System and Method for High Performance Image Processing
First Claim
1. An image signal processing system for an integrated sensor processor, comprising:
- a focal plane array for generating continuous source image frames in real time, said focal plane array divided logically into blocks of pixels;
an analog to digital converter (ADC) layer having an array of ADC elements for converting the source image frames into a digital data;
a digital processor layer having an array of processing elements for processing the digital data; and
an interconnecting layer for connecting each one of said ADC elements, said digital processing elements substantially vertically to the focal plane and substantially parallel to one another.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method and a system for high performance image signal processing of continuous images in real time. The system comprising a focal plane array for generating continuous source image frames in real time. The focal plane array divided logically into blocks of sub-frames. The system also comprising an analog to digital converter (ADC) layer having an array of ADC elements for converting the source image frames into a digital data. The system further comprising a digital processor layer having an array of processing elements for processing the digital data and an interconnecting layer for connecting each one of the ADC elements and the digital processing elements substantially vertically to the focal plane and substantially parallel to one another. The processing comprising reducing image motion blur, increasing image dynamic range, increasing image depth of field and obtaining features of the images.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An image signal processing system for an integrated sensor processor, comprising:
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a focal plane array for generating continuous source image frames in real time, said focal plane array divided logically into blocks of pixels; an analog to digital converter (ADC) layer having an array of ADC elements for converting the source image frames into a digital data; a digital processor layer having an array of processing elements for processing the digital data; and an interconnecting layer for connecting each one of said ADC elements, said digital processing elements substantially vertically to the focal plane and substantially parallel to one another. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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2. The system of claim 2 wherein said interconnecting layer provides for communications of the digital data between the ADC layer and each of the said digital processor layer.
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10. An image processing method for reducing image motion blur in a scene, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing continuous source image frames of the image scene from a sensor pixel array in real time at a relatively high frame rate; dividing said source image frames into blocks of sub-frames; digitizing each of said sub-frames; estimating the offset between each successive frame of said sub-frames through digital image analysis; aligning sets of the successive frames to one another based on the offset estimates; and combining each of the aligned sets to form an enhanced image of the scene at a relatively lower frame rate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. An image processing method for increasing dynamic range of a scene, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing continuous source image frames of the scene from a sensor pixel array in real time at a relatively high frame rate, wherein each of said captured source frames having different exposures of the scene; dividing said source image frames into blocks of sub-frames; digitizing each of said sub-frames; combining each of said digitized sub-frames to form an extended dynamic range image of said scene.
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14. An image processing method for increasing dynamic range of a scene, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing continuous source image frames of the scene from a sensor pixel array in real time at a relatively high frame rate; dividing said source image frames into blocks of sub-frames; digitizing each of said sub-frames at various step sizes; selecting regions of each of the digitized sub-frames; and combining the selected regions to form an extended dynamic range image of said scene. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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15. An image processing method for increasing depth of field of a scene, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing continuous source image frames of the scene from a sensor pixel array in real time at a relatively high frame rate, wherein each of said captured source frames have different focal settings of the scene; dividing said source image frames into blocks of sub-frames; digitizing each of said sub-frames; and combining each of said digitized sub-frames to form an extended depth of field image of said scene.
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16. An image processing method for obtaining features of an image scene, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing continuous source image frames of the scene from a sensor pixel array in real time at a relatively high frame rate; dividing said source image frames into blocks of sub-frames; digitizing each of said sub-frames; generating a set of the features from said digitized sub-frames. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An image processing method for reducing image motion blur in a scene, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing a block of image frames of the image scene at a relatively high frame rate; digitizing each of the image frames; estimating the offset between each successive frame of said image frames through digital image analysis; aligning sets of the successive frames to one another based on the offset estimates; and combining each of the aligned sets to form an enhanced image of the scene at a relatively lower frame rate.
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21. An image processing method for increasing dynamic range of a scene, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing a block of image frames of the image scene at a relatively high frame rate;
wherein each of said captured image frames having different exposures of the scene;digitizing each of the image frames; combining each of said digitized image frames to form an extended dynamic range image of said scene.
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22. An image processing method for increasing dynamic range of a scene, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing a block of image frames of the image scene at a relatively high frame rate; digitizing each of the image frames at various step sizes; selecting regions of each of the digitized frames; and combining the selected regions to form an extended dynamic range image of said scene.
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23. An image processing method for increasing depth of field of a scene, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing a block of image frames of the image scene at a relatively high frame rate; wherein each of said captured image frames have different focal settings of the scene; digitizing each of the image frames; and combining each of said digitized frames to form an extended depth of field image of said scene.
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24. An image processing method for obtaining features of an image scene, the method comprising the steps of:
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capturing a block of image frames of the image scene at a relatively high frame rate; digitizing each of said frames; generating a set of the features from said digitized frames.
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Specification