Patents by Inventor Suk Hwan Lim

Suk Hwan Lim 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: 20230336888
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for image data processing. In certain embodiments, an image processing pipeline may be configured to receive a frame of the image data having a plurality of pixels acquired using a digital image sensor. The image processing pipeline may then be configured to determine a first plurality of correction factors that may correct each pixel in the plurality of pixels for fixed pattern noise. The first plurality of correction factors may be determined based at least in part on fixed pattern noise statistics that correspond to the frame of the image data. After determining the first plurality of correction factors, the image processing pipeline may be configured to configured to apply the first plurality of correction factors to the plurality of pixels, thereby reducing the fixed pattern noise present in the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Guy Cote, D. Amnon Silverstein, Suk Hwan Lim, Sheng Lin, Haitao Guo
  • Patent number: 11689826
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for image data processing. In certain embodiments, an image processing pipeline may be configured to receive a frame of the image data having a plurality of pixels acquired using a digital image sensor. The image processing pipeline may then be configured to determine a first plurality of correction factors that may correct each pixel in the plurality of pixels for fixed pattern noise. The first plurality of correction factors may be determined based at least in part on fixed pattern noise statistics that correspond to the frame of the image data. After determining the first plurality of correction factors, the image processing pipeline may be configured to configured to apply the first plurality of correction factors to the plurality of pixels, thereby reducing the fixed pattern noise present in the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Cote, D. Amnon Silverstein, Suk Hwan Lim, Sheng Lin, Haitao Guo
  • Publication number: 20230108491
    Abstract: An image signal processor includes a statistic data generating unit for receiving an image signal from an external device, an image processing unit for receiving the image signal, and a direct memory access (DMA) module connected to the statistic data generating unit and the image processing unit. The statistic data generating unit performs first image pre-processing on the image signal and generates first statistic data based on the image signal subjected to the first image pre-processing. The DMA module stores the first statistic data therein and provides the stored first statistic data to the image processing unit. The image processing unit performs second image pre-processing on the image signal and performs image processing on the image signal based on the first statistic data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: DONG-BUM CHOI, IL DO KIM, DONG WOO LEE, NA-RI IM, KYU YUL CHOI, JONG SEONG CHOI, SUK HWAN LIM
  • Publication number: 20220014697
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for image data processing. In certain embodiments, an image processing pipeline may be configured to receive a frame of the image data having a plurality of pixels acquired using a digital image sensor. The image processing pipeline may then be configured to determine a first plurality of correction factors that may correct each pixel in the plurality of pixels for fixed pattern noise. The first plurality of correction factors may be determined based at least in part on fixed pattern noise statistics that correspond to the frame of the image data. After determining the first plurality of correction factors, the image processing pipeline may be configured to configured to apply the first plurality of correction factors to the plurality of pixels, thereby reducing the fixed pattern noise present in the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Guy Cote, D. Amnon Silverstein, Suk Hwan Lim, Sheng Lin, Haitao Guo
  • Patent number: 11089247
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for image data processing. In certain embodiments, an image processing pipeline may be configured to receive a frame of the image data having a plurality of pixels acquired using a digital image sensor. The image processing pipeline may then be configured to determine a first plurality of correction factors that may correct each pixel in the plurality of pixels for fixed pattern noise. The first plurality of correction factors may be determined based at least in part on fixed pattern noise statistics that correspond to the frame of the image data. After determining the first plurality of correction factors, the image processing pipeline may be configured to configured to apply the first plurality of correction factors to the plurality of pixels, thereby reducing the fixed pattern noise present in the plurality of pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Guy Cote, D. Amnon Silverstein, Suk Hwan Lim, Sheng Lin, Haitao Guo
  • Patent number: 10929945
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides image capture devices and associated methods that feature intelligent use of hardware-generated statistics. An example image capture device can include an imaging hardware pipeline that generates frames of imagery. The imaging hardware pipeline can generate one or more hardware-generated statistics based at least in part on, for example, the raw image data captured by the image sensor or intermediate image data within the pipeline. The image capture device can analyze the hardware-generated statistics to determine one or more metrics for the raw image data or the image. The image capture device can determine a downstream operation of the image capture device relative to the image based at least in part on the metrics determined from the hardware generated statistics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, Huizhong Chen, David Chen, Hsin-I Liu
