2023-041 - Processing-in-Pixel-in-Memory Computation for Neuromorphic Image Sensors

Description:
  • Autonomous driving
  • Surveillance
  • Object detection; Object tracking; Anomaly detection

Abstract

USC researchers have developed an asynchronous processing-in-pixel-in-memory (P2M) paradigm that improves energy efficiency and decreases processing requirements and data transfer differences without sacrificing significant accuracy. The P2M paradigm consumes almost 2 times less power compared to the current state-of-the-art while maintaining 88.36% test accuracy. This method would allow for massively parallel spatiotemporal analog convolution, enabling event- and difference-based image processing for a sparse detection apparatus to reduce memory and bandwidth requirements.

Benefit

  • Improves energy efficiency without substantially sacrificing accuracy
  • Robust to physical non-linearities
  • Allows for event- and difference-based image detection and processing 

Market Application

In the field of edge devices with computer vision, researchers are investigating approaches such as near-sensor, in-sensor, and in-pixel processing to handle large amounts of sensory data with limited computing resources. In-pixel processing, which incorporates computation capabilities within the pixel array, offers high energy efficiency by generating low-level features instead of raw data. While various in-pixel processing techniques have been demonstrated on traditional frame-based CMOS imagers, the potential for applying this approach to neuromorphic vision sensors remains unexplored.

Publications

Kaiser, Md Abdullah-Al, et al. "Neuromorphic-p2m: processing-in-pixel-in-memory paradigm for neuromorphic image sensors." Frontiers in Neuroinformatics 17 (2023): 1144301. https://doi.org/10.3389/fninf.2023.1144301

Stage of Development

  • Tested on state-of-the-art neuromorphic vision sensor datasets
  • Available for exclusive or non-exclusive licensing

Patent Information:

  • Title: Processing-in-Pixel-in-Memory for Neuromorphic Image Sensors
  • App Type: Nationalized PCT
  • Country: United States
  • Serial No.: 19/257,303
  • Patent No.:  
  • File Date: 7/1/2025
  • Issued Date:  
  • Expire Date:  
  • Patent Status: Patent Pending