High-bandwidth data streaming for distributed computing

A detector control unit (DCU) server, comprising:

• an input memory buffer comprising a first plurality of memory locations, the input memory buffer configured to store raw image frames;
• an input communication interface configured to be communicatively coupled to a photon-counting detector for receiving the raw image frames from the photon-counting detector and provide the raw image frames to assigned memory locations of the first plurality of memory locations of the input memory buffer;
• a bit-conversion processor coupled to the input memory buffer for receiving the raw image frames from the input memory buffer, wherein the one or more processors include a plurality of processing threads for performing parallel bit-conversions, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to convert pixel values of each raw image frame of the raw image frames from a raw bit depth to a higher bit depth to generate bit-converted image frames;
• an output memory buffer configured to receive the bit-converted image frames from the bit-conversion processor, the output memory buffer comprising a second plurality of memory locations for storing the bit-converted image frames;
• a compression engine configured to receive the receive the bit-converted image frames from the output memory buffer, and compress the bit-converted image frames into compressed image frames;
• a compression output memory buffer configured to receive the compressed image frames from the compression engine, the compressed output memory buffer comprising a third plurality of memory locations for storing the compressed image frames;
• and
• an output communication interface configured to receive the compressed image frames from the compression output memory buffer, and stream the compressed image frames out from the DCU server to an external network.

A method of processing raw image frames from a photon-counting detector, the method comprising:

• receiving, by an input communication interface, the raw image frames from the photon-counting detector;
• providing, by the input communication interface, the raw image frames to assigned memory locations of a first plurality of memory locations of an input memory buffer;
• reading out, by a bit-conversion processor, the raw image frames from the input memory buffer to the bit-conversion processor;
• converting, by the bit-conversion processor, the raw image frames into bit-converted image frames, wherein converting the raw image frames into bit-converted image frames includes:
• processing each raw image frame of the raw image frames in a plurality of processing threads, of the bit-conversion processor, for performing parallel bit-conversions such that pixel values of each raw image frame of the raw image frames are converted from a raw bit depth to a higher bit depth to generate a bit-converted image frame;
• and
• streaming, by an output communication interface, the bit-converted image frames or compressed-versions of the bit-converted image frames to an external network.