Flexible architecture for image processing

• US 6,400,471 B1
• Filed: 02/11/1999
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Anderson, Eric, Kuo, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Kimberly A.
• Application Number:
  US09/249,741
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 358/468, 358/442, 358/444, 358/404, 358/448, 358/909.1, 348/207, 348/552, 348/231, 348/233, 348/14.08, 709/100, 709/104
• US Class Current: 358/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00912 Arrangements for controlling a still picture apparatus or components thereof not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras

Abstract

A system and a method for processing image data in a digital image device such as a digital camera. The present invention includes a bus, a central processing unit coupled to the bus, an image processing subsystem coupled to the central processing unit for processing the image data using a particular processing mode, a memory unit coupled to the bus, and a data storage element for storing the image data after image processing. The memory unit has stored therein an operating system for managing the image processing subsystem, and the memory unit also has a data structure for managing the image data for the image processing subsystem during image processing. The data structure provides an interface between the operating system and the image processing subsystem, such that the operating system is independent of the processing mode used by the image processing subsystem.

Claims

1. A system for processing image data in a digital image device, said system comprising:

a bus;

a central processing unit coupled to said bus;

an image processing subsystem coupled to said central processing unit for processing said image data using a particular processing mode;

a memory unit coupled to said bus, said memory unit having stored therein an operating system comprising instructions executed by said central processing unit to manage said image processing subsystem;

said memory unit further having a data structure corresponding to said processing mode, said data structure comprising a plurality of buffers for managing said image data for said image processing subsystem during image processing, said data structure providing an interface between said operating system and said image processing subsystem, such that said operating system is independent of said processing mode used by said image processing subsystem; and

a data storage element coupled to said bus for storing said image data after image processing.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said digital image device is a digital camera.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a data line writer element coupled to said data structure for writing data to said data storage element, said data line writer element providing an interface between said image processing subsystem and said data storage element that is independent of said processing mode used by said image processing subsystem.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a spooler element coupled to said memory unit, where in said spooler element is for transferring s aid image data into said data structure.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a data line reader element coupled to said spooler element for reading said image data from said spooler element into said data structure.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said processing mode used by said image processing subsystem comprises a plurality of image processing modules and a JPEG software element.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said processing mode used by said image processing subsystem comprises a digital signal processor and a JPEG hard ware element for processing said image data.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein said processing mode used by said image processing subsystem comprises an image processing hardware system.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said image processing hardware system reads said image data using a direct memory access (DMA) technique.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said data line reader element is used to identify a memory buffer where said image data is located.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said data line reader element is used to create a memory buffer for said image data and to write said image data to said memory buffer.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said image processing subsystem applies a water mark to said image data, said water mark comprising time and date information associated with said image data.

13. A method for processing image data in a digital image device, said method comprising the steps of:

a) creating a data structure corresponding to an image processing mode used by an image processing subsystem of said digital image device;

b) initializing said image processing subsystem and said data structure;

c) forwarding said image data to said data structure;

d) processing said image data using said processing mode used by said image processing subsystem; and

e) writing said image data to a data storage element.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

initializing a spooler element, said spooler element for transferring said image data into said data structure;

initializing a data line reader element, said data line reader element for reading said image data from said spooler element into said data structure; and

initializing a data line writer element, said data line writer element for transferring said image data to a storage element after image processing.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said step d) comprises processing said image data using a plurality of image processing modules and a JPEG software element.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said step d) comprises processing said image data using a digital signal processor and a JPEG hardware element.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said step d) comprises processing said image data using an image processing hardware system.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said image processing hardware system reads said image data using a direct memory access (DMA) technique.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said data line reader element is used to identify a memory buffer where said image data is located.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said data line reader element is used to create a memory buffer for said image data and to write said image data to said memory buffer.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein said image processing subsystem applies a water mark to said image data, said water mark comprising time and date information associated with said image data.

22. A system for processing image data in a digital camera, said system comprising:

a bus;

a central processing unit coupled to said bus;

an image processing subsystem coupled to said central processing unit for processing said image data using a particular processing mode;

a memory unit coupled to said bus, said memory unit having stored therein an operating system comprising instructions executed by said central processing unit to manage said image processing subsystem;

said memory unit further having a data structure corresponding to said processing mode, said data structure comprising a plurality of buffers for managing said image data for said image processing subsystem during image processing;

a data storage element coupled to said bus for storing said image data after image processing;

a data line writer element coupled to said data structure for writing image data to said data storage element, said data line writer element providing an interface between said image processing subsystem and said data storage element that is independent of said processing mode used by said image processing subsystem;

a spooler element coupled to said memory unit, wherein said spooler element is for transferring said image data into said data structure; and

a data line reader element coupled to said spooler element for reading said image data from said spooler element;

said data structure, said spooler element and said line reader element providing an interface between said operating system and said image processing subsystem, such that said operating system is independent of said processing mode used by said image processing subsystem.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said processing mode used by said image processing subsystem comprises a plurality of image processing modules and a JPEG software element.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein said processing mode used by said image processing subsystem comprises a digital signal processor and a JPEG hardware element for processing said image data.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein said JPEG hardware element applies a water mark to said image data, said water mark comprising time and date information associated with said image data.

26. The system of claim 22 wherein said processing mode used by said image processing subsystem comprises an image processing hardware system.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said image processing hardware system reads said image data using a direct memory access (DMA) technique.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein said data line reader element is used to identify a memory buffer where said image data is located.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein said data line reader element is used to create a memory buffer for said image data and to write said image data to said memory buffer.

30. The system of claim 22 wherein said image processing subsystem applies a water mark to said image data, said water mark comprising time and date information associated with said image data.