# US 7,746,390 B2 · Method and device for processing pixel array data of mobile terminal equipped with digital camera function

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- Number: US 7,746,390 B2
- Document ID: US7746390B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/087,603
- Filed: 2005-03-24
- Published: 2005-09-29
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2004-03-27
- Assignees: Pantech & Curitel Communications, Inc.
- Inventors: Dong-Uk Min; Bo-Hong Seo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7746390B2

## CPC

- H04N 23/60: Control of cameras or camera modules
- G06T 3/4015: Image demosaicing, e.g. colour filter arrays [CFA] or Bayer patterns
- H04N 5/2628: {Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation}
- G09G 5/005: {Adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal}
- G09G 2340/0407: Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
- H04M 2250/52: including functional features of a camera
- H04N 2007/145: {Handheld terminals}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)

## Abstract

Disclosed is a technique for processing pixel array data of a mobile terminal with a digital camera function. A device for processing pixel array data includes: an image sensor having (x×y)-sized pixel capacity, converting an optical signal received via a lens into an electric signal, and generating (x×y)-sized pixel array data; and an image signal processor for generating an (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data area, receiving pixel values of the (x×y)-sized pixel array data from the image sensor, arranging the pixel values of the (x×y)-sized pixel array data in the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data area, arranging pixel values obtained by performing an arithmetical operation on pixel values of (x×y)-sized pixel array data, adjacent to remaining pixel areas of the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data other than the pixel areas having the pixel values of the (x×y)-sized pixel array data, in the remaining pixel areas, and outputting the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for processing pixel array data in a mobile terminal equipped with a digital camera function, the device comprising:
an image sensor having (x×y)-sized pixel capacity, the image sensor to convert an optical signal received via a lens into an electric signal, and to generate (x×y)-sized pixel array data, where x is a total number of pixel columns of the image sensor, and y is a total number of pixel rows of the image sensor; and
an image signal processor to generate an (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data area in a data storage area satisfying a predetermined condition of x×n=X and y×n=Y (where n=natural number greater than 1), to receive individual pixel values of the (x×y)-sized pixel array data from the image sensor, to arrange all the pixel values of the (x×y)-sized pixel array data in the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data area in the data storage area to be spaced apart from each other by a pixel size of (n−1), to arrange corresponding pixel values obtained by performing an arithmetical operation on corresponding pixel values of (x×y)-sized pixel array data, which are adjacent to remaining pixel areas of the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data in the data storage area other than the pixel areas having the pixel values of the (x×y)-sized pixel array data, in the remaining pixel areas, and to output the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data in which the pixel values are arranged in the respective pixel areas so that the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data can be displayed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal equipped with a digital camera function is a mobile communication terminal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal equipped with a digital camera function is a digital camera.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising:
an image encoder to encode the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data in which corresponding pixel values are arranged in the pixel areas; and
an external communication port to transmit the encoded (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data to an external device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the image signal processor performs digital signal processing operations including at least one of white balance adjusting, auto-focus adjusting, and dead pixel recovering operations on the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data in which pixel values are arranged in the pixel areas.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the image signal processor receives the (x×y)-sized pixel array data from the image sensor, performs digital signal processing operations including at least one of white balance adjusting, auto-focus adjusting, and dead pixel recovering operations on the received (x×y)-sized pixel array data, and performs the arranging and outputting operations.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the image signal processor differently arranges pixel values in the remaining pixel areas according to the following three cases when the value of n is 2, wherein
in the first case where (x×y)-sized pixel values are arranged to be vertically adjacent to each of corresponding pixel areas contained in the remaining pixel areas, a mean value of the two vertically adjacent pixel values is arranged in each of the corresponding pixel areas;
in the second case where (x×y)-sized pixel values are arranged to be horizontally adjacent to each of corresponding pixel areas contained in the remaining pixel areas, a mean value of the two horizontally adjacent pixel values is arranged in each of the corresponding pixel areas; and
in the third case where (x×y)-sized pixel values are arranged in four directions (i.e., upper-left side, lower-left side, upper-right side, and lower-right side) to be adjacent to a corresponding pixel area contained in the remaining pixel areas, a mean value obtained by dividing by 4 the sum of a mean value of upper-left and upper-right (x×y)-sized pixel values, a mean value of upper-left and lower-left (x×y)-sized pixel values, a mean value of lower-left and lower-right (x×y)-sized pixel values, and a mean value of lower-right and upper-right (x×y)-sized pixel values is arranged in the corresponding pixel area.

### Claim 8

A method of processing pixel array data in a mobile terminal equipped with a digital camera function, the method comprising the steps of:
a) generating, by an image signal processor, an (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data area in a data storage area satisfying a predetermined condition of x×n=X and y×n=Y (where n=natural number greater than 1), receiving individual pixel values of an (x×y)-sized pixel array data from an image sensor, arranging all the pixel values of the (x×y)-sized pixel array data in the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data area in the data storage area to be spaced apart from each other by a pixel size of (n−1), where x is a total number of pixel columns of the image sensor, and y is a total number of pixel rows of the image sensor;
b) arranging, by the image signal processor, corresponding pixel values obtained by performing an arithmetical operation on corresponding pixel values of (x×y)-sized pixel array data, which are adjacent to remaining pixel areas of the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data in the data storage area other than the pixel areas having the pixel values of the (x×y)-sized pixel array data, in the remaining pixel areas; and
c) outputting, by the image signal processor, the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data in which the pixel values are arranged in the respective pixel areas so that the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data can be displayed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the mobile terminal equipped with a digital camera function is a mobile communication terminal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the mobile terminal equipped with a digital camera function is a digital camera.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:
encoding, by an image encoder, the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data in which corresponding pixel values are arranged in the pixel areas; and
transmitting, by an external communication port, the encoded (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data to an external device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the step (b) includes differently arranging, by the image signal processor, pixel values in the remaining pixel areas according to the following three cases when the value of n is 2, wherein
in the first case where (x×y)-sized pixel values are arranged to be vertically adjacent to each of corresponding pixel areas contained in the remaining pixel areas, a mean value of the two vertically adjacent pixel values is arranged in each of the corresponding pixel areas;
in the second case where (x×y)-sized pixel values are arranged to be horizontally adjacent to each of corresponding pixel areas contained in the remaining pixel areas, a mean value of the two horizontally adjacent pixel values is arranged in each of the corresponding pixel areas; and
in the third case where (x×y)-sized pixel values are arranged in four directions (i.e., upper-left side, lower-left side, upper-right side, and lower-right side) to be adjacent to a corresponding pixel area contained in the remaining pixel areas, a mean value obtained by dividing by 4 the sum of a mean value of upper-left and upper-right (x×y)-sized pixel values, a mean value of upper-left and lower-left (x×y)-sized pixel values, a mean value of lower-left and lower-right (x×y)-sized pixel values, and a mean value of lower-right and upper-right (x×y)-sized pixel values is arranged in the corresponding pixel area.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:
performing, by the image signal processor, digital signal processing operations including at least one of white balance adjusting, auto-focus adjusting, and dead pixel recovering operations on the (X×Y)-sized extended pixel array data in which pixel values are arranged in the pixel areas.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:
receiving, by the image signal processor, the (x×y)-sized pixel array data from the image sensor, and performing digital signal processing operations including at least one of white balance adjusting, auto-focus adjusting, and dead pixel recovering operations on the received (x×y)-sized pixel array data; and
performing the arranging and outputting operations.