Region-of-interest-based image signal processing

Abstract

Digital cameras include an image sensor and an image signal processor. The image signal processor processes raw image data received with the image sensor, accounting for a variety of effects such lens characteristics, Bayer filter color bias, white balance, color intensity effects, or gamma effects. While it is possible to perform this process at the full resolution of the image, advantage can be gained by performing such processing at a higher resolution within a region of interest and at a lower resolution outside the region of interest. In some examples, an image signal processor includes a portion that performs image signal processing on a down-sampled version of the raw image, as well as a high-resolution portion that performs processing on the normal resolution raw image to generate an output image. This technique reduces the overall work needed to process an image received from an image sensor.