Apparatus and software for geometric coarsening and segmenting of still images
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for performing geometric coarsening and segmenting of an image representable as a two-dimensional array of pixels comprising:
- a) a first engine operable to select every other column of the array to accumulate information contained therein into adjacent columns;
b) a second engine operable to determine, for each pixel of each selected column, a similarity of said pixel with respect to a first set of nearest pixels of adjacent columns to form respective dependency values;
c) a third engine operable to distribute, for each pixel of each selected column, information for said pixel to the first set of pixels of adjacent columns wherein said information from said pixel is accumulated, together with any existing information of said pixel, and weighted by the respective dependency values;
d) a fourth engine operable to select every other row of the array for accumulating information contained therein into adjacent rows;
e) a fifth engine operable to determine, for each pixel of each selected row, a similarity of said pixel with respect to a second set of nearest six pixels of adjacent rows to form respective dependency values; and
f) a sixth engine operable to distribute, for each pixel of each selected row, information for said pixel to the second set of pixels of adjacent rows wherein said information from said pixel is accumulated, together with any existing information of said pixel, and weighted by the respective dependency values.
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Abstract
An apparatus and software for processing an image reduces the number of pixels constituting the image by sequentially eliminating alternate rows and columns of pixels, the information represented by each pixel being eliminated (a “source” pixel) being redistributed into adjacent “destination” pixel locations. The redistribution is made in proportion to the similarity between the source and each destination pixel, e.g., similarity of color and/or luminance values.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for performing geometric coarsening and segmenting of an image representable as a two-dimensional array of pixels comprising:
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a) a first engine operable to select every other column of the array to accumulate information contained therein into adjacent columns; b) a second engine operable to determine, for each pixel of each selected column, a similarity of said pixel with respect to a first set of nearest pixels of adjacent columns to form respective dependency values; c) a third engine operable to distribute, for each pixel of each selected column, information for said pixel to the first set of pixels of adjacent columns wherein said information from said pixel is accumulated, together with any existing information of said pixel, and weighted by the respective dependency values; d) a fourth engine operable to select every other row of the array for accumulating information contained therein into adjacent rows; e) a fifth engine operable to determine, for each pixel of each selected row, a similarity of said pixel with respect to a second set of nearest six pixels of adjacent rows to form respective dependency values; and f) a sixth engine operable to distribute, for each pixel of each selected row, information for said pixel to the second set of pixels of adjacent rows wherein said information from said pixel is accumulated, together with any existing information of said pixel, and weighted by the respective dependency values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus of reducing the size of an image stored as a two-dimensional array of pixels comprising one or more engines operable to perform the steps of:
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selecting a plurality of columns for elimination, each including a plurality of column-aligned source pixels; redistributing image information from each of said column-aligned source pixels to corresponding nearest destination pixels of columns adjacent each of said column-aligned source pixels; eliminating said plurality of columns selected for elimination; selecting a plurality of rows for elimination, each including a plurality of row-aligned source pixels; redistributing image information from each of said row-aligned source pixels to corresponding nearest destination pixels of rows adjacent each of said row-aligned source pixels; and eliminating said plurality of rows selected for elimination. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. An apparatus for compressing data stored in a multidimensional array of data elements, the apparatus comprising engines operable to perform the steps of:
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a) selecting a first plurality of subarrays from said multidimensional array, said first plurality of subarrays arranged along a selected one of said dimensions, each of said first plurality of subarrays including a first plurality of source data elements; b) determining, for each of said first plurality of source data elements, a similarity of said source data elements with respect to a corresponding set of nearest destination data elements to form respective dependency values; c) distributing data corresponding to each of said first plurality of source data elements to the corresponding set of nearest destination data elements wherein said information from said source data elements is accumulated, together with any existing information of said nearest destination data elements and weighted by the respective dependency values; d) selecting a next plurality of subarrays from said multidimensional array, said next plurality of subarrays arranged along another of said dimensions and each including another plurality of source data elements; and e) repeating steps b-c with said next plurality of subarrays.
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14. A non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for geometric coarsening and segmenting of an image representable as a two-dimensional array of pixels, the computer readable program code including:
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a) computer readable program code for causing the computer to select every other column of the array for accumulating information contained therein into adjacent columns; b) computer readable program code for causing the computer to determe, for each pixel of each selected column, a similarity of said pixel with respect to a first set of nearest pixels of adjacent columns to form respective dependency values; c) computer readable program code for causing the computer to distribute, for each pixel of each selected column, information for said pixel to the first set of pixels of adjacent columns wherein said information from said pixel is accumulated, together with any existing information of said pixel, and weighted by the respective dependency values; d) computer readable program code for causing the computer to select every other row of the array for accumulating information contained therein into adjacent rows; e) computer readable program code for causing the computer to determine, for each pixel of each selected row, a similarity of said pixel with respect to a second set of nearest six pixels of adjacent rows to form respective dependency values; and f) computer readable program code for causing the computer to distribute, for each pixel of each selected row, information for said pixel to the second set of pixels of adjacent rows wherein said information from said pixel is accumulated, together with any existing information of said pixel, and weighted by the respective dependency values. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for reducing the size of an image stored as a two-dimensional array of pixels, the computer readable program code including:
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computer readable program code for causing the computer to select a plurality of columns for elimination, each including a plurality of column-aligned source pixels; computer readable program code for causing the computer to redistribute image information from each of said column-aligned source pixels to corresponding nearest destination pixels of columns adjacent each of said column-aligned source pixels; computer readable program code for causing the computer to eliminate said plurality of columns selected for elimination; computer readable program code for causing the computer to select a plurality of rows for elimination, each including a plurality of row-aligned source pixels; computer readable program code for causing the computer to redistribute image information from each of said row-aligned source pixels to corresponding nearest destination pixels of rows adjacent each of said row-aligned source pixels; and computer readable program code for causing the computer to eliminate said plurality of rows selected for elimination. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for compressing data stored in a multidimensional array of data elements, the computer readable program code including:
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a) computer readable program code for causing the computer to select a first plurality of subarrays from said multidimensional array, said first plurality of subarrays arranged along a selected one of said dimensions, each of said first plurality of subarrays including a first plurality of source data elements; b) computer readable program code for causing the computer to determine, for each of said first plurality of source data elements, a similarity of said source data elements with respect to a corresponding set of nearest destination data elements to form respective dependency values; c) computer readable program code for causing the computer to distribute data corresponding to each of said first plurality of source data elements to the corresponding set of nearest destination data elements wherein said information from said source data elements is accumulated, together with any existing information of said nearest destination data elements and weighted by the respective dependency values; d) computer readable program code for causing the computer to select a next plurality of subarrays from said multidimentional array, said next plurality of subarrays arranged along another of said dimensions and each including another plurality of source data elements; and e) computer readable program code for causing the computer to repeat actions b-c with said next plurality of subarrays.
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Specification