Image Sensor Embedded Scaler for High-Speed Scaling

The patent merges the image scaling function with the image sensor by integrating a scaler unit directly into the sensor chip. This combination allows image scaling to be performed concurrently with image data acquisition and processing, eliminating the sequential dependency where scaling must wait for complete image storage. The scaler unit shares the chip's computational resources and operates in parallel with other image processing functions, thereby maintaining adaptability for different image sizes while significantly improving operation speed and frame rate.

The patent combines the scaler unit with the image sensor chip, integrating multiple functions (image acquisition, processing, and scaling) into a single device. This reduces system complexity by eliminating the need for separate external scaling hardware and inter-chip communication interfaces. The integrated scaler utilizes the chip's existing computational resources and data pathways, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining the capability to adjust image sizes according to display requirements.

The patent implements preliminary image scaling during the image acquisition and processing phase, rather than waiting for complete image storage. The scaler unit begins processing image data as it becomes available from the pixel array, performing scaling operations on partial data sets incrementally. This preliminary action approach maintains image data completeness for high-quality scaling while significantly reducing processing time, as scaling operations overlap with data acquisition and do not require waiting for the entire image to be captured and stored.