High resolution smart image sensor with integrated parallel analog processing for multiresolution edge extraction

Abstract This paper presents a vision sensor which generates a multiresolution edge description using parallel analog processing support. Its multimodule architecture is based on a Multi-port Access of photo-Receptor (MAR) hexagonal sensor coupled to an external but powerful analog processing unit and a microcoded digital interface. The system supports image scanning and edge tracking. Satellite analog processing allows extensive computation using VLSI technology, leaving all the sensor area available for photo-transduction and communication pathways. It is thus possible to design a sensor with up to 500 × 500 pixels on a single CMOS chip using 1.2 μm technology. The goal of the approach described here is to exploit an imbedded edge tracing algorithm in order to generate a scene description as a list of connected edge segments. Experimental results are presented for the current prototype which implements 256×256 pixels with corresponding multiresolution edge maps.