Image analysis – Image compression or coding – Adaptive coding
Reexamination Certificate
1996-03-25
2001-04-24
Mehta, Bhavesh (Department: 2621)
Image analysis
Image compression or coding
Adaptive coding
C382S246000, C382S251000, C358S296000, C358S438000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222943
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording method and apparatus for digital-recording a plurality of frames of image data, an image processing apparatus, and an image reading method for reading an image.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, a technique for compressing a plurality of frames of image data, and recording compressed image data on a recording medium is known.
As an example of such a technique, a compression method for orthogonally transforming input image data, and quantizing converted coefficients, e.g., a compression method called a JPEG method, is known.
When a plurality of input image data are compressed to fixed-length data using such a compression method, if the code quantity assigned per image is represented by L, a two-pass compression method is repetitively performed from the beginning to the end of continuous photographing operations of n images, to keep code quantities L
1
to L
n
of the n images equal to or smaller than the code quantity L.
However, in this prior art approach, since two-step coding is performed in each photographing operation in a continuous recording mode, the data compression operation requires much time, and limits any increase in continuous recording speed which might otherwise be achievable.
More specifically, in the above-mentioned method, in order to limit input image data to a predetermined code quantity, compression must be attempted several times while changing quantization coefficients, resulting in the long data compression time. In particular, this method limits an increase in speed in continuous photographing operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus and method, which can perform high-speed continuous recording operations in consideration of the above-mentioned situation.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image processing method and apparatus, which can attain a substantially fixed compression ratio.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to a preferred aspect of the present invention, there is disclosed an image processing apparatus comprising compression means for performing variable-length data compression by orthogonally transforming input image data in units of frames (image planes), and quantizing the transformed data, and control means for, when a series of a plurality of frames of image data are compressed, controlling the compression means on the basis of the data quantities of a plurality of frames compressed by the compression means.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an image reading method and apparatus, which can reduce a time lag from an input of a recording instruction until a coding operation ends in practice.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus having novel functions.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5038209 (1991-08-01), Hang
patent: 5164831 (1992-11-01), Kuchta
patent: 5202770 (1993-04-01), Murakami et al.
patent: 5216518 (1993-06-01), Yamagami
patent: 5245427 (1993-09-01), Kunihiro
patent: 5263100 (1993-11-01), Kim et al.
patent: 5291282 (1994-03-01), Nakagawa et al.
patent: 5301242 (1994-04-01), Gonzales et al.
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Mehta Bhavesh
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