Image Frame Processing via Dedicated Video Pipeline
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multifunctional electronic devices, the photographic function often experiences performance degradation and resource consumption due to waiting for responses from the application processor, degrading user experience.
Innovation Solution
An image processing device with a distinct video pipeline and interface unit that processes image raw data independently, using shared memory and inter-processor communication to reduce reliance on the application processor, allowing for separate processing of image frames at different resolutions and encoding parameters generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the photographic function uses the application processor for all processing tasks, then the application processor can handle general control and settings, but the photographic function experiences performance degradation and increased resource consumption due to waiting for responses
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two independent processing paths: the application processor handles high-level control and settings, while a dedicated video processing unit handles image processing tasks. This segmentation allows parallel operation and eliminates the need for the photographic function to wait for application processor responses, thereby improving productivity and reducing waiting time.
Solution Approach 2:
A video processing unit acts as an intermediary between the camera sensor and the application processor. This intermediary handles image processing tasks independently, reducing the communication overhead and waiting time between the photographic function and the application processor, thus improving overall system performance.
2Productivity
If the photographic function sends interrupts to the application processor for every processing task, then the application processor can maintain control, but too many resources of the application processor are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
Processing tasks are segmented between the application processor and the dedicated video processing unit. The video processing unit independently handles image processing operations, significantly reducing the number of interrupts and resource consumption on the application processor while maintaining overall system control.
Solution Approach 2:
The video processing unit is designed to autonomously handle image processing tasks without requiring constant intervention from the application processor. This self-service capability reduces the application processor's resource consumption by eliminating frequent interrupt handling while maintaining processing efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If a single application processor handles all photographic processing, then system complexity is reduced, but user experience deteriorates due to performance limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The processing system is segmented into specialized units: the application processor for control and the video processing unit for image processing. This segmentation improves user experience through faster and more efficient photographic operations while maintaining manageable system complexity through clear functional separation and standardized interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses an image frame processing method for processing a plurality of input image frames with an image processing device. An embodiment of the method comprises: receiving a plurality of input image frames; and processing the plurality of input image frames to produce a first number of first output image frames and a second number of second output image frames, in which the resolution of the first output image frames is higher than the resolution of the second output image frames and the first number is less than the second number, wherein a first frame of the first output image frames and a second frame of the second output image frames are derived from the same one of the plurality of input image frames.