MULTI-TASKING MULTI-THREADED IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICES

A method and apparatus for multi-threaded, multitasking processing of image data includes inputting a plurality of image data portions representing one or more images to be processed and putting the first portion of the image data in a memory storage portion. The memory storage portions may be called queues, stacks, address spaces, registers, files, arrays and buffers. While receiving a second portion of the image data, a first portion of the image data is analyzed for the need to be modified by one or more processing methods. Then the image data is modified as necessary by the one or more processing methods while possibly receiving additional image data, and analyzing the second portion of the image data for the need to be modified by the one or more processing methods.