Bandwidth efficient sensor architectures with feature extraction

We report on processing techniques to effectively control the data bandwidth in larger format focal plane array (FPA) sensors. We have developed an image processing architecture for foveating variable acuity FPAs that give a controlled reduction in the data rate via simple circuits that estimate activity on the FPA image plane. Integrated on-FPA signal processing goals are to perform pre-processing that is usually performed downstream in a dedicated processing module. Techniques for image pre-processing described in this paper allow transmitting ldquoactiverdquo pixel data while skipping unchanging pixels. These techniques for image pre-processing adjacent to the FPA allows significant reductions in the data rate, size, weight and power for small and low cost systems that cannot work with a large image processors.