Image analysis – Image compression or coding – Substantial processing of image in compressed form
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-02
2001-11-06
Tran, Phuoc (Department: 2721)
Image analysis
Image compression or coding
Substantial processing of image in compressed form
C382S239000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314206
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic still camera by which an image signal, obtained through an imaging device, can be compressed and recorded in a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional electronic still camera, an image signal obtained by an imaging device is processed to combine pixel values of selected adjacent pixel signals, or to pick up a part of the image signal, so that an image having pixels, the number of which is less than that of the imaging device, is generated. Further, there is known a conventional electronic still camera, in which an image obtained by the combining process or the picking-up process is recorded in a recording medium.
In a recording operation, using the above described electronic still camera, when a high definition mode, in which a high quality image can be recorded, is set, a substantial portion of the information contained in the high quality image would be lost if a compression ratio, with which the image is recorded in the recording medium, is set to a high value. Accordingly, in this case, even if the image is reproduced from the recording medium in a high definition mode, an image having a high quality cannot be obtained. On the other hand, when a predetermined number of images are to be recorded in the recording medium, if the compression ratio is set to a low value, thus selecting a high definition mode, the desired number of images cannot be recorded since the number of pixels of one image is too great.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a compression ratio setting device by which an image having a desired quality can be definitely obtained, and a desired number of images can be definitely recorded in a recording medium.
According to the present invention, there is provided a compression ratio setting device provided in an electronic still video camera, the device comprising an imaging device, an image signal generator, a compression ratio setting processor, and an image compression processor.
A first image signal having pixel signals is obtained by the imaging device. The image signal generator generates a second image signal having pixel signals, a number of which is less than or equal to a number of pixel signals of the first image signal. The compression ratio setting processor sets a compression ratio in accordance with the number of pixel signals of the second image signal. The image compression processor compresses the second image signal with the compression ratio to obtain a compressed image signal.
Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a compression ratio setting device provided in an electronic still video camera, the device comprising an imaging device, an image signal generator, a compression ratio setting processor, and an image signal compression processor.
A first image signal having pixel signals is obtained by the imaging device. The image signal generator enlarges a part of the first image signal with a zoom magnification ratio to generate a second image signal having pixel signals, a number of which is equal to a number of pixel signals of the first image signal. The compression ratio setting processor sets a compression ratio in accordance with the zoom magnification ratio. The image signal compression processor compresses the second image signal with the compression ratio.
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Alavi Amir
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Tran Phuoc
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