Microsoft patents video boost that reuses old frames to save power
This patent describes a method for improving video quality by comparing a new low-resolution frame with a previous one. It uses motion data to check if parts of the screen have moved; if they haven't, the system reuses a previously calculated high-quality pixel instead of processing it again.
In the filing’s own words
A low resolution image frame is received. A past reference low resolution image frame and its super resolution result are retained. Motion vectors between the input low resolution image frame and reference low resolution frame are computed. For each pixel in the low resolution image frame, a reference pixel is determined based on the computed motion vectors and the reference low resolution frame. If the reference pixel equals the corresponding input pixel, the reference super resolution result pixel is rendered for this pixel, and otherwise a corresponding pixel from the current input frame is rendered.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method of generating super resolution images using a machine learning model and a graphics processing unit, the method comprising: receiving, by a computing system, a low resolution image frame as a current input frame, a reference super resolution result, and a reference low resolution frame, wherein the reference super resolution result is updated by the machine learning model; computing, using the graphics processing unit, motion vectors between the current input frame and the reference low resolution frame; and for an input pixel in the current input frame: determining a position of a reference pixel based on the computed motion vectors computed using the graphics processing unit; determining that the position of the reference pixel is within a distance threshold of a position of a corresponding input pixel; and based on the determining that the position of the reference pixel is within the distance threshold, rendering a reference super resolution result pixel from the reference super resolution result associated with the input pixel in the current input frame, and otherwise rendering the input pixel in the current input frame.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC)
- Official title
- Realtime video super resolution using motion vectors
- Patent number
- US12737840B2
- Application number
- 18106922
- Filed
- Feb 7, 2023
- Granted
- Sep 15, 2026
- Inventors
- 3
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06T 3/4053 Physics & computingG06T 5/70 Physics & computingG06T 7/223 Physics & computingG06T 7/248 Physics & computingG06T 7/90 Physics & computingG06T 2207/10016 Physics & computingMore from Microsoft in Chips & hardware
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.