Systems and methods for utilizing activity detection information in relation to image processing

• US 20030174772A1
• Filed: 01/30/2003
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transchip Israel Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TransChip, Inc. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ariel, Viktor, Voronov, German
• Granted Patent: US 7,791,641 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/137 Motion inside a coding unit, e.g. average field, frame or block difference
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/503 involving temporal prediction adaptive coding with adaptive selection between spatial and temporal predictive coding H04N19/107; adaptive coding with adaptive selection among a plurality of temporal predictive coding modes H04N19/109
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/537 Motion estimation other than block-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/85 using pre-processing or post-processing specially adapted for video compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/684 performed by controlling the image sensor readout, e.g. by controlling the integration time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/42 by switching between different modes of operation using different resolutions or aspect ratios, e.g. switching between interlaced and non-interlaced mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/707 Pixels for event detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/144 Movement detection for video coding H04N19/503; analysis of motion in general G06T7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/21 Circuitry for suppressing or minimising disturbance, e.g. moiré or halo

Abstract

Imaging systems and methods for processing images. Various of the imaging systems include a motion detection and/or estimation engine. Information from such a motion engine can be used by one or more of a scene definition engine, a blur reduction engine, an anti-shake engine, and a video compression engine. Various of the methods include processes for accepting motion information from a motion detection and/or estimation engine and performing one or more of the following functions: anti-shake, blur reduction, scene definition, video compression, and power management. In some cases, the various systems and methods can be implemented on a single chip.

Claims

1. An imaging system, the imaging system comprising:

an energy detection element, operable to detect incident energy;

a motion detection element operable to receive a first signal derived from the energy detection element and to detect a motion evident in a scene portrayed by the incident energy; and

a processing element operable to receive a second signal from the motion detection element and to adjust an image output signal band at least in part on the second signal.

2. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the processing element comprises a readout control system.

3. The imaging system of claim 2, the imaging system further comprising a converter, wherein the converter receives a third signal from the energy detection element, and converts the third signal to the first signal.

4. The imaging system of claim 3, wherein the converter comprises an analog to digital converter.

5. The imaging system of claim 3, wherein the readout control system is operable to adjust a gain parameter of the converter.

6. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the energy detection element includes a CMOS pixel array.

7. The imaging system of claim 6, wherein the processing element comprises a readout control system, and wherein the readout control system is operable to modify exposure duration of the CMOS pixels array band at least in part on the second signal.

8. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the processing system comprises an anti-shake processor.

9. The imaging system of claim 8, wherein the energy detection element is a CMOS pixel array, and wherein the anti-shake processor selects a subset of the CMOS pixel array within the CMOS pixel array based in part on the second signal.

10. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the processing system comprises a scene definition processor.

11. The imaging system of claim 10, wherein the scene definition processor is operable to initiate an image output based on the second signal.

12. The imaging system of claim 10, wherein the energy detection element is a CMOS pixel array, and wherein the scene definition processor determines an active portion of the CMOS pixel array based on the second signal.

13. An imaging system, the imaging system comprising

an image acquisition system, wherein the image acquisition system generates an image signal;

a motion estimation system, wherein the motion estimation system is operable to estimate motion based on the image signal, and wherein the motion estimation system generates a motion signal; and

a processing system, wherein the processing system generates an output image, and wherein the processing system comprises one or more of;

an anti-blur processor, an anti-shake processor, and a scene definition processor.

14. The imaging system of claim 13, wherein the image acquisition system comprises an image detection array and a converter, and wherein the anti-blur processor modifies a gain parameter associated with the converter, and based on the motion signal.

15. The imaging system of claim 14, wherein the anti-blur processor modifies exposure duration in the image detection array.

16. The imaging system of claim 13, wherein a function of the imaging system can be activated from the motion signal.

17. The imaging system of claim 13, wherein the image acquisition system comprises a pixel array, and wherein the scene definition processor selects a portion of the pixel array for processing based on the motion signal.

18. The imaging system of claim 13, wherein the image acquisition system comprises a pixel array, and wherein the anti-shake processor moves a subset of the pixel array within the pixel array.

19. A method for processing images, the method comprising:

receiving an image signal;

estimating motion evident in the image signal; and

generating an output signal by processing the image signal band at least in part on the estimated motion.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein generating the output signal comprises moving a sub-area of image information within a larger area of image information.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein generating the output signal comprises modifying a gain parameter associated with the image signal.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein generating the output signal comprises activating a function of an image processing system.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein generating the output signal comprises defining a scene that includes an active portion of an image area.

24. A method for transmitting a video image, the method comprising:

providing an output image signal; and

adjusting the output image signal based on motion information associated with the output image signal, wherein adjusting the output image signal includes modifying one or more characteristics associated with the output image signal, and wherein the one or more characteristics are selected from a group consisting of;

exposure time and gain.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more characteristics are adjusted to implement an anti-blur process.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more characteristics further includes a characteristic selected from a group consisting of:

a frame-rate,

a resolution,

a transmission bandwidth,

a compression; and

a zoom.

27. The method of claim 24, the method further comprising:

locking a region of interest associated with the output image source based on the motion information.

28. The method of claim 24, the method further comprising:

effectuating an alarm based on the motion information;

initiating a transmission; and

optimizing a frame-rate.