What is claimed is:
1. An image data compression apparatus which compresses input image data and outputs compressed image data, comprising:
compression processing means for compression-processing input image data;
image change detection means for detecting a change on image based on said input image data;
frame rate control means for controlling a frame rate of outputted compressed image data obtained by compression-processing image data; and
means for controlling the frame rate of outputted compressed image data such that the frame rate in a scene where the image change is small is lower than the frame rate in a scene where the image change is large, in accordance with the situation of the change on image detected by said image change detection means.
2. An image data compression apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image change detection means comprises change amount detection means for detecting a change amount between images in said input image data.
3. An image data compression apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image change detection means comprises motion amount detection means for detecting a motion amount on image in said input image data.
4. An image data compression apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said change amount detection means comprises reference image storage means for storing predetermined image data as a reference image, and arithmetic processing means for performing predetermined arithmetic processing between said input image data and the image data stored in said reference image storage means.
5. An image data compression apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said arithmetic processing means is subtraction processing means for performing subtraction.
6. An image data compression apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said motion amount detection means comprises reference image storage means for storing predetermined image data as a reference image and motion vector detection means for detecting a motion vector of input image data with respect to the image data stored in said reference image storage means.
7. An image data compression apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said frame rate control means comprises switching control means for performing or not performing compression encoding on image data in one-frame units,
and wherein said frame rate control means does not perform compression encoding on image data with a small change amount or motion amount, by using said switching control means, in accordance with the result of detection by said change amount detection means or that by said motion amount detection means.
8. An image data compression apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising synthesizing means for synthesizing information on the frame rate of the compressed image data, controlled by said frame rate control means,
wherein the information on the frame rate is added to the compressed image data, and the compressed image data is outputted.
9. An image data compression apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said information on the frame rate is information on the number of frames thinned out for reducing said frame rate or information on time interval between thinned frames.
10. An image data compression apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising recording means for recording input image at predetermined time intervals,
wherein the image data compression is performed on the image recorded in said recording means.
11. An image data compression apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising recording means for recording compression-encoded compressed image data,
wherein the speed of outputting the compression-encoded imaged data is controlled by controlling reading from said recording means.
12. An image data expansion apparatus, which inputs and expands compressed image data outputted from an image data compression apparatus having compression processing means for compression-processing input image data, image change detection means for detecting a change on image based on said input image data, frame rate control means for controlling a frame rate of outputted compressed image data obtained by compression-processing image data, and means for controlling the frame rate of outputted compressed image data such that the frame rate is lower in a scene where the image change is small than the frame rate in a scene where the image change is large, in accordance with the situation of the change on image detected by said image change detection means, said image data expansion apparatus comprising:
decoding means for decoding compressed image data at a frame rate controlled to be lower in a scene where the change is small, than that in a scene where the change is large; and
expansion means for expanding the compressed image data decoded by said decoding means,
wherein said input image data is reproduced such that the frame rate is lower in a scene where the change between images is small than the frame rate in a scene where the change between images is large.
13. An image data expansion apparatus, which inputs and expands compressed image data outputted from an image data compression apparatus having compression processing means for compression-processing input image data, image change detection means for detecting a change on image based on said input image data, frame rate control means for controlling a frame rate of outputted compressed image data obtained by compression-processing image data, means for controlling the frame rate of outputted compressed image data such that the frame rate is lower in a scene where the image change is small than the frame rate in a scene where the image change is large, in accordance with the situation of the change on image detected by said image change detection means, and synthesizing means for synthesizing information on the frame rate of the compressed image data, controlled by said frame rate control means, wherein the information on the frame rate is added to the compressed image data and the image data is outputted, said image data expansion apparatus comprising:
decoding means for decoding compressed image data at a frame rate controlled to be lower in a scene where the change is small, than that in a scene where the change is large;
expansion means for expanding the compressed image data decoded by said decoding means, wherein said input image data being reproduced such that the frame rate is lower in a scene where the change between images is small than the frame rate in a scene where the change between images is large;
and image interpolation means for generating an interpolation image from said input predetermined compressed image data, in accordance with the information on the frame rate outputted with said compression image data,
wherein said reproduced input image data is interpolated with an interpolation image generated by interpolation processing by said image interpolation means, and the interpolated image data is outputted.
