Patent Suggests Nintendo Working on DLSS-Style AI Upscaling Technology Ahead of Nintendo Switch 2 Launch

A patent filed by Nintendo in the United States in July 2023 suggests the company has been working on an image upscaling technology, similar to Nvidia's DLSS. The US patent, published Tuesday, details a computer technology for “converting images through the use of trained neural network,” where a source image is enhanced with contextual data. Nintendo's patent suggests the successor to the Nintendo Switch could come with AI upscaling technology, resulting in better image quality in games. The Nintendo Switch 2 has previously been rumoured to support a DLSS-style upscaling feature.

Nintendo Patent for AI Upscaling Feature

The patent, as spotted by VGC, says the technology will utilise machine learning techniques to up-convert images from one resolution to a higher resolution.

“A source image is divided into blocks and context data is added to each pixel block. The context blocks are split into channels and each channel from the same context block is added to the same activation matrix. The action matrix is then executed against a trained neural network to produce a changed activation matrix. The changed activation matrix is then used to generate a converted image,” the abstract of the patent reads.

Nvidia's DLSS (deep learning super sampling) utilises AI upscaling technology to improve image quality in video games, producing better image resolution and higher framerates. Most modern PC games support upscaling techniques like Nvidia's DLSS, AMD's FSR and Intel's XeSS for better performance on older hardware.

AI upscaling technology is also making its way to gaming consoles. The recently launched PlayStation 5 Pro comes with PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), Sony's new AI upscaling feature that uses machine learning-based technology to add more detail to the image.

The timing of the patent suggests Nintendo could be readying its own AI upscaling feature for the Nintendo Switch 2, set to launch this year. Previous reports, too, have claimed that the Switch 2 will utilise a DLSS-style technology to improve performance.

The Nintendo Switch 2 will launch before the end of March, Nintendo has said. The company has also confirmed the hybrid console will be backwards compatible with Switch games. A recent report claimed the Switch 2 would launch on March 28.