Camera unit and multimedia information appliance including camera unit

• US 8,411,153 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2010
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Hyunduk
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peterson, Christopher K
• Application Number:
  US12/768,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20100302388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 348/222.1, 3482311-2319, 348/229.1, 348345-357
• US Class Current: 348/208.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules

Abstract

A camera unit includes an image sensor, an image signal processor, an application processor and a frame memory. The image sensor receives an optical signal from a lens unit and converts it into an electrical signal. The image signal processor converts the electrical signal into an image signal, and includes a first sub block controlling the image sensor and the lens unit and a second sub block receiving and processing the image signal from the first sub block. The application processor receives the image signal from the second sub block and further processes the image signal. The frame memory is connected to the second sub block and the application processor to store the processed image signal. The image sensor and the first sub block constitute a first chip not connected to the frame memory, and the second sub block and the application processor constitute a second chip connected to the frame memory.

Claims

1. A camera unit comprising:

an image sensor receiving an optical signal from a lens unit and converting the optical signal into an electrical signal;

an image signal processor converting the electrical signal into an image signal, the image signal processor comprising a first sub block controlling the image sensor and the lens unit, and a second sub block receiving the image signal from the first sub block and processing the image signal;

an application processor receiving the processed image signal from the second sub block and further processing the image signal;

a frame memory connected to the second sub block and the application processor to store the processed image signal from at least one of the second sub block and the application processor;

a data line transmitting the image signal output from the first sub block to the second sub block; and

a control line transmitting processing results of the first sub block to the second sub block, and transmitting processing results of the second sub block to the first sub block,

wherein the image sensor and the first sub block are formed in a first chip not connected to the frame memory, and the second sub block and the application processor are formed in a second chip connected to the frame memory.

2. The camera unit of claim 1, wherein the first sub block comprises function blocks that do not use the frame memory, and the second sub block comprises function blocks that use the frame memory.

3. The camera unit of claim 1, wherein the control line comprises a high speed-serial peripheral interface (HS-SPI).

4. The camera unit of claim 1, wherein the first sub block comprises:

a gain control block adjusting a signal strength of the electrical signal output by the image sensor;

an auto focus block automatically adjusting a focus of the lens unit; and

an auto exposure control block controlling an exposure time of the image sensor to adjust automatically a brightness of the image sensor.

5. The camera unit of claim 4, wherein the second sub block comprises:

a noise reduction block removing noise using one or more frames of the image signal;

a face detection block recognizing a human face; and

a digital image stabilizer block inhibiting an effect of hand tremor.

6. The camera unit of claim 5, wherein the electrical signal having the signal strength adjusted by the gain control block is transmitted to the noise reduction block through the control line.

7. The camera unit of claim 5, wherein signals recognizing the human face by the face detection block are transmitted to the auto focus block through the control line.

8. The camera unit of claim 5, wherein parameters used in the auto exposure control block are transmitted to the digital image stabilizer block through the control line.

9. A multimedia information appliance comprising:

an image sensor receiving an optical signal from a lens unit and converting the optical signal into an electrical signal;

an image signal processor converting the electrical signal into an image signal, the image signal processor comprising a first sub block controlling the image sensor and the lens unit, and a second sub block receiving the image signal from the first sub block and performing first processing of the image signal;

an application processor receiving the processed image signal from the second sub block and performing second processing of the processed image signal;

a frame memory connected to the second sub block and the application processor for storing the processed image signal from at least one of the second sub block and the application processor;

an image display receiving the processed image signal from the application processor and displaying an image corresponding to the received image signal, wherein the image sensor and the first sub block are formed in a sensor chip not connected to the frame memory, and the second sub block and the application processor are formed in a processor chip connected to the frame memory;

a data line transmitting the image signal output from the first sub block to the second sub block; and

a control line transmitting processing results of the first sub block to the second sub block, and transmitting processing results of the second sub block to the first sub block.