14. An image data compression method for compressing input image data and outputting compressed image data, comprising the steps of:
detecting a change on image based on said input image data;
controlling a frame rate of outputted compressed image data obtained by compression-processing image data such that the frame rate in a scene where the image change is small is lower than the frame rate in a scene where the image change is large, in accordance with the situation of said detected change on image; and
outputting said compression-processed image data.
15. An image data compression method according to claim 14, wherein detection of said change on image is made by detecting a change amount between images in said input image data.
16. An image data compression method according to claim 14, wherein detection of said change on image is made by detecting an motion change amount on image in said input image data.
17. An image data compression method according to claim 15, wherein detection of said change is made by arithmetic processing between images in said input image data.
18. An image data compression method according to claim 16, wherein detection of said change is made by detecting a motion vector of said input image data.
19. An image data compression method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of synthesizing information on said controlled frame rate to said output compressed image data.
20. An image data compression method according to claim 18, wherein said information on the frame rate is information on the number of frames thinned out to reduce said frame rate or information on time interval between thinned frames.
21. An image data expansion method for inputting and expanding compressed image data, obtained by detecting a change on image based on input image data and compression-processing the image data, while controlling a frame rate such that the frame rate in a scene where the image change is small is lower than that in a scene where the image change is large, in accordance with the situation of the detected change on image, comprising the steps of:
decoding compressed image data, at the frame rate controlled to be lower in the scene where the image change is small than in the scene where the image change is large; and
expanding said decoded compressed image data such that the frame rate in the scene where the change between images is small is lower than that in the scene where the change between images is large.
22. An image data expansion method for inputting and expanding compressed image data, obtained by detecting a change on image based on input image data and compression-processing image data, while controlling a frame rate such that the frame rate in a scene where the image change is small is lower than that in a scene where the image change is large, in accordance with the situation of the detected change on image, comprising the steps of:
decoding the compressed image data at the frame rate controlled to be lower in the scene where the image change is small than in the scene where the image change is large;
reproducing said input image data by expanding said decoded compressed image data such that the frame rate in the scene where the image change is small is lower than that in the scene where the image change is large; and
generating an interpolation image from input predetermined compressed image data, in accordance with information on said frame rate, received with said compressed image data, and interpolating said reproduced input image with said generated interpolation image and outputting the interpolated image.
23. An image transmission system which performs image data communication by using an image data compression apparatus which compresses input image data and outputs compressed image data, and an image expansion apparatus,
wherein said image data compression apparatus comprising:
compression processing means for compression-processing input image data; image change detection means for detecting a change on image based on said input image data; frame rate control means for controlling a frame rate of outputted compressed image data obtained by compression-processing image data; and means for controlling the frame rate of outputted compressed image data such that the frame rate in a scene where the image change is small is lower than the frame rate in a scene where the image change is large, in accordance with the situation of the change on image detected by said image change detection means,
and wherein said image data expansion apparatus comprising:
decoding means for decoding compressed image data at the frame rate controlled to be lower in a scene where the change is small, than that in a scene where the change is large; and expansion means for expanding the compressed image data decoded by said decoding means, wherein said input image data is reproduced such that the frame rate is lower in a scene where the change between images is small than the frame rate in a scene where the change between images is large,
said image transmission system comprising:
transmission means for transmitting compressed image data outputted from said image data compression apparatus on a predetermined line; and
reception means for receiving said compressed image data transmitted via said transmission means, wherein said compressed image data received by said reception means is expanded by said image data expansion apparatus.
24. An image transmission system which performs image data communication by using an image data compression apparatus which compresses input image data and outputs compressed image data and an image data expansion apparatus,
said image data compression apparatus comprising:
compression processing means for compression-processing input image data; image change detection means for detecting a change on image based on said input image data; frame rate control means for controlling a frame rate of outputted compressed image data obtained by compression-processing image data; and means for controlling the frame rate of outputted compressed image data such that the frame rate is lower in a scene where the image change is small than the frame rate in a scene where the image change is large, in accordance with the situation of the change on image detected by said image change detection means; and synthesizing means for synthesizing frame rate information of compressed image data, controlled by said frame rate control means;
and wherein said image data expansion apparatus comprising:
encoding means for decoding compressed image data at the frame rate controlled to be lower in a scene where the change is small, than that in a scene where the change is large; expansion means for expanding the compressed image data decoded by said decoding means, wherein said input image data is reproduced such that the frame rate is lower in a scene where the change between images is small, than that in a scene where the change between images is large; and image interpolation means for generating an interpolation image from said predetermined compressed image data, in accordance with the information on the frame rate received with said compression image data, wherein said reproduced input image data is interpolated with an interpolation image generated by interpolation processing by said image interpolation means, and the interpolated image data is outputted,
said image transmission system comprising:
transmission means for transmitting compressed image data outputted from said image data compression apparatus on a predetermined line; and
reception means for receiving said compressed image data transmitted via said transmission means,
wherein said compressed image data received by said reception means is expanded by said image data expansion apparatus.
