Feature computation in a sensor element array
First Claim
1. A vision sensor comprising:
- a sensor element array comprising a plurality of sensor elements, the plurality of sensor elements arranged along at least a first dimension and a second dimension of the sensor element array, each of the plurality of sensor elements capable of generating a signal based on light incident upon the plurality of sensor elements, the signals corresponding to the plurality of sensor elements representing an image;
dedicated computer vision (CV) computation hardware configured to compute a localized CV feature for a block of one or more subject sensor elements based on, at least in part, signals associated with a plurality of neighboring sensor elements in proximity to the block of the one or more subject sensor elements;
integration hardware for computation of combinations, sums, or averages of signals corresponding to blocks of sensor elements corresponding to a subset of the signals representing the image, wherein the dedicated CV computation hardware has access to the computed combinations, sums, or averages; and
a dedicated microprocessor coupled to the dedicated CV computation hardware, wherein the dedicated microprocessor includes an interface for communication with a second microprocessor.
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Abstract
Techniques describe computing computer vision (CV) features based on sensor readings from a sensor and detecting macro-features based on the CV features. The sensor may include a sensor element array that includes a plurality of sensor elements. The sensor may also include in-pixel circuitry coupled to the sensor elements, peripheral circuitry and/or a dedicated microprocessor coupled to the sensor element array. The in-pixel circuitry, the peripheral circuitry or the dedicated microprocessor may include computation structures configured to perform analog or digital operations representative of a multi-pixel computation for a sensor element (or block of sensor elements), based on sensor readings generated by neighboring sensor elements in proximity to the sensor element, and to generate CV features. The dedicated microprocessor may process the CV features and detect macro-features. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the dedicated microprocessor may be coupled to a second microprocessor through a wired or wireless interface.
63 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A vision sensor comprising:
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a sensor element array comprising a plurality of sensor elements, the plurality of sensor elements arranged along at least a first dimension and a second dimension of the sensor element array, each of the plurality of sensor elements capable of generating a signal based on light incident upon the plurality of sensor elements, the signals corresponding to the plurality of sensor elements representing an image; dedicated computer vision (CV) computation hardware configured to compute a localized CV feature for a block of one or more subject sensor elements based on, at least in part, signals associated with a plurality of neighboring sensor elements in proximity to the block of the one or more subject sensor elements; integration hardware for computation of combinations, sums, or averages of signals corresponding to blocks of sensor elements corresponding to a subset of the signals representing the image, wherein the dedicated CV computation hardware has access to the computed combinations, sums, or averages; and a dedicated microprocessor coupled to the dedicated CV computation hardware, wherein the dedicated microprocessor includes an interface for communication with a second microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
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receiving, at a vision sensor, sensor readings based on light incident upon sensor elements from a plurality of sensor elements of the sensor element array the plurality of sensor elements arranged along at least a first dimension and a second dimension of the sensor element array and each capable of generating a signal based on light incident upon the plurality of sensor elements, the signals corresponding to the plurality of sensor elements representing an image; computing, with dedicated computer vision (CV) hardware of the vision sensor, one or more localized CV features for a block of one or more subject sensor elements based on, at least in part, signals associated with a plurality of neighboring sensor elements in proximity to the block of the one or more sensor elements; computing, with integration hardware of the vision sensor, combinations, sums, or averages of signals corresponding to blocks of sensor elements corresponding to a subset of the signals representing the image, wherein the dedicated CV computation hardware has access to the computed combinations, sums, or averages; and generating, at a dedicated microprocessor of the vision sensor that is coupled to the dedicated CV hardware, an indication of a reference object detected based on the computed one or more localized CV features. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A vision sensor comprising:
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means for receiving sensor readings based on light incident upon sensor elements from a plurality of sensor elements of the sensor element array the plurality of sensor elements arranged along at least a first dimension and a second dimension of the sensor element array and each capable of generating a signal based on light incident upon the plurality of sensor elements, the signals corresponding to the plurality of sensor elements representing an image; means for computing one or more localized computer vision (CV) features based on sensor readings from at least neighboring sensor elements for each block of one or more of the sensor elements; means for computing combinations, sums, or averages of signals corresponding to blocks of sensor elements corresponding to a subset of the signals representing the image, wherein the dedicated CV computation hardware has access to the computed combinations, sums, or averages; means for generating an indication of a reference object based on the computed one or more localized CV features; and means for communicating the indication of the reference object to a second microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A vision sensor comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions executable by a dedicated computer vision (CV) microprocessor for:
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controlling a sensor element array for generating sensor readings based on light incident upon sensor elements from a plurality of sensor elements of the sensor element array the plurality of sensor elements arranged along at least a first dimension and a second dimension of the sensor element array; controlling dedicated computer vision (CV) hardware for computing one or more localized CV features for a block of one or more subject sensor elements based on, at least in part, signals associated with a plurality of neighboring sensor elements in proximity to the block of the one or more sensor elements; controlling integration hardware of the vision sensor for computing combinations, sums, or averages of signals corresponding to blocks of sensor elements corresponding to a subset of the signals representing the image, wherein the dedicated CV computation hardware has access to the computed combinations, sums, or averages; and generating, at a dedicated microprocessor coupled to the dedicated CV hardware, an indication of a reference object detected based on the computed one or more localized CV features. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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Specification