# US 10,375,368 B2 · Image data conversion

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- Number: US 10,375,368 B2
- Document ID: US10375368B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/198,376
- Filed: 2016-06-30
- Published: 2018-01-04
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-30
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: D. Amnon Silverstein
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375368B2

## CPC

- H04N 9/76: for mixing of colour signals (H04N9/75 takes precedence)
- G06T 1/20: Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
- G06T 3/4015: Image demosaicing, e.g. colour filter arrays [CFA] or Bayer patterns
- G06T 3/4084: in the transform domain, e.g. fast Fourier transform [FFT] domain scaling
- H04N 23/11: for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
- H04N 25/135: {based on four or more different wavelength filter elements}
- H04N 25/67: applied to fixed-pattern noise, e.g. non-uniformity of response
- H04N 25/68: applied to defects
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus for converting image data from a Bayer format image to a four-plane image format using two memory channels. An example apparatus includes an interface for receiving the Bayer image including repeating pixel groups, where each pixel group includes a first pixel type, a second pixel type, a third pixel type, and a fourth pixel type. The apparatus also includes a memory and a circuit to write the Bayer image to the memory as four-plane data. The four-plane data includes pixels of the first type and the third type in the Bayer image that are written via the first memory channel, and pixels of the second type and the fourth type in the Bayer image that are written via the second memory channel. Embodiments also relate to converting three sensor image data to a Bayer format image using the two memory channels.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus, comprising:
an interface configured to receive an image in a format that comprises repeating pixel groups, each pixel group spread across a plurality of corresponding pixel rows and including:
a first pixel type and a second pixel type of a first pixel row; and
a third pixel type and a fourth pixel type of a second pixel row;
a memory;
a first memory channel connecting a circuit to the memory;
a second memory channel connecting the circuit to the memory; and
the circuit configured to write the image to the memory via the first memory channel and the second memory channel, pixels of the first pixel type in the image written to the memory via the first memory channel and pixels of the second pixel type in the image written to the memory via the second memory channel simultaneously at a first time, pixels of the third pixel type in the image written to the memory via the first memory channel and pixels of the fourth pixel type in the image written to the memory via the second memory channel simultaneously at a second time subsequent to the first time.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the format of the received image is a Bayer data format.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pixel type is a Red pixel, each of the second pixel type and the third pixel type is a Green pixel, and the fourth pixel type is a Blue pixel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein odd numbered pixel rows of the plurality of corresponding pixel rows comprise alternating Red and Green pixels, and wherein even numbered pixel rows of the plurality of corresponding pixel rows comprise alternating Green and Blue pixels.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuit is further configured to write odd position pixels of each pixel row of the image to the memory via the first memory channel and write even position pixels of each pixel row of the image to the memory via the second memory channel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises:
two separate address spaces, each address space comprising a plurality of sub-blocks, each sub-block to store a contiguous data corresponding to one pixel type of the image written to the memory, the one pixel type comprising one of the first pixel type, the second pixel type, the third pixel type, and the fourth pixel type.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the circuit is further configured to:
read pixels of the first pixel type and the third pixel type via the first memory channel;
read pixels of the second pixel type and fourth pixel type via the second memory channel; and
convert the read pixels to an image in the format that comprises repeating pixel groups, wherein the format is a Bayer format.

### Claim 8

A method, comprising:
receiving, by a circuit connected to a memory via a first memory channel and a second memory channel, image data corresponding to the image being in a format that includes repeating pixel groups, each pixel group spread across a plurality of corresponding pixel rows and including:
a first pixel type and a second pixel type of a first pixel row; and
a third pixel type and a fourth pixel type of a second pixel row; and
writing, with the circuit, the image data to the memory via the first memory channel and the second memory channel, pixels of the first pixel type in the image written to the memory via the first memory channel and pixels of the second pixel type in the image written to the memory via the second memory channel simultaneously at a first time, pixels of the third pixel type in the image written to the memory via the first memory channel and pixels of the fourth pixel type in the image written to the memory via the second memory channel simultaneously at a second time subsequent to the first time.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the format of the received image is a Bayer data format.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the first pixel type is a Red pixel, each of the second pixel type and the third pixel type is a Green pixel, and the fourth pixel type is a Blue pixel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein odd numbered pixel rows of the plurality of corresponding pixel rows comprise alternating Red and Green pixels, and wherein even numbered pixel rows of the plurality of corresponding pixel rows comprise alternating Green and Blue pixels.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising, by the circuit, writing odd position pixels of each pixel row of the image to the memory via the first memory channel and writing even position pixels of each pixel row of the image to the memory via the second memory channel.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the memory further comprises two separate address spaces, each address space comprising a plurality of sub-blocks, each sub-block to store a contiguous data corresponding to one pixel type of the image written to the memory, the one pixel type comprising one of the first pixel type, the second pixel type, the third pixel type, and the fourth pixel type.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising, by the circuit:
reading pixels of the first pixel type and the third pixel type via the first memory channel;
reading pixels of the second pixel type and fourth pixel type via the second memory channel; and
converting the read pixels to an image in the format that comprises repeating pixel groups, wherein the format is a Bayer format.