Method and apparatus for encoding color image data
First Claim
1. A method for processing a frame of image data comprising the steps of:
- representing a color of each pixel in said frame of image data by at least one color component;
compressing said frame of image data, said step of compressing further including steps of;
(i) prequantizing the at least one color component of the image data by selectively eliminating all but at least one most significant bit of each at least one color component used to represent the color of each pixel in said frame of image data; and
(ii) encoding the remaining bits of the prequantized data to compress the prequantized data;
storing the encoded remaining bits as compressed image data; and
varying the bits which are selectively eliminated from each at least one color component, from one frame of said image data relative to another frame of said image data.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to systems and methods for compressing image data while at the same time, improving both the compression ratio and the perceptibility of the decompressed image, even when the image data is compressed without segregation into its scanned and non-scanned components. In accordance with exemplary embodiments, color data is encoded in a manner which optimizes the color fidelity of a decompressed image obtained from the encoded color data. As a result, improved perceptibility of decompressed images is achieved regardless of whether scanned images, non-scanned images or any combination thereof are collectively compressed. Exemplary embodiments achieve such improved perceptibility regardless of whether the images are monochrome (having varying grey scale values) or color. In addition, improved perceptibility is realized in a manner which permits image data including scanned and/or unscanned images to be compressed in real-time.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for processing a frame of image data comprising the steps of:
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representing a color of each pixel in said frame of image data by at least one color component; compressing said frame of image data, said step of compressing further including steps of; (i) prequantizing the at least one color component of the image data by selectively eliminating all but at least one most significant bit of each at least one color component used to represent the color of each pixel in said frame of image data; and (ii) encoding the remaining bits of the prequantized data to compress the prequantized data; storing the encoded remaining bits as compressed image data; and varying the bits which are selectively eliminated from each at least one color component, from one frame of said image data relative to another frame of said image data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Apparatus for processing a frame of image data comprising:
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a processor for partitioning the frame of image data into partitioned blocks, each block including a predetermined number of pixels from the frame of image data; a processor for a) prequantizing image data by selectively eliminating bits used to represent at least one color component of each pixel in said frame of image data, b) varying the bits which are selectively eliminated from each at least one color component, from one frame of said image data relative to another frame of said image data, and c) encoding the remaining bits of the prequantized data to compress the prequantized data; and a memory for storing the encoded remaining bits as compressed image data which represents the image. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for processing a frame of image data comprising the steps of:
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partitioning the frame of image data into partitioned blocks, each partitioned block including a predetermined number of pixels from said frame of image data; prequantizing at least one color component of the image data by selectively eliminating predetermined bits used to represent the at least one color component; encoding the remaining bits of the prequantized data to reduce the number of colors used to represent the frame of image data; storing the encoded remaining bits as image data; and varying the bits which are selectively eliminated from the at least one color component, from one frame of said image data relative to another frame of said image data. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification