US 12,244,792 B2
Processing image data
Aaron Chadha, London (GB); and Ioannis Andreopoulos, London (GB)
Assigned to Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Limited, London (GB)
Filed by Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe Limited, London (GB)
Filed on Jun. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/349,831.
Claims priority of application No. 20210100210 (GR), filed on Mar. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0321879 A1, Oct. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. H04N 19/107 (2014.01); H04N 19/124 (2014.01); H04N 19/42 (2014.01); H04N 19/85 (2014.01)
CPC H04N 19/107 (2014.11) [H04N 19/124 (2014.11); H04N 19/42 (2014.11); H04N 19/85 (2014.11)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented method of processing, prior to encoding using an external encoder, image data using an artificial neural network, wherein the external encoder is operable in a plurality of encoding modes, the method comprising:
receiving, at the artificial neural network, the image data representing one or more images;
processing the image data using the artificial neural network to generate output data indicative of a selected encoding mode selected from the plurality of encoding modes of the external encoder, wherein:
the artificial neural network is trained to select the selected encoding mode from the plurality of encoding modes using the image data and one or more differentiable functions configured to emulate an encoding process, the one or more differentiable functions being configured to emulate operations associated with the plurality of encoding modes of the external encoder, and
the artificial neural network is trained independently of the external encoder; and
outputting the generated output data from the artificial neural network to the external encoder to enable the external encoder to encode the image data using the selected encoding mode.