Abstract: A method is described that includes, on an image processor having a two dimensional execution lane array and a two dimensional shift register array, repeatedly shifting first content of multiple rows or columns of the two dimensional shift register array and repeatedly executing at least one instruction between shifts that operates on the shifted first content and/or second content that is resident in respective locations of the two dimensional shift register array that the shifted first content has been shifted into.

Abstract: An apparatus is described that include a line buffer unit composed of a plurality of a line buffer interface units. Each line buffer interface unit is to handle one or more requests by a respective producer to store a respective line group in a memory and handle one or more requests by a respective consumer to fetch and provide the respective line group from memory. The line buffer unit has programmable storage space whose information establishes line group size so that different line group sizes for different image sizes are storable in memory.

Abstract: An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes an execution lane array coupled to a two dimensional shift register array structure. Locations in the execution lane array are coupled to same locations in the two-dimensional shift register array structure such that different execution lanes have different dedicated registers.

Abstract: An apparatus that includes a program controller to fetch and issue instructions is described. The apparatus includes an execution lane having at least one execution unit to execute the instructions. The execution lane is part of an execution lane array that is coupled to a two dimensional shift register array structure, wherein, execution lane s of the execution lane array are located at respective array locations and are coupled to dedicated registers at same respective array locations in the two-dimensional shift register array.

Abstract: A sheet generator circuit is described. The sheet generator includes electronic circuitry to receive a line group of image data including multiple rows of data from a frame of image data. The multiple rows are sufficient in number to encompass multiple neighboring overlapping stencils. The electronic circuitry is to parse the line group into a smaller sized sheet. The electronic circuitry is to load the sheet into a data computation unit having a two dimensional shift array structure coupled to an array of processors.

Abstract: A method is described that includes loading an array of content into a two-dimensional shift register. The two-dimensional shift register is coupled to an execution lane array. The method includes repeatedly performing a first sequence including: shifting with the shift register first content residing along a particular row or column into another parallel row or column where second content resides and performing operations with a particular corresponding row or column of the execution lane array on the first and second content. The method also includes repeatedly performing a second sequence including: shifting with the shift register content from a set of first locations along a resultant row or column that is parallel with the rows or columns of the first sequence into a corresponding set of second locations along the resultant row or column. The resultant row or column has values determined from the operations of the first sequence.

Abstract: An apparatus that includes a program controller to fetch and issue instructions is described. The apparatus includes an execution lane having at least one execution unit to execute the instructions. The execution lane is part of an execution lane array that is coupled to a two dimensional shift register array structure, wherein, execution lane s of the execution lane array are located at respective array locations and are coupled to dedicated registers at same respective array locations in the two-dimensional shift register array.

Abstract: A method is described that includes executing a convolutional neural network layer on an image processor having an array of execution lanes and a two-dimensional shift register. The two-dimensional shift register provides local respective register space for the execution lanes. The executing of the convolutional neural network includes loading a plane of image data of a three-dimensional block of image data into the two-dimensional shift register.

Abstract: A method is described that includes executing a convolutional neural network layer on an image processor having an array of execution lanes and a two-dimensional shift register. The executing of the convolutional neural network includes loading a plane of image data of a three-dimensional block of image data into the two-dimensional shift register.

Abstract: In a general aspect, an apparatus can include image processing logic (IPL) configured to perform an image processing operation on pixel data corresponding with an image having a width of W pixels and a height of H pixels to produce output pixel data in vertical slices of K pixels using K vertically overlapping stencils of S×S pixels, K being greater than 1 and less than H, S being greater than or equal to 2, and W being greater than S. The apparatus can also include a linebuffer operationally coupled with the IPL, the linebuffer configured to buffer the pixel data for the IPL. The linebuffer can include a full-size buffer having a width of W and a height of (S?1). The linebuffer can also include a sliding buffer having a width of SB and a height of K, SB being greater than or equal to S and less than W.

Abstract: An apparatus is described that include a line buffer unit composed of a plurality of a line buffer interface units. Each line buffer interface unit is to handle one or more requests by a respective producer to store a respective line group in a memory and handle one or more requests by a respective consumer to fetch and provide the respective line group from memory. The line buffer unit has programmable storage space whose information establishes line group size so that different line group sizes for different image sizes are storable in memory.

