Method and device for processing digital data

• US 20050114386A1
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Le Leannec, Fabrice, Nassor, Eric, Donescu, Ioana
• Granted Patent: US 8,782,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/63 using sub-band based transform, e.g. wavelets

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of processing digital data constituting a signal in a distributed communication network comprising a plurality of communication apparatuses, the signal being identified by a unique identifier (ID), characterized in that the method comprises the following steps: storing one or more parts of the signal, termed exploitable parts of the signal, at one at least given address of a memory location and in a format readable by an application, associating the unique identifier of the signal with each exploitable part of the signal, storing in at least one communication apparatus a data structure establishing a link between each exploitable part of the signal and the unique identifier of that signal.

Claims

1. A method of processing digital data constituting a signal in a distributed communication network comprising a plurality of communication apparatuses, the signal being identified by a unique identifier (ID), characterized in that the method comprises the following steps:

storing one or more parts of the signal, termed exploitable parts of the signal, at one at least given address of a memory location and in a format readable by an application,

associating the unique identifier of the signal with each exploitable part of the signal,

storing in at least one communication apparatus a data structure establishing a link between each exploitable part of the signal and the unique identifier of that signal.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the data structure takes the form of a location table for all the exploitable parts of the signal having the same unique identifier of the signal.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the data structure establishes a link between the unique identifier of the signal and the addresses in memory of the different exploitable parts of the signal.

4. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the data structure also establishes a link between each exploitable part of the signal and an index representing the data present in the part considered.

5. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that, for each exploitable part of the signal, the index describes sub-parts of data constituting the part considered.

6. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the data structure establishes a link between the unique identifier of the signal and the addresses in memory of the indices of the different exploitable parts of the signal.

7. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that each index specific to a given exploitable part of the signal corresponds to a data structure in table form comprising the identification of the data present in the part considered and their addresses in memory enabling them to be retrieved in said part stored in memory.

8. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the following steps performed by the communication apparatus or apparatuses in which one or more exploitable parts of the signal are stored:

prior reception of at least some data constituting the signal,

managing locations in memory adapted to the fact that the data received which are not contained in the part or parts of the signal stored respectively in one or more memory locations are stored in memory in a memory location distinct from them, while the data received which are contained in the part or parts of the signal stored in memory are not stored in memory in the distinct memory location.

9. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a step of selecting at least one format in which each exploitable part of the signal is stored.

10. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a step of transferring over the network sub-parts of data constituting at least one exploitable part of the signal.

11. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that the step of associating the unique identifier of the signal with an exploitable part of the signal is performed by the communication apparatus or apparatuses receiving all or part of the data constituting that part.

12. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of associating the unique identifier of the signal corresponds to a step of inserting that identifier in an exploitable part of the signal.

13. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of storing the data structure in memory is performed by the communication apparatus or apparatuses receiving all or part of the data constituting an exploitable part of the signal.

14. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a step of obtaining, by at least one communication apparatus receiving all or part of the data constituting an exploitable part of the signal, at least one data descriptor representing the data present on one or more other communication apparatuses of the network.

15. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a step, performed on a communication apparatus on which one or more exploitable parts of the signal are stored, of viewing all or part of each exploitable part of the stored signal.

16. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a step, performed on a communication apparatus on which one or more exploitable parts of the signal are stored, of viewing information specific to each stored part and adapted to inform a user of the state of the part considered.

17. A method according to claim 16, characterized in that the state of the exploitable signal part considered represents the availability of other data constituting the signal.

18. A method according to claim 16, characterized in that the state of the exploitable signal part considered represents the possibility of sharing that part with one or more other communication apparatuses.

19. A method according to one of claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the information specific to each stored part is in particular obtained from the stored data structure.

20. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a step, performed on a communication apparatus on which one or more exploitable parts of the signal are stored, of viewing commands enabling a user, on the basis of an exploitable part of the signal stored in memory, of performing different operations specific to the sharing of the part considered with one or more other communication apparatuses, i.e. in particular, to complete the part considered with supplementary data and/or to share the part considered with one or more other communication apparatuses.

21. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a prior step of generating the unique identifier of the signal.

22. A method according to claim 21, characterized in that the step of generating the unique identifier of the signal is performed by the communication apparatus transferring all or part of the data constituting an exploitable part of the signal to one or more other communication apparatuses.

23. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the digital signal is an image signal.

43. An information storage means which can be read by a computer or a microprocessor containing code instructions of a computer program for executing the steps of the method according to claim 1.

44. A partially or totally removable information storage means which can be read by a computer or a microprocessor containing code instructions of a computer program for executing the steps of the method according to claim 1.

45. A computer program loadable onto a programmable apparatus, comprising sequences of instructions or portions of software code for implementing the steps of the method according to claim 1 when said computer program is loaded and executed on the programmable apparatus.

24. A device for processing digital data constituting a signal in a distributed communication network comprising a plurality of communication apparatuses, the signal being identified by a unique identifier (ID), characterized in that the device comprises:

means for storing one or more parts of the signal, termed exploitable parts of the signal, at one at least given address of a memory location and in a format readable by an application,

means for associating the unique identifier of the signal with each exploitable part of the signal,

means for storing in at least one communication apparatus a data structure establishing a link between each exploitable part of the signal and the unique identifier of that signal.

25. A device according to claim 24, characterized in that the data structure takes the form of a location table for all the exploitable parts of the signal having the same unique identifier of the signal.

26. A device according to claim 24, characterized in that the data structure establishes a link between the unique identifier of the signal and the addresses in memory of the different exploitable parts of the signal.

27. A device according to claim 26, characterized in that the data structure also establishes a link between each exploitable part of the signal and an index representing the data present in the part considered.

28. A device according to claim 27, characterized in that, for each exploitable part of the signal, the index describes sub-parts of data constituting the part considered.

29. A device according to claim 27, characterized in that the data structure establishes a link between the unique identifier of the signal and the addresses in memory of the indices of the different exploitable parts of the signal.

30. A device according to claim 27, characterized in that each index specific to a given exploitable part of the signal corresponds to a data structure in table form comprising the identification of the data present in the part considered and their addresses in memory enabling them to be retrieved in said part stored in memory.

31. A device according to claim 24, characterized in that it comprises in the communication apparatus or apparatuses in which one or more exploitable parts of the signal are stored:

means for prior reception of at least some data constituting the signal,

means for managing locations in memory adapted to the fact that the data received which are not contained in the part or parts of the signal stored respectively in one or more memory locations are stored in memory in a memory location distinct from them, while the data received which are contained in the part or parts of the signal stored in memory are not stored in memory in the distinct memory location.

32. A device according to one of claim 24, characterized in that it comprises means for selecting at least one format in which each exploitable part of the signal is stored.

33. A device according to claim 24, characterized in that it comprises means for transferring over the network the sub-parts of data constituting at least one exploitable part of the signal.

34. A method according to claim 24, characterized in that it comprises means for obtaining, by at least one communication apparatus receiving all or part of the data constituting an exploitable part of the signal, at least one data descriptor representing the data present on one or more other communication apparatuses of the network.

35. A device according to claim 24, characterized in that it comprises means for viewing all or part of each exploitable part of the signal stored on a communication apparatus, said means forming part of a communication apparatus in which one or more exploitable parts of the signal are stored.

36. A device according to claim 24, characterized in that it comprises means for viewing information specific to each stored part and adapted to inform a user of the state of the part considered, said means forming part of a communication apparatus on which one or more exploitable parts of the signal are stored.

37. A device according to claim 36, characterized in that the state of the exploitable signal part considered represents the availability of other data constituting the signal.

38. A device according to claim 36, characterized in that the state of the exploitable signal part considered represents the possibility of sharing that part with one or more other communication apparatuses.

39. A device according to claim 36, characterized in that the information specific to each stored part is in particular obtained from the stored data structure.

40. A device according to one of claims 24 to 39, characterized in that it comprises means for viewing commands enabling a user, on the basis of an exploitable part of the signal stored in memory, to perform different operations specific to the sharing of the part considered with one or more other communication apparatuses, i.e. in particular, to complete the part considered with supplementary data and/or to share the part considered with one or more other communication apparatuses, said means forming part of a communication apparatus on which one or more exploitable parts of the signal are stored.

41. A device according to claim 24, characterized in that it comprises means for generating the unique identifier of the signal.

42. A communication apparatus comprising a device according to claim 24.