Imaging system having an image memory between the functional processing systems

Abstract

The present invention envisions the use of a raw image buffer in an imager to aid the imager with power consumption problems and/or timing problems. When captured by the imager, data representing the image captured is directed either to processing circuitry or to a raw image buffer. The processing circuitry transforms the raw image data into a final image. The raw image data may be redirected into a raw image buffer for further processing at a later time. The raw image buffer may be used to buffer up a number of raw images, so that the processing circuitry may operate on the raw images in a single cohesive block of time rather than in intermittent bursts. Or, the raw image buffer may be used to aid in the speed of capturing images. If images are captured faster than the processing circuitry can process the raw data into a final version, the raw image data may be transferred into the raw image buffer for storage, thus allowing the processing circuitry to operate on the stored images in the raw image buffer. This can happen at a later time, thus enabling the imager to collect images at a faster rate than the processing circuitry can process the raw image data into a final version.