Hierarchical encoding and decoding apparatus for a digital image signal
First Claim
1. A hierarchical encoding apparatus for encoding a first digital image signal representing pixels and having a first resolution, comprising:
- means for forming a second digital image signal from the first digital image signal, the second digital image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution;
predicting means for producing predicted values of the first digital image signal from the second digital image signal;
means for subtracting a predicted value of the first digital image signal from the pixel value of the first digital image signal to produce a differential value; and
means for transmitting the second digital image signal and a differential signal representing the differential values;
wherein the predicting means comprises;
class categorizing means for determining a class corresponding to a selected pixel of the second digital image signal;
the class categorizing means being operative to produce a plurality of predicted pixel values of the selected pixel, each of the predicted pixel values corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of predetermined classes;
the class categorizing means being further operative to select a class corresponding to the selected pixel from the plurality of predetermined classes based on a respective one of the plurality of predicted pixel values which is closest to a value of the selected pixel; and
predicted value generating means for generating a predicted value of the first digital image signal based on the selected class.
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Abstract
In a hierarchical encoding apparatus, predictors each including a look-up table are used to form predicted signals for respective hierarchical levels. The difference between the predicted signal and the original signal forms the differential signal for the higher hierarchical levels. The look-up table contains either predictive coefficients which are used as weights for pixels of a signal in one hierarchical level to produce a signal at a higher hierarchical level, or representative values which are combined with a dynamic range and redundant component in a set of pixels of a signal in one hierarchical level to produce a signal at a higher hierarchical level. The values in the look-up table are obtained from representative images.
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Citations
62 Claims
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1. A hierarchical encoding apparatus for encoding a first digital image signal representing pixels and having a first resolution, comprising:
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means for forming a second digital image signal from the first digital image signal, the second digital image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution; predicting means for producing predicted values of the first digital image signal from the second digital image signal; means for subtracting a predicted value of the first digital image signal from the pixel value of the first digital image signal to produce a differential value; and means for transmitting the second digital image signal and a differential signal representing the differential values; wherein the predicting means comprises; class categorizing means for determining a class corresponding to a selected pixel of the second digital image signal;
the class categorizing means being operative to produce a plurality of predicted pixel values of the selected pixel, each of the predicted pixel values corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of predetermined classes;
the class categorizing means being further operative to select a class corresponding to the selected pixel from the plurality of predetermined classes based on a respective one of the plurality of predicted pixel values which is closest to a value of the selected pixel; andpredicted value generating means for generating a predicted value of the first digital image signal based on the selected class. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus for decoding a hierarchically encoded first digital image signal representing pixels and having a first resolution, the first digital image signal being encoded by forming a second digital image signal and a differential signal representing differential values from the first digital image signal, the second digital image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution, producing predicted values of the first digital image signal from the second digital image signal and subtracting the predicted values of the first digital image signal from the second digital image signal to produce the differential values, comprising:
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predicting means for producing a predicted value of the first digital image signal from the second digital image signal; and means for adding the predicted value and a corresponding one of the differential values to produce a value of the first digital image signal; the predicting means comprising; class categorizing means for determining a class corresponding to a selected pixel of the second digital image signal;
the class categorizing means being operative to produce a plurality of predicted pixel values of the selected pixel, each of the predicted pixel values corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of predetermined classes;
the class categorizing means being further operative to select a class corresponding to the selected pixel from the plurality of predetermined classes based on a respective one of the plurality of predicted pixel values which is closest to a value of the selected pixel; andpredicted value generating means for generating a predicted value of the first digital image signal based on the selected class. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A hierarchical encoding method for encoding a first digital image signal representing pixels and having a first resolution, comprising the steps of:
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forming a second digital image signal from the first digital image signal, the second digital image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution; producing predicted values of the first digital image signal from the second digital image signal; subtracting a predicted value of the first digital image signal from the pixel value of the first digital image signal to produce a differential value; and transmitting the second digital image signal and a differential signal representing the differential values; wherein the step of producing predicted values is comprised of the steps of; determining a class corresponding to a selected pixel of the second digital image signal;
producing a plurality of predicted pixel values of the selected pixel, each of the predicted pixel values corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of predetermined classes;
selecting a class corresponding to the selected pixel from the plurality of predetermined classes based on a respective one of the plurality of predicted pixel values which is closest to a value of the selected pixel; and
generating a predicted value of the first digital image signal based on the selected class.
