Method of or device for processing image data, a processed image data format, and a method of or device for displaying at least one image from the processed image data

• US 20050036046A1
• Filed: 08/14/2003
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Atsum, Eiji
• Application Number:
  US10/640,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20050036046A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33378 Type or format of data, e.g. colour or B/W, halftone or binary, computer image file or facsimile data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

A method of processing first image data representative of a first image and second image data representative of a substantially contemporaneous second image is described. The method comprises: processing stripes of the first image data sequentially; processing stripes of the second image data sequentially; outputting a first sequence of first data units interleaved with a second sequence of second data units, wherein each of the first data units represents a processed stripe of first image data and each of the second data units represents a processed stripe of second image data.

Claims

1. A method of processing first image data representative of a first image and second image data representative of a substantially contemporaneous second image,

comprising:

processing stripes of the first image data sequentially;

processing stripes of the second image data sequentially;

outputting a first sequence of first data units interleaved with a second sequence of second data units, wherein

each of the first data units represents a processed stripe of first image data and each of the second data units represents a processed stripe of second image data.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

processing a first stripe of the first image data and a first stripe of a second image data; and

processing a second stripe of the first image data and a second stripe of a second image data;

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first stripe of the first image and the first stripe of the second image are simultaneously processed and the second stripe of the first image and the second stripe of the second image are simultaneously processed.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

processing a first stripe of the first image data and a first stripe of a second image data;

and then outputting a primary data unit and a secondary data unit, wherein the primary data unit represents a processed first stripe of first image data and is the initial data unit in a sequence of first data units and the secondary data unit represents a processed second stripe of second image data and is the initial data unit in a sequence of second data units interleaved with the sequence of first data units.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output of the first sequence of first data units interleaved with a second sequence of second data units is as a single data entity.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the data entity additionally indicates at least the size of a stripe.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing occurs ‘

on-the-fly’

without storing data representative of the whole of the first image or data representative of the whole of the second image.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing steps comprise image reconstruction from data received from first and second image sensors or data formatting of image data received from first and second image processors.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output is provided to the base-band of a mobile telephone.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising compressing a processed stripe of the first image data and then separately compressing a processed stripe of the second image data.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the compression is provided by a standard encoder.

13. A device as claimed in claim 11, arranged to process a first stripe of the first image data and a first stripe of a second image data and subsequently process a second stripe of the first image data and a second stripe of a second image data.

14. A device as claimed in claim 13, arranged to simultaneously process the first stripe of the first image and the first stripe of the second image and arranged subsequently to process simultaneously the second stripe of the first image data and the second stripe of the second image data.

12. A device for processing first image data representative of a first image and second image data representative of a substantially contemporaneous second image,

the device comprising a first input for receiving first image data, a second input for receiving second image data and an output, wherein the device is arranged to process stripes of the first image data sequentially and process stripes of the second image data sequentially and output a first sequence of first data units interleaved with a second sequence of second data units, wherein each of the first data units represents a processed stripe of first image data and each of the second data units represents a processed stripe of second image data.

15. A device as claimed in claim 12, arranged to process a first stripe of the first image data and a first stripe of a second image data

and then output a primary data unit followed by a secondary data unit, wherein the primary data unit represents a processed first stripe of first image data and is an initial data unit in the sequence of first data units and the secondary data unit represents a processed first stripe of second image data and is the initial data unit in the sequence of second data units interleaved with the sequence of first data units and arranged to process a second stripe of the first image data and a second stripe of the second image data

and then output a primary data unit followed by a secondary data unit, wherein the primary data unit represents a processed second stripe of the first image data and is the second data unit in the sequence of first data units and the secondary data unit represents a processed second stripe of the second image data and is the second data unit in the sequence of second data units interleaved with the sequence of first data units.

16. A device as claimed in claim 12, arranged to output the first sequence of first data units interleaved with a second sequence of second data units as a single data entity.

17. A device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the data entity additionally indicates at least the size of a stripe.

18. A device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a memory having a capacity sufficient to store at least two stripes of image data but insufficient to store the whole of the first image data.

19. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the processing comprises image reconstruction from data received from first and second image sensors.

20. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the processing comprises data formatting of first and second image data received from respective first and second image processing.

21. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the output is arranged for interfacing to the base-band of a mobile telephone.

22. A device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a data compression means arranged to compress separately each data unit of the interleaved sequences of data units as they are output

23. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the data compression is a standard encoder.

24. A device as claimed in claim 12, further comprising two camera components each comprising at least a lens and a sensor.

25. A computer program which when loaded into a mobile telephone enables the mobile telephone to operate as the device as claimed in claim 12.

26. A data format for image data, comprising

a first sequence of first data units interleaved with a second sequence of second data units, wherein

each of the first data units represents a stripe of first image data and each of the second data units represents a stripe of second image data.

31. A method as claimed in claim 26, including determining whether the first data units should be used to reproduce the first image, the second data units should be used to reproduce the second image or the first and second data units should be used to simultaneously reproduce the first and second images.

27. A method of displaying at least one image from a first sequence of first data units interleaved with a second sequence of second data units, comprising:

parsing input data comprising first data units and the second data units wherein each of the first data units represents a stripe of first image data and each of the second data units represents a stripe of second image data; and

using the parsed first data units and/or second data units to reproduce the first image and/or the second image.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27, including decompressing the parsed first data units and/or decompressing the second data units wherein each of the first data units represents a compressed stripe of first image data and each of the second data units represents a compressed stripe of second image data.

29. A method as claimed in claim 28, including parsing the first and second data units after decompression to reproduce the first and second images simultaneously.

30. A method as claimed in claim 27, including identifying whether parsing of the input data is required.

32. A device for displaying at least one image derived from a first sequence of first data units interleaved with a second sequence of second data units, comprising:

parsing means for parsing input data comprising first data units and the second data units wherein each of the first data units represents a stripe of first image data and each of the second data units represents a stripe of second image data; and

reproduction means for reproducing the first image and/or the second image using the parsed first data units and/or parsed second data units.

33. A device as claimed in claim 32 wherein the reproduction means includes a decoder for decompressing the parsed first data units and/or decompressing the second data units wherein each of the first data units represents a compressed stripe of first image data and each of the second data units represents a compressed stripe of second image data.

34. A device as claimed in claim 33 wherein the decoder is a standard decoder.

35. A device as claimed in claim 33 wherein the reproduction means additionally parses the first and second data units after decompression to reproduce the first and second images simultaneously.

36. A device as claimed in claim 32 wherein the parsing means is arranged to identify whether parsing of the input data is required.

37. A device as claimed in claim 32 wherein the parsing means is arranged to determine whether the first data units should be used to reproduce the first image, the second data units should be used to reproduce the second image or the first and second data units should be used to simultaneously reproduce the first and second images.

38. A computer program which when loaded into a mobile telephone enables the mobile telephone to operate as the device as claimed in claim.