Progressive still frame mode
First Claim
1. For use in transmitting a still image at a desired quality using a communications channel, a system comprising:
- a still mode control block configured and arranged to selectively enable a still mode;
a first memory configured and arranged to, when the still mode is not enabled, store a series of images in succession, and, when the still mode is enabled, store one of the series of images as the still image to be transmitted;
a difference information generator configured and arranged to generate difference information representing a difference between a reconstructed image and the still image;
a variable quality encoder configured and arranged to encode the difference information as encoded data representing the difference information at a variable quality and to successively increase the quality until a quality threshold is satisfied;
an image reconstructor configured and arranged to construct the reconstructed image as a function of the difference information, the reconstructed image initially comprising a previously-transmitted image; and
a second memory configured and arranged to store the reconstructed image.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A still image is progressively transmitted over a communications channel by computing, encoding, and outputting for transmission difference information representing the difference between the still image and a previously-transmitted image that has been stored at a remote location. This process is repeated, with additional difference information being generated to supplement the image received at the remote location, such that the quality of the image at the remote location improves over time. The difference information may be encoded in a format compatible with existing video compression standards and processed by a receiving terminal regardless of the presence of still mode capability.
14 Citations
14 Claims
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1. For use in transmitting a still image at a desired quality using a communications channel, a system comprising:
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a still mode control block configured and arranged to selectively enable a still mode; a first memory configured and arranged to, when the still mode is not enabled, store a series of images in succession, and, when the still mode is enabled, store one of the series of images as the still image to be transmitted; a difference information generator configured and arranged to generate difference information representing a difference between a reconstructed image and the still image; a variable quality encoder configured and arranged to encode the difference information as encoded data representing the difference information at a variable quality and to successively increase the quality until a quality threshold is satisfied; an image reconstructor configured and arranged to construct the reconstructed image as a function of the difference information, the reconstructed image initially comprising a previously-transmitted image; and a second memory configured and arranged to store the reconstructed image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. For use in transmitting a still image at a desired quality between first and second stations using a communications channel, a system comprising:
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a still mode control block configured and arranged to selectively enable a still mode; a first memory configured and arranged to, when the still mode is not enabled, store a series of images in succession, and, when the still mode is enabled, store one of the series of images as the still image to be transmitted; a difference information generator configured and arranged to generate difference information representing a difference between a function of a reconstructed image and the still image; a variable quality encoder configured and arranged to encode the difference information as encoded data representing the difference information at a variable quality and to successively increase the quality until a quality threshold is satisfied; an image reconstructor configured and arranged to construct a new reconstructed image as a function of the difference information and the previous reconstructed image; and a second memory configured and arranged to store the new reconstructed image. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. For use in transmitting a still image at a desired quality between first and second stations using a communications channel, a system comprising:
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still mode control means for selectively enable a still mode; first memory means for, when the still mode is not enabled, storing a series of images in succession, and, when the still mode is enabled, storing one of the series of images as the still image to be transmitted; difference information generation means for generating difference information representing a difference between a function of a reconstructed image and the still image; variable quality encoding means for encoding the difference information as encoded data representing the difference information at a variable quality and for successively increasing the quality until a quality threshold is satisfied; image reconstruction means for constructing a new reconstructed image as a function of the difference information and the previous reconstructed image; and second memory means for storing the new reconstructed image.
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14. A method of causing a still image to be transmitted at a desired quality between first and second stations using a communications channel, comprising:
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selectively enabling a still mode from one of the first and second stations; when the still mode is not enabled, storing a series of images in succession, and, when the still mode is enabled, storing one of the series of images as the still image to be transmitted; generating difference information representing a difference between a function of a reconstructed image and the still image; using a variable quality encoding process, encoding the difference information as encoded data representing the difference information at a variable quality and successively increasing the quality until a quality threshold is satisfied; constructing a new reconstructed image as a function of the difference information and the previous reconstructed image; and storing the new reconstructed image.
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Specification