Method and apparatus for controlling imager output data rate

• US 20070041391A1
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Sheng, Yeung, Clifford, Kopet, Thomas, Jabbi, Aman
• Application Number:
  US11/206,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20070041391A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/412
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2416 Real-time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/38 by adapting coding or compression rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

A real-time application, such as e.g., an imager, that dynamically adjusts the output rate of an encoder and output rate of a buffer memory based on the fullness level of the buffer. Further, the slew rate of the clock and data signals input into output buffer drivers from the output buffer memory may be dynamically adjusted.

Claims

1. A method of processing real-time data, said method comprising the acts of:

encoding data by an encoder;

outputting from said encoder the encoded data;

storing the encoded data into an output buffer memory;

determining the fullness condition of said output buffer memory; and

adjusting a first control signal applied to said encoder and a second control signal applied to said output buffer memory based on said fullness condition of said output buffer memory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of storing the encoded data begins as a portion of the first data is being encoded by the encoder.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of reading out said encoded data stored in said output buffer memory into output buffer drivers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said adjusting step further comprises adjusting a slew rate of the output buffer drivers.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the act of reading out said encoded data from said output buffer drivers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said second control signal is a clock signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the rate of data output from the encoder based on said fullness condition of said output buffer memory.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a predetermined fullness condition level triggers corresponding control signal levels in said first and second control signals.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting encoding characteristics based on said fullness condition of said output buffer memory.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said encoding is JPEG encoding.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said encoder performs image compression.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said encoder performs data compression.

13. A system for processing real-time data, said system comprising:

an encoder for encoding data;

an output buffer memory for storing data encoded by said encoder;

a detection unit configured to detect a fullness condition of said output buffer memory; and

a control unit for adjusting a clock signal of said output buffer memory based on said fullness condition.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said output buffer memory is a FIFO buffer memory.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a second control unit for controlling said encoder.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said second control unit assists in controlling the data output rate of said encoder.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising output buffer drivers configured to receive data from said output buffer memory.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein a slew rate of said output buffer drivers is controlled based on said fullness condition detected in the output buffer memory.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein said encoder is a JPEG encoder.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein said processing system provides data compression.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein said processing system provides image compression.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein coding characteristics of said encoder are adjusted based on said fullness condition.

23. A processor system comprising:

a processor; and

an imaging device connected to said processor, said imaging device comprising;

an imager, said imager outputting image data, an encoder, said encoder encoding image data output from said imager;

an encoder for encoding data;

an output buffer memory for storing data encoded by said encoder;

a detection unit configured to detect a fullness condition of said output buffer memory; and

a control unit for adjusting a clock signal of said output buffer memory based on said fullness level.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said output buffer memory is a FIFO buffer memory.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising a second control unit for controlling said encoder.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said second control unit assists in controlling the data output rate of said encoder.

27. The system of claim 23, further comprising output buffer drivers configured to receive data from said output buffer memory.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein a slew rate of said output buffer drivers is controlled based on said level of fullness detected in the output buffer memory.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein said output buffer memory is FIFO memory.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein coding characteristics of said encoder are adjusted based on said fullness condition.

31. A method of image compression and processing comprising:

collecting raw image data;

compressing said raw image data by an encoder;

outputting from said encoder the compressed image data;

storing the encoded image data into an output buffer memory;

determining the fullness condition of said output buffer memory; and

adjusting a first control signal applied to said encoder and a second control signal applied to said output buffer memory based on said fullness condition of said output buffer memory.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said act of storing the compressed image data begins as a portion of the image data is being compressed by the encoder.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising the act of reading out said compressed image data stored in said output buffer memory into output buffer drivers.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein said adjusting step further comprises adjusting a slew rate of the output buffer drivers.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the act of reading out said compressed image data from said output buffer drivers.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein said control signal is a clock signal.

37. The method of claim 31, further comprising controlling the rate of compressed image data output from the encoder based on the determined fullness condition of said output buffer memory.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein a predetermined fullness condition level triggers corresponding control signal levels in said first and second control signals.

39. The method of claim 31, further comprising adjusting encoding characteristics based on the determined fullness condition of said output buffer memory.