Abstract: An apparatus that includes a program controller to fetch and issue instructions is described. The apparatus includes an execution lane having at least one execution unit to execute the instructions. The execution lane is part of an execution lane array that is coupled to a two dimensional shift register array structure, wherein, execution lane s of the execution lane array are located at respective array locations and are coupled to dedicated registers at same respective array locations in the two-dimensional shift register array.

Abstract: An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes an image processing unit. The image processing unit includes a plurality of stencil processor circuits each comprising an array of execution unit lanes coupled to a two-dimensional shift register array structure to simultaneously process multiple overlapping stencils through execution of program code. The image processing unit includes a plurality of sheet generators respectively coupled between the plurality of stencil processors and the network. The sheet generators are to parse input line groups of image data into input sheets of image data for processing by the stencil processors, and, to form output line groups of image data from output sheets of image data received from the stencil processors. The image processing unit includes a plurality of line buffer units coupled to the network to pass line groups in a direction from producing stencil processors to consuming stencil processors to implement an overall program flow.

Abstract: A sheet generator circuit is described. The sheet generator includes electronic circuitry to receive a line group of image data including multiple rows of data from a frame of image data. The multiple rows are sufficient in number to encompass multiple neighboring overlapping stencils. The electronic circuitry is to parse the line group into a smaller sized sheet. The electronic circuitry is to load the sheet into a data computation unit having a two dimensional shift array structure coupled to an array of processors.

Abstract: A method is described that includes, on an image processor having a two dimensional execution lane array and a two dimensional shift register array, repeatedly shifting first content of multiple rows or columns of the two dimensional shift register array and repeatedly executing at least one instruction between shifts that operates on the shifted first content and/or second content that is resident in respective locations of the two dimensional shift register array that the shifted first content has been shifted into.

Abstract: An apparatus is described that include a line buffer unit composed of a plurality of a line buffer interface units. Each line buffer interface unit is to handle one or more requests by a respective producer to store a respective line group in a memory and handle one or more requests by a respective consumer to fetch and provide the respective line group from memory. The line buffer unit has programmable storage space whose information establishes line group size so that different line group sizes for different image sizes are storable in memory.

Abstract: In a general aspect, an apparatus can include image processing logic (IPL) configured to perform an image processing operation on pixel data corresponding with an image having a width of W pixels and a height of H pixels to produce output pixel data in vertical slices of K pixels using K vertically overlapping stencils of S×S pixels, K being greater than 1 and less than H, S being greater than or equal to 2, and W being greater than S. The apparatus can also include a linebuffer operationally coupled with the IPL, the linebuffer configured to buffer the pixel data for the IPL. The linebuffer can include a full-size buffer having a width of W and a height of (S?1). The linebuffer can also include a sliding buffer having a width of SB and a height of K, SB being greater than or equal to S and less than W.

Abstract: A sheet generator circuit is described. The sheet generator includes electronic circuitry to receive a line group of image data including multiple rows of data from a frame of image data. The multiple rows are sufficient in number to encompass multiple neighboring overlapping stencils. The electronic circuitry is to parse the line group into a smaller sized sheet. The electronic circuitry is to load the sheet into a data computation unit having a two dimensional shift array structure coupled to an array of processors.

Abstract: A method is described that includes executing a convolutional neural network layer on an image processor having an array of execution lanes and a two-dimensional shift register. The two-dimensional shift register provides local respective register space for the execution lanes. The executing of the convolutional neural network includes loading a plane of image data of a three-dimensional block of image data into the two-dimensional shift register.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for restructuring an image processing pipeline. The method includes compiling program code targeted for an image processor having programmable stencil processors composed of respective two-dimensional execution lane and shift register circuit structures. The program code is to implement a directed acyclic graph and is composed of multiple kernels that are to execute on respective ones of the stencil processors, wherein the compiling includes performing any of: horizontal fusion of kernels; vertical fusion of kernels; fission of one of the kernels into multiple kernels; spatial partitioning of a kernel into multiple spatially partitioned kernels; or splitting the directed acyclic graph into smaller graphs.