Region of interest-based image transfer

• US 8,356,114 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2010
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Mukherjee, Uddipan, Matsubayashi, Don Hideyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B
• Application Number:
  US12/761,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20110258344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 209/247, 358/1.18
• US Class Current: 709/247
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/167 Position within a video image, e.g. region of interest [ROI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/17 the unit being an image region, e.g. an object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/176 the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock

Abstract

Image data of an image is transmitted from a first computer to a second computer over a network. A region of interest in the image is identified by a first computer by calculations using image data. Coordinates for the region of interest are transmitted from the first computer to the second computer. Image data for the region of interest is encoded. Encoded image data for the region of interest is transmitted from the first computer to the second computer for decoding and display at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates. A region surrounding the region of interest is identified by the first computer. Coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest are transmitted. Image data for the region surrounding the region of interest is encoded. Encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest is transmitted for display at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting image data of an image from a first computer to a second computer over a network, wherein the method comprises:

encoding the image data, wherein the encoded image data has a lower quality portion and a higher quality portion;

identifying a region of interest in the image by the first computer, wherein the first computer identifies the region of interest by calculations using the image data;

transmitting coordinates for the region of interest from the first computer to the second computer;

transmitting the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest to the second computer for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region of interest;

identifying a region surrounding the region of interest by the first computer;

transmitting coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest to the second computer;

after transmission of the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest, transmitting the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest to the second computer for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest; and

after transmission of the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest, transmitting the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region of interest.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the transmission of the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest is ordered so that the higher quality portion of the encoded image for the region of interest is transmitted before the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the transmission of the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest is ordered so that the higher quality portion of the encoded image for the region surrounding the region of interest is transmitted before the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest are comprised of blocks of pixels, and wherein the step of transmitting is performed on the blocks of pixels.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the blocks of pixels are transmitted in an order starting from the center of the region of interest and spiraling outwardly toward edges of the region of interest.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein each block of pixels is encoded into a bit sequence wherein leading bits thereof comprise the lower quality portion and subsequent bits thereof comprise the higher quality portion.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the encoding quality of the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest is adjusted depending on limitations imposed by a user or the network.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the encoding quality of the image data is scaled for each region surrounding the region of interest based on a distance between each region and the region of interest.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the transmission of lower quality portion of the encoded image data and the higher quality portion of the encoded image data comprises a lossless transmission of the image data.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising packaging of the encoded image data and the coordinates corresponding to the encoded image data into a data packet, one after the other, wherein the steps of transmitting coordinates and transmitting the image data are comprised by transmitting the data packet.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identification of the region of interest uses edge detection calculations on the image data.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identification of the region of interest uses spatial frequency calculations on the image data.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identification of the region of interest uses face detection calculations on the image data.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identification of the region of interest incorporates machine learning techniques, wherein the machine learning techniques analyze samples of image data, and wherein the region of interest is identified based on patterns uncovered from analyzing the samples of image data.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identification of the region of interest incorporates data mining techniques, wherein the data mining techniques analyze samples of image data, and wherein the region of interest is identified based on patterns uncovered from analyzing the samples of image data.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identification of the region of interest uses metadata for the image data, wherein the metadata for the image data provides image content information for the image data, and wherein the region of interest is identified based on the image content information for the image data.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identification of the region of interest uses block recognition techniques on the image data.

19. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a computer-readable memory constructed to store computer-executable process steps; and

a processor constructed to execute the computer-executable process steps stored in the memory;

wherein the process steps stored in the memory cause the processor to transmit image data of an image from a first computer to a second computer over a network, and wherein the process steps include computer-executable process steps to;

encode the image data, wherein the encoded image data has a lower quality portion and a higher quality portion;

identify a region of interest in the image by the first computer, wherein the first computer identifies the region of interest by calculations using the image data;

transmit coordinates for the region of interest from the first computer to the second computer;

transmit the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest to the second computer for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region of interest;

identify a region surrounding the region of interest by the first computer;

transmit coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest to the second computer;

after transmission of the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest, transmit the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest to the second computer for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest; and

after transmission of the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest, transmit the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region of interest.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising the step of transmitting the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the transmission of the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest is ordered so that the higher quality portion of the encoded image for the region of interest is transmitted before the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest.

22. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the transmission of the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest is ordered so that the higher quality portion of the encoded image for the region surrounding the region of interest is transmitted before the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest.

23. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest are comprised of blocks of pixels, and wherein the step of transmitting is performed on the blocks of pixels.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the blocks of pixels are transmitted in an order starting from the center of the region of interest and spiraling outwardly toward edges of the region of interest.

25. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein each block of pixels is encoded into a bit sequence wherein leading bits thereof comprise the lower quality portion and subsequent bits thereof comprise the higher quality portion.

26. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the encoding quality of the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest is adjusted depending on limitations imposed by a user or the network.

27. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the encoding quality of the image data is scaled for each region surrounding the region of interest based on a distance between each region and the region of interest.

28. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the transmission of lower quality portion of the encoded image data and the higher quality portion of the encoded image data comprises a lossless transmission of the image data.

29. An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising packaging of the encoded image data and the coordinates corresponding to the encoded image data into a data packet, one after the other, wherein the steps of transmitting coordinates and transmitting the image data are comprised by transmitting the data packet.

30. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the identification of the region of interest uses edge detection calculations on the image data.

31. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the identification of the region of interest uses spatial frequency calculations on the image data.

32. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the identification of the region of interest uses face detection calculations on the image data.

33. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the identification of the region of interest incorporates machine learning techniques, wherein the machine learning techniques analyze samples of image data, and wherein the region of interest is identified based on patterns uncovered from analyzing the samples of image data.

34. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the identification of the region of interest incorporates data mining techniques, wherein the data mining techniques analyze samples of image data, and wherein the region of interest is identified based on patterns uncovered from analyzing the samples of image data.

35. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the identification of the region of interest uses metadata for the image data, wherein the metadata for the image data provides image content information for the image data, and wherein the region of interest is identified based on the image content information for the image data.

36. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the identification of the region of interest uses block recognition techniques on the image data.

37. A method for receiving image data of an image from a first computer at a second computer over a network, wherein the method comprises:

receiving coordinates for a region of interest from the first computer at the second computer;

receiving a lower quality portion of encoded image data for the region of interest;

decoding the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest;

displaying the decoded lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region of interest;

receiving coordinates for a region surrounding the region of interest at the second computer;

after reception of the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest, receiving a lower quality portion of encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest;

decoding the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest;

displaying the decoded lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest;

receiving a higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest;

decoding the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest;

displaying the decoded higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region of interest, wherein the decoded higher quality portion for the region of interest is displayed after display of the decoded lower quality portion for the region surrounding the region of interest.

38. A method according to claim 37, further comprising the steps of receiving the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest, decoding the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest, and displaying the decoded higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region surrounding region of interest.

39. A method according to claim 38, wherein the reception of the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest is ordered so that the higher quality portion of the encoded image for the region of interest is received before the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest.

40. A method according to claim 38, wherein the reception of the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest is ordered so that the higher quality portion of the encoded image for the region surrounding the region of interest is received before the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest.

41. A method according to claim 37, wherein the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest are comprised of blocks of pixels, and wherein the step of receiving is performed on the blocks of pixels.

42. A method according to claim 41, wherein the blocks of pixels are received in an order starting from the center of the region of interest and spiraling outwardly toward edges of the region of interest.

43. A method according to claim 37, further comprising receiving the image data and the coordinates corresponding to the image data as a data packet and unpackaging the data packet to retrieve the image data and the coordinates corresponding to the image data, wherein the steps of receiving the image data and the coordinates corresponding to the image data are comprised by receiving the data packet.

44. A method according to claim 37, wherein the region of interest is identified by the first computer by calculations using the image data.

45. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a computer-readable memory constructed to store computer-executable process steps; and

a processor constructed to execute the computer-executable process steps stored in the memory;

wherein the process steps stored in the memory cause the processor to receive image data of an image from a first computer at a second computer over a network, and wherein the process steps include computer-executable process steps to;

receive coordinates for a region of interest from the first computer at the second computer;

receive a lower quality portion of encoded image data for the region of interest;

decode the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest;

display the decoded lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region of interest;

receive coordinates for a region surrounding the region of interest at the second computer;

after reception of the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest, receive a lower quality portion of encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest;

decode the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest;

display the decoded lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest;

receive a higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest;

decode the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest;

display the decoded higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region of interest, wherein the decoded higher quality portion for the region of interest is displayed after display of the decoded lower quality portion for the region surrounding the region of interest.

