Image Encoder Segmentation for Memory Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for larger image capture capabilities in devices leads to higher memory and processing requirements, making devices larger, more expensive, and less efficient, especially when handling and manipulating images.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for encoding digital images by generating and processing image data in portions, encoding each portion into variable length coded images, and associating them with restart and end-of-image markers to form a single encoded image, reducing memory and processing needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the image size is increased to capture larger images with more pixels, then the image quality and resolution are improved, but the memory requirements and buffer sizes must be increased, making the device larger and more expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a large image into multiple smaller image portions or tiles that can be processed independently. Each portion is encoded separately using standard image encoding techniques, allowing the system to handle large images without requiring proportionally large memory buffers. The segmented portions are then reassembled to form the complete encoded image.
2Measurement precision
If the image size is increased to capture larger images with more pixels, then the image quality and resolution are improved, but the processing power requirements must be increased, requiring special hardware accelerators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the large image into smaller portions that can be processed by standard processing units without requiring specialized hardware accelerators. Each segment is processed independently through encoding, allowing distributed or sequential processing that reduces the peak processing power requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent processes the image in partial portions rather than attempting to process the entire large image simultaneously. This approach uses standard processing capacity applied repeatedly to smaller segments, achieving the encoding of large images without exceeding the processing capabilities of standard hardware.
3Productivity
If larger buffers and memory are used to handle larger images, then the image processing capability is improved, but the device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the image processing task into segments that can be handled with smaller memory buffers. By processing the image in portions rather than loading the entire large image into memory simultaneously, the system achieves large image processing capability using devices with limited memory resources, thereby reducing device size.
4Device complexity
If standard encoders are used to encode entire large images, then the encoding process is simplified, but the memory and processing requirements become prohibitively large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines segmentation with standard encoding by dividing the large image into smaller portions and applying standard encoders to each portion separately. This approach maintains the simplicity of standard encoding algorithms while avoiding the memory and processing bottlenecks associated with encoding entire large images at once. The segmented approach allows standard encoders to operate within their designed memory constraints.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a method and a device for encoding a digital representation of an image into a single encoded image, comprising: generating at least two subsequent image data sequences each representing a portion of the digital representation of the image, inputting to an encoder (104) each of said subsequent image data sequences as if each image data sequence is an individual digital representations of an image, encoding each subsequent image data sequence into a variable length coded image, thereby generating at least two variable length coded images each representing a portion of the single encoded image, inserting a restart marker as terminating data of at least one of the variable length coded images, inserting an end of image marker as terminating data of one of the variable length coded images representing a final portion of the single encoded image, and associating the variable length coded images with each other by arranging them as subsequent parts of a single encoded data sequence representing the single encoded image.