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Experimental demonstration of real-time image-processing using a VLSI analog programmable array processor

Liñán Cembrano, Gustavo; Domínguez Castro, Rafael; Espejo Meana, Servando Carlos; Roca Moreno, Elisenda; Foldesy, Péter; Rodríguez Vázquez, Ángel Benito

Abstract

This paper describes a full-custom mixed-signal chip which embeds distributed optical signal acquisition, digitallyprogrammable analog parallel processing, and distributed image memory —cache— on a common silicon substrate. This chip, designed in a O.5ptm CMOS standard technology contains around 1, 000, 000 transistors, 80% of which operate in analog mode; it is hence one the most complex mixed-signal chip reported to now. Chip functional features are in accordance to the CNN Universal Machine paradigm: cellular, spatial-invariant array architecture; programmable local interactions among cells; randomly-selectable memory of instructions (elementary instructions are defined by specific values of the cell local interactions); random storage/retrieval of intermediate images; capability to complete algorithmic image processing tasks controlled by the user-selected stored instructions and interacting with the cache memory, etc. Thus, as illustrated in this paper, the chip is capable to complete complex spatio-temporal image processing tasks within short computation time ( 200ns for linear convolutions) and using a low power budget (<1.2W for the complete chip). The internal circuitry of the chip has been designed to operate in robust manner with >7-bit equivalent accuracy in the internal analog operations, which has been confirmed by experimental measurements. Hence, to all practical purposes, processing tasks completed by the chip have the same accuracy than those completed by digital processors preceded by 7-bit digital-to-analog converters for image digitalization. Such 7-bit accuracy is enough for most image processing applications. The paper briefly describes the chip architecture and focus mostly on presenting experimental evidences of the chip functionality. Multiscale low-pass and high-pass filtering ofgray-scale images, analog edges extraction, image segmentation, thresholded gradient detection, mathematical morphology operations, shortest path detection in a labyrinth, skeletonizing, image reconstruction, several non-linear type image processing taks like absolute value calculation or gray-scale gradient detection and real-time motion detection in QCIF video sequences are some of the very interesting applications that have been demonstrated as available when using the prototype.

Full text

Expe imen al Demons a ion o Real-Time Image-P ocessing using a VLSI Analog P og ammable A ay P ocesso Gus a o Lj iáa, Ra ael DomInguez-Cas o, Se ando Espejo, Elisenda Rocaa,), Pe e Fo1desy and Angel Rod Iguez-Vazquez de Mic oelec ónica de Se illa, Cen o Nacional de Mic oelec ónica, A da. Reina Me cedes s/n, Campus Uni e sidad de Se illa, E-41012 Se illa (Spain). bA ea de Elec ónica, Escuela Supe io de Ingenie os, Uni e sidad de Se illa, Camino de los Descub imien os s/n, Isla de la Ca uja, E-41092 Se illa (Spain). Hunga ian Academy o Sciences, SzTAKI, Analog and Neu al Compu ing Labo a o y, Kende u ca 13- 17, H- 1 1 1 1 , Budapes (Hunga y) ABSTRACT1 This pape desc ibes a ull-cus om mixed-signal chip which embeds dis ibu ed op ical signal acquisi ion, digi ally- p og ammable analog pa allel p ocessing, and dis ibu ed image memo y —cache—on a common silicon subs a e. This chip, designed in a O.5p m CMOS s anda d echnology con ains a ound 1, 000, 000 ansis