Semiconductor device, image data processing apparatus and method

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a memory configured to store therein a unit of composite data, said unit of composite data including
• a main data component configured to hold main data, and
• an additional information component, configured to hold therein additional information related to said main data;
• and
• an access mechanism configured to provide at least one of read and write memory access for the unit of composite data, wherein
• the main data component and the additional information component are handled as a unit by said access mechanism, wherein
• said access mechanism includes
• an address generating mechanism configured to generate an address for reading a second unit of said composite data based on said additional information component of a first unit of composite data.

An image data processing apparatus comprising:

• a memory configured to store therein a unit of composite data, said unit of composite data including
• a pixel data component configured to hold pixel data, and
• an additional information component, configured to hold therein additional information related to said pixel data;
• and
• an access mechanism configured to read the unit of composite data, the pixel data component and the additional information component being handled as a unit by said access mechanism,
• a separating mechanism configured to separate said composite data, which has been read out by said access mechanism, into said pixel data and said additional information, and
• a data processing section configured to perform a predetermined processing operation on said pixel data using said additional information data, wherein said additional information component when read from memory is fedback for use in a subsequent memory access operation.

An image data processing apparatus comprising:

• a memory configured to store therein a unit of composite data, said unit of composite data including
• a pixel data component configured to hold pixel data, and
• an additional information component, configured to hold therein additional information related to said pixel data;
• and
• an access mechanism configured to read the unit of composite data, the pixel data component and the additional information component being handled as a unit by said access mechanism;
• a separating mechanism configured to separate said composite data, which has been read out by said access mechanism, into said pixel data and said additional information;
• a data processing section configured to perform a predetermined processing operation on said pixel data using said additional information data;
• a first data generation mechanism configured to generate said additional information data based on image data input thereto;
• and
• a second data generation mechanism configured to generate said unit composite data to contain said additional information data and said pixel data, and supply said unit of composite data to said memory.

An image data processing apparatus comprising:

• a memory configured to store therein a unit of composite data, said unit of composite data including
• a pixel data component configured to hold pixel data, and
• an additional information component, configured to hold therein additional information related to said pixel data;
• and
• an access mechanism configured to read the unit of composite data, the pixel data component and the additional information component being handled as a unit by said access mechanism,
• a separating mechanism configured to separate said composite data, which has been read out by said access mechanism, into said pixel data and said additional information, and
• a data processing section configured to perform a predetermined processing operation on said pixel data using said additional information data, wherein
• said additional information data is a motion vector, and
• said data processing section is configured to
• separate said composite data into said pixel data and said motion vector,
• set a search region used for motion estimation on the basis of said motion vector, and
• estimate a motion of said image portion corresponding to said pixel data in said search region.

An image data processing apparatus comprising:

• a memory configured to store therein a unit of composite data, said unit of composite data including
• a pixel data component configured to hold pixel data, and
• an additional information component, configured to hold therein additional information related to said pixel data;
• and
• an access mechanism configured to read the unit of composite data, the pixel data component and the additional information component being handled as a unit by said access mechanism,
• a separating mechanism configured to separate said composite data, which has been read out by said access mechanism, into said pixel data and said additional information, and
• a data processing section configured to perform a predetermined processing operation on said pixel data of a first image resolution of a first image using said additional information data, wherein
• said additional information data is a flag data indicative of a second image resolution of a second image that includes image data that includes said pixel data, and
• said data processing section is configured to
• separate said composite data, which has been read out by said access mechanism, into said pixel data and said flag data, and
• select pixel data from said pixel data based on said flag data, to form said second image resolution that is different from the first image resolution.

An image data processing apparatus comprising:

• a memory configured to store therein a unit of composite data, said unit of composite data including
• a pixel data component configured to hold pixel data, and
• an additional information component, configured to hold therein additional information related to said pixel data;
• and
• an access mechanism configured to read the unit of composite data, the pixel data component and the additional information component being handled as a unit by said access mechanism,
• a separating mechanism configured to separate said composite data, which has been read out by said access mechanism, into said pixel data and said additional information, and
• a data processing section configured to perform a predetermined processing operation on said pixel data using said additional information data, wherein
• said additional information includes scanning direction data for indicating a position of another pixel data that, along with said pixel data of said unit of composite data, is part of an image object,
• said data processing section is configured to generate an address for reading said another pixel data that corresponds with a pixel adjacent to a pixel that corresponds to said pixel data of said unit of composite data based on said scanning direction data, and supplies said address to said access mechanism.

