Patch-Based Pixel Correspondence With Local Neighborhood Consensus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for computing dense semantic correspondences between images with large intraclass appearance and shape variations are computationally expensive and inefficient, often requiring high memory usage and slow computation due to exhaustive matching and 4D convolutions.

Innovation Solution

The PatchMatch Neighborhood Consensus (PMNC) method uses a convolutional neural network-based feature extractor and a neighborhood consensus-based scoring function to refine pixel correspondences by applying 4D convolutions locally on selective patches, reducing computational complexity and memory footprint.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If exhaustive matching and 4D convolutions are used to compute dense semantic correspondences, then matching accuracy is improved, but computational complexity and memory usage increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematching accuracyVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the feature maps into multiple patches and processes them separately using parallel computation. Instead of performing exhaustive matching on the entire feature maps, the method segments them into smaller regions that can be processed independently, reducing computational complexity while maintaining matching accuracy through localized patch-based operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the 4D convolution operation into a 2D convolution operation by reorganizing the computational dimensions. This dimensionality reduction converts the computationally expensive 4D convolution into a more efficient 2D convolution, significantly reducing computational complexity and memory usage while preserving the essential matching information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If exhaustive matching is performed on entire feature maps, then correspondence accuracy is improved, but computation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecorrespondence accuracyVSAvoidcomputation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the feature maps into multiple patches and processes them in parallel. This segmentation allows the computation to be distributed across multiple processing units simultaneously, reducing the overall computation time while maintaining correspondence accuracy through the parallel evaluation of multiple patch regions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs matching on a selective subset of patches rather than exhaustively processing the entire feature maps. By identifying and processing only the most relevant patches that contain meaningful correspondence information, the method reduces computation time while maintaining sufficient accuracy for the application

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If 4D convolutions are applied to the entire search space, then scoring accuracy is improved, but memory footprint increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescoring accuracyVSAvoidmemory footprint
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the search space into multiple patches and processes them separately. This segmentation reduces the memory footprint by loading and processing only one patch at a time rather than requiring the entire search space to be held in memory simultaneously, while maintaining scoring accuracy through systematic evaluation of all patches

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and processes only the necessary patch regions from the full search space rather than processing the entire space. By extracting and evaluating selective patches that contain the most relevant correspondence information, the method reduces memory footprint while preserving scoring accuracy for the critical regions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4302275B1Pixel correspondence via patch-based neighborhood consensus
Publication Date: 2026.04.01 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP4302275B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4302275B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4302275B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

One example provides a computing system comprising a storage machine storing instructions executable by a logic machine to extract features from a source and target images to form source and target feature maps, form a correlation map comprising a plurality of similarity scores, form an initial correspondence map comprising initial mappings between pixels of the source feature map and corresponding pixels of the target feature map, refine the initial correspondence map by, for each of one or more pixels of the source feature map, for each of a plurality of candidate correspondences, inputting a four-dimensional patch into a trained scoring function, the trained scoring function being configured to output a correctness score, and selecting a refined correspondence based at least upon the correctness scores, and output a refined correspondence map comprising a refined correspondence for each of the one or more pixels of the source feature map.