o s, 80% o which ope a e in analog mode; i is hence one he mos complex mixed-signal chip epo ed o now. Chip unc ional ea u es a e in acco dance o he CNN Uni e sal Machine pa adigm: cellula , spa ial-in a ian a ay a chi ec u e; p og ammable local in e ac ions among cells; andomly-selec able memo y o ins uc ions (elemen a y ins uc ions a e de ined by speci ic alues o he cell local in e ac ions); andom s o age/ e ie al o in e media e images; capabili y o comple e algo i hmic image p ocessing asks con olled by he use -selec ed s o ed ins uc ions and in e ac ing wi h he cache memo y, e c. Thus, as illus a ed in his pape , he chip is capable o comple e complex spa io- empo al image p ocessing asks wi hin sho compu a ion ime (200ns o linea con olu ions) and using a low powe budge (<1.2W o he comple e chip). The in e nal ci cui y o he chip has been designed o ope a e in obus manne wi h >7-bi equi alen accu acy in he in e nal analog ope a ions, which has been con i med by expe imen al measu emen s. Hence, o all p ac ical pu poses, p ocessing asks comple ed by he chip ha e he same accu acy han hose comple ed by digi al p ocesso s p eceded by 7-bi digi al- o-analog con e e s o image digi aliza ion. Such 7-bi accu acy is enough o mos image p ocessing applica ions. The pape b ie ly desc ibes he chip a chi ec u e and ocus mos ly on p esen ing expe imen al e idences o he chip unc ionali y. Mul iscale low-pass and high-pass il e ing o g ay-scale images, analog edges ex ac ion, image segmen a ion, h esholded g adien de ec ion, ma hema ical mo phology ope a ions, sho es pa h de ec ion in a laby in h, skele onizing, image econs uc ion, se e al non-linea ype image p ocessing aks like absolu e alue calcula ion o g ay-scale g adien de ec ion and eal- ime mo ion de ec ion in QCIF ideo sequences a e some o he e y in e es ing applica ions ha ha e been demons a ed as a ailable when using he p o o ype. 1. INTRODUCTION In mos mode n elec onic sys ems he ole o analog is basically limi ed o ha o an in e ace be ween eal-wo ld analog signals and he numbe s handled by he co e digi al p ocesso s. In he case o sys ems in ended o p ocessing uni- dimensional signals, in e ace unc ions comp ise basically impedance ma ching, ampli ica ion, il e ing and analog- o- digi al con e sion. P ocessing is ealized in digi al domain by subsequen s ages o he p ocessing chain. Howe e , in he case o sys ems in ended o p ocessing la ge, mul i-dimensional, in e ela ed signals — such as image lows — i may be in e es ing o inco po a e pa allel p ocessing a he analog in e ace in o de o educe he amoun o da a been ans e ed o he digi al sec ion, and hence o imp o e e iciency o he whole p ocessing chain. i. This wo k has been pa ially unded by ONR-NICOP N68171-98-C-9004, DICTAM IST-1999-19007 and TIC 990826. In Applica ions o A i icial Neu al Ne wo ks in Image P ocessing V, Nasse M. Nas abadi, Aggelos K. Ka saggelos, Edi o s, P oceedings o SPIE Vol. 3962 (2000) • 0277-786X1001$15.00 235 Downloaded F om: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/con e ence-p oceedings-o -spie on 27 Ap 2020 Te ms o Use: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/ e ms-o -use Ac ually, such analog pa allel p ep ocessing is obse ed al eady in he e ina — he senso y on -end o na u al "image p ocessing" sys ems. I embeds pho o ecep o cells o acqui e images, and p ocessing cells o pe o m non-linea spa ial- empo al p ocessing ope a ions on he incoming low o images h ough a sequence o laye s. Mo i a ed by he e iciency o na u al ision sys ems, uni e si ies and companies ha e ocused hei e o s on he de elopmen o new gene a ions o