3392 results about "Image compression" patented technology

A fully digital camera system provides high-resolution still image and streaming video signals via a network to a centralized, server supported security and surveillance system. The digital camera for collects an image from one or more image transducers, compressing the image and sending the compressed digital image signal to a receiving station over a digital network. A plurality of image transducers or sensors may be included in a single camera unit, providing array imaging such as full 360 degree panoramic imaging, universal or spherical imaging and field imaging by stacking or arranging the sensors in an array. The multiple images are then compressed and merged at the camera in the desired format to permit transmission of the least amount of data to accomplish the desired image transmission. The camera also employs, or connects to, a variety of sensors other than the traditional image sensor. Sensors for fire, smoke, sound, glass breakage, motion, panic buttons, and the like, may be embedded in or connected to the camera. Data captured by these sensors may be digitized, compressed, and networked to detect notable conditions. An internal microphone and associated signal processing system may be equipped with suitable signal processing algorithms for the purpose of detecting suitable acoustic events and their location. In addition, the camera is equipped with a pair of externally accessible terminals where an external sensor may be connected. In addition, the camera may be equipped with a short-range receiver that may detect the activation of a wireless ‘panic button’ carried by facility personnel. This ‘panic button’ may employ infrared, radio frequency (RF), ultrasonic, or other suitable methods to activate the camera's receiver.

A method and apparatus for compressing image data include a plurality of core encoders for receiving a respective plurality of streams of data in parallel and for compressing the received data, a plurality of output buffers for respectively receiving the compressed data from each of the plurality of core encoders, and a recombination circuit for recombining the compressed data.

A method and apparatus provide signal compression for transfer over serial data links in a base transceiver system (BTS) of a wireless communication network. For the uplink, an RF unit of the BTS applies frequency domain compression of baseband signal samples, resulting from analog to digital conversion of received analog signals followed by digital downconversion, forming compressed coefficients. After transfer over the serial data link, the baseband processor then applies frequency domain decompression to the compressed coefficients prior to normal signal processing. For the downlink, the baseband processor applies frequency domain compression of baseband signal samples and transfers the compressed coefficients to the RF unit. The RF unit applies frequency domain decompression to the compressed coefficients prior to digital upconversion and digital to analog conversion, generating the analog signal for transmission over the antenna. This abstract does not limit the scope of the invention as described in the claims.

This invention relates to a system and method for reducing blocking artifacts introduced by current compression algorithms that compress images as independent blocks of pixels. Preferably, the methods of the invention include determining block-to-block differences in edge pixels or in overall intensities between adjacent pixel blocks, selecting pixel blocks for post-processing that appear to be in relatively featureless regions of the image, interpolating the block-to-block edge differences into a error correction matrix, and then subtracting the error correction matrix from the original pixel block. These methods are preferably implemented in special software routines that execute on micro-processor based systems or on digital signal processor based systems optimized for image decoding.

Apparatus and methods for detecting salient features. In one implementation, an image processing apparatus utilizes latency coding and a spiking neuron network to encode image brightness into spike latency. The spike latency is compared to a saliency window in order to detect early responding neurons. Salient features of the image are associated with the early responding neurons. A dedicated inhibitory neuron receives salient feature indication and provides inhibitory signal to the remaining neurons within the network. The inhibition signal reduces probability of responses by the remaining neurons thereby facilitating salient feature detection within the image by the network. Salient feature detection can be used for example for image compression, background removal and content distribution.

A system and method are disclosed for parallel compression and decompression of a bitstream. For compression, the bitstream is separated into a plurality of components, and the components are encoded using a compression algorithm. Packets are then constructed from the encoded components. At least one packet is associated with each encoded component and comprises header information and encoded data. The packets are combined into a packetized encoded bitstream. For decompression, the packets are separated from the packetized encoded bitstream using the header information. The packets are then decoded in parallel using a decompression algorithm to recover the encoded data. The plurality of components are reconstructed from the recovered encoded data and combined to recover the bitstream.

Systems, methods, and computer programs for high quality wide-range multi-layer image compression coding, including consistent ubiquitous use of floating point values in essentially all computations; an adjustable floating-point deadband; use of an optimal band-split filter; use of entire SNR layers at lower resolution levels; targeting of specific SNR layers to specific quality improvements; concentration of coding bits in regions of interest in targeted band-split and SNR layers; use of statically-assigned targets for high-pass and/or for SNR layers; improved SNR by using a lower quantization value for regions of an image showing a higher compression coding error; application of non-linear functions of color when computing difference values when creating an SNR layer; use of finer overall quantization at lower resolution levels with regional quantization scaling; removal of source image noise before motion-compensated compression or film steadying; use of one or more full-range low bands; use of alternate quantization control images for SNR bands and other high resolution enhancing bands; application of lossless variable-length coding using adaptive regions; use of a folder and file structure for layers of bits; and a method of inserting new intra frames by counting the number of bits needed for a motion compensated frame.