25. A monitoring system which performs image data communication by using an image data compression apparatus which compresses input image data and outputs compressed image data and an image data expansion apparatus,
wherein said image data compression apparatus comprising:
compression processing means for compression-processing input image data; image change detection means for detecting a change on image based on said input image data; frame rate control means for controlling a frame rate of outputted compressed image data obtained by compression-processing image data; and means for controlling the frame rate of outputted compressed image data such that the frame rate in a scene where the image change is small is lower than the frame rate in a scene where the image change is large, in accordance with the situation of the change on image detected by said image change detection means,
and wherein said image data expansion apparatus comprising:
decoding means for decoding compressed image data at the frame rate controlled to be lower in a scene where the change is small, than that in a scene where the change is large; and expansion means for expanding the compressed image data decoded by said decoding means, wherein said image data is reproduced such that the frame rate is lower in a scene where the change between images is small, than that in a scene where the change between images is large,
said image transmission system comprising:
image data output means for obtaining an image of a monitoring object and outputting image data;
transfer means for transferring compressed image data, obtained by compressing the input image data from said image data output means by said image data compression apparatus; and
display means for displaying image data, obtained by expanding said compressed image data, transferred via said transfer means, by said image data expansion apparatus.
26. A monitoring system which performs image data communication by using an image data compression apparatus which compresses input image data and outputs compressed image data and an image data expansion apparatus,
wherein said image data compression apparatus comprising:
compression processing means for compression-processing input image data; image change detection means for detecting a change on image based on said input image data; frame rate control means for controlling a frame rate of outputted compressed image data obtained by compression-processing image data; and means for controlling the frame rate of outputted compressed image data such that the frame rate is lower in a scene where the image change is small than the frame rate in a scene where the image change is large, in accordance with the situation of the change on image detected by said image change detection means; and synthesizing means for synthesizing frame rate information of compressed image data, controlled by said frame rate control means;
and wherein said image data expansion apparatus comprising:
encoding means for decoding compressed image data at the frame rate controlled to be lower in a scene where the change is small, than that in a scene where the change is large; expansion means for expanding the compressed image data decoded by said decoding means; wherein said input image is reproduced such that the frame rate is lower in a scene where the change between images is small, than that in a scene where the change between images is large; image interpolation means for generating an interpolation image from said input predetermined compressed image data, in accordance with the information on the frame rate received with said compression image data, wherein said reproduced input image data being interpolated with an interpolation image generated by interpolation processing by said image interpolation means, and the interpolated image data being outputted,
said image transmission system comprising:
image data output means for obtaining an image of a monitoring object and outputting image data;
means for transferring compressed image data, obtained by compressing input image data from said image data output means by said image data compression apparatus; and
display means for displaying image data, obtained by expanding said compressed image data, transferred via said transfer means, by said image data expansion apparatus.
27. A monitoring system according to claim 25, wherein said transfer means comprises a communication line for transmitting image data.
28. A monitoring system according to claim 25, wherein said transfer means comprises a recording medium for recording image data.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A semiconductor storage element comprising:
a gate electrode formed on a semiconductor substrate via a gate insulator;
a channel forming region located below the gate electrode;
a pair of sourcedrain diffusion regions formed on opposite sides of the channel forming region and having a conductive type opposite to a conductive type of the channel forming region; and
a memory function body arranged on opposite sides of the gate electrode, wherein
the memory function body is formed of:
a plurality of charge retention portions constructed of particles having a function to accumulate electric charge and dielectric films formed on surfaces of the particles, having a function to prevent the electric charge from dispersing and having a roughly uniform film thickness and
an insulator that covers the plurality of charge retention portions, and wherein
an amount of electric charge retained in the memory function body varies an amount of a current which flows from one sourcedrain diffusion region to the other sourcedrain diffusion region when a voltage is applied to the gate electrode.
