Image Processing Apparatus Memory Management for Motion Blur Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image processing apparatuses require significant memory space to generate interpolation image frames, especially for high-resolution regions, to reduce motion blur phenomena, which is inefficient in terms of memory management.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus divides image frames into pixel blocks, groups pixels, and stores them in memory, loading pixel values into internal memory based on a predetermined search range to calculate and process pixel values for interpolation frames with either higher or lower resolution depending on motion size, effectively managing memory usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If an interpolation image frame is generated based on motion change between previous and current image frames, then motion blur phenomenon is reduced, but memory space requirement increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotion blur phenomenonVSAvoidmemory space
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The image frame is divided into multiple pixel blocks, and each pixel block is further divided into pixel groups. This segmentation allows the system to process and store only the necessary pixel data for interpolation, rather than storing entire high-resolution frames, thereby reducing memory space requirements while still generating effective interpolation frames to reduce motion blur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different processing resolutions to different regions based on motion characteristics. By determining motion size for each pixel block and selectively processing only those blocks with significant motion at appropriate resolutions, the system reduces overall memory usage while maintaining interpolation quality in regions where it is most needed to address motion blur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If high-resolution regions are output from interpolation image frames, then image quality is improved, but memory space requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage resolution qualityVSAvoidmemory space
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the image into pixel blocks and further into pixel groups, allowing selective processing of high-resolution data only for specific blocks that require it. This segmentation enables the system to maintain high resolution where needed while using lower resolution or compressed data elsewhere, optimizing the balance between image quality and memory consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes the resolution parameter based on motion characteristics of different pixel blocks. By adjusting the processing resolution according to motion size thresholds and block-specific requirements, the patent achieves high-resolution output only where necessary for quality, while reducing memory space requirements through adaptive parameter adjustment across different image regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3494541B1Image processing apparatus and control method thereof
Publication Date: 2024.01.10 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3494541B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3494541B1 patent drawingFigure 4
  • EP3494541B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

An image processing apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. The image processing apparatus includes: an image input interface configured to receive an image content including a first reference frame and a second reference frame; a memory; and a processor configured to generate an interpolation frame based on the first and second reference frames, and the processor is configured to group a plurality of pixels included in at least one of the first reference frame and the second reference frame into a plurality of pixel groups, and individually store each of the plurality of pixel groups in the memory, and load, into an internal memory, pixel values corresponding to a predetermined range with reference to a target pixel region of the interpolation frame with respect to a first pixel group from among the plurality of pixel groups, and load, into the internal memory, pixel values of a range which is smaller than the predetermined range with respect to a second pixel group of the plurality of pixel groups, and to determine pixel values of the target pixel region.