Managing file stream generation

• US 20050135682A1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Conrad, John, Abrams, Thomas Algie Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,394,939 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/60 using transform coding

Abstract

An image capturing device is capable of capturing and encoding image data so as to output a streaming media file from the device. Vector information derived from the captured image data may be altered to change, i.e., the frame capture rate of subsequent image data, according to frame resolution requirements.

Claims

1. An imager to manage file stream generation, comprising:

a sensor to capture image data;

an encoder to transform the captured image data into a media file; and

a processor to extract and process image frame data from the captured image data.

2. An imager according to claim 1, wherein the processor is to compare the image frame data with resolution requirements stored therein, and to adjust a frame capture rate for the sensor if the captured image data does not comply with the resolution requirements.

3. An imager according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further to apply a digital rights management (DRM) application to the media file prior to the media file being output by the imager.

4. An imager according to claim 1, wherein the sensor, the encoder, and the sensor are disposed on a same substrate.

5. An imager according to claim 1, wherein, to transform the captured image data into a media file, the encoder is to:

extract a charge directly corresponding to an amount of light on each photoelectric cell in a charge-coupled device (CCD) array in the sensor; and

transform the extracted charge for each of the cells in the CCD array.

6. An imager according to claim 5, wherein, to transform the extracted charge for each of the cells in the CCD array, the encoder to is to execute a discrete cosine transform (DCT) for each cell in the CCD array.

7. An imager according to claim 5, wherein, to extract image frame data from the captured image data, the processor is to integrate the transformed charges over time to derive a capture frame rate of the sensor.

8. An imager according to claim 1, wherein, to transform the captured image data into a media file, the encoder is to compress the captured image data into a Windows Media File (WMF).

9. An imager according to claim 1, wherein, to transform the captured image data into a media file, the encoder is to compress the captured image data into an MPEG-2 file.

10. An imager according to claim 1, wherein, to transform the captured image data into a media file, the encoder is to compress the captured image data using a next generation MPEG compression scheme.

11. In an image capturing device, a method of generating an image file, comprising:

capturing image data;

encoding each portion of the captured image data into a media file; and

deriving vector information from the captured image data.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising adjusting a frame capture rate included in the vector information to comply with particular resolution requirements.

13. A method according to claim 11, further comprising processing the media file in accordance with a DRM application.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the method is executed on a single integrated circuit.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein capturing image data includes:

accumulating a charge on at least one photoelectric pickup cell in a CCD array;

extracting the charge from each of the at least one cell; and

transforming the extracted charge for each of the at least one cell.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein transforming the extracted charge includes executing a DCT.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein deriving the vector information from the captured image data includes integrating the transformed charges over time to derive a capture frame rate corresponding to the captured image data.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein encoding each portion of the captured image data includes contracting the captured image data.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein encoding each portion of the captured image data includes compressing the captured image data into a WMF.

20. A method according to claim 11, wherein encoding each portion of the captured image data includes compressing the captured image data into an MPEG-2 file.

21. A method according to claim 11, wherein encoding each portion of the captured image data includes compressing the captured image data using a next generation MPEG compression scheme.

22. In an imager for managing file stream generation, a computer-readable medium having one or more instructions causing one or more processors to:

transform a charge captured at each photoelectric cell in an image sensor; and

encoding the transformed charge from each cell to produce a media stream file.

23. A computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions further cause one or more processors to change the rate at which a subsequent charge is captured at each of the photoelectric cells in the image sensor based on particular resolution requirements.

24. A computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein the one or more instructions further cause one or more processors to apply a DRM application to the media stream file.

25. A computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein to transform the extracted charge from each photoelectric cell in the image sensor is to execute a DCT.

26. A computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein the media stream file is a WMF.

27. A computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein the media stream file is an MPEG file.

28. A computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein the media stream file is a next-generation MPEG file.

29. A method of managing the procurement of file streams in an image sensing device, comprising:

receiving a frame capture rate parameter;

capturing image data in accordance with the frame capture rate parameter;

encoding the captured image data into a file stream;

applying DRM to the file stream; and

outputting the file stream.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the file stream is a WMF.

31. An imager to manage file stream generation, comprising:

means for capturing image data;

means for transforming the captured image data into a media file; and

means for gathering and processing image frame data from the captured image data.

32. An imager according to claim 31, further comprising means for adjusting a capture frame rate for capturing subsequent image data in accordance with received resolution requirements.

33. An imager according to claim 31, further comprising means to output the media file in accordance with a DRM application.

34. An imager according to claim 31, wherein the means for transforming the captured image data includes:

means for extracting an analog charge directly corresponding to an amount of light on each photoelectric cell in a CCD array; and

means for transforming the extracted charge for each of the cells in the CCD array.

35. An imager according to claim 31, wherein the means for transforming executes a DCT.

36. An imager according to claim 34, wherein the means for transforming the captured image data includes means for integrating the transformed charges over time to derive the capture frame rate of the imager.

37. An imager according to claim 31, wherein the media file is a WMF.

38. An imager according to claim 31, wherein the media file is an MPEG file.

39. An imager according to claim 31, wherein all of the means are controlled by software.

40. An imager according to claim 31, wherein all of the means are hardware-implemented.