de ices capable o o e coming he d awbacks o adi ional ones h ough he inco po a ion o dis ibu ed pa allel p ocessing, and, by making his p ocessing ac concu en ly wi h he acquisi ion o he signal. One possible s a egy o achie e ha is h ough lip-chip bonding o sepa a e sensing and p ocessing de ices; ano he possibili y is o inco po a e he senso y and he p ocessing ci cui y on he same semiconduc o subs a e. "Silicon e inas", "sma -pixel chips" and " ocal-plane a ay- p ocesso s" a e membe s o his la e class o ision chips 2Thei de elopmen is expec ed o ha e a signi ican impac in qui e di e se scena ios. Howe e , indus ial applica ions demand chips capable o lexible ope a ion, wi h p og ammable ea u es and s anda d in e acing o con en ional equipmen . A powe ul me hodological amewo k o a sys ema ic de elopmen o hese ypes o chips is using he pa adigm o analog cellula compu ing whose mos ad anced implemen a ion is he so-called CNN uni e sal machine (CNN-UM) . Main p ocessing componen s o his a chi ec u e a e: a) pa allel a chi ec u e consis ing o an a ay o locally-connec ed analog p ocesso s; b) a means o s o ing, locally, pixel-by-pixel, he in e media e compu a ion esul s, and 3) s o ed on-chip p og ammabili y. When implemen ed as a mixed-signal VLSI chip wi h embedded dis ibu ed op ical senso s, image p ocessing a es o illions o ope a ions pe second can be achie ed wi h e y small size and low powe consump ion. Ac ually, his has been al eady demons a ed by he au ho s h ough a O.8 m mixed-signal chip con aining 20 x 22 cells and capable o only bina y image p ocessing . This pape desc ibes, om a high le el poin o iew, ano he chip belonging o he same amily which ou pe o ms p e ious ealiza ions ega ding bo h size, and unc ionali y; among o he hings his new chip is capable o g ay-scale p ocessing. The pape is o ganized as ollows: Sec ion 2 desc ibes he chip om a sys em poin o iew. Sec ion 3 p o ides he in o ma ion abou he speci ic elec onic implemen a ion ocussing in o he mapping o he cell s a e equa ion and in o he desc ip ion o he enhanced unc ionali ies ha ha e been added o each elemen a y p ocessing uni o inc ease he inal pe o mances o he p o o ype. Sec ion 4 shows wo applica ion examples while Sec ion 5 deals wi h he implemen a ion o non-linea image p ocessing asks. 2. CHIP DESCRIPTION The chip consis s basically o a squa e a ay o 64 x 64 iden ical cells (plus a su ounding ing o bo de cells which a e ob iously di e en ), each o which in e ac s wi h i s nea es neighbo s in acco dance o he so called ull signal ange model (FSR4). dx'J( ) = —g[x,j )]+ :A(i,j;k,l).xkl( )+ :B(i,j;k,l).ukl+z (1) C(k,I) E S (1,J) C(k, 1) E S (E,J) whe e x, ep esen s he s a e o he gene ic i — h cell; Xkl ep esen s he s a e o he cells loca ed in he in e ac ion neighbo hood o he i — h cell; A(i,j;k, 1) , B(i,j;k,1) and z a e p og ammable pa ame e s; and, In addi ion o he ci cui y needed o implemen (I), each cell con ains he ollowing: a) an op ical senso ; b) ou andomly-add essable analog memo y poin s plus o he ou digi al memo y poin s (i means ha he chip can s o e ou g ay-scale images plus ou bina y images); c) a p og ammable local logic uni o ealiza ion o logical ope a ions among bina y images; d) inpu /ou pu and con ol ci cui y. mJ ,x1( )<—l mR ,x1( )> I mL mR (2) 236 Downloaded F om: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/con e ence-p oceedings-o -spie on 27 Ap 2020 Te ms o Use: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/ e ms-o -use Fo gi en inpu image ( ep esen ed by he ma ix o u1 alues), ei he cap u ed by he op ical senso s o e ie ed om some o he cache memo ies, and