Patent ID: 6924821

Claim:
Apparatus for processing image data comprising frame storage means for storing image data, memory means for storing instructions and a data structure representing processing to be performed on image data in said frame storage means, processing means for performing said image processing, said instructions defining a sequence of operations to be performed in order to process frames of said image data in a sequence of operations defined by said data structure, wherein said data structure comprises a process tree comprising an output node, at least one input node for receiving frames from said frame storage means, and a plurality of connected process nodes that request frames from other nodes by specifying a frame requirement, and said processing means is configured by said instructions to generate a single output frame by performing the following steps with respect to each process node; (1) receiving an output frame requirement; (2) in response to said output frame requirement, identifying an input requirement responsive to a ratio of frame input/output rates, when this ratio is other than unity, and wherein said input requirement identifies one or more input frames that are required to produce said single output frame that satisfies said output frame requirement; and (3) obtaining and processing said one or more input frames in response to said input requirement to generate said single output frame, wherein said processing is performed a frame at a time and only a single frame needs to be stored in intermediate storage during said processing.