Video image processing with processing time allocation

A digital video signal processing method comprising:

• receiving video pixel data for processing by image analysis or processing stages during an available processing time period;
• storing temporally different frames of the pixel data in a frame buffer;
• segmenting the frames into groups of one or more pixels;
• and
• generating group tag data for at least one group, using the processing of the pixel data by at least one first image analysis or processing stage, the tag data available for use by at least one second image analysis or processing stage, and the tag data including at least motion information and edge angle information for the group;
• and
• allocating at least a portion of the available processing time period using the motion information and the edge angle information of the tag data as bases of the allocating, the allocating comprising reserving excess processing time estimated for a particular group for use by at least one other group of a same or different frame, the allocating comprising borrowing processing time for a particular group from processing time allocated to at least one other group of a same or different frame.

A digital video signal processing system for processing a video signal including two or more frames, each frame having video pixel data, comprising:

• a first image analysis or processing stage, including a pixel data output providing pixel data, and a tag data output providing tag data, the tag data including information that is non-identical to the pixel data;
• a second image analysis or processing stage, including a pixel data input for receiving pixel data, and a tag data input for receiving tag data;
• an image analysis or processing stage controller, coupled to the first and second stages, the stage controller operable for allocating a processing time of at least one of the first and second stages using the tag data as at least one basis of the allocating;
• and
• a memory operably coupled to the stage controller, the memory including a frame buffer, the frame buffer including:
• a pixel frame buffer, operable to store temporally different frames of the pixel data;
• and
• a tag data buffer, operable to store tag data.

A machine-usable medium including instructions thereon for modifying functionality of a machine to perform the acts of:

• receiving a video signal including two or more frames, each frame having video pixel data for processing by image analysis or processing stages during an available processing time period;
• generating tag data using the processing of the pixel data by at least one first image analysis or processing stage at least by determining a spatial characteristic of pixel data of one or more pixels, the tag data available for use by at least one second image analysis or processing stage, and the tag data including information that is non-identical to the pixel data;
• and
• allocating at least a portion of the available processing time period to at least one of the image analysis or processing stages using the spatial characteristic as at least one basis of the allocating.

A machine-usable medium including instructions thereon for modifying functionality of a machine to perform the acts of:

• receiving video pixel data for processing by image analysis or processing stages during an available processing time period;
• storing temporally different frames of the pixel data in a frame buffer;
• segmenting the frames into groups of one or more pixels;
• and
• generating group tag data for at least one group, using the processing of the pixel data by at least one first image analysis or processing stage, the tag data available for use by at least one second image analysis or processing stage, and the tag data including at least motion information and edge angle information for the group;
• and
• allocating at least a portion of the available processing time period using the motion information and the edge angle information of the tag data as bases of the allocating, the allocating comprising reserving excess processing time estimated for a particular group for use by at least one other group of a same or different frame, the allocating comprising borrowing processing time for a particular group from processing time allocated to at least one other group of a same or different frame.