Image Processing Device Eliminates Frame Memory for Real-Time Distortion Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Omnidirectional camera systems with fish-eye lenses experience display delays due to the need for frame memory in processing and correcting image distortion, which can be problematic for real-time monitoring applications.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and camera system that eliminate the need for frame memory by using parameter setting, geometrical position calculation, address tables, and address matching to directly convert and correct input side image data into output side image data in real-time, without storing intermediate frames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If frame memory is used to store input side image data for distortion correction processing, then image data can be processed systematically, but display delay occurs due to the time required to write and read data from frame memory
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential processing information (geometrical position data and address correspondence) from the complete frame memory storage approach. Instead of storing entire frames, only the necessary address mapping and position calculation data are retained, eliminating the time-consuming frame memory write/read operations while maintaining processing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary calculation of geometrical positions and pre-establishes address correspondence tables before actual image data processing. This allows the system to have ready-made mapping information that enables real-time distortion correction without requiring frame memory storage, thus eliminating display delay.
2Manufacturing precision
If frame memory operations are performed for distortion correction, then complete image frames can be processed, but real-time monitoring capability is reduced due to processing time lag
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing task into independent pixel-level operations using pre-calculated geometrical position data. Each pixel's distortion correction can be performed independently and simultaneously, enabling parallel processing that maintains high accuracy while achieving real-time processing speeds without frame memory bottlenecks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical frame memory storage and retrieval system with a computational approach using pre-calculated address tables and geometrical position formulas. This substitution eliminates the physical limitations of frame memory access speed while maintaining the mathematical precision required for accurate distortion correction.
3Stability of the object's composition
If input side image data is stored in frame memory before processing, then data integrity is maintained, but system complexity increases due to the need for frame memory management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the frame memory functionality through pre-calculated address tables and geometrical position data. Instead of physically storing and managing complete frame data in memory, the system uses computational models that replicate the necessary information, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining data integrity through mathematical relationships.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus or camera system comprises an image sensor 1, a geometrical position calculation device 6 for performing predetermined correction of a distortion, a first address table 10 for storing information correlating an input side address based on the calculation results of the geometrical position calculation device 6 to an output side address as a reference, a sort unit 11 for sorting the output side addresses according to the input side addresses, a second address table 12 for storing information correlating the output side address to the sorted input side address as a reference , and an address matching device 13 for matching the input side address of input side image data DI with the input side address stored in the second address table 12 and outputting output side image data DO.