US Patent 11836889 Dual-mode image fusion architecture

Embodiments relate to an image processing circuit able to perform image fusion on received images in at least a first mode for fusing demosaiced and downscaled image data, and a second mode for fusing raw image data. Raw image data is received from an image sensor in Bayer RGB format. In the first mode, the raw image data is demosaiced and resampled prior to undergoing image fusion. On the other hand, in the second raw image mode, the image processing circuit performs image fusion on the raw Bayer image data, and demosaics and resamples the generated fused raw Bayer image. This may ensure a cleaner image signal for image fusion, but consumes more memory. The image processing circuit is configured to support both modes of operation, allowing for fused images to be generated to satisfy the requirements of different applications.