gi en alue ze o-s a e image ( ep esen ed by he ma ix o x(O) alues, he chip can ealize a la ge a ie y o basic p ocessing asks (ins uc ions) h ough adjus men o he p og ammable pa ame e s in (1); namely he bias e m z and he in e ac ion pa ame e s which can be g ouped in o he so-called eedback empla e and con ol empla e, A = [A(i,j;k,l)] =B = [B(i,j;k,1)] (3) whe e means op, c cen e , b bo om, 1 le and igh . Thus, o ins ance, A1 deno es he scaling coe icien o he con ibu ion o he cen e -le cell s a e a iable in o equa ion (1). Basic chip ins uc ions a e hence de ined by 19 (ac ually 20 ) alues. In he chip hese alues a e p og ammable wi h a esolu ion o se en bi s plus sign. F om an ex e nal poin o iew, images may be analog (g ay-scale) o bina y (black & whi e). In e nally, pixel alues a e ea ed as analog in gene al, wi h black & whi e images ha ing ex eme analog le els co esponding o he limi s o he linea egion. Su ounding bo de cells a e used o es ablish he necessa y spa ial bounda y condi ions o p ocesses. O he miscellaneous unc ions like analog and digi al bu e ing, con ol, and I/O asks, a e also included wi hin he bo de cells. Figu e 1 (a) shows he chip a chi ec u e. In addi ion o he co e a ay p ocesso , he chip includes some global con ol and p og amming ci cui y loca ed in he pe iphe y o he cell a ay. This includes memo y o 32 a bi a y se s o coe icien s, which a e being p og ammed can be a bi a ily selec ed om he ou side. Some o he analog alues ela ed o he p ocessing ci cui y, like he limi s o he linea egion and o he s, can also be p og ammed. Digi al o analog (DA) con e e s gene a e he analog-p og am signal le els ansmi ed o he cell a ay om he selec ed se o coe icien s. Also, 64 a bi a y se s o 35 digi al signals ha a e used as digi al ins uc ions o con igu e p ope ly he cell in o de o pe o m di e en ask anging om unning a p ocess o con igu e he cell I/O ci cui y. These memo ies can be andomly add essed om he hos ing pla o m once hey ha e been p og ammed. Figu e 1 (b) shows he chip mic opho og aph. The ex e nal con ol is comple ely digi al. The in e ace has been designed o be easily embedded in con en ional digi al sys ems cen e ed a ound a CPU o a DSP uni . Two bidi ec ional da a-buses, one analog and one digi al, a e employed o image ans e ences. Figu e 1. (a) Chip A chi ec u e. Figu e 1. (b) Chip Mic opho og aphy 237 Digi al I/O Da a bus - - - - 9.145mm Downloaded F om: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/con e ence-p oceedings-o -spie on 27 Ap 2020 Te ms o Use: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/ e ms-o -use The p o o ype has been designed and manu ac u ed in a 0.5 im, single-poly, 3-me al laye s, CMOS echnology. Table 1 shows he mos impo an physical and elec ical da a o he p o o ype. 3. ARRAY CIRCUITRY In an elec onic implemen a ion, equa ion (1) mus be eplaced by a simila one in which a iables and pa ame e s ha e physical ____________________ ___________________ meaning. The p ocessing ci cui y employed in he p o o ype ep esen s he s a e a iable x and he cell' inpu u as ol ages ac oss capaci o s. Con ibu ions om cell o cell a e in he o m o cu en , and he e o e, empla e elemen s ha e he dimension o conduc ances. In his manne , incoming con ibu ions, in he o m o cu en s, a e easily added a a common node, and easily in eg a ed in ___________________ a capaci o , while cell' s a e and inpu a iables, in he o m o ol age, a e easily dis ibu ed o he synapses. The cell s a e equa ion can he e o e be w i en, in in eg al o m, as ollows : ( ) = (O)+[-I( ( )) +d1G ( ) + d=1 G + JD]d (4) ______________ _____________ The nonlinea