Neural Demosaicing to Reduce Color Image Artifacts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing demosaicing algorithms in digital imaging are limited by accuracy due to biased noise and heuristic assumptions, leading to image artifacts like zipper effects and checker-boarding, especially when faced with unplanned scenarios.

Innovation Solution

A deep learning approach using a small neural network architecture that exploits color channel correlations, avoiding residual neural networks and adapting to individual sensor types, with a two-stage process involving a reference convolutional layer followed by an artifact removal network.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional demosaicing algorithms are used, then the processing speed is fast, but the image quality deteriorates due to artifacts like zipper effects and checker-boarding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidprocessing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical demosaicing algorithms with a neural network-based system. The neural network learns optimal demosaicing operations from training data, substituting rule-based mechanical processing with learned intelligent processing that achieves both high image quality and efficient processing speed through parallel computation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the demosaicing problem from fixed algorithmic parameter processing to adaptive parameter learning. The neural network dynamically adjusts processing parameters based on input image characteristics, enabling optimal balance between image quality and processing speed for different scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If deep learning approaches with large neural networks are used, then image quality improves, but training time and computational resources increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedemosaicing accuracyVSAvoidtraining time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by using a relatively small neural network architecture that is sufficient for demosaicing tasks without the excessive complexity of large networks. This approach achieves adequate demosaicing accuracy with significantly reduced training time and computational resource requirements compared to large-scale deep learning models.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a lightweight neural network model that requires minimal training resources and can be quickly trained and deployed. The model is designed to be computationally efficient, sacrificing some of the excessive capacity of large networks in favor of faster training and lower resource consumption while maintaining sufficient accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Manufacturing precision

If demosaicing algorithms use heuristic assumptions, then the processing is simple, but accuracy deteriorates due to biased noise and unplanned scenarios

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedemosaicing accuracyVSAvoidalgorithm complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces heuristic-based mechanical algorithms with a data-driven neural network system. Instead of relying on fixed heuristic assumptions about image structure, the neural network learns actual patterns from training data, achieving superior accuracy while handling diverse scenarios without requiring complex rule-based systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12412240B2Predictive color image processing
Publication Date: 2025.09.09 NVIDIA CORP
  • US12412240B2 patent drawing
  • US12412240B2 patent drawing
  • US12412240B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Apparatuses, systems, and techniques to process image data. In at least one embodiment, a neural network is trained to perform demosaicing of two-dimensional image data obtained from an image sensor.