Block-matching-based CMOS optical flow sensor using only-nearest-neighbor computation

摘要

A block-matching-based CMOS optical flow sensor architecture has been developed for real-time processing of moving images. In this architecture, an array of SIMD (single instruction multiple data) units calculate SAD (sum of absolute difference) values using only data from nearest-neighbor-units. As a result, it has become possible to carry out the block matching algorithm very efficiently with a minimal complexity in the interconnect structure. The chip was designed in a 0.18-mum 5-metal CMOS technology and sent to fabrication, and the correct operation of the entire system was confirmed by nanosim simulation. The chip is expected to perform at a frame rate about 1300 frame/sec.