dissipa i e e m Ig(V) . ske ched in Figu e 2, pe o ms an e ec i e ol age limi a ion o he s a e a iable x wi hin he linea egion [Vsa Vsa ] by "elimina ing" wha e e cu en is _____________________ necessa y. The same signal- ange is employed o he inpu signal U, which is sampled and s o ed in a capaci o C iden ical o ha employed o he in eg a ion. I , a we assign he index 0 o an imagina y neighbo gene a ing he bias, o o se , e m 'D and se i s inpu and s a e a iables o he sa u a ion le el Vsa 238 ii. The index d e e s o he eigh nea es neighbo s o he cell and he cell i sel Table 1. P o o ype Da a. # o Cells 4096 (64 x 64 A ay) # o T ansis o s —l.OOO.OOO # T ansis o s on he cell I 72 Cell Size l2O m x lO2.2m Cell Densi y -82 cells/mm2 Signal Swing [0.6, l.41V (P og am- mable.) Weigh Swing [2.15, 2.95]V (P og am- mable.) Time Cons an -l.2 s Time Cons an o Linea Con olu ions 2OOns Spa ial Uni o mi y on he Weigh Signals. 7.6-bi s 110 Digi al Ra e 10MHz 110 Analog Ra e 1MHz Powe Supply 3.3V Powe pe cell 250 W Powe Consump ion 1 .2W (wo s case) # o Templa es Memo- ized 32 # o lns uc ions 64 Die Size 9l45.10 m x 9534 j m C mL ,Vx<Vsa mJ mR —* C mR ,Vx>Vsa (5) —V Figu e 2. Cell' Non-Linea i y. C Vx Downloaded F om: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/con e ence-p oceedings-o -spie on 27 Ap 2020 Te ms o Use: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/ e ms-o -use 00 x = u =Vsa (6) hen, (4) can be ew i en as: ( ) = (O)+;L[- J( ( ))+ dO d=O1 (7) whe e he o se e m is now exp essed as: 'D (G +G)Vsa (8) which is now gene a ed in he same o m (i.e., wi h he same ci cui blocks) and wi h he same e e ence (sa u a ion) le el Vsa han any o he con ibu ion o he in eg andin (4). The use o he sa u a ion le el as a e e ence o he gene a ion o he bias e m p o ides some addi ional homogenei y, since con ibu ions om sa u a ed cells a e p opo ional o hesa u a ion le el. No e also ha wo addi i e coe icien s a e employed o de ine he o se e m hus p o iding a double ange o he o se e m. 3.1 Enhanced Func ionali ies Some addi ional unc ionali ies ha e been inco po a ed which ha e speci ic applica ion in ele an p ocessing unc ions. 3.1.1 Image Memo ies E e y cell has he capabili y o s o ing ou analog (g ay-scaled) and ou bina y (black & whi e) pixel alues. A a sys em le el, his means ha he chip allows he s o age o a o al o eigh images. The use o any o hese images as inpu da a o some p ocess, o o some speci ic memo y as des ina ion o he esul o he p ocessing unc ion, can be ealized in a e y sho ime (a ound 0. 1 s). In u n, his esul s in a signi ican imp o emen in he compu a ion ime o mo e complex algo i hms equi ing i e a i e empla e applica ions, wi h he possibili y o s o ing in e media e esul s o bi u ca ed- low algo i hms. Bina y memo ies employ con en ional digi al la ches, while analog memo ies elay on "bo om-pla e sampling" swi ched-capaci o s ages ollowing he guidelines gi en in . 3.1.2 Local Logic Uni The local logic uni (LLU) is a p og ammable boolean ga e whose u h able is de ined as pa o he digi al ins uc ions s o ed in he p og amming ci cui y. I allows a comple ely pa allel ealiza ion o a bi a y bi - o-bi logic ope a ions be ween images s o ed a wo speci ic bina y memo ies. The esul ing image can be down-loaded o s o ed in anyo he ou bina y memo ies. Con en ional digi al ci cui y is employed o his pu pose. 3.1.3 F eezing Mask Ha ing a " eezing" mask means ha he con en o one speci ic bina y image memo y can (op ionally) be used as a lag which disables he e olu ion o he ma ked pixels du ing p ocessing ansien s, keeping hei s a e a iables ime-in a ian . The ealiza ion o his