Patent EP0719049A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0719049A2
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EP
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Method and apparatus for image coding and decoding
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1995-12-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-12-20
Abstract
Abstract The optimum predictive image is selected as follows for the entire area of an image sequence comprising a luminance signal expressing each pixel value, and a transmittance signal expressing the transparency of each pixel value, and described by the transmittance signal of the target image to be coded as the area to be coded. The target image to be coded is predicted from at least one template typical of the image sequence, thereby generating a first predictive image. The target image to be coded is also predicted from the image displayed chronologically before the target image, thereby generating a second predictive image. It is then determined whether the first or the second predictive image has the least difference to the target image to be coded, and the predictive image with the least difference is selected as the optimum predictive image.
Inventors
- 👤 Choong S. Boon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 02:25
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N19/00; H04N19/20; H04N19/50; H04N19/503; H04N19/51; H04N19/563; H04N19/60; H04N19/61; H04N19/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
An image coding method for coding a target image in a sequence of images, each image comprising a luminance signal expressing each pixel value, and a transmittance signal expressing the transparency of each pixel value, said method comprising the steps of: preparing a template which is a representative of the images in sequence; generating a first predictive image by predicting said target image based on said template, and producing first data related to said first predictive image; producing a difference between said first predictive image and said target image; generating a second predictive image by predicting said target image based on a first adjacent image which is to be displayed chronologically adjacent on one side of said target image, and producing second data related to said second predictive image; producing a difference between said second predictive image and said target image; and selecting one of said first and second data that has produced the smallest difference with respect to the target image.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
20 words
An image coding method according to Claim 1, where in said first adjacent image is chronologically before said target image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
An image coding method according to Claim 1, where in said first adjacent image is chronologically after said target image.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
96 words
An image coding method according to Claim 1, further comprising the steps of: generating a third predictive image by predicting said target image based on a second adjacent image which is to be displayed chronologically adjacent on the other side, opposite to said one side, of said target image, and producing third data related to said third predictive image; producing a difference between said third predictive image and said target image; and said selecting step selecting one of said first, second and third data that has produced the smallest difference with respect to the target image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
78 words
An image coding method according to Claim 1, further comprising the steps of: generating an average predictive image by obtaining a weighted average of said first and second predictive images, and producing an averaged data related to said average predictive image; producing a difference between said average predictive image and said target image; and said selecting step selecting one of said first, second and average data that has produced the smallest difference with respect to the target image.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
An image coding method according to Claim 4, further comprising the steps of: generating an average predictive image by obtaining a weighted average of at least two of said predictive images, and producing an averaged data related to said average predictive image; producing a difference between said average predictive image and said target image; and said selecting step selecting one of said first, second, third and average data that has produced the smallest difference with respect to the target image.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
An image coding method according to Claim 6, wherein said at least two of said predictive images are said second and third predictive images.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
An image coding method according to Claim 1, wherein each of said predictive image is one frame image.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
An image coding method according to Claim 1, wherein each of said predictive image is a portion of one frame image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
190 words
An image predictive coding apparatus comprising: an input means to which an input image is input, said input image comprising a luminance signal expressing each pixel value, and a transmittance signal expressing the transparency of each pixel value, a predictor for generating a predictive image; a first adder for generating a difference signal from the input image and the predictive image, a coder for compression coding said difference signal, and outputting a compression coded image; a local decoder for decoding said compression coded image to reproduce said difference signal; a second adder for adding the decoded difference signal to the predictive image to regenerate the reconstructed image; a first frame memory to which the reconstructed image is stored as a template; and a second frame memory to which the reconstructed image is stored as an adjacent image which is adjacent to said input image; said predictor generating a predictive image, using the image stored in the first image memory, when the input image is the template, and generating a predictive image, using the image stored in the first and second frame memories, when the input image is the adjacent image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
171 words
An image coding apparatus for coding a target image in a sequence of images, each image comprising a luminance signal expressing each pixel value, and a transmittance signal expressing the transparency of each pixel value, said apparatus comprising: means for preparing a template which is a representative of the images in sequence; means for generating a first predictive image by predicting said target image based on said template, and producing first data related to said first predictive image; means for producing a difference between said first predictive image and said target image; means for generating a second predictive image by predicting said target image based on a first adjacent image which is to be displayed chronologically adjacent on one side of said target image, and producing second data related to said second predictive image; means for producing a difference between said second predictive image and said target image; and means for selecting one of said first and second data that has produced the smallest difference with respect to the target image.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
