overlaying and displaying the plurality of area charts and the first line chart to provide a first composite view of SLO information for the service, wherein the calendar periods in the plurality of area charts and the first line chart do not overlap.

Abstract: A method for visualizing web service interactions includes invoking a remote operation that causes a plurality of messages to be sent between two components in a connected system. The method further includes visually identifying a swim lane for each of the two components in a graphical display. For each message, a vector is plotted in the graphical display, where the vector extends from the swim lane of the message sender to the swim lane of the message recipient. The relative position of each vector depends on the time when the message was sent. A machine readable medium and an integrated development environment for representing asynchronous web service execution are also provided.

Abstract: A recursively partitioned/nested geometric structure is employed to graphically present and/or facilitate analysis of multi-variate data, including functions of multi-dimensional variables. Visual attributes are associated with appropriate ones of the regions within the geometric structure, in accordance with determined graphing values. In one embodiment, the data are normalized, comprising relative coordinate values, and encoded into polynary strings. Processing is advantageously performed using the polynary strings.

Abstract: A formatting object according to the present invention conveys information to the reader of a document (such as a table or chart) by associating visual attributes (such as color, fill type, border width, line width, line style, font size, marker size and marker type) to characters or markers within the document. The formatting object may be used to emphasize data within a table or a chart by modifying the structural visual attributes of characters or markers within the table or chart according to pre-defined criteria. Similarly, the formatting object may be used to increase information density within a table or chart, and to elegantly represent the relationships between four or more interrelated variables in a two-dimensional chart. The formatting object accomplishes this by defining at least one format map that comprises one or more mapping segments.

Abstract: An image processing device for realizing more realistic pictures of explosions in video game devices as well as other devices. Objects displaying such pictures of explosions are formed of spherical polygons (R1, R2, R3, . . . ) and planar polygons (S1, S2, S3, . . . ). Pictures of explosions are realized by alternately arranging these spherical polygons and planar polygons with the lapse in time. Preferably, pictures of polygons are realized by arranging the spherical polygons in layers on the boundary of the planar polygons.

Abstract: A system and method is provided which enables pixel data stored in multiple memory pages to be combined in one data packet, thereby reducing the number of data packets needed to transfer a group of reference pixel data. In one embodiment for reducing the reference data fetch bandwidth, the method as applied to a real-time video decoding system optimally combines pixel data stored in different memory pages, and fits the pixel data into a predetermined number of data packets.

Abstract: Systems, computer-implemented methods and apparatus, including computer program apparatus, implementing techniques for rendering an image. A target area is identified in the image and a set of pixels to sample is selected from the target area to sample. An attribute value is identified for each of a plurality of the pixels in the selected set, and an attribute value is predicted for the target area based on the identified attribute value. At least a portion of the foreground area can be rendered based on the predicted attribute value. A statistical sampling analysis can be used to predict a background color when rendering a foreground area of an image.

Abstract: In a spatial light modulator, a frame may be broken up into a plurality of colors. A given frame may include at least a first portion and a second portion. During the first portion of the frame, more significant bits of the data for a given pixel may be displayed and during a second portion of the frame, less significant bits may be disclosed. In some embodiments, the frame may be broken into two color subframes for each color, but in other embodiments, more than two such subframes may be utilized. In one embodiment, the frame may be broken into red, blue, and green and each color may be displayed at least twice, such that more significant bits are displayed first and less significant bits are displayed thereafter.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a system for: (i) producing in a computer processing unit a flow of synthetic images, and (ii) tracing a scene by creating visual interactions between the synthetic image flow and at least one video image flow. The computer processing unit comprises: a motherboard, a graphics board for scene rendering and display, including a processor for accelerating 2D/3D processing, a work buffer and a texture memory, an acquisition means for acquiring in real time video images, in a video buffer. The specific rendering of the scene is carried out: by recopying the video buffer in a memory zone of the graphics board, by tracing the synthetic images in the work buffer.

Abstract: A display driver includes: a parity generation circuit which generates s-bit parity data for n-bit display data input through a processor interface, combines the n-bit display data and the s-bit parity data, and outputs the combined n-bit display data and s-bit parity data to a display memory as (n+s)-bit display data; a parity check circuit which performs data error detection for the (n+s)-bit display data sequentially input from the display memory in units of (n+s) bits, and outputs the n-bit display data; at least one decoder which decodes the n-bit display data output from the parity check circuit; a plurality of latch circuits which latch the data decoded by the decoder; and a plurality of data line driver sections which drive data lines of a display panel based on the data latched by the latch circuits.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a thermal head, a head support portion, a platen roller, a pressing mechanism and a positioning portion. The thermal head prints in a printing direction. The head support portion rotatably supports the thermal head. The head support portion is supported at locations away from an imaginary line along the printing direction passing between the thermal head and the platen roller. The platen roller is disposed across from the thermal head. The pressing mechanism presses the thermal head against the platen roller during printing. The positioning portion comes into contact with the thermal head from the printing direction when the pressing mechanism presses the thermal head against the platen roller. The positioning portion positions the thermal head with respect to the platen roller along the printing direction.