A method for organizing image data, comprising steps of:

• storing in memory a unit of composite data, said unit of composite data including
• a main data component configured to hold main data, and
• an additional information component, configured to hold therein additional information related to said main data;
• and
• providing via an access mechanism at least one of read and write memory access for the unit of composite data, wherein
• the main data component and the additional information component are handled as a unit by said access mechanism, and
• said additional information component when read from memory is fedback for use in a subsequent memory access operation.

A method for organizing image data, comprising steps of:

• storing in memory a unit of composite data, said unit of composite data including
• a main data component configured to hold main data, and
• an additional information component, configured to hold therein additional information related to said main data;
• and
• providing via an access mechanism at least one of read and write memory access for the unit of composite data, wherein
• the main data component and the additional information component are handled as a unit by said access mechanism, wherein
• said providing step includes
• generating an address for reading a second unit of said composite data based on said additional information component of a first unit of composite data.

A method for organizing image data, comprising steps of:

• storing in memory a unit of composite data, said unit of composite data including
• a pixel data component configured to hold pixel data, and
• an additional information component, configured to hold therein additional information related to said pixel data, and
• reading the unit of composite data, the pixel data component and the additional information component being retrieved as a unit;
• separating said composite data into said pixel data and said additional information, and
• processing said pixel data using said additional information data, wherein said additional information component when read from memory is fedback for use in a subsequent memory access operation.

A method for organizing image data, comprising steps of:

• storing in memory a unit of composite data, said unit of composite data including
• a pixel data component configured to hold pixel data, and
• an additional information component, configured to hold therein additional information related to said pixel data, and
• reading the unit of composite data, the pixel data component and the additional information component being retrieved as a unit;
• separating said composite data into said pixel data and said additional information, and
• processing said pixel data using said additional information data;
• generating said additional information data based on image data input thereto;
• and
• generating said unit composite data to contain said additional information data and said pixel data, and supplying said unit of composite data to said memory.

A method for organizing image data, comprising steps of:

• storing in memory a unit of composite data, said unit of composite data including
• a pixel data component configured to hold pixel data, and
• an additional information component, configured to hold therein additional information related to said pixel data, and
• reading the unit of composite data, the pixel data component and the additional information component being retrieved as a unit;
• separating said composite data into said pixel data and said additional information;
• and
• processing said pixel data using said additional information data, wherein
• said additional information data is a motion vector;
• and further comprising steps of separating said composite data into said pixel data and said motion vector,
• setting a search region used for motion estimation based on said motion vector, and
• estimating a motion of said image portion corresponding to said pixel data in said search region.

A method for organizing image data, comprising steps of:

• storing in memory a unit of composite data, said unit of composite data including
• a pixel data component configured to hold pixel data, and
• an additional information component, configured to hold therein additional information related to said pixel data, and
• reading the unit of composite data, the pixel data component and the additional information component being retrieved as a unit;
• separating said composite data into said pixel data and said additional information;
• and
• processing said pixel data using said additional information data, wherein
• said additional information data is a flag data indicative of a first image resolution of a first image that includes image data that includes said pixel data;
• and further comprising steps of
• separating said composite data into said pixel data and said flag data, and
• selecting said pixel data from other pixel data based on said flag data, to form a second image resolution that is different from the first image resolution.

A method for organizing image data, comprising steps of:

• storing in memory a unit of composite data, said unit of composite data including
• a pixel data component configured to hold pixel data, and
• an additional information component, configured to hold therein additional information related to said pixel data, and
• reading the unit of composite data, the pixel data component and the additional information component being retrieved as a unit;
• separating said composite data into said pixel data and said additional information;
• and
• processing said pixel data using said additional information data, wherein
• said additional information includes scanning direction data for indicating a position of another pixel data that, along with said pixel data of said unit of composite data, is part of an image object;
• further comprising a step of
• generating an address for reading said another pixel data that corresponds with a pixel adjacent to a pixel that corresponds to said pixel data of said unit of composite data based on said scanning direction data, and supplying said address to an access mechanism.

A semiconductor device comprising:

• storing means for storing a unit of composite data containing a piece of main data and additional information data in accordance with said main data;
• and
• accessing means for reading said composite data stored in said storing means or writing said composite data to said storing means, wherein
• the main data component and the additional information component are handled as a unit by said accessing means, wherein said additional information component when read from memory is fedback for use in a subsequent memory access operation.