Patent ID: 7116358

Claim:
An image processing circuit configured to perform predetermined image processing of pixel data included in an image photographed by an image pickup device, said circuit comprising: a selector configured to receive said pixel data from the image pickup device and stored pixel data from a main memory; a real time processing unit connected to an output of said selector and configured to receive said stored pixel data from the main memory, perform a general image processing of the stored pixel data by real time processing to produce processed pixel data, and output said processed pixel data to the main memory, the main memory being configured to store the processed pixel data in image frame units as said stored pixel data; and a central control unit including an input connected to the main memory and configured to execute exceptional image processing as software program processing with respect to the stored pixel data received from said main memory, wherein said selector is configured to select at least one of said pixel data from said image pickup device and said stored pixel data from said main memory to be provided to the output connected to the real time processing unit, said real time processing unit includes a plurality of image processing blocks connected sequentially, a foremost stage image processing block is configured to selectively receive the pixel data of image temporarily stored in said main memory through said selector, at least one of a second and later image processing blocks is configured to selectively receive at least one of pixel data from said foremost stage image processing block and the pixel data of image temporarily stored in said main memory through the selector, a rearmost output stage image processing block configured to output a rearmost processed pixel data to said main memory, and at least one other output stage image processing block preceding said the rearmost output stage image processing block, said at least one other output stage image processing block being configured to output preceding processed pixel data to both a succeeding image processing block and said main memory.