  • Patent number: 10911673
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an electronic device may be configured to capture still frames during video capture but may capture the still frames in the 4×3 aspect ratio and at higher resolution than the 16×9 aspect ratio video frames. The device may interleave high resolution, 4×3 frames and lower resolution 16×9 frames in the video sequence, and may capture the nearest higher resolution, 4×3 frame when the user indicates the capture of a still frame. Alternatively, the device may display 16×9 frames in the video sequence, and then expand to 4×3 frames when a shutter button is pressed. The device may capture the still frame and return to the 16×9 video frames responsive to a release of the shutter button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: D. Amnon Silverstein, Shun Wai Go, Suk Hwan Lim, Timothy J. Millet, Ting Chen, Bin Ni
  • Patent number: 10868985
    Abstract: An image signal processor may include a pixel defect correction component that tracks defect history for frames captured by an image sensor and applies the history when identifying and correcting defective pixels in a frame. The component maintains a defect pixel location table that includes a defect confidence value for pixels of the image sensor. The component identifies defective pixels in a frame, for example by comparing each pixel's value to the values of its neighbor pixels. If a pixel is detected as defective, its defect confidence value may be incremented. Otherwise, the value may be decremented. If a pixel's defect confidence value is over a defect confidence threshold, the pixel is considered defective and thus may be corrected. If a pixel's defect confidence value is under the threshold, the pixel is considered not defective and thus may not be corrected even if the pixel was detected as defective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sheng Lin, D. Amnon Silverstein, David R. Pope, Suk Hwan Lim
  • Patent number: 10747843
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a configurable convolution engine that receives configuration information to perform convolution or its variant operations on streaming input data of various formats. To process streaming input data, input data of multiple channels are received and stored in an input buffer circuit in an interleaved manner. Data values of the interleaved input data are retrieved and forwarded to multiplier circuits where multiplication with a corresponding filter element of a kernel is performed. Varying number of kernels with different sizes and sparsity can also be used for the convolution operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, Junji Sugisawa, Muge Wang
  • Patent number: 10719918
    Abstract: An image processing pipeline may dynamically determine filtering strengths for noise filtering of image data. Statistics may be collected for an image at an image processing pipeline. The statistics may be accessed and evaluated to generate a filter strength model that maps respective filtering strengths to different portions of the image. A noise filter may determine a filtering strength for image data received at the noise filter according to the filter strength model. The noise filter may then apply a filtering technique according to the determined filtering strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, D. Amnon Silverstein
  • Publication number: 20200184000
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a configurable convolution engine that receives configuration information to perform convolution or its variant operations on streaming input data of various formats. To process streaming input data, input data of multiple channels are received and stored in an input buffer circuit in an interleaved manner. Data values of the interleaved input data are retrieved and forwarded to multiplier circuits where multiplication with a corresponding filter element of a kernel is performed. Varying number of kernels with different sizes and sparsity can also be used for the convolution operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, Junji Sugisawa, Muge Wang
  • Patent number: 10606918
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a configurable convolution engine that receives configuration information to perform convolution or its variant operations on streaming input data of various formats. To process streaming input data, input data of multiple channels are received and stored in an input buffer circuit in an interleaved manner. Data values of the interleaved input data are retrieved and forwarded to multiplier circuits where multiplication with a corresponding filter element of a kernel is performed. Varying number of kernels with different sizes and sparsity can also be used for the convolution operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, Junji Sugisawa, Muge Wang
  • Publication number: 20200084401
    Abstract: An image signal processor may include a pixel defect correction component that tracks defect history for frames captured by an image sensor and applies the history when identifying and correcting defective pixels in a frame. The component maintains a defect pixel location table that includes a defect confidence value for pixels of the image sensor. The component identifies defective pixels in a frame, for example by comparing each pixel's value to the values of its neighbor pixels. If a pixel is detected as defective, its defect confidence value may be incremented. Otherwise, the value may be decremented. If a pixel's defect confidence value is over a defect confidence threshold, the pixel is considered defective and thus may be corrected. If a pixel's defect confidence value is under the threshold, the pixel is considered not defective and thus may not be corrected even if the pixel was detected as defective.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sheng Lin, D. Amnon Silverstein, David R. Pope, Suk Hwan Lim
