Progressive Image Refinement via Dual-Processor Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing high-resolution image editing technologies face challenges in providing real-time interactive editing while maintaining high visual quality, as they often require significant computational resources and memory, leading to performance shortcomings and inefficiencies in processing and displaying detailed images.

Innovation Solution

A method involving two processors, where a first processor calculates a low-resolution proxy result and a second processor determines the higher resolution result, allowing for real-time display and progressive refinement of the image, using graphics processing units and multiple processors to distribute workload efficiently, and leveraging local memory for compressed image storage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If image editing is performed at full high resolution, then visual quality is improved, but processing time and computational resources increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual qualityVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the full-resolution image into multiple lower-resolution proxy images that can be processed and displayed independently. This segmentation allows the system to provide immediate visual feedback at reduced resolution while simultaneously processing the full-resolution version in the background, thus maintaining visual quality without increasing perceived processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary processing by creating and displaying lower-resolution proxy versions of the image before the full-resolution processing is complete. This preliminary action provides immediate visual feedback to users while the high-resolution processing continues in the background, effectively reducing the perceived processing time without sacrificing final visual quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If multiple processors are used to process high resolution images, then processing speed is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent assigns different resolution levels to different processors, with one processor handling lower-resolution proxy images and another handling full-resolution images. This segmentation of processing tasks by resolution level enables parallel processing that improves productivity while keeping each processor's workload manageable and the overall system architecture relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If low resolution proxy images are used for editing, then processing speed is improved, but visual quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidvisual quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces lower-resolution proxy images as an intermediary representation that mediates between the user's editing needs and the system's processing capabilities. These proxies enable fast processing and immediate visual feedback, while the system simultaneously maintains and processes the full-resolution version in the background to ensure final visual quality is preserved.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary processing on lower-resolution proxies to provide immediate visual feedback, then progressively refines the display by incorporating portions of the completed high-resolution processing. This preliminary action at reduced resolution maintains processing speed while the progressive refinement ensures final visual quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Manufacturing precision

If full resolution images are processed, then visual quality is improved, but memory requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual qualityVSAvoidmemory requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the image data into multiple resolution levels, storing and processing lower-resolution proxy versions alongside the full-resolution version. This segmentation reduces the amount of memory required for active processing by working with smaller proxy images, while the full-resolution data can be stored more efficiently or processed in smaller chunks when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS8885208B2Progressive refinement of an edited image using secondary high resolution image processing

Publication Date: 2014.11.11 ADOBE INC

AI summary

The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to processing of high resolution images, such as digital painting on high resolution images. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in a method that includes receiving input defining a modification to a target image; determining, at a first processor, a low resolution proxy result of the modification applied to the target image; determining, at a second processor, a higher resolution result of the modification applied to the target image; displaying the low resolution proxy result before completion of the determining at the second processor; and updating the displayed low resolution proxy result with the higher resolution result. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products.