Color interpolator and horizontal/vertical edge enhancer using two line buffer and alternating even/odd filters for digital camera

Abstract

A digital-camera processor receives a stream of mono-color pixels in a Bayer pattern from a sensor. Two lines of the pattern are stored in a 2-line buffer. Red, Blue, and Green interpolators receive a 3×3 array of pixels from the 2-line buffer. The interpolators generate missing color values by interpolation. For green, horizontal interpolation is performed for odd lines, while vertical interpolation is performed for even lines. Horizontal and vertical interpolation is thus alternated with alternate lines. Edge detection is performed at the same time as interpolation, on the green pixels from the 2-line buffer. An edge-detection filter is multiplied by the green pixels in the 3×3 array from the 2-line buffer. Different edge-detection filters are used for odd and even lines. These filters are modified to detect edges running perpendicular to the direction of the green interpolation filter. Edges in the same direction as the interpolation filter are ignored. Thus blurring caused by the green interpolation does not affect edge detection. The result of the edge-detection filter is compared to two different threshold values, one for green and one for red and blue. When an edge is detected, an edge enhancer is activated. The edge enhancer adds a scaled factor to the interpolated R, G, or B values to sharpen the detected edge. The line buffer stores only 2 full lines of pixels and no full-frame buffer is needed.