Reconfigurable Systolic Array for Real-Time Video Frame Pre-Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital imaging systems face challenges in implementing real-time video processing due to memory bandwidth constraints, making it difficult to perform complex scene analysis on full HD video streams and requiring significant hardware resources for image processing, which limits adaptability and responsiveness.
Innovation Solution
A hardware subsystem that generates image processing primitives in real-time from an image frame, allowing for detailed frame-by-frame scene processing without a low-resolution preview stream, using a systolic array architecture and advanced hardware for image processing (AHIP) to reduce memory bandwidth and enable dynamic adaptation to changing conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If image data is read from memory on each stage of the IPP, then processing can be performed, but memory bandwidth experiences significant challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing pipeline into multiple parallel processing stages that operate simultaneously on different portions of the image data. This allows processing to continue without requiring repeated reads from memory, as each stage processes its segment continuously from the previous stage's output.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested architecture where multiple processing pipelines are nested within each other, with each pipeline handling a specific processing function. The output of one nested pipeline becomes the input of the next, eliminating the need for intermediate memory writes and reads between processing stages.
2Loss of energy
If elements of the IPP are implemented directly in hardware, then memory bandwidth challenges are avoided, but adaptability decreases as the entire IPP chain is configured prior to inputting data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic reconfiguration capabilities in the hardware IPP, allowing processing parameters, pipeline stages, and processing algorithms to be adjusted in real-time based on the characteristics of the input video stream. This enables the hardware system to adapt to different scene conditions while maintaining continuous processing without memory bottlenecks.
3Adaptability or versatility
If sophisticated scene analysis is implemented, then image enhancement capabilities improve, but hardware resources and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universal processing modules within the hardware IPP that can perform multiple scene analysis functions. These modules are designed to handle various processing tasks (face detection, motion analysis, scene understanding) using the same hardware resources, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining sophisticated analysis capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A dynamically reconfigurable heterogeneous systolic array is configured to process a first image frame, and to generate image processing primitives from the image frame, and to store the primitives and the corresponding image frame in a memory store. A characteristic of the image frame is determined. Based on the characteristic, the array is reconfigured to process a following image frame.