Block-based variational image processing method
Gespeichert in:
| Titel: | Block-based variational image processing method |
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| Patent Number: | 8,633,997 |
| Publikationsdatum: | January 21, 2014 |
| Appl. No: | 12/580209 |
| Application Filed: | October 15, 2009 |
| Abstract: | Block-based variational image processing provides improved image processing by utilizing portions of an image rather than the entire image. The image is divided into multiple smaller portions, and then iterations to determine a partial differential equation for an image processing application are performed on the smaller portions. After performing the iterations on a portion, the resulting information is able to be stored in an external memory. This results in a much lower bandwidth requirement for the data, enabling the method to be performed in hardware. Additionally, the block-based variational image processing utilizes only a small number of neighboring pixels for each iteration. |
| Inventors: | Youn, Jeongnam (San Jose, CA, US) |
| Assignees: | Sony Corporation (Tokyo, JP), Sony Electronics Inc. (Parkridge, NJ, US) |
| Claim: | 1. A method implemented on a device comprising: a. selecting a portion of an image and a neighboring area of the portion; b. iteratively performing a computation using the portion of the image and the neighboring area, wherein the neighboring area increases with each iteration, wherein the neighboring area includes K number of pixels in each direction, and iteratively performing comprises N number of iterations, and K is smaller than N; and c. storing a resulting portion. |
| Claim: | 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the computation is performed without storing the portion of the image and the neighboring area in an external memory. |
| Claim: | 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the resulting portion is stored in an external memory. |
| Claim: | 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a computer workstation, a server, a mainframe computer, a handheld computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular/mobile telephone, a smart appliance, a gaming console, a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a camera phone, a portable music player, a video player, a DVD writer/player, a television and a home entertainment system. |
| Claim: | 5. A system implemented on a device configured for image processing comprising: a. a portion selection module configured for selecting a portion of an image and a neighboring area of the portion; b. a computation module operatively coupled to the portion selection module, the computation module configured for iteratively performing a computation using the portion of the image and the neighboring area, wherein the neighboring area increases with each iteration, wherein the neighboring area includes K number of pixels in each direction, and the computation module iteratively performs N number of iterations, and K is smaller than N; and c. a storing module operatively coupled to the computation module, the storing module configured for storing a resulting portion. |
| Claim: | 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the computation module is configured to perform the computation without storing the portion of the image and the neighboring area in an external memory. |
| Claim: | 7. The system of claim 5 wherein the resulting portion is stored in an external memory. |
| Claim: | 8. The system of claim 5 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a computer workstation, a server, a mainframe computer, a handheld computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular/mobile telephone, a smart appliance, a gaming console, a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a camera phone, a portable music player, a video player, a DVD writer/player, a television and a home entertainment system. |
| Claim: | 9. A device comprising: a. a memory for storing an application, the application configured for: i. selecting a portion of an image and a neighboring area of the portion; ii. iteratively performing a computation using the portion of the image and the neighboring area, wherein the neighboring area increases with each iteration, wherein the neighboring area includes K number of pixels in each direction, and iteratively performing comprises N number of iterations, and K is smaller than N; and iii. storing a resulting portion; and b. a processing component coupled to the memory, the processing component configured for processing the application. |
| Claim: | 10. The device of claim 9 wherein the computation is performed without storing the portion of the image and the neighboring area in an external memory. |
| Claim: | 11. The device of claim 9 wherein the resulting portion is stored in an external memory. |
| Claim: | 12. The device of claim 9 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a laptop computer, a computer workstation, a server, a mainframe computer, a handheld computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular/mobile telephone, a smart appliance, a gaming console, a digital camera, a digital camcorder, a camera phone, a portable music player, a video player, a DVD writer/player, a television and a home entertainment system. |
| Claim: | 13. A digital camera comprising: a. a memory for storing an application, the application configured for: i. selecting a portion of an image and a neighboring area of the portion; ii. iteratively performing a computation using the portion of the image and the neighboring area, wherein the neighboring area increases with each iteration, wherein the neighboring area includes K number of pixels in each direction, iteratively performing comprises N number of iterations, and K is smaller than N; and iii. storing a resulting portion; and b. a processing component coupled to the memory, the processing component configured for processing the application. |
| Claim: | 14. The digital camera of claim 13 wherein the computation is performed without storing the portion of the image and the neighboring area in an external memory. |
| Claim: | 15. The digital camera of claim 13 wherein the resulting portion is stored in an external memory. |
| Current U.S. Class: | 3482/221 |
| Patent References Cited: | 2001/0008425 July 2001 Shin et al. 2003/0103681 June 2003 Guleryuz 2004/0013305 January 2004 Brandt et al. 2006/0228036 October 2006 Avinash 2007/0185946 August 2007 Basri et al. 2007/0201750 August 2007 Ito et al. 2008/0204598 August 2008 Maurer et al. 2008/0246877 October 2008 Hahn 2009/0148062 June 2009 Gabso et al. 2011/0046927 February 2011 Jeong et al. |
| Primary Examiner: | Selby, Gevell |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Haverstock & Owens LLP |
| Dokumentencode: | edspgr.08633997 |
| Datenbank: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| Abstract: | Block-based variational image processing provides improved image processing by utilizing portions of an image rather than the entire image. The image is divided into multiple smaller portions, and then iterations to determine a partial differential equation for an image processing application are performed on the smaller portions. After performing the iterations on a portion, the resulting information is able to be stored in an external memory. This results in a much lower bandwidth requirement for the data, enabling the method to be performed in hardware. Additionally, the block-based variational image processing utilizes only a small number of neighboring pixels for each iteration. |
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