Patents by Inventor Simon Nicholas Heyward

Simon Nicholas Heyward 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).

  • Patent number: 9077969
    Abstract: Systems and methods of determining motion vectors, such as for video encoding, are disclosed. In one example, motion vectors are determined for a current frame, using sampled pixel information from a reference frame. Sampled pixel information is obtained using a sampling pattern. The sampling pattern, in one example, includes subsampling pixels at different rates for horizontal and vertical directions. The subsampling rate can differ, based on an amount of motion represented by a matching block (e.g., the farther a match is found away from an origin of the block, the more subsampling can be done). In another example, a full pixel resolution is maintained proximal an original location of the block; as distance increases in one or more directions, subsampling can begin and/or increase. Sampled pixels can be stored. Interpolation of the sampled pixels can be performed and the sampled and resulting interpolated pixels can be used for comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Simon Nicholas Heyward
  • Publication number: 20140269921
    Abstract: Systems and methods of determining motion vectors, such as for video encoding, are disclosed. In one example, motion vectors are determined for a current frame, using sampled pixel information from a reference frame. Sampled pixel information is obtained using a sampling pattern. The sampling pattern, in one example, includes subsampling pixels at different rates for horizontal and vertical directions. The subsampling rate can differ, based on an amount of motion represented by a matching block (e.g., the farther a match is found away from an origin of the block, the more subsampling can be done). In another example, a full pixel resolution is maintained proximal an original location of the block; as distance increases in one or more directions, subsampling can begin and/or increase. Sampled pixels can be stored. Interpolation of the sampled pixels can be performed and the sampled and resulting interpolated pixels can be used for comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Simon Nicholas Heyward
  • Patent number: 8743959
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for estimating motion and sequence of video images. A plurality of fields of a sequence of video images are stored, then, for each of plurality of blocks of pixels in each field, a test is performed on a set of candidate motion vectors to determine which motion vector gives the best fit in determining the motion between adjacent fields for that block. The testing step includes determining the amount of motion blur present in the image and modifying the testing of candidate motion vectors in dependence on this motion blur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Inventor: Simon Nicholas Heyward
  • Patent number: 8625673
    Abstract: Systems and methods of determining motion vectors, such as for video encoding, are disclosed. In one example, motion vectors are determined for a current frame, using sampled pixel information from a reference frame. Sampled pixel information is obtained using a sampling pattern. The sampling pattern, in one example, includes subsampling pixels at different rates for horizontal and vertical directions. The subsampling rate can differ, based on an amount of motion represented by a matching block (e.g., the farther a match is found away from an origin of the block, the more subsampling can be done). In another example, a full pixel resolution is maintained proximal an original location of the block; as distance increases in one or more directions, subsampling can begin and/or increase. Sampled pixels can be stored. Interpolation of the sampled pixels can be performed and the sampled and resulting interpolated pixels can be used for comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventor: Simon Nicholas Heyward
  • Publication number: 20120269400
    Abstract: Systems and methods of determining motion vectors, such as for video encoding, are disclosed. In one example, motion vectors are determined for a current frame, using sampled pixel information from a reference frame. Sampled pixel information is obtained using a sampling pattern. The sampling pattern, in one example, includes subsampling pixels at different rates for horizontal and vertical directions. The subsampling rate can differ, based on an amount of motion represented by a matching block (e.g., the farther a match is found away from an origin of the block, the more subsampling can be done). In another example, a full pixel resolution is maintained proximal an original location of the block; as distance increases in one or more directions, subsampling can begin and/or increase. Sampled pixels can be stored. Interpolation of the sampled pixels can be performed and the sampled and resulting interpolated pixels can be used for comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Simon Nicholas Heyward
  • Patent number: 8130837
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for determining motion between a first and second video image. The apparatus includes an input device for receiving the first and the second video image with a plurality of pixels, a block selector for selecting a block of pixels within the first video image, a search area selector for selecting at least part of the second video image to produce a search area, a sampler for sampling the pixels of the search area in a predetermined pattern and a comparator for comparing the selected block of pixels within the first video image with at least one block of the sampled pixels of the search area to determine the motion of the block of pixels between the images. The pattern of sampled pixels varies throughout the search area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Simon Nicholas Heyward