公开(公告)号：US10277896B2

公开(公告)日：2019-04-30

申请号：US15004479

申请日：2016-01-22

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Guy Cote ,  Athanasios Leontaris

IPC: H04N19/11 ,  H04N19/124 ,  H04N19/154 ,  H04N19/61 ,  H04N19/593 ,  H04N19/132

Abstract: System and method for improving operational efficiency of a video encoding pipeline, which includes a mode decision block that selects a luma intra-frame prediction mode used to encode a luma component of the source image data and a chroma reconstruction block that determines a first distortion expected to result in a first chroma transform block when each of a plurality of candidate chroma intra-frame prediction modes is implemented based on reconstructed image data, determines a second distortion expected to result in a second chroma transform block of the prediction unit when each of the plurality of candidate chroma intra-frame prediction modes is implemented based at least in part on the source image data, and selects a chroma intra-frame prediction mode used to encode a chroma component from the plurality of candidate chroma intra-frame prediction modes based at least in part on the first distortion and the second distortion.

公开(公告)号：US09922608B2

公开(公告)日：2018-03-20

申请号：US14722620

申请日：2015-05-27

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Chaohao Wang ,  Brijesh Tripathi ,  Christopher Philip Alan Tann ,  David S. Zalatimo ,  Guy Cote ,  Hao Nan ,  Marc Albrecht ,  Paolo Sacchetto ,  Sandro H. Pintz

IPC: G09G3/36

CPC classification number: G09G3/3614 ,  G09G2320/0204 ,  G09G2320/0247 ,  G09G2320/0257 ,  G09G2320/046 ,  G09G2340/0435 ,  G09G2360/16

Abstract: An electronic device may generate content that is to be displayed on a display. The display may have an array of liquid crystal display pixels for displaying image frames of the content. The image frames may be displayed with positive and negative polarities to help reduce charge accumulation effects. A charge accumulation tracker may analyze the image frames to determine when there is a risk of excess charge accumulation. The charge accumulation tracker may analyze information on gray levels, frame duration, and frame polarity. The charge accumulation tracker may compute a charge accumulation metric for entire image frames or may process subregions of each frame separately. When subregions are processed separately, each subregion may be individually monitored for a risk of excess charge accumulation.

公开(公告)号：US09741099B2

公开(公告)日：2017-08-22

申请号：US14822316

申请日：2015-08-10

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Suk Hwan Lim ,  D. Amnon Silverstein ,  Guy Cote ,  Steven David Hordley ,  Graham Finlayson ,  Weichun Ku ,  Joseph P. Bratt

IPC: G06T5/00 ,  G06T5/50 ,  G06T1/20 ,  G06K9/38

CPC classification number: G06T5/001 ,  G06K9/38 ,  G06T1/20 ,  G06T5/002 ,  G06T5/003 ,  G06T5/008 ,  G06T5/50 ,  G06T2207/10024 ,  G06T2207/20012 ,  G06T2207/20028 ,  G06T2207/20208

Abstract: Systems and methods for local tone mapping are provided. In one example, an electronic device includes an electronic display, an imaging device, and an image signal processor. The electronic display may display images of a first bit depth, and the imaging device may include an image sensor that obtains image data of a higher bit depth than the first bit depth. The image signal processor may process the image data, and may include local tone mapping logic that may apply a spatially varying local tone curve to a pixel of the image data to preserve local contrast when displayed on the display. The local tone mapping logic may smooth the local tone curve applied to the intensity difference between the pixel and another nearby pixel exceeds a threshold.

公开(公告)号：US20170092236A1

公开(公告)日：2017-03-30

申请号：US14869148

申请日：2015-09-29

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Brijesh Tripathi ,  Arthur L. Spence ,  Joshua P. de Cesare ,  Ilie Garbacea ,  Guy Cote ,  Mahesh B. Chappalli ,  Malcolm D. Gray

IPC: G09G5/395

CPC classification number: G09G5/395 ,  G06F3/1407 ,  G06F3/147 ,  G09G2310/08 ,  G09G2340/0407 ,  G09G2340/0464 ,  G09G2360/127

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for implementing a timestamp based display update mechanism. A display control unit includes a timestamp queue for storing timestamps, wherein each timestamp indicates when a corresponding frame configuration set should be fetched from memory. At pre-defined intervals, the display control unit may compare the timestamp of the topmost entry of the timestamp queue to a global timer value. If the timestamp is earlier than the global timer value, the display control unit may pop the timestamp entry and fetch the frame next configuration set from memory. The display control unit may then apply the updates of the frame configuration set to its pixel processing elements. After applying the updates, the display control unit may fetch and process the source pixel data and then drive the pixels of the next frame to the display.