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10. A method of decoding a hierarchically encoded first digital image signal representing pixels and having a first resolution, the first digital image signal being encoded by forming a second digital image signal and a differential signal representing differential values from the first digital image signal, the second digital image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution, producing predicted values of the first digital image signal from the second digital image signal and subtracting the predicted values of the first digital image signal from the second digital image signal to produce the differential values, comprising the steps of:
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producing a predicted value of the first digital image signal from the second digital image signal; and adding the predicted value and a corresponding one of the differential values to produce a value of the first digital image signal; the step of producing a predicted value comprising the steps of; determining a class corresponding to a selected pixel of the second digital image signal;
producing a plurality of predicted pixel values of the selected pixel, each of the predicted pixel values corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of predetermined classes;
selecting a class corresponding to the selected pixel from the plurality of predetermined classes based on a respective one of the plurality of predicted pixel values which is closest to a value of the selected pixel; and
generating a predicted value of the first digital image signal based on the selected class.
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11. A hierarchical encoding apparatus for encoding a first image signal representing pixels and having a first resolution, the apparatus comprising:
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means for forming a second image signal from the first image signal, the second image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution; predicting means for producing predicted pixels of the first image signal from the second image signal; means for generating a differential value between the pixel of the first image signal and the predicted pixel of the first image signal to produce a differential signal; and means for transmitting the second image signal and the differential signal; wherein the predicting means comprises; a memory; class categorizing means for forming predicted pixels for a pixel to be predicted of the second image signal from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and each set of class predicted coefficients of respective classes from the memory and determining a class from the predicted pixels and the pixel to be predicted as a class of a considered pixel of the first image signal, the plurality of pixels being disposed adjacent the pixel to be predicted of the second image signal; means for generating a set of data predicted coefficients in response to the determined class, each set of data predicted coefficients for respective classes is formed by using a standard image signal having a resolution corresponding to the first resolution of the first image signal; and predicted pixel generating means for generating a predicted pixel corresponding to the considered pixel from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and the generated set of the data predicted coefficients. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for decoding a hierarchically encoded first image signal and producing a first image signal representing pixels having a first resolution, the first image signal being encoded by forming a second image signal and a differential signal from the first image signal, the second image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution, the differential signal being formed by generating a differential value between a pixel of the first image signal and a predicted pixel of the first image signal produced from the second image signal, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving the second image signal and the differential signal; predicting means for producing predicted pixels of the first image signal from the second image signal; and means for adding the predicted pixel of the second image signal and a corresponding differential value of the differential signal to produce the first image; wherein the predicting means comprises; a memory; class categorizing means for forming predicted pixels for a pixel to be predicted of the second image signal from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and each set of class predicted coefficients of respective classes from the memory and determining a class from the predicted pixels and the pixel to be predicted as a class of a considered pixel of the first image signal, the plurality of pixels being disposed adjacent the pixel to be predicted of the second image signal; means for generating a set of data predicted coefficients in response to the determined class, each set of data predicted coefficients for respective classes is formed by using a standard image signal having a resolution corresponding to the first resolution of the first image signal; and predicted pixel generating means for generating a predicted pixel corresponding to the considered pixel from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and the generated set of the data predicted coefficients. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A hierarchical encoding apparatus for encoding a first image signal representing pixels and having a first resolution, the apparatus comprising:
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means for forming a second image signal from the first image signal, the second image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution; predicting means for producing predicted pixels of the first image signal from the second image signal; means for generating a differential value between the pixel of the first image signal and the predicted pixel of the first image signal to a differential signal; and means for transmitting the second image signal and the differential signal; wherein the predicting means comprises; a memory; class categorizing means for forming predicted pixels for a pixel to be predicted of the second image signal from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and each set of class predicted coefficients of respective classes from the memory and determining a class from the predicted pixels and the pixel to be predicted as a class of a considered pixel of the first image signal, the plurality of pixels being disposed adjacent the pixel to be predicted of the second image signal; and means for generating a predicted pixel corresponding to the considered pixel in response to the determined class, each predicted pixel for respective classes is formed by using a standard image signal having a resolution corresponding to the first resolution of the first image signal. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for decoding a hierarchically encoded first image signal and producing a first image signal representing pixels having a first resolution, the first image being encoded by forming a second image signal and a differential signal from the first image signal, the second image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution, the differential signal being formed by generating a differential value between the pixel of the first image signal and a predicted pixel of the first image signal produced from the second image signal, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving the second image signal and the differential signal; predicting means for producing predicted pixels of the first image signal from the second image signal; and means for adding the predicted pixel of the second image signal and a corresponding differential value of the differential signal to produce the first image; wherein the predicting means comprises; a memory class categorizing means for forming predicted pixels for a pixel to be predicted of the second image signal from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and each set of class predicted coefficients of respective classes from the memory and determining a class from the predicted pixels and the pixel to be predicted as a class of a considered pixel of the first image signal, the plurality of pixels being disposed adjacent the pixel to be predicted of the second image signal; and means for generating a predicted pixel corresponding to the considered pixel in response to the determined class, each predicted pixel for respective classes is formed by using a standard image signal having a resolution corresponding to the first resolution of the first image signal. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. A hierarchical encoding apparatus for encoding a first image signal representing pixels and having a first resolution, the apparatus comprising:
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means for forming a second image signal from the first image signal, the second image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution; predicting means for producing predicted pixels of the first image signal from the second image signal; means for generating a differential value between the pixel of the first image signal and the predicted pixel of the first image signal to a differential signal; and means for transmitting the second image signal and the differential signal; wherein the predicting means comprises; a memory; class categorizing means for forming predicted pixels for a pixel to be predicted of the second image signal from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and each set of class predicted coefficients of respective classes from the memory and determining a class from the predicted pixels and the pixel to be predicted as a class of a considered pixel of the first image signal, the plurality of pixels being disposed adjacent the pixel to be predicted of the second image signal; and means for generating a predicted data corresponding to the considered pixel in response to the determined class and producing a predicated image signal corresponding to the first image signal from the predicted data, each predicted data for respective classes is formed by using a standard image signal having a resolution corresponding to the first resolution of the first image signal. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for decoding a hierarchically encoded first image signal and producing a first image signal representing pixels and a first resolution, the first image signal being encoded by forming a second image signal and a differential signal from the first image signal, the second image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution, the differential signal being formed by generating a differential value between the pixel of the first image signal and predicted pixel of the first image signal produced from the second image signal, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving the second image signal and the differential signal; predicting means for producing predicted pixels of the first image signal from the second image signal; and means for adding the predicted pixel of the second image signal and a corresponding differential value of the differential signal to producing the first image wherein the predicting means comprises; a memory; class categorizing means for forming predicted pixels for a pixel to be predicted of the second image signal from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and each set of class predicted coefficients of respective classes from the memory and determining a class from the predicted pixels and the pixel to be predicted as a class of a considered pixel of the first image signal, the plurality of pixels being disposed adjacent the pixel to be predicted of the second image signal; means for generating a predicted data corresponding to the considered pixel in response to the determined class and producing a predicted image signal corresponding to the first image signal from the predicted data, each predicted data for respective classes is formed by using a standard image signal having a resolution corresponding to the first resolution of the first image signal. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A hierarchical encoding method for encoding a first image signal representing pixels and having a first resolution, the method comprising the steps of:
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forming a second image signal from the first image signal, the second image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution; producing predicted pixels of the first image signal from the second image signal; generating a differential value between the pixel of the first image signal and the predicted pixel of the first image signal to produce a differential signal; and transmitting the second image signal and the differential signal; wherein the predicting step comprises the step of; forming predicted pixels for a pixel to be predicted of the second image signal from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and each set of class predicted coefficients of respective classes from the memory, the plurality of pixels being disposed adjacent the pixel to be predicted of the second image signal; determining a class from the predicted pixels and the pixel to be predicted as a class of a considered pixel of the first image signal; generating a set of data predicted coefficients in response to the determined class, each set of data predicted coefficients for respective classes is formed by using a standard image signal having a resolution corresponding to the first resolution of the first image signal; and generating a predicted pixel corresponding to the considered pixel from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and the generated set of the data predicted coefficients. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for decoding a hierarchically encoded first image signal and producing a first image signal representing pixels and a first resolution, the first image signal being encoded by forming a second image signal and a differential signal from the first image signal, the second image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution, the differential signal being formed by generating a differential value between the pixel of the first image signal and predicted pixel of the first image signal produced from the second image signal, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving the second image signal and the differential signal;