46. An apparatus according to claim 45, further comprising the steps of receiving the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest, decoding the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest, and displaying the decoded higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region surrounding region of interest.

47. An apparatus according to claim 46, wherein the reception of the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest is ordered so that the higher quality portion of the encoded image for the region of interest is received before the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest.

48. An apparatus according to claim 46, wherein the reception of the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest is ordered so that the higher quality portion of the encoded image for the region surrounding the region of interest is received before the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest.

49. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the region of interest and the region surrounding the region of interest are comprised of blocks of pixels, and wherein the step of receiving is performed on the blocks of pixels.

50. An apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the blocks of pixels are received in an order starting from the center of the region of interest and spiraling outwardly toward edges of the region of interest.

51. An apparatus according to claim 45, further comprising receiving the image data and the coordinates corresponding to the image data as a data packet and unpackaging the data packet to retrieve the image data and the coordinates corresponding to the image data, wherein the steps of receiving the image data and the coordinates corresponding to the image data are comprised by receiving the data packet.

52. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the region of interest is identified by the first computer by calculations using the image data.

53. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program for causing a computer to perform a method for transmitting image data of an image from a first computer to a second computer over a network, the method comprising:

encoding the image data, wherein the encoded image data has a lower quality portion and a higher quality portion;

identifying a region of interest in the image by the first computer, wherein the first computer identifies the region of interest by calculations using the image data;

transmitting coordinates for the region of interest from the first computer to the second computer;

transmitting the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest to the second computer for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region of interest;

identifying a region surrounding the region of interest by the first computer;

transmitting coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest to the second computer;

after transmission of the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest, transmitting the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest to the second computer for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest; and

after transmission of the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest, transmitting the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region of interest.

54. An image processing module for transmitting image data of an image from a first computer to a second computer over a network, the image processing module comprising:

an encoding module constructed to encode the image data, wherein the encoded image data has a lower quality portion and a higher quality portion;

a identification module constructed to identify a region of interest in the image by the first computer, wherein the first computer identifies the region of interest by calculations using the image data, wherein the identification module is further constructed to identify a region surrounding the region of interest by the first computer;

a data transmitting module constructed to transmit coordinates for the region of interest from the first computer to the second computer, wherein the data transmitting module is further constructed to transmit the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest to the second computer for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region of interest, to transmit coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest to the second computer, after transmission of the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest, to transmit the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest to the second computer for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest, and after transmission of the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest, to transmit the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest for decoding and display by the second computer at a position corresponding to the transmitted coordinates for the region of interest.

55. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program for causing a computer to perform a method for receiving image data of an image from a first computer at a second computer over a network, the method comprising:

receiving coordinates for a region of interest from the first computer at the second computer;

receiving a lower quality portion of encoded image data for the region of interest;

decoding the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest;

displaying the decoded lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region of interest;

receiving coordinates for a region surrounding the region of interest at the second computer;

after reception of the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest, receiving a lower quality portion of encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest;

decoding the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest;

displaying the decoded lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest;

receiving a higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest;

decoding the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest;

displaying the decoded higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region of interest, wherein the decoded higher quality portion for the region of interest is displayed after display of the decoded lower quality portion for the region surrounding the region of interest.

56. An image processing module for receiving image data of an image from a first computer at a second computer over a network, the image processing module comprising:

a data receiving module constructed to receive coordinates for a region of interest from the first computer at the second computer, and constructed to receive a lower quality portion of encoded image data for the region of interest;

a decoding module for decoding the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest;

a display module for displaying the decoded lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region of interest;

wherein the data receiving module is further constructed to receive coordinates for a region surrounding the region of interest at the second computer, after reception of the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest, to receive a lower quality portion of encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest, and to receive a higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest;

wherein the decoding module is further constructed to decode the lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest, and to decode the higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest;

wherein the display module is further constructed to display the decoded lower quality portion of the encoded image data for the region surrounding the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region surrounding the region of interest, and to display the decoded higher quality portion of the encoded image data for the region of interest at a position corresponding to the received coordinates for the region of interest, wherein the decoded higher quality portion for the region of interest is displayed after display of the decoded lower quality portion for the region surrounding the region of interest.