公开(公告)号：US20170092210A1

公开(公告)日：2017-03-30

申请号：US14866539

申请日：2015-09-25

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Christopher P. Tann ,  Chaohao Wang ,  David S. Zalatimo ,  Guy Cote ,  Brijesh Tripathi

IPC: G09G3/36

CPC classification number: G09G3/3614 ,  G09G3/20 ,  G09G2310/0256 ,  G09G2310/08 ,  G09G2320/0204 ,  G09G2330/021 ,  G09G2340/0435

Abstract: Devices and methods for reducing and/or substantially eliminating pixel charge imbalance due to variable refresh rates are provided. By way of example, a method includes providing a first frame of image data via a processor to a plurality of pixels of the display during a first frame period corresponding to a first refresh rate, and providing a second frame of image data to the plurality of pixels of the display during a second frame period corresponding to a second refresh rate. The method further includes dividing the first frame period into a first frame sub-period and a second frame sub-period, and driving the plurality of pixels of the display with the first frame of image data during the first frame sub-period and the second frame sub-period.

公开(公告)号：US20170092180A1

公开(公告)日：2017-03-30

申请号：US14870798

申请日：2015-09-30

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Guy Cote ,  Mahesh B. Chappalli

IPC: G09G3/20 ,  G09G3/36 ,  G09G3/32

CPC classification number: G09G3/3648 ,  G09G3/3225 ,  G09G2320/0233 ,  G09G2320/0276 ,  G09G2320/0285 ,  G09G2320/029 ,  G09G2320/041 ,  G09G2320/045 ,  G09G2320/0666

Abstract: A method for adjusting the gain of a plurality of pixels across a display includes determining grid point gain adjustments for a plurality of grid points corresponding to coordinates across the display. The corresponding coordinates have a non-uniform spacing across the display. The method also includes determining uniformity gain adjustments for the plurality of pixels via interpolation with the grid point gain adjustments. The method also includes multiplying the uniformity gain adjustment for each pixel of the plurality of pixels by an input signal to the respective pixel. The drive strength supplied to the respective pixel is based at least in part on the input signal, and the drive strength supplied to each pixel is configured to control the light emitted from the respective pixel.

公开(公告)号：US20170092174A1

公开(公告)日：2017-03-30

申请号：US14871894

申请日：2015-09-30

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Guy Cote ,  Mahesh B. Chappalli

IPC: G09G3/20

CPC classification number: G09G3/20 ,  G09G2300/0452 ,  G09G2320/0242 ,  G09G2320/0285 ,  G09G2320/066 ,  G09G2340/0457

Abstract: Devices and methods for reducing or eliminating sub-pixel layout artifacts on an electronic display are provided. One such device may include an electronic display to display image data, a processor to generate the image data, and sub-pixel layout compensation circuitry that modifies the image data to reduce or eliminate a sub-pixel layout artifact of the electronic display by modifying pixels of the image data on a sub-pixel-by-sub-pixel basis. The sub-pixel layout compensation circuitry may adjust a sub-pixel of a first color in a first pixel based at least in part on a first gradient between the sub-pixel of the first color of the first pixel and a sub-pixel of the first color of a second pixel.

