The technology industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by the increasing demand for high-resolution images in various applications such as digital photography, video processing, and computer graphics, with the proliferation of high-definition displays and virtual reality technologies fuelling the need for advanced image interpolation techniques. This has resulted in the growing importance of technologies such as bilinear, bicubic, and Lanczos interpolation, as well as more sophisticated methods based on machine learning and deep learning approaches. These technologies aim to accurately estimate missing pixel values and enhance image details while minimising artefacts and preserving image integrity. In the last three years alone, there have been over 3.6 million patents filed and granted in the technology industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Technology Innovation: Image interpolation techniques. Buy the report here.
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However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
300+ innovations will shape the technology industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the technology industry using innovation intensity models built on over 2.5 million patents, there are 300+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, microphone beamforming, live betting games, and quantum dots are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Circuit design testing, communication, smart contracts, and surround sound systems are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are vehicle platooning and PCI power management, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the technology industry
Image interpolation techniques is a key innovation area in technology
Image interpolation techniques refer to mathematical functions or algorithms that calculate new pixel values based on existing pixel data within an image. These techniques are commonly applied to resize or rotate images, as well as enhance details and smooth out image areas. Interpolation algorithms encompass various methods such as nearest-neighbour interpolation, bilinear interpolation, bicubic interpolation, and spline-based interpolation.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 20+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established technology companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of image interpolation techniques.
Key players in image interpolation techniques – a disruptive innovation in the technology industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to image interpolation techniques
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2022) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Sony Group | 57 | Unlock Company Profile |
| GuangDong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications | 48 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Olympus | 28 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Canon | 27 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Fujifilm | 25 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Apple | 24 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Samsung Group | 23 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Basler | 18 | Unlock Company Profile |
| PHOTONIS FRANCE | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| GoPro | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Furukawa | 14 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Intel | 13 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Xperi | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SK Square | 12 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Robert Bosch Stiftung | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| MegaChips | 11 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Grass Valley USA | 10 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Teledyne Technologies | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| SZ DJI Technology | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Silicon Motion Technology | 8 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Qualcomm | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Himax Technologies | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| ON Semiconductor | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Lfk-Lenkflugkoerpersysteme | 7 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Blackmagic Design | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Spreadtrum Communications | 6 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Texas Instruments | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
| Silicon Hive | 5 | Unlock Company Profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Sony Group is a leading patent filer in the image interpolation techniques space. One of the company’s patents describes an apparatus and method for generating an image with reduced blown-out highlight regions. The apparatus includes an image processing section that takes a RAW image from an imaging device as input. The image processing section performs demosaicing and white-balancing processes on the RAW image to generate RGB images. Additionally, the image processing section estimates the pixel values in the saturated pixel region of the green (G) image using the pixel values of the red (R) and blue (B) images at the same pixel position.
Other prominent patent filers in the space include GuangDong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications and Olympus.
By geographic reach, Lfk-Lenkflugkoerpersysteme leads the pack, followed by Spreadtrum Communications (Shanghai) and Photonis France. In terms of application diversity, Furukawa holds the top position, followed by Olympus and Robert Bosch Stiftung.
Image interpolation techniques enable the resizing, rotation, and enhancement of images while preserving visual quality and detail. By calculating new pixel values based on existing pixels, interpolation helps maintain smooth transitions and reduce artefacts during image manipulation. It plays a crucial role in tasks such as image resizing for different display resolutions, zooming and panning in digital photography, and texture mapping in computer graphics.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the technology industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Technology.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
