A Low Power Smart Vision System Based on Active Pixel Sensor Integrated with Programmable Neural Processor

A low power smart vision system based on a large format (currently IKxIK) active pixel sensor (APS) integrated with a programmable neural processor for fast vision applications is presented. The concept of building a low power smart vision system is demonstrated by a system design which is composed with an APS sensor, a smart image window handler, and a neural processor. The paper also shows that it is feasible to put the whole smart vision system into a single chip in a standard CMOS technology. This smart vision system on-a-chip ean take the combined advantages of the optics and electronics to ach]eve ultra-high-speed smart sensory information processing and analysis at the foezd plane . The proposed system will enable many applications including robotics and n~ac~lne vision, guid~ce and navigation, automotive applications, and consumer electronics. Future applications will also include scientific sensors suitable for highly integrated imaging systems used in NASA deep space and planetary spacecraft. 1. Smart Vision System based on APS Integrated with Neural Processor such as those Figure 1 shows a system diagram of the proposed smart vision system. The fmctional blocks include: (a) an active pixel sensor. (b) a smart image window handler. (c) a programmable neural processor, and (d) a host interface and timing control card. The APS is used as the optical sens”mg array in the system. The APS image data is manipulated by the smart }vindow handler to provide the input of neural processor. The neural processor is progmmmed to perform various vision tasks in high speed duc to its massively parallel computing structures and learning capabilities. The APS sensor, the smart image window handler, and the pm~ble neu~ pmce~r are controlled by a host computer through host interface and timing control card. The output image or vision science data \vill be displayed by the host computer. It is feasible to build the proposed smart vision system in a single CMOS chip. This smart vision system on-a-chip ean take the combined advantages of the optics and electronics to achieve low-power high-speed smart sensory information processing and analysis at the focal plane. The proposed system will enable many applications including robotics and machine vision, guidance and navigation, automotive applications, and consumer electronics. Future applications will also include scientific sensors such as those suitable for highly integrated imaging systems used in NASA deep space and planct~ spacecraft. The following sections deseribe technical details of each building block of the proposed smart vision system and also show the feasibility to put the whole system into a single chip in a standard low power CMOS technology. 2. Low Power CMOS Active Pixel Sensor The low power CMOS APS camera-on-a-chip has been invented by Advanced Imager and Focal Plane Technology group at JPL [1]. APS camera-on-a-chip has great importance for producing imaging systems that can be manufactured with low’ cost, low power, and with excellent imaging quality. Charge-coupled devices (CCDS) are currently the competing technology for image sensors. However. CCDS cannot be easily integrated wilh CMOS without additional fabrication complexity. In addition, CCDS