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Image processing apparatus and image pickup deviceRelated Patent Categories: Image Analysis, Image Compression Or CodingImage processing apparatus and image pickup device description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070003148, Image processing apparatus and image pickup device. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and more particularly to an image processing apparatus which is suitable for executing the arithmetic operation processing for image data stored in a work memory. [0002] The image processing technology for processing image data obtained by an image pickup device has begun to be adapted to the monitoring system for detecting the invasion of a doubtful person or the abnormality and to the on-board system for supporting the safety travelling of a motorcar. In order to adapt the image processing technology to these systems, the small space and the low cost of an image processing apparatus are required. In order to realize the small space and the low cost, there is required the device of executing the image processing at high speed with the limited arithmetic operation ability of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the limited hardware physical superiority. As for the method of miniaturizing the image processing apparatus, for example, there is the method of adopting the single chip. The single chip is such that a CPU for executing the arithmetically operation processing, a ROM (Read Only Memory) for storing therein a program, a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as a work memory, and the functions required to construct the systems such as a network and a serial port are collectively integrated with each other into a package of one chip. By using this single chip, it becomes possible to realize the system, which is heretofore constructed by employing a plurality of devices, in one chip, which can contribute to the small space and the low cost of the image processing apparatus. [0003] On the other hand, in order to execute the high speed image processing using a single chip, it is necessary to execute the image processing using a suitable memory within the single chip. This reason is that an access from a CPU to the external memory provided outside the single chip is generally slower than that to a local memory (work memory) provided in the inside of the single chip. For this reason, when executing the image processing using the external memory, it becomes difficult to provide the practical throughput. For example, with respect to the white line (traffic line or lane) recognizing function adopted in the on-board system, the recognition at the video rate is required and hence the high speed processing is required. But, in the case where the processing is executed using the external memory, it is difficult to fulfill the required performance. In addition, in the case of an environment resistance type single chip for use in the control or the like of motorcars, since the capacity of a memory in the single chip is small, an amount of data which can be processed at high speed is limited. [0004] Then, as described in JP-A-2001-101396, there is proposed a method wherein image data stored in the external memory is sent to a local memory, which is integrated with a processor into one chip, through the DMA (Direct Memory Access) transfer to process the image data at high speed. In addition, as described in JP-A-6-4651, there is also proposed a method wherein only the data in an area which is used in the processing is transferred in order to execute the image processing at high speed. Each of those prior arts adopts the construction in which the image data is stored in the external memory and the necessary image data, when necessary, is transferred to the local memory in order to be processed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] In the former of the above-mentioned prior arts, only the image data, which is required for the image processing, of the image data stored in the external memory is transferred to the local memory to realize the high speed processing. [0006] More specifically, the image data which has been generated by an image pickup device is inputted to an LSI for image processing through a wiring, the image data processed in the image processing LSI is transferred to the external memory through a bus by a data transfer unit, and the image data stored in the external memory is transferred to the local memory in the single chip. In this case, the image data for one screen is transferred to the external memory, and only the necessary image data of the image data stored in the external memory is transferred to the local memory in the single chip to execute the image processing at high speed. Thus, there is adopted the method wherein when transferring the image data to the external memory, the image data for one screen is transferred in its entirety. However, if the recognition of a white line (traffic line or lane) on a road is taken into consideration in the image processing apparatus for on-board, since the white lines do not appear in the full screen, it is also conceivable to transfer the image data in the area having the white lines appearing therein to the external memory. But, in the prior art, the construction in which the image data for the whole one screen is stored in the external memory is adopted by taking into consideration the possibility that the area of the white line to be searched may be changed due to the image processing algorithm or the change in the vehicle position. [0007] However, while in the case of such construction, no problem occurs when the external memory has a sufficient capacity, in the apparatus for which the low cost is regarded as important, the case where the capacity of the external memory is either insufficient or not present must also be considered. At this time, since when the local memory in the single chip has the insufficient capacity, there is no storage unit for storing therein image data, it is impossible to construct the image processing system. In actual, since the capacity of the local memory is small in the case of the currently usable single chip, the application is limited which can be made fit for practical use in the image processing apparatus which is loaded with only a local memory as storage means. [0008] On the other hand, while in the latter of the above-mentioned prior arts, only the data used in the image processing is transferred to execute the processing at high speed, when there is no memory capacity enough to store the data of the original image, it becomes impossible to store the image data in a memory, and hence it is impossible to construct the image processing system. [0009] In the light of the foregoing, the present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems associated with the prior art, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus which is capable of miniaturizing an image data storage unit as a local memory without employing any of the external memories, and an image pickup device for use in the same. [0010] In order to attain the above-mentioned object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus including: an image data storage unit for storing therein image data transferred thereto; an arithmetic operation processing unit for operating arithmetically and processing the image data stored in the image data storage unit; and a data transfer unit for receiving, as its input, the image data and for transferring a plurality of image data, an amount of which is less than that of inputted image data, of the input image data to the image data storage unit. [0011] When constructing the above-mentioned image processing apparatus, there may also adopted the construction in which an image pickup device for converting information of light from a subject into information of the electric charges to generate successively image data for one screen is provided, and also the image data generated by the image pickup device is inputted to the data transfer unit. In this case, it is preferable that the physical storage capacity of the above-mentioned image data storage unit is set less than an amount of image data outputted from the above-mentioned image pickup device. [0012] In addition, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus including: an image data storage unit for storing therein image data; an arithmetic operation processing unit for operating arithmetically and processing the image data stored in the image data storage unit; an image data generation unit for converting information of light from a subject into information of the electric charges to generate successively image data for one screen; and a data transfer unit for transferring a plurality of image data, an amount of which is less than that of generated image data, of the image data generated by the image data generation unit to the image data storage unit. [0013] When constructing each of the above-mentioned image processing apparatuses, it is possible to add the following elements. [0014] (1) The data transfer unit transfers, as the plurality of image data, the image data in a plurality of areas on a screen as the object of the arithmetic operation processing in the arithmetic operation processing unit. [0015] (2) The data transfer unit transfers the image data in a plurality of areas on a screen as the object of the arithmetic operation processing in the arithmetic operation processing unit separately in plural times every image data in a single area. [0016] (3) The data transfer unit transfers, as the plurality of image data, the different kinds of image data separately for kinds. [0017] (4) The data transfer unit transfers the image data of a plurality of edge parts in which the change in concentration within the image is equal to or higher than a fixed level and also transfers coordinate information of the plurality of edge parts. [0018] (5) The data transfer unit transfers the image data, of a plurality of edge parts in which the change in concentration within the image is equal to or higher than a fixed level, of the image data within a plurality of areas on a screen as the object of the arithmetic operation processing in the arithmetic operation processing unit, and also transfers coordinate information of the plurality of edge parts. [0019] In addition, according to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image pickup device including: an image data generation unit for converting information of light from a subject into information of the electric charges to generate successively image data for one screen; and an area selection unit for selecting the image data, belonging to a plurality of areas, of the image data for one screen generated by the image data generation unit. [0020] When constructing the above-mentioned image pickup device, it is possible to add the following elements. [0021] (1) The image pickup device further includes a data output unit for outputting the image data belonging to the plurality of areas selected by the area selection unit together with area information used to specify the plurality of areas. [0022] (2) The image pickup device further includes a data transfer unit for transferring the image data outputted by the data output unit to an image data storage unit for storing therein the image data by either a DMA transfer method or a transfer method based on an SRAM access. Continue reading about Image processing apparatus and image pickup device... 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