Patent ID: 6937276

Claim:
A method for processing images using a digital camera, comprising: capturing n pixels of raw image information, each pixel having m bits of intensity information for only one color selected from a group of at least three component colors so that the raw image information comprises n×m bits; processing the raw image information into initial image information based on the intensity information of the selected color and not based on the intensity information of other component colors, the initial image information comprising n×m bits; compressing the n×m bits of the initial image information into r bits of secondary image information, wherein r is less than n×m; storing the secondary image information in a frame buffer of at least r bits; decompressing the r bits stored in the frame buffer to provide tertiary image information; and processing the tertiary image information to generate processed image information comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel of the processed image information providing intensity information for each color in the group of at least three component colors.