Apparatus and method for temporary storage of image-encoding data
View Patent ↗An apparatus and a method for temporary storage of image-encoding data are provided. The apparatus for temporary storage of image-encoding data is utilized for high-resolution image encoding, wherein the apparatus includes an image sensing unit, a storage unit, and an encoding unit. The image sensing unit creates a plurality of frame data in successive order. Each frame data is composed of a plurality of macroblock row data. The storage unit includes a first storage portion and a second storage portion. The capacities of the first storage portion and the second storage portion are both a positive integral multiple of the size of the macroblock row data. The storage unit receives the macroblock row data from the image sensing unit and writes the macroblock row data into one of the first storage portion and the second storage portion. When the encoding unit reads the written macroblock row data from one of the first storage portion and the second storage portion, the storage unit simultaneously receives new macroblock row data from the image sensing unit and writes the new macroblock row data to the other one of the first storage portion and the second storage portion. The design of the first storage portion and the second storage portion is utilized to conserve storage space.
1. An apparatus for temporary storage of high resolution image-encoding data, comprising:
an image sensing unit for creating a plurality of frame data in successive order, wherein each frame data is composed of a plurality of macroblock row data;
a storage unit comprising at least two storage portions, the storage unit receiving from the image sensor unit the individual macroblock row data and writing the macroblock row data into one of the storage portions, wherein the smallest capacity of the storage unit is equal to two macroblock row data and each of the storage portions have storage capacities proportional to a positive integral multiple of the size of the macroblock row data; and
an encoding unit for reading and encoding the written macroblock row data from one of the storage portions of the storage unit on a one-macroblock row data basis as the storage unit simultaneously continuously receiving from the image sensing unit another macroblock row data and writing the received macroblock row data into another one of the storage portions of the storage unit,
wherein the speed for the encoding unit to read and encode the macroblock row data from the storage unit is no smaller than the speed for the storage unit to write in the macroblock row data.
2. The apparatus for temporary storage of high resolution image-encoding data of claim 1 , wherein the speed for the encoding unit to read and encode the macroblock row data is equal to the speed for the storage unit to write in the macroblock row data.
3. An image-encoding integrated circuit, comprising the apparatus of temporary storage of high resolution image-encoding data in claim 1 .
4. The apparatus for temporary storage of high resolution image-encoding data of claim 1 , wherein each of the storage portions has the storage capacity identical to the size of the macroblock row data.
5. The apparatus for temporary storage of high resolution image-encoding data of claim 1 , wherein even numbered macroblock row data are written into one of the at least two storage portions of the storage unit, and odd numbered macroblock row data are written into another one of the at least two storage portions of the storage unit.
6. A method for temporary storage of high resolution image-encoding data, comprising:
reading a macroblock row data from an image sensing unit, wherein the image sensing unit creates successive multiples of frame data and each individual frame data is composed of multiple macroblock row data;
writing the macroblock row data into one of a first storage portion and a second storage portion of a storage unit, wherein the smallest capacity of the storage unit is equal to two macroblock row data, and the storage capacities of the first storage portion and the second storage portion are proportional to a positive integral multiple of the size of the macroblock row data;
enabling an encoding unit to read and encode the written macroblock row data from the one of the first storage portion and the second storage portion on a one-macroblock row data basis; and
enabling the storage unit simultaneously to write new macroblock row data into the other one of the first storage portion and the second storage portion of the storage unit as the encoding unit is reading and encoding the written macroblock row data from the one of the first storage portion and the second storage portion, wherein the steps of enabling the storage unit to write the macroblock row data and the encoding unit to read and encode the macroblock row data are repeated in an alternative turn for the first storage portion and the second storage portion; wherein the encoding unit reads and encodes the macroblock row data from the first storage portion or the second storage portion with a speed no slower than a speed for the storage unit to write in the macroblock row data.
7. The method for temporary storage of high resolution image-encoding data of claim 6 , further comprising enabling the encoding unit to read and encode the macroblock row data with a speed equal to a speed for the storage unit to write the macroblock row data.
8. The method for temporary storage of high resolution image-encoding data of claim 6 , further comprising enabling the encoding unit to read and encode the written macroblock row data from the other one of the first storage portion and the second storage portion, and as the encoding unit is reading and encoding the written macroblock row data, the storage unit simultaneously receives new macroblock row data from the image sensing unit and writes the new macroblock row data into the one of the first storage portion and second storage portion.