Hardware Partial Frame Elimination in Sensor Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional video camera systems face inefficiencies due to the need to eliminate partial frames at startup or reset, and the overhead of suspending current frame processing to overwrite older frames when the controller cannot keep up with the sensor's frame rate, leading to costly and time-consuming operations.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a hardware implementation that synchronizes an electro-optical sensor with a controller by generating a configuration signal to request frames, discarding partial frames, and storing active pixels in a memory, allowing for efficient frame-by-frame synchronization and elimination of partial frames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the controller processes frames at the sensor's frame rate, then processing speed is improved, but the controller cannot keep up with the sensor speed leading to partial frames and overwriting issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the hardware interface circuit proactively identify and eliminate partial frames before they reach the controller, and by pre-synchronizing frame timing between sensor and controller. This prevents the controller from receiving incomplete frames and eliminates the need for costly runtime frame elimination and overwriting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The hardware interface circuit serves as an intermediary between the sensor and controller, handling the frame rate mismatch and partial frame elimination tasks. This mediator absorbs the complexity of synchronization and frame validation, allowing the controller to focus solely on processing complete frames without worrying about timing issues or partial frame handling.
2Reliability
If the controller eliminates partial frames from the buffer, then frame synchronization is improved, but the operation is costly and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the software-based frame elimination mechanism with a hardware-based solution. The hardware interface circuit uses dedicated logic circuits to automatically detect and eliminate partial frames through hardware comparison and validation operations, which are significantly faster and more efficient than software-based frame elimination in the controller.
Solution Approach 2:
The hardware interface circuit performs self-service by autonomously identifying and eliminating its own partial frames without requiring controller intervention. The circuit monitors frame completion status and automatically discards incomplete frames, making the system self-regulating and eliminating time-consuming controller operations.
3Quantity of substance
If the controller overwrites older buffered frames with newest frames, then memory utilization is improved, but processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hardware interface circuit performs preliminary frame validation and synchronization before frames are stored in the buffer. By ensuring only complete, valid frames are passed to the buffer, the system eliminates the need for complex overwrite management and frame validity checking in the controller, reducing processing overhead while maintaining efficient memory utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for synchronizing a first circuit to an electro-optical sensor is disclosed. The method generally includes steps (A) to (D). Step (A) may generate with the first circuit a configuration signal that conveys a request to capture at least one frame of a plurality of periodic frames. Step (B) may receive the periodic frames at a second circuit from the electro-optical sensor. Step (C) may discard a first frame of the periodic frames where the first frame precedes the request. Step (D) may store a plurality of active pixels in a second frame of the periodic frames in a memory where the second frame follows the request. The second circuit is generally a hardware implementation.