Image analysis – Color image processing – Compression of color images
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-03
2001-11-13
Mancuso, Joseph (Department: 2621)
Image analysis
Color image processing
Compression of color images
C382S246000, C358S539000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317515
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of data processing and more specifically to a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding a data stream.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An input data stream is encoded for storage, and the encoded data stream is decoded for processing. The encoding process identifies trends in the data stream, and stores information about the trends in an encoded block. The trends may include runs, in which sequential, related components in the data stream have constant values. The trends may also include ramps, where sequential, related components in the data stream increase or decrease linearly, with a constant slope. An encoded block may also be provided to transfer raw data. The decoder infers the type of the component associated with the encoded block according to an original order of components in the data stream, the order of the encoded block in the sequence of encoded blocks and a number of the corresponding components encoded by each of the preceding encoded blocks. After the type of the component is determined, the decoder reconstructs the data stream by translating the encoded trend information into component values. The encoded data stream is thus decoded without any loss in data accuracy. Because type information need not be transferred to the decoder, the size of the encoded block is further reduced, thereby enhancing the compression capabilities of the present invention.
One aspect is a method or system for encoding a data stream comprising a sequence of data components. In this aspect, one of the components of data is selected for encoding responsive to an order of the one of the components within the repetitive series, and responsive to a number of each of the components that have been previously encoded, wherein the number of each of the components that have previously been encoded varies according to identified trends in corresponding components of the repetitive series.
In another aspect, a method or system of decoding a series of encoded blocks into a data stream comprising a repetitive series of components of data includes the step of associating an encoded block with one of the components in the repetitive series responsive to the position of the encoded block within the series of encoded blocks, and further responsive to a number of each of the components that have been previously been decoded, wherein the number of each of the components that have previously been decoded may vary according to identified trends in corresponding components of the repetitive series.
According to a further aspect, a method or system of encoding a stream of digitized video data comprising a series of pixels, each of the pixels comprising a plurality of ordered components, includes the step of selecting one of the components in the series of pixels for encoding responsive to an order of the component within the pixel, and responsive to a number of each of the components of each of the pixels that have been previously been encoded, wherein the number of each of the components that have previously been encoded varies according to identified trends in corresponding components of the series of pixels.
In another aspect, a method of decoding a series of encoded blocks into a stream of digitized video data comprising a series of pixels, each of the pixels comprising a plurality of ordered components, includes the step of associating each encoded block with one of the plurality of ordered components responsive to the order of the each encoded block within the series and responsive to a number of the plurality of ordered components that have been decoded, wherein the number of the plurality of ordered components may vary responsive to identified trends in corresponding components of the series of pixels.
In another aspect, a system is provided including a device for storing a sequence of encoded data blocks encoding a repetitive series of a plurality of types of components. The plurality of types of components have a predetermined order. The sequence of encoded data blocks include a first plurality of encoded data blocks ordered responsive to the predetermined order of the series of the plurality of types of components and a second plurality of encoded data blocks, each of the second plurality of encoded data blocks ordered responsive to a number of components encoded in previous encoded blocks encoding components of the same type and responsive to the predetermined order of the series of the plurality of types of components.
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Chou Chia-Sheng
Gonsalves Robert
Kurtze Jeffrey D.
Rice Joseph H.
Avid Technology Inc.
Bayat Ali
Gordon Peter J.
Mancuso Joseph
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