COMBINING DATA FROM MULTIPLE IMAGE SENSORS

• US 20110242342A1
• Filed: 04/04/2011
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: GOMA, SERGIU R., HWANG, HAU, ALEKSIC, MILIVOJE, CHEUNG, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US13/079,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20110242342A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• 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 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/10 for generating image signals from different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/665 involving internal camera communication with the image sensor, e.g. synchronising or multiplexing SSIS control signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• 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 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

A method of combining data from multiple sensors is disclosed. The method includes providing a common control signal to multiple image sensors to be synchronized. The method further includes receiving a first data line from a first image sensor of the multiple image sensors, receiving a second data line from a second image sensor of the multiple image sensors, and combining the first data line and the second data line to generate a synchronized data line.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a common control signal to multiple image sensors to be synchronized;

receiving a first data line from a first image sensor of the multiple image sensors;

receiving a second data line from a second image sensor of the multiple image sensors; and

combining the first data line and the second data line to generate a synchronized data line.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronized data line forms part of a frame, wherein the frame comprises:

a first section including first image data from the first image sensor; and

a second section including second image data from the second image sensor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the frame further comprises a gap section comprising non-image data disposed between the first section and the second section.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the frame has a plurality of rows, wherein each row corresponds to a line index value and stores a line of the first image data having the line index value and stores a corresponding line of the second image data having the line index value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the common control signal comprises a common clock signal and a common reset signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data line is associated with a first pixel size and a first pixel clock, wherein the second data line is associated with a second pixel size and a second pixel clock, and wherein the synchronized data line has a size substantially double that of the first data line or the second data line and is associated with a pixel clock having a rate that is substantially double a rate of the first pixel clock or the second pixel clock.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising interleaving a first data stream received from the first image sensor and a second data stream received from the second image sensor on a line by line basis, wherein the first data stream includes the first data line, wherein the second data stream includes the second data line, and wherein combining the first data line and the second data line is performed during the interleaving of the first and second data streams.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a third data line from a third image sensor of the multiple image sensors, wherein the third data line is combined with the first data line and the second data line to generate the synchronized data line.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first data line is completed before receiving the second data line is completed, and wherein the synchronized data line is generated after receiving the second data line is completed.

10. A device comprising:

a first input configured to receive a first data line from a first image sensor of multiple image sensors to be synchronized via a common control signal;

a second input configured to receive a second data line from a second image sensor of the multiple image sensors; and

a combiner coupled to the first input and to the second input, wherein the combiner is configured to combine the first data line and the second data line to generate a synchronized data line.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the synchronized data line forms part of a frame, wherein the frame comprises:

a first section including first image data from the first image sensor; and

a second section including second image data from the second image sensor.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the frame further comprises a gap section comprising non-image data disposed between the first section and the second section.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the frame has a plurality of rows, wherein each row corresponds to a line index value and stores a line of the first image data having the line index value and stores a corresponding line of the second image data having the line index value.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the common control signal comprises a common clock signal and a common reset signal.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the first data line is associated with a first pixel size and a first pixel clock, wherein the second data line is associated with a second pixel size and a second pixel clock, and wherein the synchronized data line has a size substantially double that of the first data line or the second data line and is associated with a pixel clock having a rate that is substantially double a rate of the first pixel clock or the second pixel clock.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the combiner is configured to interleave a first data stream received from the first image sensor and a second data stream received from the second image sensor on a line by line basis, wherein the first data stream includes the first data line, wherein the second data stream includes the second data line, and wherein the combiner is configured to combine the first data line and the second data line while interleaving the first and second data streams.

17. The device of claim 10, further comprising a third input coupled to the combiner and configured to receive a third data line from a third image sensor of the multiple image sensors, wherein the combiner is further configured to combine the third data line with the first data line and the second data line to generate the synchronized data line.

18. The device of claim 10, wherein combiner comprises a buffer and wherein the combiner is configured to buffer least a portion of a next data line that is received from the first image sensor or from the second image sensor before the synchronized data line is generated.

19. The device of claim 10, wherein the first input, the second input, and the combiner are integrated in a portable electronic device.

20. The device of claim 10, wherein the first input, the second input, and the combiner are integrated in a camera module configured to be coupled to a processor of a portable electronic device.

21. A device comprising:

means for receiving a first data line from a first image sensor of multiple image sensors to be synchronized via a common control signal;

means for receiving a second data line from a second image sensor of the multiple image sensors; and

means for combining the first data line and the second data line to generate a synchronized data line.

22. The device of claim 21, further comprising means for buffering at least a portion of a next data line that is received from the first image sensor or from the second image sensor before the synchronized data line is generated.

23. A device comprising:

a first image sensor and a second image sensor configured to be synchronized via a common control signal; and

a combiner coupled to receive a first data line of the first image sensor and a second data line from a second image sensor, wherein the combiner is configured to combine the first data line and the second data line to generate a synchronized data line.

24. The device of claim 23, further comprising:

an image signal processor coupled process the synchronized data line; and

a display device configured to display processed image data.

26. The non-transitory computer readable-medium of claim 23, wherein the synchronized data line forms part of a frame, and wherein the frame comprises:

a first section including first image data from the first image sensor; and

a second section including second image data from the second image sensor.

27. The non-transitory computer readable-medium of claim 23, wherein the frame further comprises a gap section comprising non-image data disposed between the first section and the second section.

25. A non-transitory computer readable-medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

provide a common control signal to multiple image sensors to be synchronized;

receive a first data line from a first image sensor of the multiple image sensors;

receive a second data line from a second image sensor of the multiple image sensors; and

combine the first data line and the second data line to generate a synchronized data line.