Methods and apparatus for communicating and displaying compressed image data
First Claim
1. A server-based, distributed networked-computer system for processing a compressed image file that describes an image that is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, the system comprising:
- a tile server having a network interface for receiving at least one image from an image source and for sending an entirely compressed image to a client computer, wherein said tile server is configured to;
create an entirely compressed image file from an image, wherein the entirely compressed image is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, and wherein the tile server is further adapted to create one or more compressed image tiles comprising an image block with the predetermined number of pixels of the compressed image file, without fully decompressing the entirely compressed image file, the compressed image tile describing a portion of the image represented by said image block; and
modify said pixels contained in said image block to eliminate intra-tile dependencies by scanning said pixels contained in said image block row by row; and
a client computer having a network interface for receiving an entirely compressed image, wherein said client computer is configured to decompress the compressed image tile and display the portion of the image, without fully decompressing the entirely compressed image file.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for creating one or more compressed image tiles based on a compressed file that describes a digital image. In particular, the compressed image tiles are created without fully decompressing the compressed file. Each compressed image tile includes data corresponding to a portion of the digital image, and is independent of other compressed image tiles (i.e., may be decompressed without decompressing any other tile). In response to requests to display a desired portion of the digital image at a specific resolution, the compressed image tiles corresponding to the desired portion and the specified resolution are communicated via a band limited communication channel. In this regard, the portions of the digital image may be quickly communicated and displayed, without having to wait for the entire compressed file to be communicated over the band limited channel.
16 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A server-based, distributed networked-computer system for processing a compressed image file that describes an image that is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, the system comprising:
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a tile server having a network interface for receiving at least one image from an image source and for sending an entirely compressed image to a client computer, wherein said tile server is configured to; create an entirely compressed image file from an image, wherein the entirely compressed image is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, and wherein the tile server is further adapted to create one or more compressed image tiles comprising an image block with the predetermined number of pixels of the compressed image file, without fully decompressing the entirely compressed image file, the compressed image tile describing a portion of the image represented by said image block; and modify said pixels contained in said image block to eliminate intra-tile dependencies by scanning said pixels contained in said image block row by row; and a client computer having a network interface for receiving an entirely compressed image, wherein said client computer is configured to decompress the compressed image tile and display the portion of the image, without fully decompressing the entirely compressed image file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 39)
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10. A system for processing a compressed image file that describes an image that is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, the system comprising:
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a print server including; a network interface for receiving at least one image from an image source and for sending an entirely compressed image to a client computer; and a tile server configured to; create an entirely compressed image file from an image, wherein the entirely compressed image is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, and wherein the tile server is further adapted to create one or more compressed image tiles comprising an image block with the predetermined number of pixels of the compressed image file, without fully decompressing the entirely compressed image file, the compressed image tile describing a portion of the image represented by said image block; and modify said pixels contained in said image block to eliminate intra-tile dependencies by scanning said pixels contained in said image block row by row; and a client computer coupled to the print server via a communication channel, the client computer adapted to receive the compressed image tile from the print server via the communication channel, decompress the compressed image tile and display the portion of the image. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 40)
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18. A system for processing a compressed image file that describes an image that is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, the system comprising:
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a first computer configured to; create an entirely compressed image file from an image, wherein the compressed image is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, and wherein the first computer is further adapted to create one or more plurality of compressed image tiles comprising an image block with the predetermined number of pixels of the compressed image file, without fully decompressing the entirely compressed image file, each compressed image tile describing a corresponding portion of the image represented by said image block; and modify said pixels contained in said image block to eliminate intra-tile dependencies by scanning said pixels contained in said image block row by row; and a second computer configured to decompress the compressed image tiles and display the portions of the image. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 41)
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26. A computer implemented method for processing a compressed image file, stored in a computer memory, that describes an image that is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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a first computer creating an entirely compressed image file from an image, wherein the compressed image is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, and wherein the first computer is further configured to; create one or more compressed image tiles comprising an image block with the predetermined number of pixels of the compressed image file, without fully decompressing the entirely compressed image file, the compressed image tile describing a portion of the image represented by said image block; and modify said pixels contained in said image block to eliminate intra-tile dependencies by scanning said pixels contained in said image block row by row; and a second computer decompressing the compressed image tile and displaying the portion of the image. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 42)
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34. A computer implemented method for processing a compressed image file, stored in a computer memory, that describes an image that is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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a first computer configured to create an entirely compressed image file from an image, wherein the compressed image is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, and wherein the first computer is further adapted to; create one or more a compressed image tiles comprising an image block with the predetermined number of pixels of the compressed image file, without fully decompressing the entirely compressed image file, the compressed image tile describing a portion of the image represented by said image block; and modify said pixels contained in said image block to eliminate intra-tile dependencies by scanning said pixels contained in said image block row by row; and a second computer decompressing the compressed image tiles and display the portions of the image. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 43)
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44. A system for processing a compressed image file that describes an image that is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, the system comprising:
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a print server configured to create an entirely compressed image file from an image, wherein the compressed image is grouped into blocks, where each block comprises a predetermined number of pixels, and wherein the print server is further adapted to; create a first and at least one additional compressed image tiles comprising an image block with the predetermined number of pixels of the entirely compressed image file, without fully decompressing the compressed image file, the first compressed image tile describing a first portion of the image represented by said image block, and the at least one additional compressed image tile describing at least one additional portion of the image represented by said image block, wherein the first compressed image tile may be decompressed without decompressing the second compressed image tile, and modify said pixels contained in said image block to eliminate intra-tile dependencies by scanning said pixels contained in said image block row by row; and a second computer configured to decompress the compressed image tile and display the first portion of the image, wherein the print server sends the first compressed image tile to the second computer, and wherein the second computer decompresses and displays the first portion of the image; wherein after the second computer displays first compressed image tile, the print server sends the at least one additional compressed image file to the second computer, wherein the at least one additional compressed image file comprises a block that borders the first compressed image file.
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Specification