Patents by Inventor Guy Côté

Guy Côté has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20180166032
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Chaohao Wang, Brijesh Tripathi, Christopher Philip Alan Tann, David S. Zalatimo, Guy Cote, Hao Nan, Marc Albrecht, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Patent number: 9997137
    Abstract: An electronic display includes a display side and an ambient light sensor configured to measure received light received through the display side. The electronic display also includes multiple pixels located between the display side and the ambient light sensor. The multiple pixels are configured to emit display light through the display side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Guy Cote, Mahesh B. Chappalli, Venu M. Duggineni
  • Patent number: 9973723
    Abstract: A method and system for adaptively mixing video components with graphics/UI components, where the video components and graphics/UI components may be of different types, e.g., different dynamic ranges (such as HDR, SDR) and/or color gamut (such as WCG). The mixing may result in a frame optimized for a display device's color space, ambient conditions, viewing distance and angle, etc., while accounting for characteristics of the received data. The methods include receiving video and graphics/UI elements, converting the video to HDR and/or WCG, performing statistical analysis of received data and any additional applicable rendering information, and assembling a video frame with the received components based on the statistical analysis. The assembled video frame may be matched to a color space and displayed. The video data and graphics/UI data may have or be adjusted to have the same white point and/or primaries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Haitao Guo, Kenneth I. Greenebaum, Guy Cote, David W. Singer, Alexandros Tourapis
  • Patent number: 9953613
    Abstract: Methods and devices employing circuitry for dynamically adjusting bandwidth control of a display interface are provided. The display interface or image content is dynamically adjusted to support both high-speed image data (e.g., 120 Hz image data) and lower-speed content (e.g., 60 Hz content). For example, in some embodiments, additional pixel pipelines and/or processing lanes may be activated during the rendering of high-speed image data, but not during the rendering of low-speed image data. Additionally or alternatively, high-speed image data, but not low-speed data, may be compressed to render high-speed content over an interface that supports only low-speed content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Paolo Sacchetto, David W. Lum, Christopher P. Tann, Guy Cote, Chaohao Wang, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Publication number: 20180090102
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving displayed image quality of an electronic display including a display pixel and a display driver are provided. A display pipeline receives input image data that indicates target luminance of the display pixel when displaying an image frame on the electronic display; determines a first bit group in pixel response corrected image data by mapping a first bit group in the input image data based at least in part on a first pixel response correction look-up-table; determines a second bit group in the pixel response corrected image data by mapping a second bit group in the input image data based at least in part on a second pixel response correction look-up-table; and outputs the pixel response corrected image data to the display driver to enable the display driver to facilitate displaying the image frame by writing the display pixel based on the pixel response corrected image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Mahesh B. Chappalli, Chaohao Wang, Guy Côté, Marc Albrecht
  • Publication number: 20180082626
    Abstract: Devices and methods for error diffusion and spatiotemporal dithering are provided. By way of example, a method of operating a display includes receiving a pixel input, a set of pixel coordinates, and a current frame number. A kernel and a particular kernel bit of the kernel is selected from a set of kernels, based upon the pixel input, the pixel coordinates, the frame number, or any combination thereof. A dithered output is determined based at least in part upon the kernel bit. When the display is in a diamond pixel configuration, the dithered output is applied in accordance with a diamond pattern formed by red, blue, or red and blue pixel channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Marc Albrecht, Mahesh B. Chappalli, Christopher P. Tann, Jim C. Chou, Guy Cote
  • Patent number: 9922608
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Chaohao Wang, Brijesh Tripathi, Christopher Philip Alan Tann, David S. Zalatimo, Guy Cote, Hao Nan, Marc Albrecht, Paolo Sacchetto, Sandro H. Pintz
  • Patent number: 9854246
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention may provide a video coder. The video coder may include an encoder to perform coding operations on a video signal in a first format to generate coded video data, and a decoder to decode the coded video data. The video coder may also include an inverse format converter to convert the decoded video data to second format that is different than the first format and an estimator to generate a distortion metric using the decoded video data in the second format and the video signal in the second format. The encoder may adjust the coding operations based on the distortion metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Alexandros Tourapis, David Singer, Guy Cote, Timothy J. Millet
  • Patent number: 9843813
    Abstract: A block processing pipeline in which macroblocks are input to and processed according to row groups so that adjacent macroblocks on a row are not concurrently at adjacent stages of the pipeline. The input method may allow chroma processing to be postponed until after luma processing. One or more upstream stages of the pipeline may process luma elements of each macroblock to generate luma results such as a best mode for processing the luma elements. Luma results may be provided to one or more downstream stages of the pipeline that process chroma elements of each macroblock. The luma results may be used to determine processing of the chroma elements. For example, if the best mode for luma is an intra-frame mode, then a chroma processing stage may determine a best intra-frame mode for chroma and reconstruct the chroma elements according to the best chroma intra-frame mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Cote, Craig M. Okruhlica
