Image analysis – Image compression or coding
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-28
2001-07-03
Couso, Jose L. (Department: 2621)
Image analysis
Image compression or coding
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256414
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to digital photography and, more particularly, to a digital photography apparatus for acquiring a digital image representative of an actual scene.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a typical digital photography apparatus, and particularly in a digital still camera (or DSC), an image of an actual scene is represented by a matrix of digital values (a digital image). The digital image can be transferred to a computer, sent to a network, or displayed on a television screen, without the need for photographic printing on a physical media and subsequent digitization. Digital images transferred to the computer can be processed with the use of suitable programs and printed directly by a user. This eliminates the cost of films and developing, thereby reducing the time required to produce the photographs.
Digital images are typically subjected to a compression process to increase the number of images which can be stored simultaneously in an internal memory of the camera. In cameras which use a proprietary compression algorithm such as, for example, that developed by Kodak, the digital images which typically are acquired partially by a light sensor, are compressed immediately and then saved in the internal memory so as to optimize the compression process. A disadvantage of this approach is that it always requires a computer to decompress and possibly process the digital images and to exchange the digital images with users using other devices.
In a different known structure which uses a standard compression algorithm, such as the JPEG algorithm, the partial data acquired by the light sensor are interpolated to produce an actual digital image. The digital images are then compressed and saved in the internal memory. The compressed images can be sent directly to other users or transferred to a computer to be decompressed and displayed by most available image-processing devices. However, this approach also requires a computer to be able to decompress and process the digital images and to be able to send them to other devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to avoid the aforesaid drawbacks, such as requiring a separate external computer. This and other objects, features and advantages in accordance with the present invention are provided by a digital photography apparatus comprising: means for acquiring a digital image representative of an actual scene; compression means for forming a compressed digital image; and a memory for storing the compressed digital image. Moreover, the apparatus also preferable includes processing means for obtaining a processed digital image and corresponding processing parameters from the acquired digital image and for supplying as an output, in a first operative condition, the processed digital image to be compressed by the compression means and, in a second operative condition, the acquired digital image to be compressed by the compression means and the processing parameters to be stored in the memory.
The apparatus of the present invention processes the digital images directly internally and does not therefore require an external computer. This apparatus has an architecture which is not dependent on the technique used for compressing the digital images and is suitable for the use of any proprietary or standard algorithm.
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Airoldi Fabrizio
D'Alto Viviana
Mancuso Massimo
Poluzzi Rinaldo
Allen Dyer Doppelt Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.
Couso Jose L.
Galanthay Theodore E.
SGS--Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.
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