IP Library Granted Patent US 12,406,337
Granted Patent B2
US 12,406,337 · App. 17/557,330 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Detection of loss of details in a denoised image

Inventors: Andreas Weinmann (Munich, DE); Holger Dammertz (Munich, DE)
Assignee: DASSAULT SYSTEMES
G06T5/70G06T3/4084G06T5/50G06T2207/20084G06T2207/20182
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,406,337
App. No.
17/557,330
Granted
Sep 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer-implemented method for forming a dataset configured for learning a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture including an image feature extractor. It comprises providing pairs of images, each pair comprising a reference image and a respective denoised image. For each pair of images, the method provides the pair of images to a pre-trained CNN architecture similar to the one the formed dataset will be configured for. The method computes an error map representing a difference between a first normalized feature of the denoised image and a second normalized feature of the reference image, the first and second normalized features being the output of a same layer of the pre-trained CNN architecture and adds the respective denoised image and the error map to the dataset. This constitutes an improved solution with respect to forming a dataset for learning a CNN architecture to identify areas of degradation generated by a denoiser.

Claims (52)

1. A computer-implemented method for forming a dataset configured for learning a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture, the CNN architecture comprising an image feature extractor, the method comprising:

obtaining pairs of images, each pair comprising a reference image and a respective denoised image, the reference image being a Monte-Carlo rendered ray-traced image, the respective denoised image being a result of inputting a respective noisy image of the reference image to a denoiser; and

for each pair of images:

providing the pair of images to a pre-trained CNN architecture similar to the one for which the formed dataset will be configured,

computing a difference between a first normalized feature of the denoised image and a second normalized feature of the reference image, the first and second normalized features being an output of a same layer of the pre-trained CNN architecture,

computing an error map representing the computed difference, computing the error map including:

down-sampling a resolution of the computed difference, and

computing the error map with the down-sampled resolution of the difference by creating an image having pixel values, each pixel of the error map having a color following a color scale that penalizes the computed difference, thereby obtaining a coarse error map, and

adding the respective denoised image and the error map to the dataset.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-trained CNN architecture is a Visual Geometric Group (VGG) architecture.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the Visual Geometric Group (VGG) architecture is a VGG-19 architecture, and wherein the first normalized feature of the denoised image and the second normalized feature of the reference image are extracted from 7th and/or 9th and/or 12th layers of the VGG-19 architecture.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adding further comprises:

adding to the dataset the respective denoised image, the error map, and a respective noisy image of the reference image, the noisy image being the one from which the denoised image has been obtained.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the respective denoised image is a result of inputting to a denoiser a lower sample count image of the reference image denoised by the denoiser.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having recorded thereon a data structure representing a dataset formable according to a computer-implemented method for forming a dataset configured for learning a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture, the CNN architecture comprising an image feature extractor, the method comprising:

obtaining pairs of images, each pair comprising a reference image and a respective denoised image; and

for each pair of images:

providing the pair of images to a pre-trained CNN architecture similar to the one for which the formed dataset will be configured,

computing a difference between a first normalized feature of the denoised image and a second normalized feature of the reference image, the first and second normalized features being an output of a same layer of the pre-trained CNN architecture,

computing an error map representing the computed difference, computing the error map including:

down-sampling a resolution of the computed difference, and

computing the error map with the down-sampled resolution of the difference by creating an image having pixel values, each pixel of the error map having a color following a color scale that penalizes the computed difference, thereby obtaining a coarse error map, and

adding the respective denoised image and the error map to the dataset.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the pre-trained CNN architecture is a Visual Geometric Group (VGG) architecture.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the Visual Geometric Group (VGG) architecture is a VGG-19 architecture, and wherein the first normalized feature of the denoised image and the second normalized feature of the reference image are extracted from 7th and/or 9th and/or 12th layers of the VGG-19 architecture.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the adding further comprises:

adding to the dataset the respective denoised image, the error map, and a respective noisy image of the reference image, the noisy image being the one from which the denoised image has been obtained.

10. A computer-implemented method of applying a formed dataset configured for learning a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture, the CNN architecture comprising an image feature extractor, the method comprising:

obtaining pairs of images, each pair comprising a reference image and a respective denoised image, the reference image being a Monte-Carlo rendered ray-traced image, the respective denoised image being a result of inputting a respective noisy image of the reference image to a denoiser;

for each pair of images:

providing the pair of images to a pre-trained CNN architecture similar to the one for which the formed dataset will be configured,

computing a difference between a first normalized feature of the denoised image and a second normalized feature of the reference image, the first and second normalized features being an output of a same layer of the pre-trained CNN architecture,

computing an error map representing the computed difference, computing the error map including:

down-sampling a resolution of the computed difference, and

computing the error map with the down-sampled resolution of the difference by creating an image having pixel values, each pixel of the error map having a color following a color scale that penalizes the computed difference, thereby obtaining a coarse error map, and

adding the respective denoised image and the error map to the dataset; and

learning the CNN architecture based on the dataset.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the pre-trained CNN architecture is a Visual Geometric Group (VGG) architecture.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the Visual Geometric Group (VGG) architecture is a VGG-19 architecture, and wherein the first normalized feature of the denoised image and the second normalized feature of the reference image are extracted from 7th and/or 9th and/or 12th layers of the VGG-19 architecture.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having recorded thereon a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for performing a computer-implemented method for forming a dataset configured for learning a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture, the CNN architecture comprising an image feature extractor, the method comprising:

obtaining pairs of images, each pair comprising a reference image and a respective denoised image, the reference image being a Monte-Carlo rendered ray-traced image, the respective denoised image being a result of inputting a respective noisy image of the reference image to a denoiser; and

for each pair of images:

providing the pair of images to a pre-trained CNN architecture similar to the one for which the formed dataset will be configured,

computing a difference between a first normalized feature of the denoised image and a second normalized feature of the reference image, the first and second normalized features being an output of a same layer of the pre-trained CNN architecture,

computing an error map representing the computed difference, computing the error map including:

down-sampling a resolution of the computed difference, and

computing the error map with the down-sampled resolution of the difference by creating an image having pixel values, each pixel of the error map having a color following a color scale that penalizes the computed difference, thereby obtaining a coarse error map, and

adding the respective denoised image and the error map to the dataset.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the pre-trained CNN architecture is a Visual Geometric Group (VGG) architecture.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the Visual Geometric Group (VGG) architecture is a VGG-19 architecture, and wherein the first normalized feature of the denoised image and the second normalized feature of the reference image are extracted from 7th and/or 9th and/or 12th layers of the VGG-19 architecture.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the adding further comprises:

adding to the dataset the respective denoised image, the error map, and a respective noisy image of the reference image, the noisy image being the one from which the denoised image has been obtained.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 20, 2022
From: WEINMANN, ANDREAS; DAMMERTZ, HOLGER
To: DASSAULT SYSTEMES
Reel/Frame 058703/0538 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 20306653 · Dec 21, 2020 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220215510A1 · Jul 7, 2022
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Cited By (1)
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