公开(公告)号：US20170078667A1

公开(公告)日：2017-03-16

申请号：US15342128

申请日：2016-11-03

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Alexandros Tourapis ,  Guy Cote

IPC: H04N19/124 ,  H04N19/61 ,  H04N19/51 ,  H04N19/86 ,  H04N19/159 ,  H04N19/13 ,  H04N19/15

CPC classification number: H04N19/124 ,  H04N19/126 ,  H04N19/13 ,  H04N19/136 ,  H04N19/15 ,  H04N19/157 ,  H04N19/159 ,  H04N19/172 ,  H04N19/176 ,  H04N19/186 ,  H04N19/30 ,  H04N19/51 ,  H04N19/61 ,  H04N19/70 ,  H04N19/86 ,  H04N19/96

Abstract: A method of signaling additional chroma QP offset values that are specific to quantization groups is provided, in which each quantization group explicitly specifies its own set of chroma QP offset values. Alternatively, a table of possible sets of chroma QP offset values is specified in the header area of the picture, and each quantization group uses an index to select an entry from the table for determining its own set of chroma QP offset values. The quantization group specific chroma QP offset values are then used to determine the chroma QP values for blocks within the quantization group in addition to chroma QP offset values already specified for higher levels of the video coding hierarchy.

Abstract translation: 提供了一种用于发信号通知量化组特有的附加色度QP偏移值的方法，其中每个量化组明确地指定其自己的色度QP偏移值集合。 或者，在图像的标题区域中指定可能的色度QP偏移值集合的表，并且每个量化组使用索引来从表中选择用于确定其自己的色度QP偏移值集合的条目。 然后，除了已经为视频编码层级的较高级别指定的色度QP偏移值之外，量化组特定色度QP偏移值用于确定量化组内的块的色度QP值。

公开(公告)号：US09558536B2

公开(公告)日：2017-01-31

申请号：US14676615

申请日：2015-04-01

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Peter F. Holland ,  Eric Young ,  Guy Cote

IPC: G06K9/40 ,  G06T5/00 ,  G06T3/40

CPC classification number: G06T5/002 ,  G06T3/4023

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for generating a blur effect on a source image in a power-efficient manner. Pixels of the source image are averaged as they are read into pixel buffers, and then the source image is further downscaled by a first factor. Then, the downscaled source image is upscaled back to the original size, and then this processed image is composited with a semi-transparent image to create a blurred effect of the source image.

Abstract translation: 以功率有效的方式在源图像上产生模糊效果的系统，装置和方法。 源图像的像素在被读取到像素缓冲器中时被平均，然后源图像被第一因子进一步缩小。 然后，将缩小的源图像放大到原始尺寸，然后将该处理后的图像与半透明图像合成，以产生源图像的模糊效果。

公开(公告)号：US09473778B2

公开(公告)日：2016-10-18

申请号：US14039871

申请日：2013-09-27

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Jim C. Chou ,  Craig M. Okruhlica ,  Guy Cote

IPC: H04N7/26 ,  H04N19/17 ,  H04N19/105 ,  H04N19/147 ,  H04N19/192 ,  H04N19/176 ,  H04N19/186

CPC classification number: H04N19/17 ,  H04N19/105 ,  H04N19/147 ,  H04N19/176 ,  H04N19/186 ,  H04N19/192

Abstract: The video encoders described herein may make an initial determination to designate a macroblock as a skip macroblock, but may subsequently reverse that decision based on additional information. For example, an initial skip mode decision may be based on aggregate distortion metrics for the luma component of the macroblock (e.g., SAD, SATD, or SSD), then reversed based on an individual pixel difference metric, an aggregate or individual pixel metric for a chroma component of the macroblock, or on the position of the macroblock within a macroblock row. The final skip mode decision may be based, at least in part, on the maximum difference between any pixel in the macroblock (or in a region of interest within the macroblock) and the corresponding pixel in a reference frame. The initial skip mode decision may be made during an early stage of a pipelined video encoding process and reversed in a later stage.

Abstract translation: 本文描述的视频编码器可以进行初始确定以将宏块指定为跳过宏块，但是随后可以基于附加信息来反转该决定。 例如，初始跳过模式决定可以基于宏块的亮度分量（例如，SAD，SATD或SSD）的聚合失真度量，然后基于单独的像素差异度量来反转，聚合或单独的像素度量用于 宏块的色度分量，或宏块行内宏块的位置。 至少部分地，最终跳过模式决定基于宏块中的任何像素（或宏块内的感兴趣区域）与参考帧中的相应像素之间的最大差异。 初始跳过模式决定可以在流水线视频编码处理的早期阶段进行，并且在稍后的阶段中反转。