Method, apparatus and system for multi-feature programmable tap filter image processing

• US 20060140501A1
• Filed: 12/27/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Tadas, Shashikiran H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,471,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/260
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/20 using local operators

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods for providing a multi-feature, programmable tap filter architecture for image processing are disclosed. In one implementation, a system includes an image data source for providing image pixel data, an image filtering coefficient source for providing a plurality of image filtering coefficient sets, and image processing logic capable of at least filtering the image pixel data using one or more image filtering coefficient sets specified by one or more indicators. The processing logic being also capable of blending adjacent and/or non-adjacent tap filter outputs to generate blended tap filter outputs.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

configuring at least a first indicator;

selecting a coefficient set in response to at least the first indicator; and

filtering image data using the selected coefficient set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a coefficient set in response to at least the first indicator further comprises selecting a coefficient set in response to at least a second indicator.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second indicators comprise data bits stored in a register and/or memory.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a coefficient set in response to at least the first indicator further comprises selecting a coefficient set in response to one or more indicators associated with input data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the input data is associated with the image data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the image data comprises pixel data and wherein the input data comprises one or more bits of the pixel data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selectively outputting filtered image data, wherein the filtered image data may be selectively outputted as adjacent tap filter output data or non-adjacent tap filter output data.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

blending either the adjacent tap filter output data or the non-adjacent tap filter output data to generate blended tap filter output data.

9. A system comprising:

an image data source for providing image pixel data;

an image filtering coefficient source for providing a plurality of image filtering coefficient sets; and

image processing logic responsive to the image data source and to the image filtering coefficient source, the image processing logic capable of at least filtering the image pixel data using one or more image filtering coefficient sets specified by one or more indicators.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the image processing logic further comprises a register, and wherein the register stores at least one of the one or more indicators.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more indicators include at least one indicator associated with the image pixel data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one indicator associated with the image pixel data comprises one or more bits of the image pixel data.

13. The system of claim 11, the image processing logic further capable of dynamically filtering the image pixel data in response to the at least one indicator associated with the image pixel data.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the image processing logic is further capable of blending adjacent and/or non-adjacent tap filter outputs to generate blended tap filter outputs.

15. A device comprising:

an image filtering coefficient source for providing a plurality of image filtering coefficient sets;

a register, the register including one or more indicators; and

image processing logic responsive to the image filtering coefficient source and to the one or more indicators, the image processing logic capable of at least the following;

selecting one or more image filtering coefficient sets of the plurality of image filtering coefficient sets in response to the one or more indicators; and

filtering image data using filtering coefficients of the one or more selected coefficient sets.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the image processing logic is further capable of selecting one or more image filtering coefficient sets in response to indicator data associated with the image data.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the one or more indicators include at least one indicator for indicating that the image processing logic should select one or more image filtering coefficient sets in response to the indicator data associated with the image data.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the image processing logic includes:

a first separable filter element; and

a second separable filter element,

wherein the first separable filter element filters image data in a first dimension in response to an indicator of the one or more indicators, and wherein the second separable filter element filters image data in a second dimension in response to a different indicator of the one or more indicators.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the image processing logic is further capable of blending filtered output data of the first separable filter element with filtered output data of the second separable filter element.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first and second separable filter elements are capable of outputting adjacent and/or non-adjacent tap filtered image data.