Image Processing System Selective Region Scanning Power Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image processing systems consume excessive electrical power, making them unsuitable for handheld devices powered by limited portable sources, as they require high power for continuous image acquisition and processing, especially in longwave infrared applications.
Innovation Solution
The system selectively scans regions of interest in images, reducing the information intensity of peripheral areas, thereby minimizing power consumption by controlling focal plane array devices to only acquire and process necessary data, which allows for reduced electrical power usage in portable devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional image processing systems continuously acquire and process all image data, then complete image coverage and processing quality are maintained, but electrical power consumption becomes excessive for portable devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the image field into distinct regions: a region of interest (ROI) that receives full processing and a peripheral region that receives reduced processing. This segmentation allows the system to allocate computational resources selectively, maintaining high image quality where needed while reducing power consumption in less critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing quality levels to different spatial locations within the image. The ROI receives full-resolution processing with complete detail preservation, while the peripheral region receives downsampled or lower-resolution processing. This local quality differentiation maintains overall system functionality while significantly reducing the computational burden and power requirements.
2Reliability
If focal plane array devices acquire longwave infrared imagery, then useful thermal imaging capability is achieved, but power consumption increases due to the acquisition method
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by acquiring infrared imagery only in the ROI rather than across the entire field of view. The focal plane array device is instructed to reduce or eliminate acquisition in the peripheral region, performing only the necessary portion of the imaging function to maintain thermal imaging capability while reducing power consumption proportionally to the reduced acquisition area.
3Manufacturing precision
If image processing systems process all video signal data, then complete image enhancement is achieved, but the number of computer operations and power draw increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the video processing pipeline into two distinct paths: one for the ROI that performs complete image enhancement operations (sharpening, contrast adjustment, noise reduction), and another for the peripheral region that performs minimal or no enhancement. This segmentation of processing operations maintains high image quality for critical areas while dramatically reducing the total number of computer operations required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing full enhancement processing only where needed (ROI) and reduced or no enhancement in the peripheral region. This ensures that power-intensive processing operations are concentrated only in areas where high image quality is critical, optimizing the trade-off between image enhancement quality and power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
According to certain embodiments, an image processing system includes a computing system that receives a video signal including data for one or more images and determines a region of interest in a particular image of the one or more images. Using the determined region of interest, the computing system instructs the camera to generate a peripheral region of one or more subsequent images having a reduced information intensity level relative to the information intensity level with which the region of interest of the one or more subsequent images are generated. The region of interest of the one or more subsequent images corresponds to the region of interest of the particular image. The peripheral region including portions of the image other than the region of interest.