Handheld imaging device incorporating multi-core image processor
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorKia Silverbrook
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A handheld imaging device includes an image sensor for sensing an image; a processor for processing the sensed image; a plurality of processing units provided in the processor, the plurality of processing units connected in parallel by a crossbar switch to form a multi-core processing unit for the processor; and an image sensor interface for converting signals from the image sensor to a format readable by the plurality of processing units, the image sensor interface sharing a wafer substrate with the processor. A transfer of data from the image sensor interface to the plurality of processing units is conducted entirely on the shared wafer substrate.
Claims18
A portable imaging device, comprising:
- an image sensor configured for sensing an image and generating signals carrying data relating to the image;
- a second image sensor configured for sensing a second image and generating signals carrying data relating to the second image wherein the second image sensor is a card sensor for scanning a surface of a card for the presence of dots printed thereon;
- a processor configured for processing the data relating to the image, the processor comprising:
- a plurality of processing units connected in parallel to form a multi-core processing unit for the processor, the plurality of processing units sharing a wafer substrate with the processor;
- an image sensor interface configured for receiving the signals carrying data relating to the image, the image sensor interface sharing the wafer substrate with the processor;
- and
- a second image sensor interface separate from the image sensor interface and configured for receiving the signals carrying data relating to the second image, the second image sensor interface sharing the wafer substrate with the processor,
- wherein a transfer of data from the image sensor interface to the plurality of processing units is conducted entirely on the wafer substrate.
A portable imaging device, comprising:
- an image sensor configured for sensing an image and generating signals carrying data relating to the image;
- a second image sensor configured for sensing a second image and generating signals carrying data relating to the second image;
- a processor configured for processing the data relating to the image, the processor comprising:
- a plurality of processing units connected in parallel to form a multi-core processing unit for the processor, the plurality of processing units sharing a wafer substrate with the processor;
- an image sensor interface configured for receiving the signals carrying data relating to the image, the image sensor interface sharing the wafer substrate with the processor;
- a second image sensor interface separate from the image sensor interface and configured for receiving the signals carrying data relating to the second image, the second image sensor interface sharing the wafer substrate with the processor;
- an input buffer configured for receiving data from the image sensor interface and sending data directly to each of the plurality of processing units;
- and
- an output buffer configured for receiving data directly from each of the plurality of processing units,
- wherein:
- a transfer of data from the image sensor interface to the plurality of processing units is conducted entirely on the wafer substrate,
- the input buffer is separate from the output buffer,
- the second image sensor is configured for sensing a pattern printed on a surface of a card,
- the second image sensor interface is configured for receiving data indicative of the pattern sensed from the surface of the card, and
- the processor is configured for decoding the pattern into an image processing script.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.