Dual-Port Memory for Simultaneous Thermal Imaging Displays
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging solutions are unable to display a real-time image of a scene on both a local display integrated into an imaging instrument and a remote host computer simultaneously, which is desirable for many applications, including infrared thermal imaging.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a Camera Management Board with a central processor, memory, and signal processor to enable time-shared memory access, allowing simultaneous real-time display of image data on both local and remote displays by processing and buffering image data from an imaging engine, using a single-port memory to synchronize data transfer between the imaging device and host computer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If image data is stored in a single-port memory and transferred to host computer for remote display, then real-time remote display is enabled, but local display functionality is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The memory is divided into two separate ports: a first port dedicated to storing image data and a second port dedicated to displaying image data. This segmentation allows the host computer to read image data from the first port while the local display simultaneously reads from the second port, enabling both remote and local display functions to operate without interrupting each other.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor acts as an intermediary that manages data flow between the imaging device, the dual-port memory, the host computer, and the local display. It coordinates read and write operations across both memory ports, ensuring that image data is available for both remote and local display simultaneously without conflicts or interruptions.
2Device complexity
If a single-port memory is used for image data storage and transfer, then device complexity is reduced, but simultaneous local and remote display is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The memory is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating two independent ports that serve different purposes: the first port handles data transfer to the host computer for remote display, while the second port handles data output to the local display. This universal memory structure enables the device to support both remote and local display capabilities simultaneously without requiring separate memory devices.
3Productivity
If image data is continuously transferred to host computer, then real-time remote display is maintained, but imaging device functionality may be interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting memory access into two independent ports, the system can continuously transfer image data to the host computer through the first port while simultaneously maintaining imaging device functionality through the second port that feeds the local display. This segmentation ensures that data transfer operations do not interrupt the imaging process or local display updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual-port memory architecture enables continuous useful action by allowing the imaging device to continuously capture and store image data in the first port for remote display, while simultaneously continuously updating the local display through the second port. Both data transfer and display functions operate continuously without interruption to the imaging device's operational functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging device for real-time display of image data on a local display and on a remote display is disclosed. In some embodiments, the imaging device can include an imaging engine, a memory device for storing image data, and a processor for receiving the image data from the imaging engine, storing the image data in the memory device, retrieving the image data from the memory device, and transmitting the image data to both a local display and remote display so that the image data can be viewed on both the remote display and local display simultaneously.