‘Black Spot’: A prototype camera module

The design, implementation and performance of a prototype miniature and intelligent camera module is described. The camera module consists of an Aptina CMOS image sensor connected to an Analog Devices Blackfin DSP. Its primary function is to locate all bright spots in each image frame and to transmit over a serial bus the corresponding location information. The preliminary results suggest the module has the capability to provide accurate and timely data. Potential applications for the device include use in a range of specialised optical tracking and monitoring systems.