Low Power Image Capture Framework with Scene Analysis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile image capture devices face resource constraints such as limited memory, processing power, and energy, which hinder their ability to continuously capture and store high-resolution images without overheating, making it challenging to efficiently manage image storage and processing.
Innovation Solution
A low-power image capture framework that includes an image sensor, an imaging pipeline, a temporary image buffer, and a scene analyzer, which analyzes images to determine whether to store or discard them, and an image compression component that compresses images for storage only when deemed necessary, allowing the device to adjust capture modes based on image desirability and conserve resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the mobile image capture device continuously captures and stores high-resolution images, then the image quality and quantity are improved, but the memory usage and power consumption increase, causing the device to overheat
Solution Approach 1:
The scene analyzer performs preliminary analysis on captured images to determine their desirability before committing them to permanent storage. This preliminary action (analysis and selection) prevents unnecessary compression and storage operations on undesired images, thereby reducing power consumption and heat generation while maintaining high capture rates for desired images
2Quantity of substance
If the mobile image capture device compresses and stores all captured images, then the memory retention is improved, but the processing power and energy are excessively consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The scene analyzer enables the system to serve itself by automatically identifying and selecting desired images for storage without requiring external intervention or processing of all captured images. This self-service mechanism reduces the processing power required for image management while ensuring that meaningful images are retained in memory
3Duration of action of moving object
If the mobile image capture device increases memory resources for continuous storage, then the image storage duration is improved, but the device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a selective retention strategy where undesired images are automatically discarded after temporary buffering, while desired images are retained for long-term storage. This discarding and recovering approach extends the effective storage duration without requiring proportionally larger memory resources, as the memory is continuously reused for new captures after older undesired images are discarded
4Manufacturing precision
If the mobile image capture device performs continuous image processing, then the image curation quality is improved, but the thermal power dissipation exceeds the device limits
Solution Approach 1:
The scene analyzer applies localized processing only to specific regions or aspects of images that require analysis for desirability determination, rather than performing full-image processing on all captures. This local quality approach maintains high processing quality for selected images while reducing overall thermal power dissipation by avoiding unnecessary processing of undesired images
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides an image capture, curation, and editing system that includes a resource-efficient mobile image capture device that continuously captures images. In particular, the present disclosure provides low power frameworks for processing, compressing, and transmitting images at a mobile image capture device. One example low power framework includes a scene analyzer that analyzes a scene depicted by a first image and determines whether to store the first image in a non-volatile memory or to discard the first image from a temporary image buffer without storing the first image in the non-volatile memory.