In the present invention, 2N pixels (having signal levels V₁ through V₈), including a boundary pixel, that consist of N pixels on each side of a boundary and run orthogonally to the boundary are referenced to determine whether correction should be performed or not. If it is determined that the correction should be performed, the boundary pixel and M pixels on each side of the boundary pixel are used to perform the correction. In an image processing system for performing filtering on pixels belonging to a block, which is a unit of discrete cosine transform in image compression, the maximum value of differences between neighboring pixels in at least half, including a pixel of interest, of all the pixels composing a block to be processed is obtained. Differences between neighboring pixels in 2N pixels, including the pixel of interest, that run orthogonally to the boundary between blocks and consist of N pixels on each side of the boundary are calculated. The differences calculated are compared with a threshold corresponding to the maximum value to determine whether filtering should be performed. If it is determined that filtering should be performed, the pixel of interest and M pixels on each side of the pixel of interest are used to perform filtering. N is a positive integer and M is a positive integer smaller than N.

A network camera apparatus is disclosed including an image requisition unit which obtains an analog signal of an image and converts this into digital format; an image compression unit which utilizes standard image compression techniques (JPEG, MJPEG) to decrease the data size; an image processing unit which analyzes the compressed data of each image, detects motion from compressed data, and identifies background and foreground regions for each image; a data storage unit which stores the image data processed by the image processing unit; a traffic detection unit which detects the traffic amount of the network and decides the frame rates of the image data to be transmitted; and a communication unit which communicates with the network to transmit the image data and other signals.

A multi-view distribution format is described for stereoscopic and autostereoscopic 3D displays. In general, it comprises multi-tile image compression with the inclusion of one or more depth maps. More specifically, it provides embodiments that utilize stereoscopic images with one or more depth maps typically in the form of a compressed grey scale image and, in some instances, incorporates depth information from a second view encoded differentially.

The invention discloses a hybrid image compressing method based on block classification. In the invention, blocks are divided into text/ image block, natural image block and hybrid block according to different features of text/image area and natural image area of original images in the aspect of color and texture; then a compression mode in which palette coding, Hextile coding and LZW coding are combined is used in the text/ image block, a JPEG lossy compression mode is used in the natural image while the algorithm of the combination of the two modes is used in the hybrid block. The invention has the advantages that based on the block classification method, the text/image area and the natural image area can be divided up accurately, and that the blocks are respectively encoded can keep rather acuminate edge of the text/image block so as to enhance visual effect on the basis of ensuring higher compression efficiency and upgrade the peak signal to noise ratio of reconstructed images; the complexity of the algorithm is lower.

A method with related structures and computational components and modules for modeling data, particularly audio and video signals. The modeling method can be applied to different solutions such as 2-dimensional image/video compression, 3-dimensional image/video compression, 2-dimensional image/video understanding, knowledge discovery and mining, 3-dimensional image/video understanding, knowledge discovery and mining, pattern recognition, object meshing/tessellation, audio compression, audio understanding, etc. Data representing audio or video signals is subject to filtration and modeling by a first filter that tessellates data having a lower dynamic range. A second filter then further tessellates, if needed, and analyzes and models the remaining parts of data, not analyzable by first filter, having a higher dynamic range. A third filter collects in a generally lossless manner the overhead or residual data not modeled by the first and second filters. A variety of techniques including computational geometry, artificial intelligence, machine learning and data mining may be used to better achieve modeling in the first and second filters.

The invention brings forward a neural network processor based on weight compression, a design method, and a chip. The processor comprises at least one storage unit used for storing operation instructions and data participating in calculation; at least one storage unit controller used for controlling the storage unit; at least one calculation unit used for executing calculation operation of a neural network; a control unit connected with the storage unit controller and the calculation unit for obtaining the instructions stored by the storage unit via the storage unit controller and analyzing the instructions so as to control the calculation unit; and at least one weight retrieval unit used for retrieving weights, wherein each weight retrieval unit is connected with the calculation unit so as to ensure correct operation on the compressed weights and the corresponding data. According to the invention, less weight resources in a neural network processor are occupied, the operation speed is improved, and the energy efficiency is improved.

Clusters of pixels are defined for use in image compression and decompression. The image information used to define the clusters may include pixel values at predetermined positions relative to a pixel or related motion vectors, gradients, texture etc. During compression of images the image information relative to pixels is examined to determine the cluster to which it belongs. Thus pixels can be classified according to the cluster for their image information. In an embodiment the definitions of the clusters are selected dynamically, dependent on image content. For each cluster a control parameter set is computed for a post-processing operation, such as filter coefficients for filtering or statistical data for locally generating texture. The control parameter set is selected dependent on the image content so that, when the post-processing operation is applied to the image after decompression it will improve image quality for the pixels that are classified as belonging to the cluster. The compressed image and the control parameter sets are transmitted to a decompression apparatus. Upon decompression, the image information that represents the decompressed image is examined to classify pixels according to the clusters and the different control parameter sets for the selected clusters are used to control post-processing at the locations of the pixels.