An image coding apparatus according to Claim 11, where in said first adjacent image is chronologically before said target image.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
An image coding apparatus according to Claim 11, where in said first adjacent image is chronologically after said target image.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
97 words
An image coding apparatus according to Claim 11, further comprising: means for generating a third predictive image by predicting said target image based on a second adjacent image which is to be displayed chronologically adjacent on the other side, opposite to said one side, of said target image, and producing third data related to said third predictive image; means for producing a difference between said third predictive image and said target image; and said selecting means selecting one of said first, second and third data that has produced the smallest difference with respect to the target image.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
79 words
An image coding apparatus according to Claim 11, further comprising: means for generating an average predictive image by obtaining a weighted average of said first and second predictive images, and producing an averaged data related to said average predictive image; means for producing a difference between said average predictive image and said target image; and said selecting means selecting one of said first, second and average data that has produced the smallest difference with respect to the target image.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
81 words
An image coding apparatus according to Claim 14, further comprising: means for generating an average predictive image by obtaining a weighted average of at least two of said predictive images, and producing an averaged data related to said average predictive image; means for producing a difference between said average predictive image and said target image; and said selecting means selecting one of said first, second, third and average data that has produced the smallest difference With respect to the target image.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
An image coding apparatus according to Claim 16, wherein said at least two of said predictive images are said second and third predictive images.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
An image coding apparatus according to Claim 11, wherein each of said predictive image is one frame image.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
An image coding apparatus according to Claim 11, wherein each of said predictive image is a portion of one frame image.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
72 words
A digital image transmission method comprising the steps of: preparing a plurality of templates representative of a digitized image sequence; processing said templates separately to make compression coded data as template coded data, and then reproduced as reproduced templates; producing coded motion picture data of a sequence images through compression process using one of said templates; and transmitting said coded motion picture data after first transmitting all of the template coded data.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
A digital image transmission method according to claim 20, wherein one template coded data and coded motion picture data that uses said one template are transmitted in a group.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
149 words
An image predictive coding method for predictive coding images in a sequence of images, each image comprising a luminance signal expressing each pixel value, and a transmittance signal expressing the transparency of each pixel value, said method comprising the steps of: dividing into a plurality of target subareas the entire area of each target image identified for coding by the corresponding image transmittance signal, determining the luminance signal and transmittance signal of the predictive subarea relative to the luminance signal and transmittance signal of the target subarea, calculating a substitute pixel value for each target subarea containing at least one pixel value not to be coded; generating an optimum predictive subarea by substituting the substitute pixel value into the predictive subarea and the target subarea for the pixel values therein not to be coded, and obtaining and coding the difference between the target subarea and the optimum predictive subarea.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
An image predictive coding method according to Claim 22 wherein the calculated substitute pixel value is an average of the pixel value to be coded and contained in the predictive subarea.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
267 words
An image predictive coding apparatus comprising: an input terminal for receiving an input image comprising a luminance signal expressing each pixel value, and a transmittance signal expressing the transparency of each pixel value, a first image block generator for dividing the input image into a target block, a predictor for generating a predictive image from the image stored in a frame memory, a second image block generator for dividing the predictive image into prediction blocks, a padding value generator, upon receipt of the prediction blocks, for calculating the substitute pixel value based on the pixel values to be coded in the prediction block, and outputting a calculated substitute pixel value; a first pixel value padding means, upon receipt of said substitute pixel value and said target block, for substituting the substitute pixel value into the target block for the pixel values therein not to be coded; a second pixel value padding means for receiving the substitute pixel value and prediction block, and for substituting the substitute pixel value into the prediction block for the pixel values therein not to be coded, a first adder for generating a difference signal from the target and prediction blocks in which the substitute pixel value has been substituted, a coder for obtaining compression codes of said difference signal and outputting a compression coded image data; a local decoder for decoding and reproducing the difference signal; a second adder for adding the decoded difference signal to the prediction block to which the substitute pixel value has been substituted to regenerate the reconstructed image, and a frame memory for storing the reconstructed image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
266 words
A decoding apparatus for decoding image data coded by dividing an input image comprising a luminance signal expressing each pixel value, and a transmittance signal expressing the transparency of each pixel value, into plural target blocks, determining the luminance signal and transmittance signal of the predictive block relative to the luminance signal and transmittance signal of the target block, calculating a substitute pixel value for each target block containing at least one pixel value not to be coded based on the pixel values to be coded in the corresponding predictive block, substituting the calculated substitute pixel value into the predictive block and the target block for the pixel values therein not to be coded, and then obtaining and coding the difference between the target block and the predictive block, comprising: an input terminal receiving said image data; a decoder for generating a difference signal; a frame memory bank, a prediction block generator for generating a prediction block using the image input from the frame memory bank, a padding value generator for receiving the prediction block, and for generating a substitute pixel value based on the pixel values to be coded in the prediction block, a pixel value padding means, upon receipt of the substitute pixel value and the prediction block, for substituting the substitute pixel value into the prediction block for the pixel values therein not to be coded, an adder for adding the substituted prediction block containing the substitute pixel value to the difference signal to generate a reconstructed image, and outputting the reconstructed image and stores the reconstructed image to the frame memory bank.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