unc ion equi es jus a ew analog swi ches. 11.4 Global Ga es In many cases i is in e es ing o ind ou i some speci ic image ( o ins ance he ou come o some p ocess) is comple ely whi e o comple ely black, wi hou was ing he ime equi ed o download he whole image. The p o o ype inco po a es wo global ga es, one NAND and one NOR, o pe o m hese logic ope a ions o e he pixel alues o one speci ic bina y memo y. Wi h his unc ionali y, he ime equi ed o check i some image is comple ely black o whi e is abou 3ps. 239 Downloaded F om: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/con e ence-p oceedings-o -spie on 27 Ap 2020 Te ms o Use: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/ e ms-o -use 3.1.5 Op ical Inpu In many eal-li e high-speed applica ions, he in o ma ion o be p ocessed by he ne wo k is an image ha is a ailable in op ical o m while he ou pu con ains only a ew de ails ex ac ed om he inpu . In hese si ua ions, he eadou p ocess is ex emely simpli ied and hence speeded up. Howe e , he hpu image is always a comple e ame and he e o e, he ime needed o ans e he image o he a ay can cons i u e a bo leneck. In hose cases, he capabili y o combining he senso y and he p ocessing planes, p o ides a d ama ic inc ease o he sys em pe o mances, since i p oduces sys ems ha do no only exploi he ad an ages o he ully pa allel p ocessing bu also hose o he ully pa allel image acquisi ion ha a e p o ided by a ma ix o pho osenso s me ged wi h ha o p ocesso s. Acco dingly o his, he chip inco po a es a pho osensing de ice wi hin each cell ha allows he acquisi ion o images ha a e di ec ly p ojec ed o e he silicon su ace. The sensing scheme is based on he in eg a ion, in he capaci o o any o he analog image memo y, o he cu en ha is gene a ed by di usion-subs a e pho odiode. 4. APPLICATION EXAMPLES 4.1 Mo emen De ec ion One o he key-ideas when coding a ideo sequence is he in e ame mo ion compensa ion 6• This s a egy codi ies he i s image on he sequence as an independen i em while he emaining ames a e codi ied as a p edic ed ame and he p edic ion e o . I he mo ion o he objec s in he scene is small enough and mos ly ansla ional, his scheme comp ises he ideo sequence in a e y e icien manne . Ou om all asks needed o MPEG-1,2 ideo comp ession, block mo ion es ima ion is c ucial in e ms o ime consump ion. Block mo ion es ima ion is based on sys ema ic block-ma ching sea ch. This sea ch is based on inding he candida e block, conside ing a Mean Absolu e Ji e ence c i e ion (MAD) which is he mos simila o he p edic ed one. In his subsec ion, we will show, only wi h example pu pose, how he i s low-le el, bu e y in ensi e asks, a e pe o med by he new p o o ype. Namely, he ex ac ion o blocks ha a e changed. A i s s ep in he block mo ion es ima ion, is he de ec ion o he changes among wo consecu i e ames. Du ing his ask, image subs ac ion, low-pass il e ing, and double- h esholding a e pe o med on chip (see Figu e 3). The ime needed o accomplish his i s s ep is l1Oxs , ha is, he p ocessing ime is 25ns pe pixel, while he o al numbe o ope a ions pe pixel is I subs ac ion (eigh bi s o esolu ion) + 1 hea di usion (N x (10 mul iplica ions+ 10 addi ions) whe e N is he numbe o i e a ions needed o achie e he desi ed equilib ium poin ) + 1 logic ope a ion. The second s ep is o ma k he changed blocks. The goal o his s ep is o ma k he blocks whe e a leas one pixel has changed. This is done by using he ixed s a e map and black wa e p opaga ion. The wa e ills up he block-sized a eas whe e a black pixel exis s, while he ixed s a e map s ops he wa e e olu ion a he bo de o each block. The equi ed ime is 26 s , hus p o iding a p ocessing ime pe pixel o abou 6ns .The esul o his s ep can be seen also in Figu e 3. .N ________ (b) Di e ence om 4 h ame (c) Hea Di usion (Low (d) Ma ked blocks Pass Fil e ing) + Double h esholding+ OR Figu e 3. De ec ion o he changes in a ideo sequence. 