# US 2010/0165151 A1 · Processing image frames in different formats with reduced memory requirements in digital still cameras > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0165151 A1 - Document ID: US20100165151A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/542,693 - Filed: 2009-08-17 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-26 - Assignees: Texas Instruments Incorporated - Inventors: Kedar Satish Chitnis; Jacob Jose - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100165151A1 ## CPC - H04N 1/2112: {using still video cameras} - H04N 1/2129: {Recording in, or reproducing from, a specific memory area or areas, or recording or reproducing at a specific moment} - H04N 1/2137: {with temporary storage before final recording, e.g. in a frame buffer} - H04N 2101/00: Still video cameras - H04N 2201/33378: Type or format of data, e.g. colour or B/W, halftone or binary, computer image file or facsimile data - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract In a digital still camera, pixel values representing an image frame in a first format are stored in a memory. The pixel values of the image frame in the first format are converted to a second format. The pixel values in the second format are stored in the memory by overwriting at least a portion of the pixel values in the first format. Memory space is thus conserved by the overwriting, thereby requiring reduced memory for storage of pixel values in the digital still camera. The minimum delay (shot to shot interval) required between user-indicated image capture instances is also reduced. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for processing image frames in a digital still camera, said method comprising: receiving a first plurality of pixel values representing an image frame in a first format; storing said first plurality of pixel values in a memory; forming a second plurality of pixel values representing said image frame in a second format by processing said first plurality of pixel values; and overwriting at least a part of said first plurality of pixel values in storing said second plurality of pixel values. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: performing a first image processing operation on said first plurality of pixel values representing all of said image frame and a second image processing operation on said second plurality of pixel values; and storing said second plurality of pixel values starting from a start location which is earlier than a first location in said memory from which said first plurality of pixel values are stored, wherein said start location is chosen such that any required ones of the first plurality of pixel values for said first image processing operation is available at time instances of said performing when those pixel values would be required, wherein said storing comprises said overwriting. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein said first format and said second format respectively comprise Bayer format and YUV format. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein said first image processing operation comprises one of auto-white balance, color filter array (CFA) interpolation, and color processing, wherein said second image processing operation comprises one of edge enhancement, brightness and contrast adjustments, and noise filtering. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein said first format and said second format respectively comprise YUV format and JPEG format, wherein said first image processing operation comprises edge enhancement, brightness and contrast adjustments, and noise filtering. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein said forming comprises: dividing said image frame into a plurality of portions, wherein a first subset of pixel values representing each portion in said first format are processed to generate a second subset of pixel values representing the same portion in said second format, wherein said first subset of pixel values and said second subset of pixel values are comprised in said first plurality of pixel values and said second plurality of pixel values respectively, wherein said storing stores said second subset of pixel values without overwriting said first subset of pixel values for the same portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: receiving a command to provide a digital zoom of said image frame, wherein said second image processing operation comprises forming a magnified image corresponding to a portion of said image frame in response to receiving said command such that said second plurality of pixel values represent said magnified image, wherein said first plurality of pixel values represent said portion, wherein said start location is chosen to ensure that at least some of said second plurality of pixel values would overwrite some of said first plurality of pixel values, and any required one of said first plurality of pixel values for forming any of said second plurality of pixel values is available when required for said forming of said magnified image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein said forming of said magnified image comprises replicating each pixel value in said first plurality of pixel values related to said portion a number of times equaling a zoom factor specified by said viewer. ### Claim 9 A machine readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for enabling a digital still camera to process image frames, wherein execution of said one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors contained in said system causes said system to perform the actions of: receiving a first plurality of pixel values representing an image frame in a first format; storing said first plurality of pixel values in a memory; forming a second plurality of pixel values representing said image frame in a second format by processing said first plurality of pixel values; and overwriting at least a part of said first plurality of pixel values in storing said second plurality of pixel values. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The machine readable medium of claim 9, further comprising: performing a first image processing operation on said first plurality of pixel values representing all of said image frame and a second image processing operation on said second plurality of pixel values; and storing said second plurality of pixel values starting from a start location which is earlier than a first location in said memory from which said first plurality of pixel values are stored, wherein said start location is chosen such that any required ones of the first plurality of pixel values for said first image processing operation is available at time instances of said performing when those pixel values would be required, wherein said storing comprises said overwriting. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein said first format and said second format respectively comprise Bayer format and YUV format. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein said first image processing operation comprises one of auto-white balance, color filter array (CFA) interpolation, and color processing, wherein said second image processing operation comprises one of edge enhancement, brightness and contrast adjustments, and noise filtering. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein said first format and said second format respectively comprise YUV format and JPEG format, wherein said first image processing operation comprises edge enhancement, brightness and contrast adjustments, and noise filtering. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein said forming comprises: dividing said image frame into a plurality of portions, wherein a first subset of pixel values representing each portion in said first format are processed to generate a second subset of pixel values representing the same portion in said second format, wherein said first subset of pixel values and said second subset of pixel values are comprised in said first plurality of pixel values and said second plurality of pixel values respectively, wherein said storing stores said second subset of pixel values without overwriting said first subset of pixel values for the same portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The machine readable medium of claim 9, further comprising: receiving a command to provide a digital zoom of said image frame, wherein said second image processing operation comprises forming a magnified image corresponding to a portion of said image frame in response to receiving said command such that said second plurality of pixel values represent said magnified image, wherein said first plurality of pixel values represent said portion, wherein said start location is chosen to ensure that at least some of said second plurality of pixel values would overwrite some of said first plurality of pixel values, and any required one of said first plurality of pixel values for forming any of said second plurality of pixel values is available when required for said forming of said magnified image. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The machine readable medium of claim 15, wherein said forming of said magnified image comprises replicating each pixel value in said first plurality of pixel values related to said portion a number of times equaling a zoom factor specified by said viewer. ### Claim 17 A digital still camera for processing image frames, said digital still camera comprising: a processor and a memory, wherein said processor is operable to: receive a first plurality of pixel values representing an image frame in a first format; store said first plurality of pixel values in said memory; form a second plurality of pixel values representing said image frame in a second format by processing said first plurality of pixel values; and overwrite at least a part of said first plurality of pixel values in storing said second plurality of pixel values. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The digital still camera of claim 17, wherein said processor is further operable to: perform a first image processing operation on said first plurality of pixel values representing all of said image frame and a second image processing operation on said second plurality of pixel values; and store said second plurality of pixel values starting from a start location which is earlier than a first location in said memory from which said first plurality of pixel values are stored, wherein said start location is chosen such that any required ones of the first plurality of pixel values for said first image processing operation is available at time instances of said performing when those pixel values would be required, wherein said store comprises said overwrite. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The digital still camera of claim 18, wherein said first format and said second format respectively comprise Bayer format and YUV format. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The digital still camera of claim 17, wherein said processor is further operable to receive a command to provide a digital zoom of said image frame, wherein said second image processing operation comprises forming a magnified image corresponding to a portion of said image frame in response to receiving said command such that said second plurality of pixel values represent said magnified image, wherein said start location is chosen to ensure that at least some of said second plurality of pixel values would overwrite some of said first plurality of pixel values, and any required one of said first plurality of pixel values for forming any of said second plurality of pixel values is available when required for said forming of said magnified image.