# US 2017/0287150 A1 · Macropixel processing system, method and article

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- Number: US 2017/0287150 A1
- Document ID: US20170287150A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/089,134
- Filed: 2016-04-01
- Published: 2017-10-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-04-01
- Assignees: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
- Applicants: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
- Inventors: Mathieu Thivin; Pierre-Francois Pugibet
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170287150A1

## CPC

- G06T 7/90: Determination of colour characteristics
- G06T 3/4015: Image demosaicing, e.g. colour filter arrays [CFA] or Bayer patterns
- G06T 5/70: Denoising; Smoothing
- H04N 1/60: Colour correction or control {(H04N1/54 takes precedence)}
- G06T 2207/10024: Color image
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

Digital image processing circuitry converts a macro-pixel of an image in a color filter array (CFA) color space to a macro-pixel in a luminance-chrominance (YUV) color space. Chrominance filtering is applied to chrominance components of the converted macro-pixel in the YUV color space, generating a filtered macro-pixel in the YUV color space. The filtered macro-pixel in the YUV color space is converted into a filtered macro-pixel in the CFA color space.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
converting, using digital image processing circuitry, a macro-pixel of an image in a color filter array (CFA) color space to a macro-pixel in a luminance-chrominance (YUV) color space, wherein a macro-pixel includes at least two pixel rows and at least two pixel columns and the converting includes simultaneously receiving pixel data defining the macro-pixel in the CFA color space;
filtering, using the digital image processing circuitry, chrominance components of the macro-pixel in the YUV color space; and
converting, using the digital image processing circuitry, the filtered macro-pixel in the YUV color space to a filtered macro-pixel in the CFA color space.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
transporting data defining macro-pixels of the image as macro-pixels on a bus system of the digital image processing circuitry.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the YUV color space defines a macro-pixel based on a first chrominance component U, a second chrominance component V, a first luminance component YU associated with the first chrominance component U and a second luminance component YV associated with the second chrominance component V.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 wherein the filtering comprises filtering a first chrominance component of the macro-pixel in the YUV color space using a first filtering circuit of the digital image processing circuitry and filtering a second chrominance component of the macro-pixel in the YUV color space using a second filtering circuit of the digital image processing circuitry.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the CFA color space is a Bayer color space.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, comprising:
storing luminance components of the macro-pixel in the YUV color space during the filtering of the chrominance components.

### Claim 7

A device, comprising:
a first conversion circuit configured to convert a macro-pixel of an image in a color filter array (CFA) color space to a macro-pixel of an image in a luminance-chrominance (YUV) color space in a first step, wherein a macro-pixel includes at least two pixel rows and at least two pixel columns and the converting includes simultaneously receiving pixel data defining the macro-pixel in the CFA color space;
a filter configured to filter chrominance components of the converted macro-pixel in the YUV color space in a second step, generating a filtered macro-pixel in the YUV color space; and
a second conversion circuit configured to convert the filtered macro-pixel in the YUV color space to a filtered macro-pixel in the CFA color space.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, comprising:
a bus system coupled to the second conversion circuit and configured to transport filtered macro-pixels in the CFA color space as macro-pixels.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7 wherein the YUV color space defines a macro-pixel based on a first chrominance component U, a second chrominance component V, a first luminance component YU associated with the first chrominance component U and a second luminance component YV associated with the second chrominance component V.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The device of claim 9 wherein the filter comprises:
a first filtering engine configured to generate a first filtered chrominance component of the filtered macro-pixel in the YUV color space; and
a second filtering engine configured to generate a second filtered chrominance component of the filtered macro-pixel in the YUV color space.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The device of claim 10 wherein the CFA color space is a Bayer color space.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, comprising:
at least one first-in-first-out buffer configured to store luminance components of the converted macro-pixel in the YUV color space during the filtering.

### Claim 13

A system, comprising:
one or more image capture devices, which, in operation, capture digital images; and
digital image processing circuitry, which, in operation:
converts a macro-pixel of an image in a color filter array (CFA) color space to a macro-pixel in a luminance-chrominance (YUV) color space, wherein a macro-pixel includes at least two pixel rows and at least two pixel columns and the converting includes simultaneously receiving pixel data defining the macro-pixel in the CFA color space;
filters chrominance components of the converted macro-pixel in the YUV color space; and
converts the filtered macro-pixel in the YUV color space to a filtered macro-pixel in the CFA color space.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13 wherein the YUV color space defines a macro-pixel using a first chrominance component U, a second chrominance component V, a first luminance component YU associated with the first chrominance component U and a second luminance component YV associated with the second chrominance component V.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14 wherein the digital image processing circuitry comprises:
a first filtering engine configured to generate a first filtered chrominance component of the filtered macro-pixel in the YUV color space; and
a second filtering engine configured to generate a second filtered chrominance component of the filtered macro-pixel in the YUV color space.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13 wherein the CFA color space is a Bayer color space.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13 wherein the digital image processing circuitry comprises:
at least one first-in-first-out buffer configured to store luminance components of the converted macro-pixel in the YUV color space during the filtering.

### Claim 18

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having contents which cause digital image processing circuitry to process digital images by performing a method, the method comprising:
converting a macro-pixel of an image in a color filter array (CFA) color space to a macro-pixel in a luminance-chrominance (YUV) color space, wherein a macro-pixel includes at least two pixel rows and at least two pixel columns and the converting includes simultaneously receiving pixel data defining the macro-pixel in the CFA color space;
filtering chrominance components of the converted macro-pixel in the YUV color space; and
converting the filtered macro-pixel in the YUV color space to a filtered macro-pixel in the CFA color space.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein the YUV color space defines a macro-pixel using a first chrominance component U, a second chrominance component V, a first luminance component YU associated with the first chrominance component U and a second luminance component YV associated with the second chrominance component V.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the method comprises:
storing luminance components of the converted macro-pixel in the YUV color space during the filtering.