System and method for frame capturing and processing

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided that capture and process frames of frame data. An image sensor captures frames of frame data representative of light incident upon the image sensor using a rolling shutter and outputs the frames of frame data. The image sensor captures at least one of the frames over a frame capture interval and then waits over a blanking interval before capturing another frame. A buffer receives and stores the frames output by the image sensor. An image signal processor retrieves the frames from the buffer and processes the frames over successive frame processing intervals to generate a video having a time interval per frame greater than the frame capture interval. At least one of the successive frame processing intervals is greater than the frame capture interval and is less than or equal to a sum of the frame capture interval and the blanking interval.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system that captures and processes frames of frame data, comprising:
 an image sensor configured to detect frames of frame data representative of light incident upon the image sensor using a rolling shutter and at a frame capture rate; and   an image signal processor configured to incorporate motion blur into a combined frame at less than the frame capture rate.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein number of frames in the combined frame is configurable from one combined frame to at least another combined frame. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , the image signal processor is configured to incorporate simulated capture angle into the combined frame at less than the frame capture rate. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the combined frame is produced with a greater dynamic range than the frames. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the combined frame is produced by summing or averaging wavelet coefficients associated with the frames. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a number of frames combined in the at least some of the frames is selectable at the image signal processor. 
     
     
         7 . A method for capturing and processing frames of frame data, comprising:
 capturing frames of frame data representative of light incident upon an image sensor using a rolling shutter at a frame rate; and   incorporating, at less than the frame capture rate, motion blur into a combined frame by an image signal processor.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein number of frames in the combined frame is configurable from one combined frame to at least another combined frame. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 incorporating, at less than the frame capture rate, simulated capture angle into the combined frame by the image signal processor.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 producing the combined frame with a greater dynamic range than the frames.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 producing the combined frame by summing or averaging wavelet coefficients associated with the frames.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a number of frames combined in the at least some of the frames is selectable at the image signal processor. 
     
     
         13 . A method for capturing and processing frames of frame data, comprising:
 capturing frames of frame data representative of light incident upon an image sensor using a rolling shutter at a frame rate; and   outputting, at a rate less than the frame rate, processed combined frames produced by combining at least some of the frames at the rate.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a number of frames that are combined varies per combined frame. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the combined frames are produced by summing or averaging wavelet coefficients associated with the frames. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the combined frames are produced with a greater dynamic range than the frames. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each combined frame includes at least one image effect. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one image effect is motion blur. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one image effect is simulated capture angle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a number of frames combined in the at least some of the frames is selectable.