A cellular phone is provided with a media scanning capability. Scanner optics, an optional light source and related scanning circuitry is integrated within a cellular phone to enable image or text scanning, facsimile, text-to-speech conversion, and language translation. Position sensors provide position data as the scanner is manually moved, in one or more passes across the scanned media, to enable a bit-mapped image of the strip to be created in a data buffer. Image data from the strips is processed to remove redundant overlap data and skew position errors, to give a bit-mapped final image of the entire scanned item. Image compression is provided to compress the image into standard JPEG format for storage or transmission, or into facsimile format for transmission of the document to any fax machine. Optical character recognition (OCR) is provided to convert image data to text which may be sent as email, locally displayed, stored for later use, or further processed. Further processing of text data includes language translation and text to speech conversion of either the original or translated text. The resulting speech audio can be heard locally or transmitted over the cellular network.

The quality of digital images recovered from compressed data in an inter-frame redundancy-removing scheme is enhanced using a self-adaptive feedback scheme in an image compression/decompression system so as to provide for the compensation of the distortion component from prior frame compression in subsequent difference frame compression. Each transmitted frame is stored after a full compress/decompress cycle, and difference data (which includes the inverse of the distortion component from compression of the transmitted frame) representing the difference between the stored frame and the incoming new frame is transmitted. Consequently, the quality of static regions in the recovered images may be improved with each subsequent iteration by taking the distortion component in the prior frame into consideration along with the inter-frame motion information. The feedback loop thus forms a self-adaptive iterative cycle.

A method for predicting motion vectors to improve compressibility in an image compression codec which processes videos, and an image encoding/decoding apparatus and method using the same. A method for predicting a motion vector used during differential encoding of a motion vector for image encoding, the method including generating a motion vector list with candidate motion vectors for adjacent blocks of a target block, a predictive motion vector of which is to be obtained; calculating each distance between motion vectors included in the motion vector list; and determining a predictive motion vector for the target block by removing motion vectors in order of large distances between the motion vectors.

A method of compressing digital image data is provided that includes, for each image data block in a plurality of image data blocks in the digital image data, transforming image data in the image data block to convert the image data to a low-frequency coefficient and a plurality of high-frequency coefficients, computing a predicted low-frequency coefficient for the image data block based on at least one neighboring image data block in the plurality of image data blocks, computing a residual low-frequency coefficient based on the predicted low-frequency coefficient and the low-frequency coefficient, quantizing the plurality of high-frequency coefficients, and entropy coding the residual low-frequency coefficient and the quantized high-frequency coefficients.

The invention discloses a JPEG2000 self-adapting rate control system and a method based on pre-assignment of code rate, mainly solving the problem of large calculation amount and large memory size of JPEG2000 encoding method. The code block of the original image after pretreatment, wavelet transformation and quantification is output by two lines, one line directly enters the bit plane and MQ coder; for the other line, the entropy of each code block is estimated by the entropy estimate module, sent to the code rate assignment module to assign code rate, and the code rate of each code block is feed back to the bit plane and MQ coder through the encoding depth control module, after the code blocks are encoded by the bit plane, further feed back to the encoding depth control module to determine the output code stream of each encoded code block, and the output code stream is under optimal interception and code stream organization to output the ultimate code stream. At the same time, the invention can change the threshold value of the encoding depth control coefficient as required, to flexibly control the encoding depth in order to improve the image compression quality. The invention has the advantages of low complexity and easiness for hardware implementation, and is suitable for various JPEG2000 image real-time compression systems.

In the context of image database systems, a method for indexing and retrieval of images by their color content and the spatial distribution of color is disclosed. The method is implemented as a software tool that runs on a personal computer and enables the computer to find a desired image from an image database. The user interface allows the user to describe the desired image, and the tool searches the repository for any images that satisfy the description. The description of the composite image may include information on shapes, texture, presence or absence of objects, and color. The process of search and retrieval of images makes use of a method that determines whether a specific color, or a combination of colors, is present in an image. Further, the method determines the location where the specific color or color combination can be found. By analyzing the results of comparisons between the features found in the composite image and in the stored images, the tool retrieves those images that satisfy the description of the query, image. Calculation of color-related features makes significant use of the calculations that are made in the process of image compression which is an essential step prior to image storage. The process of search and retrieval on the basis of features relating to color are provided via a library of routines that perform the necessary tasks.

Disclosed are a system and method for encoding and decoding an image. The image compression system includes an image segmentation unit (110) for segmenting a first image into a plurality of sub-images; a first encoding unit (120) for encoding the sub-images to output sub-image bitstreams; a BMAP construction unit (130) for calculating the quantity of information of each sub-image bitstream and generating BMAP information using the calculated quantity of information and information on construction of each sub-image; and a bitstream combining unit (150) for combining the sub-image bitstreams and BMAP information.