Portable device with image sensor and quad-core processor for multi-point focus image capture

• US 9,124,737 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2012
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): GILES, NICHOLAS G
• Application Number:
  US13/621,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20130010131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,081 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.99, 348/207.2, 348/222.1, 348/207.1, 348/294, 348/302, 320/799
• US Class Current: 1/1
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• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/70 cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/04 Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14314 Structure of ink jet print heads with electrostatically actuated membrane
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
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• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/226 Microinstruction function, e.g. input/output microinstruction; diagnostic microinstruction; microinstruction format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/265 by address selection on input of storage
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• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 : multi-dimensional coding
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• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 : using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
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• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 : Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 : with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 : for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
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• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording

Abstract

A multi-core processor is used in a portable device that has first and second image sensors spaced from each other for capturing images of a scene from slightly different perspectives. The multi-core processor has a first image sensor interface for receiving data from the image sensor, a second image sensor interface for receiving data from the second image sensor, multiple processing units and, the four processing units and the first and second sensor interfaces being integrated onto a single chip. The processing units are configured to simultaneously process the data from the first and second image interfaces to generate stereoscopic image data.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an image sensor with adjustable focal length for sensing a scene; and

a processor including multiple processing units, an image sensor interface, and an instruction input interface;

wherein the image sensor interface is configured to provide the multiple processing units with image data from the image sensor, and

wherein the multiple processing units are configured to;

perform multi-point auto-focus on the image data, which includes dividing the image data into regions, determining an image sharpness metric for each of the regions, and determining, for each region, an optimal focal length for the region when the image sharpness metric for the region is above a fixed threshold, and

process the image data based on executing image processing instructions, wherein the instruction input interface is configured to receive a signal based on a pattern, wherein the processor is configured to decode the signal into the image processing instructions.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the multiple processing units divide the image data into three regions arranged horizontally.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to detect faces using hue and local feature analysis.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a color display for viewing an image captured by the image sensor, wherein the processor further includes a display interface for transmitting processed data from the multiple processing units to the color display.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein each of the multiple processing units has at least one address generator for the processed data.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein each of the multiple processing units has RAM (random access memory) for microcode written to the RAM for operative control of the processing unit.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, further comprising a central processing unit for writing the microcode to the RAM in each of the multiple processing units.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, further comprising a keyboard interface for user input of instructions to the central processing unit such that the central processing unit rewrites the microcode in the RAM within each of the multiple processing units.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor further comprises a crossbar switch for interconnecting each of the multiple processing units.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor further comprises an input FIFO (first in, first out) and an output FIFO, the input FIFO being configured for receiving data from the image sensor interface and inputting the data to the multiple processing units, and the output FIFO being configured for receiving data processed by the multiple processing units to be read by other components of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the processor further comprises a data bus connecting the processing unit to the input FIFO and the output FIFO.

12. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the processor further comprises a data cache to store the data processed by the multiple processing units until required by the other components of the electronic device.

13. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to perform one or more processing tasks selected from:

rotating the image data from the image sensor interface;

color converting the image data from the image sensor interface; and

dithering the image data from the image sensor interface.

14. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a USB port for communication between the electronic device and an external device, wherein the processor further includes a USB interface.

15. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the multiple processing units are configured to operate using 1.5V power supply.

16. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein determining the optimal focal length for a first region comprises performing a gradient descent based on the image sharpness metric for the first region.

17. A processor, comprising:

an image sensor interface configured to receive image data from an image sensor with adjustable focal length for sensing a scene;

an instruction input interface configured to receive a signal based on a pattern; and

multiple processing units configured to;

receive the image data from the image sensor interface,

perform multi-point auto-focus on the image data, which includes dividing the image data into regions, determining an image sharpness metric for each of the regions, and determining, for each region, an optimal focal length for the region when the image sharpness metric for the region is above a fixed threshold,

decode the signal into image processing instructions, and

process the image data based on executing the image processing instructions.

18. The processor according to claim 17, wherein the multiple processing units divide the scene into three regions arranged horizontally.

19. The processor according to claim 17, wherein determining the optimal focal length for a first region comprises performing a gradient descent based on the image sharpness metric for the first region.