Imagination Technologies Limited

Imagination Technologies Limted

Stephen Morphet

Steven John Fishwick

Paul Brasnett

Jonathan Diggins

Cagatay Dikici

Muhammad Asad

Stephen Fishwick

In an example method and system, image data to an image processing module. Image data is read from memory into a down-scaler, which down-scales the image data to a first resolution, which is stored in a first buffer. A region of image data which the image processing module will request is predicted, and image data corresponding to at least part of the predicted region of image data is stored in a first buffer, in a second resolution, higher than the first. When a request for image data is received, it is then determined whether image data corresponding to the requested image data is in the second buffer, and if so, then image data is provided to the image processing module from the second buffer. If not, then image data from the first buffer is up-scaled, and the up-scaled image data is provided to the image processing module.

Upscaling lower resolution image data for processing

There is provided a method and apparatus for motion estimation in a sequence of video images. The method comprises a) subdividing each field or frame of a sequence of video images into a plurality of blocks, b) assigning to each block in each video field or frame a respective set of candidate motion vectors, c) determining for each block in a current video field or frame, which of its respective candidate motion vectors produces a best match to a block in a previous video field or frame, d) forming a motion vector field for the current video field or frame using the thus determined best match vectors for each block, and e) forming a further motion vector field by storing a candidate motion vector derived from the best match vector at a block location offset by a distance derived from the candidate motion vector. Finally, steps a) to e) are repeated for a video field or frame following the current video field or frame. The set of candidate motion vectors assigned at step b) to a block in the following video field or frame includes the candidates stored at that block location at step e) during the current video field or frame The method enables a block or tile based motion estimator to improve its accuracy by introducing true motion vector candidates derived from the physical behaviour of real world objects.

Object tracking using momentum and acceleration vectors in a motion estimation system

An apparatus and a method for generating 3-dimensional computer graphic images. The image is first sub-divided into a plurality of rectangular areas. A display list memory is loaded with object data for each rectangular area. The image and shading data for each picture element of each rectangular area are derived from the object data in the image synthesis processor and a texturizing and shading processor. A depth range generator derives a depth range for each rectangular area from the object data as the imaging and shading data is derived. This is compared with the depth of each new object to be provided to the image synthesis processor and the object may be prevented from being provided to the image synthesis processor independence on the result of the comparison.

Graphics renderer and method for rendering 3D scene in computer graphics using object pointers and depth values

Methods and system for converting a plurality of weights of a filter of a Deep Neural Network (DNN) in a first number format to a second number format, the second number format having less precision than the first number format, to enable the DNN to be implemented in hardware logic. The method comprising: determining, for each of the plurality of weights, a quantisation error associated with quantising that weight to the second number format in accordance with a first quantisation method; determining a total quantisation error for the plurality of weights based on the quantisation errors for the plurality of weights; identifying a subset of the plurality of weights to be quantised to the second number format in accordance with a second quantisation method based on the total quantisation error for the plurality of weights; and generating a set of quantised weights representing the plurality of weights in the second number format, the quantised weight for each weight in the subset of the plurality of weights based on quantising that weight to the second number format in accordance with the second quantisation method and the quantised weight for each of the remaining weights of the plurality of weights based on quantising that weight to the second number format in accordance with the first quantisation method.

Methods and systems for converting weights of a deep neural network from a first number format to a second number format

A memory management system for generating 3-dimensional computer images is provided. The memory management system includes a device for subdividing an image into a plurality of rectangular areas, a memory for storing object data pertaining to objects in the image which fall in each rectangular area, a device for storing the object data in the memory, a device for deriving image data and shading data for each rectangular area from the object data, a device for supplying object data for each rectangular area from the respective portion of the memory and, if the rectangular area contains objects also falling in at least one other rectangular area, also from the global list, to the deriving device, and a device for storing the image data and shading data derived by the deriving device for display. The memory includes at least one portion allocated to each rectangular area and at least one portion allocated as a global list.

Memory management for systems for generating 3-dimensional computer images

A method for enhancing an edge transition in a video signal comprising the steps of receiving a video signal including an edge transition, generating a correction signal for the edge transition, applying the correction signal to the video signal to produce a corrected signal and restricting the amplitude of the corrected signal to extend between extended maximum and minimum amplitude limits in dependence on the measured maximum and minimum amplitudes of a predefined pattern of pixels adjacent to the edge transition.

Method and apparatus for controlling overshoot in a video enhancement system

Pixel buffering

An apparatus and a method for generating images from 3-D source data provide for making a display list for each tile of a set of tiles for an image to be rendered, each display list including identifying information for objects overlapping that tile and depth information for the object. A fetch unit configured to fetch parameter data for objects to be processed by an Image Synthesis Processor (ISP) is coupled to receive depth range information for a current tile, which is produced by the ISP, and to determined, based on the depth range for the current tile and the object-specific depth information from the display list for the current tile, whether the parameter data for the object is to be provided to the ISP for processing or not. The object-specific depth information can be stored with a pointer to parameter data for the object.

3-D rendering pipeline with early region-based object culling

A method and apparatus for motion estimation in a sequence of video images involves a) subdividing each field or frame of a sequence of video images into a plurality of blocks, b) assigning to each block in each video field or frame a respective set of candidate motion vectors, c) determining for each block in a current video field or frame, which of its respective candidate motion vectors produces a best match to a block in a previous video field or frame, d) forming a motion vector field for the current video field or frame using the thus determined best match vectors for each block, and e) forming a further motion vector field by storing a candidate motion vector derived from the best match vector at a block location offset by a distance derived from the candidate motion vector.

A method and apparatus are provided for motion estimation in a sequence of images. One or more motion vectors representing movement of a camera or viewer position or direction are determined between each pair of fields or frames in the sequence of images. A set of candidate motion vectors is then determined for deriving positions of objects in a field or frame from the positions of objects in a previous field or frame. This set of candidate motion vectors is adjusted using the motion vectors representing movement of camera or viewer position and thus a set of motion vectors is derived for a sequence of images using the adjusted set of candidate motion vectors.

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St. Albans, United Kingdom

Stephen Morphet