Motorola Corporation

Robert M Dyas

Bei Tang

Barry W Herold

Austin Vincent Harton

Francisco Castro

A method and structure for implementing color image acquisition and processing. Combined and direct interpolation and conversion from a first to a second color space of sensor color data provided to a device capable of receiving and displaying color image data, followed by color correction in the second color space, greatly simplifies acquisition and processing of color image data. Interpolation in the combined interpolation and conversion can optionally be vertex-based interpolation in which color data for virtual pixels for one or more pixels of interest can occur in parallel fashion. Conversion in the combined interpolation and conversion can be performed in accordance with a simplified conversion matrix that does not require the use of multiplier logic to be implemented but that does require compensation during subsequent color correction of the color data, also in the second color space. Vertex-based interpolation may additionally be performed in an image acquisition and processing process that does not combine interpolation with conversion of color image data.

Color data image acquistion and processing

A pixel image sensor having an array of pixel elements arranged in a color mosaic pattern, each pixel element being responsive to light of a particular color. Each pixel element is supplied with a reference voltage signal corresponding to the color of light to which the pixel element is responsive. The reference voltage signal determined the sensitivity of the pixel element. The white balance of the image sensor is adjusted by varying independently the reference voltage signals for each color. The color mosaic pattern of the array may include a pixel element responsive to white light. The output from the white pixel sensors may be used to adjust the color constancy of the image sensor. The image array reduces the need for post-capture processing of the image for white balancing, by incorporating the white balance operation into the capture process.

Digital pixel image sensor with independent color channel reference signals

Method, software, and apparatus ( ) for performing rate controlled image compression are provided. A quantization matrix scaling factor that results in compression to a predetermined byte size is determined by first summing the absolute value of the difference of neighboring pixels selected from a plurality of rectangular regions of the image. The sums are then input to a model function that is evaluated to obtain the quantization matrix scaling factor. According to preferred embodiments the model function involves a dot product operation between a vector that includes the sums and a second vector that includes region weights.

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Naperville, IL, United States of America

Robert M Dyas