METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR STRIPE-BASED TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL VIDEO PROCESSING
A technique to reduce memory bandwidth requirements for image and/or video processing systems is described herein. The technique may include retrieving a plurality of images from a memory, and sequentially processing overlapping subsets of the plurality of images to provide a plurality of output images, wherein the output images are spatially and temporally different. Example implementations may include a processor configured to process input images and to provide output images, a buffer coupled to the processor and configured to store a plurality of input images, and a control unit coupled to the buffer and configured to select subsets of input images from the plurality of images to process for a respective output image, wherein each subset of input images from the plurality of images overlaps with a previous and a subsequent subset of input images from the plurality of images.
1 . An image processing method comprising:
retrieving a plurality of images from a memory; and
sequentially processing overlapping subsets of the plurality of images to provide a plurality of output images, wherein the output images are spatially and temporally different.
2 . The image processing method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting a first subset of images from the plurality of images to process based on a first context, wherein the first subset of images produces a first output image of the plurality of output images.
3 . The image processing method of claim 2 , wherein a context indicates what images to utilize in generating an output image and a strength of processing to apply to the output image.
4 . The image processing method of claim 2 , further comprising selecting a second subset of images from the plurality of images to process based on a second context, wherein the second subset of images is processed to produce a second output image and the second subset of images includes a portion of the first subset of images.
5 . The image processing method of claim 1 , further comprising associating output images based on spatial and temporal characteristics of their respective subset of images from the plurality of images.
6 . The image processing method of claim 1 , further comprising:
spatially and temporally decompressing the plurality of images.
7 . The image processing method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the plurality of images in a buffer.
8 . The image processing method of claim 1 , wherein retrieving a plurality of images from a memory comprises:
Providing a fetch command for the plurality of images to the memory; and
Receiving the plurality of images over a bus.
9 . An image processing system comprising:
a processor configured to process input images and to provide output images;
a buffer coupled to the processor and configured to store a plurality of input images; and
a control unit coupled to the butler and configured to select subsets of input images from the plurality of images to process for a respective output image, wherein each subset of input images from the plurality of images overlaps with a previous and a subsequent subset of input images from the plurality of images.
10 . The image processing system of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is further configured to refresh the plurality of input images stored in the buffer after the plurality of input images have been processed.
11 . The image processing system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to reduce a number of input image retrievals by providing a plurality of output images using a single retrieval of the plurality of input images.
12 . The image processing system of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is configured to select a subset of input images from the plurality of input images to process based on a context.
13 . The image processing system of claim 12 , wherein the context indicates the subset of input images to process and a strength of processing for an output image.
14 . The image processing system of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is further configured to provide output images that are spatially and temporally related in an output stream.
15 . The image processing system of claim 14 , wherein the output images comprise stripes of a composite image.
16 . The image processing system of claim 9 , further comprising a memory configured to provide the plurality of input images to the buffer via a bus.
17 . The image processing system of claim 9 , further comprising an input multiplexer coupled between the buffer and the processor and configured to provide a subset of input images responsive to a control signal provided by the control unit.
18 . The image processing system of claim 9 , further comprising an output multiplexer configured to receive the output images from the processor and to provide each output image to a respective output stream responsive to a control signal provided by the control unit.
19 . An image processing method comprising:
retrieving a plurality of images from a memory; and
processing a plurality of subsets of the plurality of images by an image processor to produce a plurality of respective outputs, wherein subsets of the plurality of subsets overlap with a previous and a subsequent subset of the plurality of subsets and wherein the subsets of the plurality of subsets differ spatially and temporally.
20 . The image processing method of claim 19 , further comprising:
storing the plurality of images in a buffer;
selecting a first subset of the plurality of images to be processed; and
selecting a second subset of the plurality of images to be processed after the first subset of the plurality of images has been processed.
21 . The image processing method of claim 19 , wherein a subset of the first subset of the plurality of images is included in the second subset of the plurality of images.
22 . The image processing method of claim 19 , further comprising:
selecting a first context associated with the first subset of the plurality of images to provide to the image processor; and
selecting a second context associated with the second subset of the plurality of images to provide to the image processor.
23 . The image processing method of claim 22 , wherein the context includes the subset of the plurality of images to process and a strength of processing to apply to the subset of the plurality of images for a respective output.
24 . The image processing method of claim 19 , further comprising associating subsequent output images with a previous output image based on a temporal and a spatial relationship.