45 words
A digital image transmission method for transmitting a digital image comprising the steps of: separating an image to a plurality of image layers; processing compression coding to each of the plural image layers; multiplexing the layers in a particular sequence; and transmitting the multiplexed layers.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
A digital image transmission method according to claim 26, wherein said plurality of layers comprises a background layer and a foreground layer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A digital image transmission method according to claim 27, wherein said layers are multiplexed in sequence starting from the background layer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
A digital image transmission method according to claim 27, wherein said layers are multiplexed in sequence starting from the foreground layer.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
117 words
An apparatus for decoding and synthesizing digital images comprising a plurality of combined image layers coded by separately compression coding each of the plurality of image layers, and multiplexing the layers in sequence starting from the background layer, comprising: an external line input terminal, a decoder, a synthesizer, and a frame memory, said decoder decoding each layer of the coded data input to the external line input terminal to a reconstructed image in the multiplexed sequence; said synthesizer receiving the reconstructed image and a previous synthesized image supplied from the frame memory, and combining the reconstructed image and the previous synthesized image to generate a new synthesized image; and said frame memory storing said new synthesized image.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
55 words
A digital image decoding and synthesizing apparatus according to Claim 30, further comprising: a first selector switch between the external line input terminal and the decoder, said first selector switch being controlled to not connect the external line input terminal and the decoder when an image layer that is not to be reproduced is input.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
53 words
A digital image decoding and synthesizing apparatus according to Claim 31, further comprising: a second selector switch disposed between the synthesizer and the frame memory, said second selector switch being controlled to not connect the synthesizer and the frame memory when the image stored to the frame memory is not to be updated.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
115 words
A digital image decoding and synthesizing apparatus according to Claim 30, further comprising: a first frame memory; a second frame memory; a first switch; a second switch; a third switch; said synthesizer having a first input terminal and a second input terminal, said first input terminal of the synthesizer connected to either one of the decoder and the second frame memory by said first switch, and said second input terminal of the synthesizer connected to ether one of the first frame memory and the second frame memory by said second switch, and said synthesizer producing a synthesized image which is stored to either one of the first and second frame memories by said third switch.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
33 words
A digital image decoding and synthesizing apparatus according to Claim 30, wherein said coded data multiplexed in sequence from the background layer is replaced by data multiplexed in sequence from the foreground layer.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
40 words
A digital image decoding and synthesizing apparatus according to Claim 30, wherein the images in each of the plurality of layers comprises a luminance signal expressing the pixel value, and a transmittance signal expressing the transparency of the pixel value.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
177 words
An apparatus for decoding and synthesizing digital images comprising a plurality of combined image layers coded by separately compression coding each of the plurality of image layers, and multiplexing the layers in sequence starting from the background layer, comprising: an external line input terminal, a decoder, a synthesizer, a frame memory, and an output device, wherein said decoder decodes each layer of the coded data input to the external line input terminal to the luminance signal and transmittance signal of the reconstructed image in the multiplexed sequence, said synthesizer receives the luminance signal and transmittance signal of the reconstructed image, and the luminance signal of the synthesized image supplied from the frame memory, said synthesizer generates the luminance signal of a new synthesized image by overlaying the luminance signal of the reconstructed image to the luminance signal of the synthesized image at the ratio defined by the transmittance signal of the reconstructed image, and said synthesizer produces the luminance signal of the new synthesized image for storage to the frame memory, and display to the output device.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
259 words
An apparatus for decoding and synthesizing digital images comprising a plurality of combined image layers coded by separately compression coding each of the plurality of image layers, and multiplexing the layers in sequence starting from the foreground layer, comprising: an external line input terminal, a decoder, a first synthesizer, a second synthesizer, a first frame memory, a second frame memory, and an output device, wherein said decoder decodes each layer of the coded data input to the external line input terminal to the luminance signal and transmittance signal of the reconstructed image in the multiplexed sequence; said second synthesizer receives the transmittance signal of the reconstructed image, and the transmittance signal of the synthesized image supplied from the second frame memory; said second synthesizer generates the transmittance signal of a new synthesized image by overlaying the transmittance signal of the reconstructed image and the transmittance signal of the synthesized image, and said second frame memory stores the new synthesized image; said first synthesizer receives the luminance signal of the reconstructed image, and the luminance signal of the synthesized image supplied from the first frame memory; said first synthesizer generates the luminance signal of the new synthesized image by overlaying the luminance signal of the reconstructed image and the luminance signal of the synthesized image at the ratio defined by the transmittance signal of the synthesized image supplied from the second frame memory, and said first synthesizer produces the luminance signal of the new synthesized image for storage to the first frame memory, and for display to the output device.
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