Abstract: A card manufacturing method for manufacturing the card and a card manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the card are provided. The card 51 includes a card base 1, a first receptor layer 1a arranged on one side of the card base 1 to contain a sublimation-ink image 8, a protecting layer OC1 laminated on the first receptor layer 1a and an invisible-ink image 10 formed on the protecting layer OC1. Owing to the interposition of the protecting layer OC1 between the sublimation-ink image 8 and the invisible-ink image 10, the card 51 is capable of suppressing color fading of a sublimation ink in the image 8 in spite of a card structure where the sublimation ink and an invisible ink are printed so as to overlap each other, allowing the card 51 to be used for a long time.

Abstract: A visible light characteristic changing layer is formed in a location which can be viewed from a part of a label surface of an optical medium. The optical medium is set on a turntable of an optical disk unit, which may be rotated at a constant angular velocity, while the power of a laser beam is modulated in accordance with image data. The optical pickup operates at a first power level when changing a visible light characteristic of the optical medium to form the visible information and the optical pickup operates at a lower power level when not changing a visible light characteristic of the optical medium. As a result, a visible-light reflectivity of the visible light characteristic changing layer is changed, thereby forming a image corresponding to the image data on the label surface. A tracking servo operation is turned off while the optical pickup forms the visible information.

Abstract: An optical scanning unit, includes a light source having a plurality of light emitting sources, a vibration mirror part configured to reciprocatingly scan a light beam emitted from the light source where a torsion bar is a rotational axis, and a recording control part configured to output image information for modulating the light emitting source as corresponding to a scan operation of the vibrating mirror part. Image information corresponding to one line to be recorded is shared by the light sources so that image recording is implemented.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus senses amounts of color misregistration of toner images, which are formed using n-number (where n is a natural number and n=2 holds) of photosensitive bodies, when light beams from a plurality of light sources are made to deflect and scan across the n-number of photosensitive bodies by a single rotating polygonal mirror. The timing of light emission from the light sources is controlled in such a manner that light beams from the light sources will be deflected and scanned by mirror surfaces of the polygonal mirror, from among the plurality of mirror surfaces that form the polygonal mirror, such that the amount of color misregistration of every toner image will be less than (n?1)/n pixels.

Abstract: A frequency modulation apparatus capable of reducing a peak level of a radiation noise of a characteristic frequency band due to an image clock. This frequency modulation apparatus is used in an image formation apparatus having an image bearing body to be scanned by a laser beam. An auxiliary clock calculating portion calculates an auxiliary clock period based on a reference clock period and a modulation coefficient, and an image clock generating portion generates the image clock in which a frequency is different at least in one portion and other portions of an image area on a main scan line to be scanned by the laser beam on the image bearing body based on the initial period value set in advance and the auxiliary clock period, and the image clock generating portion performs a frequency modulation so that the frequency of the image clock changes within a predetermined fluctuation.

Abstract: An image exposing apparatus two-dimensionally scans a printing plate precursor with a light beam modulated based on an image signal to carry out image exposure on the printing plate precursor. The image exposing apparatus includes exposing device for emitting a light beam in a pulsed form with a predetermined pulse repetition period onto the printing plate precursor; branching device for branching at least a part of the light beam emitted from the exposing device; a pulse stretcher for stretching a pulse width of a branch beam branched by the branching device; synchronous signal generator for generating a synchronous signal synchronized with the pulse repetition period of the light beam from the branch beam having the pulse width stretched by the pulse stretcher; and modulating device for modulating the light beam emitted from the exposing device with an image exposure period synchronized with the synchronous signal.

Abstract: A video imaging system that minimizes the effect of EMI on the image data, provides a small, lightweight easy to use camera head, permitting interchangeable use of a variety of intelligent camera heads with a single camera control unit, and allows the utilization of new camera heads with new functions as they become available without having to replace the existing CCU.

Abstract: A method for identifying bad pixels in a matrix imaging sensor comprises moving the matrix sensor in a prescribed motion with respect to a background landscape (FIG. 1, 10), acquiring a combined image of the landscape, and identifying bad pixels (16) in the matrix sensor from the combined image. The identification is aided by preferably applying filtering to the combined image. The prescribed motion is preferably rotation of the sensor or translation of the sensor around a circle, and the combined image includes a plurality of preferably similar landscape images. The identification of the bad pixels is performed on-line, in real-time, without requiring the use of a black body.