Abstract: A method of balancing workloads among processing elements (PEs) in a neural network processor can include receiving first weights and second weights of a neural network. The first and second weights are associated with a first and a second output channel (OC), respectively. A first PE computes a partial sum (PSUM) of an output activation of the first OC based on the non-zero weights in the first weights. A second PE computes a PSUM of an output activation of the second OC based on the non-zero weights in the second weights. A controller can allocate one or more non-zero weights of the first weights to the second PE for computing the PSUM of the output activation of the first OC to balance a workload.

Abstract: A deblock method for processing at least one image including a plurality of pixels. The method comprises the step of determining a shift amount of block boundary by pixel data differences between adjacent pixels and thereby determining block boundaries between macroblocks in the image, and the step of optionally performing a deblock process on the block boundaries.

Abstract: A feature-based contrast enhancement apparatus comprises a histogram calculator, a feature value calculator, a first combining circuit, a histogram equalizer and a remapper. By keeping the hardware cost as low as a picture-based contrast enhancement apparatus, the invention has an advantage of suppressing the background noise and enhancing the image details.

Abstract: A dynamic noise filter is disclosed, which includes a noise estimation circuit, a TNR filtering circuit, a SNR filtering circuit, a blending circuit and a motion estimation circuit. By performing noise estimation for each image, the invention dynamically adjusts the strengths of the TNR filter and the SNR filter as well as a blending ratio between the outputs of the TNR filter and the SNR filter, thereby obtaining the best image quality.

Abstract: An image processing system having scaling and sharpness device and method thereof are described. The global frequency detecting unit calculates a vertical frequency level of the input pixels along a vertical direction and a horizontal frequency level along a horizontal direction. The gradient-calculating summation unit calculates a set of gradient brightness levels according to a portion of the input pixels along a set of directions respectively. The threshold-adjusting device adjusts a first threshold and a second threshold based on the relationship of the vertical frequency level and the horizontal frequency level.

Abstract: An apparatus of low angle interpolation is disclosed, which includes a low angle calculation circuit, a direction decision circuit, a post-processing circuit, an interpolator and a line buffer. According to a counterclockwise operating matrix and a clockwise operating matrix whose shapes look like triangles, the invention calculates sum of absolute differences (SAD) for each specified angle to correctly detect edges, thereby minimizing jaggies and frequency alias.

Abstract: The invention discloses an electronic paper display and driving method thereof. The electronic paper display includes a plurality of image units and a control unit. The image units are arranged as a matrix. Before image data received by the electronic paper display being written into the image units, the control unit drives a first image unit of every two adjacent images into a first extreme state and a second image unit of the two adjacent images into a second extreme state during a first preset duration, and drives the first image unit into the second extreme state and the second image unit into the first extreme state during a second preset duration.

Abstract: A feature-based contrast enhancement apparatus comprises a histogram calculator, a feature value calculator, a first combining circuit, a histogram equalizer and a remapper. By keeping the hardware cost as low as a picture-based contrast enhancement apparatus, the invention has an advantage of suppressing the background noise and enhancing the image details.

Abstract: An image processing system having scaling and sharpness device and method thereof are described. The global frequency detecting unit calculates a vertical frequency level of the input pixels along a vertical direction and a horizontal frequency level along a horizontal direction. The gradient-calculating summation unit calculates a set of gradient brightness levels according to a portion of the input pixels along a set of directions respectively. The threshold-adjusting device adjusts a first threshold and a second threshold based on the relationship of the vertical frequency level and the horizontal frequency level.

Abstract: A dynamic noise filter is disclosed, which includes a noise estimation circuit, a TNR filtering circuit, a SNR filtering circuit, a blending circuit and a motion estimation circuit. By performing noise estimation for each image, the invention dynamically adjusts the strengths of the TNR filter and the SNR filter as well as a blending ratio between the outputs of the TNR filter and the SNR filter, thereby obtaining the best image quality.

Abstract: A deblock method for processing at least one image including a plurality of pixels. The method comprises the step of determining a shift amount of block boundary by pixel data differences between adjacent pixels and thereby determining block boundaries between macroblocks in the image, and the step of optionally performing a deblock process on the block boundaries.

Abstract: An apparatus of low angle interpolation is disclosed, which includes a low angle calculation circuit, a direction decision circuit, a post-processing circuit, an interpolator and a line buffer. According to a counterclockwise operating matrix and a clockwise operating matrix whose shapes look like triangles, the invention calculates sum of absolute differences (SAD) for each specified angle to correctly detect edges, thereby minimizing jaggies and frequency alias.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamic contrast enhancement is provided. The apparatus at least comprises a histogram calculator, a low-pass filter, a blending unit and a luma remapper. By means of blending a content-based histogram with a user-defined histogram, the invention solves a problem that the mean luma value is shifted too much due to a drastic adjustment.