Abstract: Systems and methods for performing Census Transforms that includes an input from an image, with a support window created within the image, and a kernel within the support window. The Census Transform calculations and comparisons are performed within the kernel windows. A new Census Transform is disclosed which always inverts a previously made comparison. This new approach can be demonstrated to be equivalent to, applying the original Census Transform, on a pre-processed input kernel, where the pre-processing step adds a fractional position index to each pixel within the N×N kernel. The fractional positional index ensures that no two pixels are equal to one another, and thereby makes the Original Census algorithm on pre-processed kernel same as the new Census algorithm on original kernel. The hardware design for this new Census Transform kernel allows for an always invert of previous comparison system resulting in reduced hardware and power consumption.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing Census Transforms that includes an input from an image, with a support window created within the image, and a kernel within the support window. The Census Transform calculations and comparisons are performed within the kernel windows. A new Census Transform is disclosed which always inverts a previously made comparison. This new approach can be demonstrated to be equivalent to, applying the original Census Transform, on a pre-processed input kernel, where the pre-processing step adds a fractional position index to each pixel within the N×N kernel. The fractional positional index ensures that no two pixels are equal to one another, and thereby makes the Original Census algorithm on pre-processed kernel same as the new Census algorithm on original kernel. The hardware design for this new Census Transform kernel allows for an always invert of previous comparison system resulting in reduced hardware and power consumption.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing Census Transforms that includes an input from an image, with a support window created within the image, and a kernel within the support window. The Census Transform calculations and comparisons are performed within the kernel windows. One disclosed method allows for previously performed comparison to be calculated and compared as an if not equal invert or if equal use pervious comparison hardware design. Alternatively, a new Census Transform is disclosed which always inverts a previously made comparison. This new approach can be demonstrated to be equivalent to, applying the original Census Transform, on a pre-processed input kernel, where the pre-processing step adds a fractional position index to each pixel within the N×N kernel. The fractional positional index ensures that no two pixels are equal to one another, and thereby makes the Original Census algorithm on pre-processed kernel same as the new Census algorithm on original kernel.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing Census Transforms that includes an input from an image, with a support window created within the image, and a kernel within the support window. The Census Transform calculations and comparisons are performed within the kernel windows. One disclosed method allows for previously performed comparison to be calculated and compared as an if not equal invert or if equal use pervious comparison hardware design. Alternatively, a new Census Transform is disclosed which always inverts a previously made comparison. This new approach can be demonstrated to be equivalent to, applying the original Census Transform, on a pre-processed input kernel, w here the pre-processing step adds a fractional position index to each pixel within the N×N kernel. The fractional positional index ensures that no two pixels are equal to one another, and thereby makes the Original Census algorithm on pre-processed kernel same as the new Census algorithm on original kernel.

Abstract: An array transducer ultrasound beamformer includes a plurality of processing channels, one for each active element of the transducer array. Each channel includes a digitizing unit for converting the received signal to digital samples and a time multiplexed delay unit for producing a primary stream of delayed TDM samples corresponding to one or more beams. Within each channel, the primary stream of delayed TDM samples is demultiplexed in order to separate the stream in a plurality of secondary streams of delayed TDM samples, wherein each of the secondary streams corresponds to a portion of a beam or a single beam.