Image Processor Block Change Detection for Compact Compression

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image compression algorithms frequently interpret images as changed more often than necessary, leading to excessive transmission and storage of whole frames, which results in large file sizes, and are not compatible with static backgrounds or certain coders.

Innovation Solution

The method involves forwarding or storing only changed movement blocks and setting the color values of unchanged blocks to a predetermined value, allowing prior art coders to compress images into a compact format by minimizing the need for whole frame transmission or storage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If whole frames are frequently forwarded from the coder, then image quality is maintained, but file size increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage qualityVSAvoidfile size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The image frame is divided into multiple blocks, and only the changed blocks are identified and forwarded for compression while unchanged blocks are represented by reference to the previous frame. This segmentation allows selective transmission of only necessary data portions, reducing overall file size while maintaining image quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and identifies only the changed blocks from the current frame compared to the reference frame, separating these changed portions from the unchanged portions. By taking out only the necessary changed block information for compression and storage, the file size is minimized while preserving all visually relevant information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Quantity of substance

If code word transmission is used to indicate changed blocks, then data transmission is reduced, but compatibility with known coders is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmissionVSAvoidcompatibility with known coders
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using code words to reference changed blocks, the invention copies the actual pixel data of changed blocks directly into the output frame. This copying approach maintains compatibility with standard coders like JPEG and MPEG-4 while still achieving data reduction, as the coders can process the copied block data without requiring special code word interpretation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If the camera stays still to use reference image comparison, then compression efficiency improves, but adaptability to moving backgrounds is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompression efficiencyVSAvoidadaptability to moving backgrounds
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The reference frame is dynamically updated to the most recent reconstructed frame, allowing the system to adapt to moving backgrounds and objects. By continuously updating the reference, the comparison remains effective even when the background changes, maintaining both compression efficiency and adaptability to dynamic scenes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9232228B2Processing of image
Publication Date: 2016.01.05 GL IP PROTECT LLC

AI summary

The present invention relates to an image processor that is configured to compare a single frame included in the received signal with a preceding processed frame so as to detect changes. In order to enable the image being compressed in as compact a format as possible, the processor is configured to detect changes by dividing the pixels of a single frame into movement blocks and to detect the movement block as changed if in said movement block there is a given number of pixels whose color value change as compared with the corresponding pixels of the preceding processed frame exceeds a predetermined threshold, to exchange the color values of the pixels of the unchanged movement blocks in the frame under process for predetermined values and to generate a signal that indicates the changes.