Buffer Overflow Override for High-Speed Image Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital cameras face challenges in storing images from high-speed consecutive photographing modes due to memory overflow, leading to difficulties in preserving recently obtained images.
Innovation Solution
A digital camera system with a buffer memory, a digital signal processor, and a recording medium that detects data overflow and performs an overriding operation, sacrificing previously stored frame data to store newly obtained images, prioritizing them based on a selected photographing mode, and storing them in a FIFO order.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If high-speed consecutive photographing mode is used, then photographing speed is improved, but memory storage capacity is exceeded leading to data loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an overriding mode that automatically discards previously stored frame data when buffer memory overflow is detected, allowing the system to continue capturing new images without interruption. This principle resolves the contradiction by sacrificing older data to preserve newer data, enabling continuous high-speed photographing beyond the original memory capacity limits.
2Reliability
If buffer memory is filled with previous frame data, then image quality is maintained, but recently obtained images cannot be stored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by prioritizing recently obtained images over previously stored frame data. When overflow occurs, instead of preserving all historical data, the system deliberately overwrites older frames to accommodate new images, reversing the conventional priority structure to favor current over past data.
3Device complexity
If data overflow is prevented by stopping photographing, then memory management is simplified, but consecutive photographing cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements automatic overflow management where the buffer memory monitoring unit detects overflow conditions and triggers the overriding operation without user intervention. This self-service mechanism handles memory management automatically, maintaining consecutive photographing capability while keeping the system relatively simple by eliminating the need for manual memory management or photographing interruptions.
Data Source
AI summary
A digital photographing apparatus including an imaging device configured to continuously output image data of a subject in units of frames according to a predetermined drive clock, during consecutive photographing; a buffer memory configured to store a plurality of image frames output by the imaging device; a memory checking unit configured to detect a data overflow of the buffer memory; a digital signal processor configured to perform an overriding operation of sacrificing previously stored frame data and storing image frames recently obtained after the data overflow occurs in the buffer memory in replacement of the sacrificed framed data; and a recording medium configured to store the image frames in the buffer memory in the form of files.