1. The document discusses several projects including a solid-state zoom that uses optimized optics and an oversized sensor to provide a lower-cost and smaller solution than a mechanical zoom. 2. A performance estimating tool is described that uses early design data from potential suppliers to estimate the performance of the whole imaging system. 3. Different camera pipeline approaches are evaluated such as hardware, software, and hybrid pipelines. The hybrid pipeline combines the best of hardware and software pipelines using low gate count processing blocks to accelerate speeds by up to 5 times.

1. Projects
Solidstate zoom
Optimisedoptics+oversizedsensorproduceslowercost,smallerandtoughersolutionthan
mechanical zoom.Range of trade-offspossible,fromultra-low costgivingagooduserexperience
(NOTdigital zoom),all the waytono compromise (assoldinNokiaphone).Middle ground,using
some novel ideas,canachieve superbvalue formoney.
SuperZoom
Replacementforabove.SubjecttoNokiaemployeeconfidentialityagreement.
Performance estimatingtool
Uses earlyreadilyavailabledesigndatafrompotential supplierstoestimate performanceof whole
system,includingopticsMTF,shading,CRA,sensorSNRandoptical polarresponse,aperture,etc.An
estimatingtool,it providesimproved indicationof performance.Primarilytocompare different
supplierproposals.Italsoallowstrade-offstobe analysed,e.g.pixel sizevs.aperture size.
Hybrid pipeline
Thishas beensupersededbytechnologyadvances;integratedgraphicsaccelerationandmulticore
GHz processors.
Hardware pipeline is capable of beingthe lowestcost(unlessthere issubstantial spare processing
power).Poorsupportfornewestfeatures.
Software pipelineismostflexible.However,newestfunctionscanbe MIPSintensive.Atleast1
frame buffer,4is not unusual.LimitedMIPSprecludedlatestimprovements.
Separate ICis the bestperformance,combining(potentially)all of the flexibilityof asoftware
pipeline,butismostexpensive solutionof all.
Re-use graphicsaccelerationfunctions.Thisisnow averyviable solution.Itwasnot at the time of
thisproject.
Hybridpipelinecombinesbestof HWand SW pipeline,usinglow gate countprocessingblocksto
accelerate pipelinespeedsbyupto5 times.Xcentscost adder.Blockscan also be re-usedfore.g.
JPEG decode,genericvideodecode etc.
Camera technologytraining
For several yearsIprovidedtrainingoncameratechnologytonew camerateammembersand
phone developmentteams.Humanperceptionisthe greatestchallengeof all.