Image Sensor Hardware Synchronization for Real-Time Stabilization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional image stabilization systems for non-real-time operating systems like embedded Linux face challenges in achieving precise real-time synchronization due to inherent scheduling latencies and require complex software logic, leading to processing inefficiencies and latencies in milliseconds, making 'per-frame' processing irrelevant.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that integrate real-time data with image frames using a semiconductor device with bidirectional communication capabilities, creating a predefined data packet that embeds auxiliary data from an electronic device into an image data packet for synchronized transmission to a host platform, reducing processing power requirements and avoiding complex logic with mutexes and semaphores.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional image stabilization approaches use complex software logic with mutexes and semaphores for real-time synchronization in embedded Linux, then synchronization is attempted, but processing power consumption increases and scheduling latencies cause millisecond delays making per-frame processing irrelevant

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time synchronizationVSAvoidsoftware logic complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the real-time synchronization functionality from the general-purpose Linux operating system kernel and implements it as a dedicated hardware module within the image sensor. This hardware module handles timestamp generation and data synchronization independently, removing the burden of complex software synchronization logic from the Linux kernel and eliminating scheduling latencies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a dedicated hardware synchronization module as an intermediary between the image sensor and the processing system. This module acts as a mediator that pre-synchronizes data with precise timestamps before transmission, eliminating the need for complex mutex and semaphore operations in the software layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If conventional approaches use complex mutex and semaphore logic for pipeline synchronization, then synchronization is achieved, but processing latency increases by milliseconds

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepipeline synchronizationVSAvoidprocessing latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary synchronization actions by generating precise timestamps and synchronizing data pipelines in advance within the hardware module, before data transmission to the host system. This pre-synchronization eliminates the need for time-consuming mutex and semaphore operations during actual data processing, reducing latency significantly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the software-based synchronization mechanism (mechanical system of mutexes and semaphores) with a hardware-based synchronization module that operates at the electrical/circuit level. This substitution eliminates the inherent scheduling latencies of software operations and provides deterministic, low-latency synchronization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If general-purpose Linux operating system is used for image stabilization, then system flexibility is maintained, but inherent scheduling latencies prevent timely execution of real-time tasks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem flexibilityVSAvoidreal-time task execution speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the system into two distinct parts: a general-purpose Linux host system that provides flexibility and high-level control, and a dedicated hardware synchronization module within the image sensor that handles time-critical operations. This segmentation allows each part to operate in its optimal domain - Linux for flexibility and the hardware module for real-time performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hardware synchronization module acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the general-purpose Linux system and the real-time requirements of image stabilization. It translates high-level Linux commands into precisely timed hardware operations, maintaining system flexibility while ensuring timely execution of real-time tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11659301B1System and method for integration of real time data with image frame for image stabilization

Publication Date: 2023.05.23 E-CON SYSTEMS INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED

AI summary

A system for integration of real-time data with image frame for image stabilization is disclosed. A host platform sends a first data request to an image sensor, sends a second data request to an electronic device. A semiconductor device including an input data receiving module to receive image data corresponding to the first data request via a mobile industry processor interface, receive auxiliary data corresponding to the second data request via an inter integrated circuit interface. A data synchronization module creates a predefined data packet of the image data, place the auxiliary data received in the real-time into an embedded data field, insert the embedded data field into the predefined data packet for sending to the host platform, receive instruction from the host platform to fetch the predefined data packet of the image data and retrieve the electronic device data from the embedded data field for recognizing the image stabilization.