  • Patent number: 9807410
    Abstract: Video encoders may determine an initial designation of a mode in which to encode a block of pixels in an early stage of a block processing pipeline. A component of a late stage of the block processing pipeline (one that precedes the transcoder) may determine a different mode designation for the block of pixels based on coded block pattern information, motion vector information, the position of the block in a row of such blocks, the order in which such blocks are processed in the pipeline, or other encoding related syntax elements. The component in the late stage may communicate information to the transcoder usable in coding the block of pixels, such as modified syntax elements or an end of row marker. The transcoder may encode the block of pixels in accordance with the different mode designation or may change the mode again, dependent on the communicated information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jim C. Chou, Guy Cote
  • Patent number: 9762919
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for caching reference data in a block processing pipeline. A cache may be implemented to which reference data corresponding to motion vectors for blocks being processed in the pipeline may be prefetched from memory. Prefetches for the motion vectors may be initiated one or more stages prior to a processing stage. Cache tags for the cache may be defined by the motion vectors. When a motion vector is received, the tags can be checked to determine if there are cache block(s) corresponding to the vector (cache hits) in the cache. Upon a cache miss, a cache block in the cache is selected according to a replacement policy, the respective tag is updated, and a prefetch (e.g., via DMA) for the respective reference data is issued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Cote, Joseph P. Bratt, Timothy J. Millet, Shing I. Kong, Joseph J. Cheng
  • Patent number: 9741099
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, D. Amnon Silverstein, Guy Cote, Steven David Hordley, Graham Finlayson, Weichun Ku, Joseph P. Bratt
  • Patent number: 9743057
    Abstract: Systems and methods for correcting intensity drop-offs due to geometric properties of lenses are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving an input pixel of the image data, the image data acquired using an image sensor. A color component of the input pixel is determined. A gain grid is determined by pointing to the gain grid in external memory. Each of the plurality of grid points is associated with a lens shading gain selected based upon the color of the input pixel. A nearest set of grid points that enclose the input pixel is identified. Further, a lens shading gain is determined by interpolating the lens shading gains associated with each of the set of grid points and is applied to the input pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Guy Cote, Joseph Anthony Petolino, Jr., Suk Hwan Lim, D. Amnon Silverstein
  • Publication number: 20170214912
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Guy Cote, Athanasios Leontaris
  • Patent number: 9691349
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for passing source pixel data through a display control unit. A display control unit includes N-bit pixel component processing lanes for processing source pixel data. When the display control unit receives M-bit source pixel components, wherein ‘M’ is greater than ‘N’, the display control unit may assign the M-bit source pixel components to the N-bit processing lanes. Then, the M-bit source pixel components may passthrough the pixel component processing elements of the display control unit without being modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brijesh Tripathi, Peter F. Holland, Guy Cote
  • Patent number: 9672765
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Cote, Mahesh B. Chappalli
  • Publication number: 20170094304
    Abstract: System and method for improving operational efficiency of a video encoding pipeline used to encode image data. The video encoding pipeline includes a mode decision block, which selects a first inter-frame prediction mode used to prediction encode a first prediction unit, and a motion estimation block, which receives the first inter-frame prediction mode as feedback from the mode decision block when processing a second prediction unit; determines an initial candidate inter-frame prediction mode of the second prediction unit based at least in part on the first inter-frame prediction mode; and determines a final candidate inter-frame prediction mode of the second prediction unit by performing a first motion estimation search based at least in part on the initial candidate inter-frame prediction mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Jim C. Chou, Mark P. Rygh, Guy Côté
  • Publication number: 20170092174
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Guy Cote, Mahesh B. Chappalli
  • Publication number: 20170094311
    Abstract: System and method for improving operational efficiency of a video encoding pipeline used to encode image data. In embodiments, the video encoding pipeline includes a low resolution pipeline that includes a low resolution motion estimation block, which generates downscaled image data by reducing resolution of the image data and determines a low resolution inter-frame prediction mode by performing a motion estimation search using the downscaled image data and previously downscaled image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Jim C. Chou, Mark P. Rygh, Guy Côté
  • Publication number: 20170094293
    Abstract: System and method for improving operational efficiency of a video encoding pipeline used to encode image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Jim C. Chou, Mark P. Rygh, Guy Côté