2. The semiconductor storage element as claimed in claim 1, wherein
an interval is provided between the gate electrode and the sourcedrain diffusion regions in a gate length direction.
3. A semiconductor device comprising:
a semiconductor storage element in a memory region arranged on a semiconductor substrate and
a semiconductor switching element in a logic circuit region arranged on the semiconductor substrate, wherein
the memory region and the logic circuit region are arranged on a semiconductor substrate, wherein
the semiconductor storage element and the semiconductor switching element are each constructed of a field-effect transistor, wherein
the field-effect transistor has a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate via a gate insulator, a channel forming region located below the gate electrode and a pair of sourcedrain diffusion regions formed on opposite sides of the channel forming region and having a conductive type opposite to a conductive type of the channel forming region, wherein
at least the semiconductor storage element has a memory function body arranged on opposite sides of the gate electrode, wherein
the memory function body is formed of:
a plurality of charge retention portions constructed of particles having a function to accumulate electric charge and dielectric films formed on surfaces of the particles, having a function to prevent dispersion of the electric charge and having a roughly uniform film thickness and
an insulator that covers the plurality of charge retention portions, wherein
the semiconductor switching element has the sourcedrain diffusion regions of at least partially located below the gate electrode, and wherein
the semiconductor storage element has an interval provided between the gate electrode and the sourcedrain diffusion regions in a gate length direction.
4. The semiconductor device as claimed in claim 3, wherein
the semiconductor switching element has a portion of the sourcedrain diffusion regions located below the gate electrode having an impurity concentration lower than that in a portion of the sourcedrain diffusion regions located outside the memory function body in the gate length direction.
5. An IC card comprising the semiconductor device claimed in claim 3.
6. Portable electronic equipment comprising the semiconductor device claimed in claim 3.
7. A semiconductor storage element manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
forming a gate electrode on a semiconductor substrate via a gate insulator;
arranging a plurality of charge retention portions constructed of particles having a function to accumulate electric charge and dielectric films formed on surfaces of the particles by oxidizing or oxynitriding a material identical to a material of the particles and having a roughly uniform film thickness;
depositing an insulator on the semiconductor substrate and on the gate electrode so as to cover the charge retention portions;
forming a sidewall-shaped memory function body constructed of the charge retention portions and the insulator on side surfaces of the gate electrode by partially removing the charge retention portions and the insulator by anisotropic etching; and
carrying out impurity implantation for forming sourcedrain diffusion regions in the semiconductor substrate using the gate electrode and the memory function body as a mask.
8. A semiconductor device manufacturing method for forming a semiconductor switching element constructed of a field-effect transistor in a logic circuit region set on a semiconductor substrate in parallel with forming a semiconductor storage element constructed of a field-effect transistor in a memory region set on the semiconductor substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
forming a gate insulator and a gate electrode on a surface of the semiconductor substrate in each of the memory region and the logic circuit region;
forming a first impurity implantation region that becomes part of sourcedrain diffusion regions only in the logic circuit region of the semiconductor substrate;
forming a memory function body on opposite sides of the gate electrode at least in the memory region, the memory function body being formed of a plurality of charge retention portions constructed of particles having a function to accumulate electric charge, dielectric films formed on surfaces of the particles, having a function to prevent dispersion of the electric charge and having a roughly uniform film thickness and an insulator covering the plurality of charge retention portions; and
forming a second impurity implantation region that becomes at least part of sourcedrain diffusion regions by implanting an impurity of a conductive type identical to that of an impurity forming the first impurity implantation region into the semiconductor substrate in the memory region and the logic circuit region with use of the gate electrode and the memory function body as a mask.
9. The semiconductor device manufacturing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein
the step of forming the memory function body comprises:
arranging a plurality of charge retention portions constructed of particles having a function to accumulate electric charge and dielectric films formed on surfaces of the particles by oxidizing or oxynitriding a material identical to a material of the particles and having a roughly uniform film thickness;
depositing an insulator on the semiconductor substrate and on the gate electrode so as to cover the charge retention portions; and
forming a sidewall-shaped memory function body constructed of the charge retention portions and the insulator on side surfaces of the gate electrode by partially removing the charge retention portions and the insulator by anisotropic etching.
10. The semiconductor device manufacturing method as claimed in claim 8, wherein
an impurity concentration in the second impurity implantation region is higher than an impurity concentration in the first impurity implantation region.