System and method for image processing of multi-sensor network cameras

1. An image processing method for a multi-sensor network camera, the method comprising:

generating a plurality of full resolution images in Bayer array format (Bayer images) by a plurality of image sensors, respectively;

interpolating a plurality of low resolution Bayer images from the full resolution Bayer images, respectively and without demosaicing the full resolution Bayer images, by respective plurality of pre-processors, during readout of the full resolution Bayer images from the plurality of image sensors;

storing the full resolution Bayer images and the low resolution Bayer images, in a plurality of buffer memories, respectively;

demosaicing the plurality of low resolution Bayer images to generate a corresponding plurality of low resolution demosaiced images, by an image post processor; and

transmitting the plurality of low resolution demosaiced images over a computer network for viewing.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising compressing the plurality of low resolution images, before transmission.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sharpening the plurality of low resolution images, before transmission.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising improving low-light signal-to-noise ratio of the plurality of low resolution images, before transmission.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising color correcting and gamma correcting the plurality of low resolution images, before transmission.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising demosaicing the high resolution Bayer images to generate high resolution demosaiced images, and transmitting said high resolution demosaiced images over the computer network for viewing.

7. An image processing method comprising:

generating a full resolution image in Bayer array format (Bayer image) produced by an image sensor;

generating a low resolution Bayer image from interpolating the full resolution Bayer image during the readout of the full resolution Bayer image from the image sensor, without demosaicing the full resolution Bayer image;

demosaicing the low resolution Bayer image to generate a low resolution demosaiced image;

storing the full resolution Bayer image and the low resolution Bayer image, in a plurality of buffer memories, respectively; and

transmitting the low resolution demosaiced image for viewing.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising compressing the low resolution image, before transmission.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising sharpening the low resolution image, before transmission.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising improving low-light signal-to-noise ratio of the low resolution image, before transmission.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising color correcting and gamma correcting the low resolution image, before transmission.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising demosaicing the high resolution Bayer image to generate a high resolution demosaiced image, and transmitting said high resolution demosaiced image over the computer network for viewing.

13. An image processor for a multi sensor camera comprising:

a plurality of pre-processors, each of the plurality of pre-processors corresponding to an image sensor of a plurality of image sensors, wherein each pre-processor comprises:

a frame buffer for storing a full resolution Bayer image from a corresponding image sensor and a low resolution Bayer image interpolated from the full resolution Bayer image, the full resolution and low resolution Bayer images having a plurality of red pixels, green pixels and blue pixels, and

an interpolator for interpolating the full resolution Bayer image during readout from the sensors and generating the low resolution Bayer image from each of red, green, and blue colors;

an image post processor coupled to the plurality of pre-processors for image processing of the low resolution Bayer image to generate a low resolution image;

a process scheduler for scheduling asynchronous image frames from the plurality of pre-processors to be processed by the image post processor; and

a network interface for transmitting the processed image over a computer network, wherein the interpolator is configured to generate each red pixel of the low resolution image array from a linear weighted sum of four red neighbor full resolution pixels, generate each blue pixel of the low resolution image array from a linear weighted sum of four blue neighbor full resolution pixels, and generate each green pixel of the low resolution image array from a linear weighted sum of two green neighbor full resolution pixels.

14. The image processor of claim 13 , further comprising an image compression engine for compressing the processed image before transmission over the computer network.

15. The image processor of claim 13 , wherein the interpolator is configured to interpolate the full resolution Bayer image, without demosaicing the full resolution Bayer image.

16. The image processor of claim 13 , further comprising: a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter for sharpening and improving low-light signal-to-noise ratio of the low resolution image, before transmission.

17. The image processor of claim 13 , wherein each pre-processor further comprises a second frame buffer and a buffer access controller for ping-pong buffering of a respective full resolution Bayer image.

18. The image processor of claim 13 , wherein the process scheduler is configured to schedule said asynchronous image frames according to one or more of the group consisting of first-come-first-served order, earliest-deadline-first order, round-robin order, and round-robin-with-waiting order.