Multi-processor support for array imagers
AssigneeGoogle Technology Holdings LLC
InventorsJohn T. Bretscher, Randall S. Vaas
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Abstract
Using the techniques discussed herein, a set of images is captured by one or more array imagers (106). Each array imager includes multiple imagers configured in various manners. Each array imager captures multiple images of substantially a same scene at substantially a same time. The images captured by each array image are encoded by multiple processors (112, 114). Each processor can encode sets of images captured by a different array imager, or each processor can encode different sets of images captured by the same array imager. The encoding of the images is performed using various image-compression techniques so that the information that results from the encoding is smaller, in terms of storage size, than the uncompressed images.
Claims17
On an electronic device, a method for image encoding, the method comprising:
- capturing, by a first array imager on the electronic device, a first set of images, the first set of images comprising a plurality of images, the first set of images being captured substantially simultaneously, the first set of images being of substantially the same scene;
- encoding, by a first processor on the electronic device, information representing the first set of images;
- capturing, by a second array imager on the electronic device, a second set of images, the second set of images comprising a plurality of images, the second set of images captured substantially simultaneously, the second set of images being of substantially the same scene;
- encoding, by a second processor on the electronic device, the second processor distinct from the first processor, information representing the second set of images;
- and
- using, by a third processor on the electronic device, temporal prediction to encode the encoded information representing the first set of images and the encoded information representing the second set of images, the third processor distinct from the second processor and the first processor, the third processor being operatively coupled to the first processor and the second processor.
An electronic device comprising:
- a first array imager configured for capturing a first set of images, the first set of images comprising a plurality of images, the first set of images captured substantially simultaneously, the first set of images being of substantially the same scene;
- a first processor operatively coupled to the first array imager and configured for encoding information representing the first set of images;
- a second array imager configured for capturing a second set of images, the second set of images comprising a plurality of images, the second set of images captured substantially simultaneously, the second set of images being of substantially the same scene;
- a second processor distinct from the first processor and operatively coupled to the second array imager and to the first processor, the second processor configured for encoding information representing the second set of images;
- and
- a third processor distinct from the second processor and the first processor, the third processor being operatively coupled to the first processor and the second processor, the third processor being configured for using temporal prediction to encode the encoded information representing the first set of images and the encoded information representing the second set of images.
An electronic device comprising:
- a first array imager configured for capturing a first set of images, the first set of images comprising a plurality of images, the first set of images captured substantially simultaneously;
- a first processor operatively coupled to the first array imager and configured for encoding information representing the first set of images;
- a second array imager configured for capturing a second set of images, the second set of images comprising a plurality of images, the second set of images captured substantially simultaneously, the first set of images and the second set of images being of substantially the same scene;
- a second processor distinct from the first processor and operatively coupled to the second array imager and to the first processor, the second processor configured for encoding information representing the second set of images;
- and
- a third processor distinct from the second processor and the first processor, the third processor being operatively coupled to the first processor and the second processor, the third processor being configured for using three-dimensional spatial prediction to encode the encoded information representing the first set of images and the encoded information representing the second set of images.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.