240 , (a) 5 h F ame Downloaded F om: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/con e ence-p oceedings-o -spie on 27 Ap 2020 Te ms o Use: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/ e ms-o -use 4.2 Impulse Noise Remo al The p oblem o emo ing noisy pixels om an inpu image can be o mula ed in a gene al way as ollows. Gi en a se o pixel in ensi ies I(i,j) whe e 1 I NROWS 1Nc015 I ld a maximum a e o change among pixels R ,all hose pixels pi whe e he local a e o change is la ge han R should be subs i u ed by he local a e aging M o he in ensi y o i s neighbo s, whe e: m1 k1 : M=m-4k--1 8(9) The low cha o he algo i hm ha we a e using in o de o implemen his unc ion is shown in Figu e 4 and i wo ks as ollows: •Fi s o all, he use has o de ine wha is noise, ha is, he use has o de e mine which is he maximum alue o he di e ence among wo pixels ha makes a pixel o be conside ed as co ec ins ead o as noisy'. •Second, he local maxima and minima pixels a e de ec ed. Du ing his calcula ion, only hose pixels whe e he di e ence be ween i s in ensi y and ha o any o i s neighbo s is la ge (o lowe , i depends on whe he we look o maxima o minima loca ions) han he p e iously de ined h eshold will u n o black. •The esul o he maxima and minima de ec ions a e agg ega ed by using a logic NOR ia he Local Logic Uni . A e his las ope a ion, he esul ing image con ains whi e do s only whe e a local maxima o minima was de ec ed. •This las image is sen o he ixed-s a e image memo y, and a hea di usion (a e aging) p ocess is pe o med o e he inpu image. Due o ixed s a e unc ion, ha is included wi hin each cell, only hose pixels ha a e no ma ked (black) will be p ocessed. Since hose pixels a e conside ed as noise con ibu ions o he image, he a e eplaced by he local a e aging o hei neighbo s. Figu e 4 shows he low cha o his algo i hm while .. .....Figu e 4. Algo i hm o Impulse Noise Remo al. Figu e 5 shows an example o applica ion o a noisy image. I can be obse ed how noisy pixels a he inpu a e eplaced by he a e aging o he in ensi ies o hei nea es neighbo s hus inc easing signi ican ly he quali y o he image. The inpu image is an s anda d QCIF (176 x 144 ) size image ( he image is cu in o nine o e lapped pieces ha a e p ocessed one a e he o he ) and he o al ime consump ion (including he ime o 9loading and 9 downloading p ocess) is sligh ly below 5.2ms hus yielding a pixel a e o 200ns .Among his ime, he p ocessing akes 23ns . Du ing his 23ns each pixel pe o ms 18 compa isons, I logic ope a ion and a hea di usion (N x (10 mul iplica ions+ 10 addi ions)) whe e N is he numbe o i e a ions needed o achie e he desi ed equilib ium poin . iii.We conside ha noisy pixels a e always sepa a ed by co ec pixels ( hus dis inguishing noise om sha p edges) 241 Downloaded F om: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/con e ence-p oceedings-o -spie on 27 Ap 2020 Te ms o Use: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/ e ms-o -use Figu e 5. l'he Impulse Noise Remo al Applica ion 5. IMPLEMENTATION OF NON-LINEAR INTERACTIONS 5.1 Theo e ical Backg ound Non-linea cell in e ac ions can be ealized by decomposing hem in o a sequence o se e al linea ones . We will deal wi h he decomposi ion o empla es whe e only he B e m is a non-linea unc ion. Fu he mo e, we will assume ha he non-linea i ies appea ing on he eed o wa d e m a