producing predicted pixels of the first image signal from the second image signal; andadding the predicted pixel of the second image and a corresponding differential value of the differential signal to producing the first image; wherein the predicting step comprises the steps of; forming predicted pixels for a pixel to be predicted of the second image signal from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and each set of class predicted coefficients of respective classes from the memory, the plurality of pixels being disposed adjacent the pixel to be predicted of the second image signal; determining a class from the predicted pixels and the pixel to be predicted as a class of a considered pixel of the first image signal; generating a set of data predicted coefficients in response to the determined class, each set of data predicted coefficients for respective classes is formed by using a standard image signal having a resolution corresponding to the first resolution of the first image signal; and generating a predicted pixel corresponding to the considered pixel from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and the generated set of the data predicted coefficients. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A hierarchical encoding method for encoding a first image signal representing pixels and having a first resolution, the method comprising the steps of:
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forming a second image signal from the first image signal, the second image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution; producing predicted pixels of the first image signal from the second image signal; generating a differential value between the pixel of the first image signal and the predicted pixel of the first image signal to a differential signal; and transmitting the second image signal and the differential signal; wherein the predicting step comprises the steps of; forming predicted pixels for a pixel to be predicted of the second image signal from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and each set of class predicted coefficients of respective classes from the memory, the plurality of pixels being disposed adjacent the pixel to be predicted of the second image signal; determining a class from the predicted pixels and the pixel to be predicted as a class of a considered pixel of the first image signal; and generating a predicted pixel corresponding to the considered pixel in response to the determined class, each predicted pixel for respective classes is formed by using a standard image signal having a resolution corresponding to the first resolution of the first image signal. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
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51. A method for decoding a hierarchically encoded first image signal and producing a first image signal representing pixels and a first resolution, the first image signal being encoded by forming a second image signal and a differential signal from the first image signal, the second image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution, the differential signal being formed by generating a differential value between the pixel of the first image signal and predicted pixel of the first image signal produced from the second image signal, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving the second image signal and the differential signal; producing predicted pixels of the first image signal from the second image signal; and adding the predicted pixel of the second image signal and a corresponding differential value of the differential signal to producing the first image; wherein the predicting step comprises the steps of; forming predicted pixels for a pixel to be predicted of the second image signal from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and each set of class predicted coefficients of respective classes from the memory, the plurality of pixels being disposed adjacent the pixel to be predicted of the second image signal; determining a class from the predicted pixels and the pixel to be predicted as a class of a considered pixel of the first image signal; and generating a predicted pixel corresponding to the considered pixel in response to the determined class, each predicted pixel for respective classes is formed by using a standard image signal having a resolution corresponding to the first resolution of the first image signal. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54)
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55. A hierarchical encoding method for encoding a first image signal representing pixels and having a first resolution, the method comprising the steps of:
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forming a second image signal from the first image signal, the second image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution; producing predicted pixels of the first image signal from the second image signal; generating a differential value between the pixel of the first image signal and the predicted pixel of the first image signal to a differential signal; and transmitting the second image signal and the differential signal; wherein the predicting step comprises the steps of; forming predicted pixels for a pixel to be predicted of the second image signal from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and each set of class predicted coefficients of respective classes from the memory, the plurality of pixels being disposed adjacent the pixel to be predicted of the second image signal; determining a class from the predicted pixels and the pixel to be predicted as a class of a considered pixel of the first image signal; generating a predicted data corresponding to the considered pixel in response to the determined class, each predicted data for respective classes is formed by using a standard image signal having a resolution corresponding to the first resolution of the first image signal; and producing a predicted image signal corresponding to the first image signal from the predicted data. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58)
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59. A method for decoding a hierarchically encoded first image signal and producing a first image signal representing pixels and a first resolution, the first image signal being encoded by forming a second image signal and a differential signal from the first image signal, the second image signal having a second resolution lower than the first resolution, the differential signal being formed by generating a differential value between the pixel of the first image signal and predicted pixel of the first image signal produced from the second image signal, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving the second image signal and the differential signal; producing predicted pixels of the first image signal from the second image signal; and adding the predicted pixel of the second image signal and a corresponding differential value of the differential signal to producing the first image; and wherein the predicting step comprises the steps of; forming predicted pixels for a pixel to be predicted of the second image signal from a plurality of pixels of the second image signal and each set of class predicted coefficients of respective classes from the memory, the plurality of pixels being disposed adjacent the pixel to be predicted of the second image signal; determining a class from the predicted pixels and the pixel to be predicted as a class of a considered pixel of the first image signal; generating a predicted data corresponding to the considered pixel in response to the determined class, each predicted data for respective classes is formed by using a standard image signal having a resolution corresponding to the first resolution of the first image signal; and producing a predicted image signal corresponding to the first image signal from the predicted data. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62)
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Specification