Method and apparatus for block based image compression with multiple non-uniform block encodings
First Claim
1. A method adapted for use in an image compression apparatus to compress an input image comprising a plurality of pixels, the method comprising:
- partitioning, by said image compression apparatus, said input image into a plurality of original blocks, each comprising a selected subset of the pixels comprising said input image;
decomposing, by said image compression apparatus, each of said original blocks to generate a respective one of a plurality of decomposed blocks by applying a function to an original value of each of said pixels comprising each of said original blocks to obtain a decomposed value selected to reduce the amount of space needed to encode said original value;
compressing, by said image compression apparatus, each of said decomposed blocks to generate a respective one of a plurality of compressed blocks; and
combining, by said image compression apparatus, all of said plurality of compressed blocks to generate an output image.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and apparatus for block based image compression with multiple non-uniform block encodings. In one embodiment, an image is divided into blocks of pixels. In one embodiment the blocks are four pixels by four pixels, but other block sizes are used in other embodiments. In one embodiment, a block of pixels in the original image is compressed using two different methods to produce a first and second compressed block. Thus, each block in the original image is represented by two, typically different, compressed blocks. In one embodiment, color associated with a pixel is determined by combining the compressed information about the pixel in the first compressed block with information about the pixel in the second compressed block. In another embodiment, global information about the image is combined with the information in the first and second compressed blocks.
98 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A method adapted for use in an image compression apparatus to compress an input image comprising a plurality of pixels, the method comprising:
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partitioning, by said image compression apparatus, said input image into a plurality of original blocks, each comprising a selected subset of the pixels comprising said input image; decomposing, by said image compression apparatus, each of said original blocks to generate a respective one of a plurality of decomposed blocks by applying a function to an original value of each of said pixels comprising each of said original blocks to obtain a decomposed value selected to reduce the amount of space needed to encode said original value; compressing, by said image compression apparatus, each of said decomposed blocks to generate a respective one of a plurality of compressed blocks; and combining, by said image compression apparatus, all of said plurality of compressed blocks to generate an output image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of generating an output pixel from compressed pixel data comprising:
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generating, by an apparatus, a first value associated with the output pixel from a first portion of said compressed pixel data; generating, by an apparatus, a second value associated with the output pixel from a second portion of said compressed pixel data, said second portion different from said first portion; and combining, by an apparatus, said first and second values to generate said output pixel. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. An image compression system operative to compress an input image comprising a plurality of pixels, the system comprising:
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logic operative to partition said input image into a plurality of original blocks, each comprising a selected subset of the pixels comprising said input image; decompose each of said original blocks to generate a respective one of a plurality of decomposed blocks by applying a function to an original value of each of said pixels comprising each of said original blocks to obtain a decomposed value selected to reduce the amount of space needed to encode said original value; compress each of said decomposed blocks to generate a respective one of a plurality of compressed blocks; and combine all of said plurality of compressed blocks to generate an output image. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An image compression system comprising:
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logic operative to compress an original image block by generating; a first portion representing a first portion of the original image block, said first portion generated using a first algorithm; and a second portion representing a second portion of the original image block, said second portion generated using a second algorithm, said second algorithm different from said first algorithm.
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48. An image compression system comprising:
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logic operative to generate an output pixel from compressed pixel data comprising; generating a first value associated with the output pixel from a first portion of said compressed pixel data; generating a second value associated with the output pixel from a second portion of said compressed pixel data, said second portion different from said first portion; and combining said first and second values to generate said output pixel. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51)
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Specification