e piecewise-linea unc ions and ha he inpu image is ime in a ian . Le us suppose ha he non-linea piecewise unc ion can be exp essed as: (10) whe e a and 3 a e eal numbe s, and ha he linea egions a e de ined by a se o m b eaking poin s E '2''' . In ha case, ha is also he mos common in p ac ice. he non-linea empla e can be decomposed in o a sequence o linea empla e execu ions. The algo i hm8 uns as ollows: •The p ocess s a s by selec ing he i s linea egion o he non-linea unc ion. Le us call R1 his egion ha is de ined by he b eaking poin s E •The nex s ep is o selec which a e he cells belonging o ha egion. This calcula ion is ealized by wo empla es exe- cu ions and a logic ope a ion (all o hem a e done on-chip). Wi h he i s empla e, he so called h eshold empla e, we d i e o black all hose cells ha ing >E,while wi h he second one, he so called in e se h eshold, we d i e o black all hose cells ha ing <.Finally a logic AND ope a ion o bo h esul s will selec hose pixels whe e < <'2 " l •Equa ions (Ii). (12). show he h eshold and he in e se h eshold empla e'. 000 30() A= 010 B= OaO (II) 000 000 i . Keep in mind ha = au11 + and he subindex ki deno es he cell' neighbo s. . These a e he FSR e sion o he empla es . 242 (a) Noisy Inpu Image (b) Ou pu Downloaded F om: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/con e ence-p oceedings-o -spie on 27 Ap 2020 Te ms o Use: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/ e ms-o -use 000 —IO A= B= O—aO =2 (12) 000 000 •The non-selec ed cells a e " ozen", by using he eezing mask p o ided by he chip, while in heselec ed ones he co - esponding con ibu ion o he s a e equa ion is e alua ed and s o ed as a "bias map" ha will be upda ed (o no ) in he nex i e a ion by adding he new esul o he one ha was p e iously s o ed. The upda inglaw o he s a e a iables o he cells ha a e selec ed mus be gi en by he equa ion o a s aigh line (due o he ac ha kP() is linea be ween each wo b eaking poin s) c ossing he poin s E and 2 All he poin s belonging o his line sa is y: E—1 =qI()kp(1) (13) 21 '(2)'(1) and om heoiy, i can be demons a ed ha his ela ionship is ob ained i he ollowing empla e is execu ed"1: 000 00 A= _i B= k-aO (14) 000 0 00 z= whe e, k = (2)'1) (15) •The p ocess con inues o he nex linea egion. •Finally, a empla e execu ion is needed. In his empla e he eedback e m is he same as in he o iginal one, he eed o - wa d e m is se o ze o (modi ied B empla e), since i has been al eady calcula ed, and he o se e m is he addi ion o he o iginal one z , and he "bias map " ha is s o ed in some memo y on he cell. 5.1.1 Absolu e Value Calcula ion In his subsec ion we conside only pixel-wise ans o ma ions, o wi h o he wo ds, B empla es wi h he size o lx 1 As a consequence o missing neighbo connec ions he decomposi ion me hod can be simpli ied, a oiding he accumula ion o he pa ial esul s. Mo eo e , he selec ion o cells belonging a gi en in e al is done by he wo h eshold empla es, which also con ain only cen al elemen s (whe e a = 1, 0 and = 0): 000 000 A= 020 B= OaO Z1 (16) 000 000 i. The posi ion o he coe icien mus be o a ed in o de o pe o m his ope a ion o each o he neighbo s o he cell appea ing as a non-linea connec ion on he o iginal B empla e. The e o e, each linea egion could equi e up o 16 em- pla es and 8 logic ope a ions o be selec ed, 8 empla es o upda e he s a e a iable, and 8 empla es o pe o m he addi ion o he esul s, ha is 32 empla es and 8 logic ope a ions. 243 Downloaded F om: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/con e ence-p oceedings-o -spie on 27 Ap 2020 Te ms o Use: h ps://www.spiedigi allib a y.o g/ e ms-o -use