Image sensor with built-in ISP and dual camera system

• US 20060146152A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Magnachip Semiconductor Limited (Magnachip Semiconductor)
• Inventors: Kim, Chae-Sung, Jo, Young-Mi
• Granted Patent: US 8,154,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/272
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/84 for processing colour signals

Abstract

A dual camera system includes a first bayer sensor block for outputting an external bayer image data constituted with photosensitive values of respective photosensitive cells which are sensitive to an incident light and a data processing unit, including a second bayer sensor block for outputting an internal bayer image data, for converting the external and the internal bayer image data into an image frame data with a predetermined format.

Claims

1. A dual camera system, comprising:

a first bayer sensor block for outputting an external bayer image data constituted with photosensitive values of respective photosensitive cells which are sensitive to an incident light; and

a data processing unit, including a second bayer sensor block for outputting an internal bayer image data, for converting the external and the internal bayer image data into an image frame data with a predetermined format.

2. The dual camera system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data processing unit includes:

a pathway selector for selectively outputting one of the internal and an external bayer image data;

an ISP block for converting an output of the pathway selector into the image frame data to thereby output a bayer sensor control data; and

a control pathway selector for selecting one of the first bayer sensor block and the second image sensor to which the bayer sensor control data outputted from the ISP block is transferred.

3. The dual camera system as recited in claim 2, further comprising an external bayer data input terminal for receiving the external bayer image data from an exterior.

4. The dual camera system as recited in claim 2, further comprising an I2C interface for externally inputting/outputting the control data.

5. The dual camera system as recited in claim 2, further comprising a host for receiving the image frame data from the data processing unit.

6. A dual camera system, comprising:

a sub image sensor for outputting an external bayer image data which is went through a predetermined process; and

an image sensor with a built-in ISP, including a first bayer image sensor block for outputting a first bayer image data, for converting the external and the first bayer image data into an image frame data with a predetermined format.

7. The dual camera system as recited in claim 6, wherein the sub image sensor includes:

a second bayer sensor block for outputting a second bayer image data constituted with photosensitive values of respective photosensitive cells which are sensitive to an incident light; and

a first ISP block for performing the predetermined process to the second bayer image data to thereby output the external bayer image data.

8. The dual camera system as recited in claim 7, wherein the predetermined process includes an auto-exposure, an auto white balance, an anti-flicker elimination.

9. The dual camera system as recited in claim 6, wherein the image sensor with a built-in ISP includes:

a pathway selector for selectively outputting one of the first and the external bayer image data;

a second ISP block for converting an output of the pathway selector into the image frame data to thereby output a bayer sensor control data; and

a control pathway selector for selecting one of the first bayer sensor block and the sub image sensor to which the bayer sensor control data outputted from the ISP block is transferred.

10. The dual camera system as recited in claim 9, further comprising an external bayer data input terminal for receiving the external bayer image data from an exterior.

11. The dual camera system as recited in claim 9, further comprising an I2C interface for externally inputting/outputting the control data.

12. The dual camera system as recited in claim 9, further comprising a host for receiving the image frame data with the predetermined format from the image sensor with the built-in ISP.