Dual Development Image Processing for Power and Quality Trade-offs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional imaging apparatuses face challenges in achieving high image capturing performance and prompt display of reproduced images due to the high processing requirements and power consumption associated with real-time development of RAW images, which also limits user-friendliness and compatibility with other devices.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus employs a dual development processing system, where a simple development unit performs real-time processing with reduced circuit scale and power consumption, while a high-quality image development unit processes RAW images in idle periods to produce high-quality images, allowing for efficient storage and display of images.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If real-time development processing is performed simultaneously with image capturing operation, then image quality is improved, but circuit area and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidcircuit area
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the development processing into two separate units: a simple development unit that performs real-time processing with reduced circuit scale during image capturing, and a high-quality image development unit that performs comprehensive development processing when idle. This segmentation allows the system to maintain both real-time capability and high image quality without requiring all processing functions to operate simultaneously, thus reducing peak circuit area requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The high-quality image development unit operates periodically when the imaging apparatus is idle, rather than continuously during capturing. This periodic action allows comprehensive development processing to be performed without adding continuous processing load during active capturing operations, effectively managing power consumption and circuit utilization cycles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Manufacturing precision

If real-time development processing is performed simultaneously with image capturing operation, then image quality is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the development processing into two separate units: a simple development unit that performs real-time processing with reduced circuit scale during image capturing, and a high-quality image development unit that performs comprehensive development processing when idle. This segmentation allows the system to maintain both real-time capability and high image quality without requiring all processing functions to operate simultaneously, thus reducing peak power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The high-quality image development unit operates periodically when the imaging apparatus is idle, rather than continuously during capturing. This periodic action allows comprehensive development processing to be performed without adding continuous processing load during active capturing operations, effectively managing power consumption cycles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Productivity

If RAW image is recorded without being developed, then processing load during capturing is reduced, but image reproduction speed deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing loadVSAvoidimage reproduction speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The simple development unit performs preliminary development processing on RAW images in real-time during capturing operations, creating a basic developed image that can be immediately reproduced and displayed. This preliminary action ensures that even when RAW images are recorded without full development, a viewable version is already prepared, maintaining fast reproduction speed while reducing the processing load compared to full real-time development.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If RAW image is recorded without being developed, then processing load during capturing is reduced, but user-friendliness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing loadVSAvoiduser-friendliness
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The simple development unit performs preliminary development processing on RAW images in real-time during capturing operations, creating a basic developed image that can be immediately reproduced and displayed. This preliminary action ensures that even when RAW images are recorded without full development, a viewable version is already prepared, maintaining fast reproduction speed while reducing the processing load compared to full real-time development.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3490250B1Image processing apparatus and image processing method
Publication Date: 2020.09.16 CANON KK
  • EP3490250B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3490250B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3490250B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An image processing apparatus is configured to capture an object image, generate a RAW image, perform simple development on the RAW image during the image capturing operation, and store not only the developed image but also the RAW image. In a predetermined interval, in an idle state, or in predetermined enlargement processing, the image processing apparatus reads a RAW file stored in a storage medium and performs high-quality image development to generate an image having higher image quality than that obtained by the simple development. If development processing has been completed by a high-quality image development unit, the image processing apparatus replaces the image obtained by the simple development with the image obtained by the high-quality image development and reproduces the image obtained by the high-quality image development.