Block Image Resizing via Line Register Boundary Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing image processing technologies face inefficiencies due to increased data transfer and processing speed deterioration when resizing images, leading to higher power consumption and processing delays, as they require temporary storage of entire images in memory before resizing.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves an image processing apparatus that divides images into blocks, performs resizing on a block basis, and uses a configuration with input and output buffers, line registers, and a computation section for interpolation calculations, allowing for sequential storage and processing without the need for temporary storage of entire images, thereby reducing data transfer and enhancing processing efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire image is temporarily stored in separate memory before resizing, then the resizing process can be performed on the complete image, but the amount of data transfer increases and processing speed deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresizing process completenessVSAvoidprocessing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The image is divided into multiple blocks, and the resizing process is performed on each block independently rather than storing and processing the entire image at once. This segmentation allows processing to proceed in smaller units, reducing the amount of data that needs to be transferred and stored in memory at any given time, thereby improving processing speed while maintaining resizing quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the entire image is temporarily stored in separate memory before resizing, then the resizing process can be performed on the complete image, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresizing process completenessVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the image into blocks and processing each block independently, the system reduces the total amount of data that needs to be loaded into and transferred from memory. This decreases the active time of memory operations and associated data buses, thereby reducing overall power consumption while still achieving complete resizing of the entire image.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If block images are processed sequentially without overlap, then processing is simpler, but adjacent blocks may have discontinuities at boundaries

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing complexityVSAvoidimage continuity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and stores the rightmost column of pixels from each processed block in a line register before moving to the next block. This extracted boundary data is then used when processing adjacent blocks to ensure continuity at block boundaries, eliminating discontinuities while adding minimal complexity to the processing system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2442271B1Image processing apparatus and method for operating image processing apparatus
Publication Date: 2018.12.26 MEGACHIPS
  • EP2442271B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2442271B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2442271B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An image processing apparatus (1) includes a first storage section and a second storage section, a storage control section (110), and a computation section (12). The storage control section (110) sequentially acquires block images obtained as a result of dividing an input image, and stores the block image as a target block image in the first storage section, while storing, in the second storage section, image data of, in a region of the target block image, a region abutting un-inputted block images in the input image, as image data of an abuttal region. The computation section (12) implements a resizing process for changing the size of the target block image by performing an interpolation calculation using image data of the target block image stored in the first storage section and the image data of the abuttal region stored in the second storage section.