  • Patent number: 10586128
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a histogram-of-oriented gradients (HOG) module. The HOG module is implemented in hardware rather than software. The HOG module applies an algorithm to an image to identify gradient orientation in localized portions of the image. The HOG module creates a histogram-of orientation gradients based on the identified gradient orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, Jaewon Shin
  • Publication number: 20200068129
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an electronic device may be configured to capture still frames during video capture but may capture the still frames in the 4×3 aspect ratio and at higher resolution than the 16×9 aspect ratio video frames. The device may interleave high resolution, 4×3 frames and lower resolution 16×9 frames in the video sequence, and may capture the nearest higher resolution, 4×3 frame when the user indicates the capture of a still frame. Alternatively, the device may display 16×9 frames in the video sequence, and then expand to 4×3 frames when a shutter button is pressed. The device may capture the still frame and return to the 16×9 video frames responsive to a release of the shutter button.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: D. Amnon Silverstein, Shun Wai Go, Suk Hwan Lim, Timothy J. Millet, Ting Chen, Bin Ni
  • Publication number: 20200057789
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a configurable convolution engine that receives configuration information to perform convolution or its variant operations on streaming input data of various formats. To process streaming input data, input data of multiple channels are received and stored in an input buffer circuit in an interleaved manner. Data values of the interleaved input data are retrieved and forwarded to multiplier circuits where multiplication with a corresponding filter element of a kernel is performed. Varying number of kernels with different sizes and sparsity can also be used for the convolution operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, Junji Sugisawa, Muge Wang
  • Patent number: 10547779
    Abstract: An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a smart image sensor having a memory and a processor that are locally integrated with an image sensor. The memory is to store first program code to be executed by the processor. The memory is coupled to the image sensor and the processor. The memory is to store second program code to be executed by the processor. The first program code is to cause the smart image sensor to perform an analysis on one or more images captured by the image sensor. The analysis identifies a region of interest within the one or more images with machine learning from previously captured images. The second program code is to cause the smart image sensor to change an image sensing and/or optical parameter in response to the analysis of the one or more images performed by the execution of the first program code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Chung Chun Wan, Choon Ping Chng, Suk Hwan Lim, Szepo Robert Hung, Blaise Aguera-Arcas
  • Patent number: 10498960
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an electronic device may be configured to capture still frames during video capture but may capture the still frames in the 4×3 aspect ratio and at higher resolution than the 16×9 aspect ratio video frames. The device may interleave high resolution, 4×3 frames and lower resolution 16×9 frames in the video sequence, and may capture the nearest higher resolution, 4×3 frame when the user indicates the capture of a still frame. Alternatively, the device may display 16×9 frames in the video sequence, and then expand to 4×3 frames when a shutter button is pressed. The device may capture the still frame and return to the 16×9 video frames responsive to a release of the shutter button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: D. Amnon Silverstein, Shun Wai Go, Suk Hwan Lim, Timothy J. Millet, Ting Chen, Bin Ni
  • Patent number: 10489478
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a configurable convolution engine that receives configuration information to perform convolution or its variant operations on streaming input data of various formats. To process streaming input data, input data of multiple channels are received and stored in an input buffer circuit in an interleaved manner. Data values of the interleaved input data are retrieved and forwarded to multiplier circuits where multiplication with a corresponding filter element of a kernel is performed. Varying number of kernels with different sizes and sparsity can also be used for the convolution operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, Junji Sugisawa, Muge Wang
  • Patent number: 10467496
    Abstract: An image processing pipeline may perform temporal filtering on independent color channels in image data. A filter weight may be determined for a given pixel received at a temporal filter. The filter weight may be determined for blending a value of a channel in a full color encoding of the given pixel with a value of the same channel for a corresponding pixel in a previously filtered reference image frame. In some embodiments, the filtering strength for the channel may be determined independent from the filtering strength of another channel in the full color encoding of the given pixel. Spatial filtering may be applied to a filtered version of the given pixel prior to storing the given pixel as part of a new reference image frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Suk Hwan Lim, D. Amnon Silverstein, Sheng Lin