US4353095A
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US
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Facsimile bandwidth compression method system and apparatus
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1979-01-24
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Granted: 1982-10-05
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Expires: 1999-01-24
Abstract
Abstract A facsimile bandwidth compression method using a facsimile signal comprising a synchronizing signal part, a control signal part having digital signals made by coding signals of existence or non-existence of substantial picture information in blocks which are made by dividing the picture information signal into a specified uniform length segment, and a picture information part consisting of picture information signal of the blocks containing at least one black picture element. A reference signal having an inverted carrier phase from that of the synchronizing signal part is inserted between the synchronizing signal part and the control part. The coding of the digital signal is made by inverting the carrier phase. Guard bands having specified levels are inserted between the blocks, thereby assuring more accurate and fine synchronization than the known WBS (white block skipping) art, and hence, a very clear reproduced picture.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenzou Tatematsu
- 👤 Yasuhiro Sugihara
- 👤 Hiroyuki Andou
- 👤 Tatsuo Seki
- 👤 Yoshito Dezaki
- 👤 Yasukazu Nishino
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:40
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/41; H04N1/411; H04N1/413; H04N1/415
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
230 words
A facsimile system, having at least one transmitting end and at least one receiving end; in which a control signal part and a picture information part of a scanning line signal are respectively encoded and decoded in accordance with a white block skipping method; and in which a facsimile signal comprising a carrier modulated by respective scanning line signals is transmitted, a scanning line signal being distinguished from a neighboring scanning line signal by a synchronizing signal part, comprising: means for generating a reference signal part having a first binary signal level; and means for composing a scanning line signal; said reference signal part being inserted after said synchronizing signal part having a second binary signal level and being before said control signal part to distinguish therebetween; and said picture information part following said control signal part, wherein said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part, said control signal part, and said picture information part are represented by bits, and the bits of said picture information part are grouped into a plurality of first blocks of uniform length each block including a guard band of a specified number of bits; the total of the number of bits of said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part, and said control signal part being an integral multiple of a number determined in accordance with the number of bits in a first block.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
230 words
A facsimile system, having at least one transmitting end and at least one receiving end; in which a control signal part and a picture information part of a scanning line signal are respectively encoded and decoded in accordance with a white block skipping method; and in which a facsimile signal comprising a carrier modulated by respective scanning line signals is transmitted, a scanning line signal being distinguished from a neighboring scanning line signal by a synchronizing signal part, comprising: means for generating a reference signal part having a first binary signal level; and means for composing a scanning line signal; said reference signal part being inserted after said synchronizing signal part having a second binary signal level and being before said control signal part to distinguish therebetween; and said picture information part following said control signal part, wherein said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part, said control signal part, and said picture information part are represented by bits, and the bits of said picture information part are grouped into a plurality of first blocks of uniform length each block including a guard band of a specified number of bits; the total of the number of bits of said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part, and said control signal part being an integral multiple of a number determined in accordance with the number of bits in a first block.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
A system as in claim 1, wherein the bits of said control signal part are grouped into a plurality of second blocks of uniform length, each second block having at least two bits for suitably reducing a bandwidth of said facsimile signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as in claim 1, wherein said number determined in accordance with the number of bits in a first block is equal to the number of bits in a first block.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as in claim 1 wherein a first block contains "m" bits and said synchronizing signal part contains at least 2m-2 bits.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system as in claim 1 further comprising means for generating guard band signals, said composing means further being responsive to said guard band signal generating means for inserting a guard band signal between neighboring first blocks to avoid interference between said neighboring first blocks.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
A system as in claim 5, wherein a guard band signal is represented by bits, said number determined in accordance with the number of bits in a first block being equal to the number of bits in a first block plus the number of bits in a guard band signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as in claim 6, wherein the level of said guard band signal is the binary level to which a leading portion of a following neighboring first block is closest.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system as in claim 6, wherein the level of said guard band signal is the binary level to which a trailing portion of a preceding neighboring first block is closest.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
76 words
A system as in claim 6, wherein said guard band signal comprises a first part associated with a trailing portion of a preceding neighboring first block, and having a level equal to the binary level to which said trailing portion is more nearly equal; and a second part associated with a leading portion of a trailing neighboring first block, and having a level equal to the binary level to which said leading portion is closest equal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
A system as in claim 9, wherein said guard band signal further comprises a center part between said first and second parts, said center part having a level equal to said first level when the level of said first and second parts is equal to said second level.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system as in claim 6 wherein a first block contains "m" bits, a guard band signal contains "P" bits, and said synchronizing signal part contains at least 2m-2-P bits.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system as in claim 1, 4, 5 or 11 further comprising: means for identifying said synchronizing part; and means responsive to said synchronizing part identifying means to identify said reference signal part and initiate decoding.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
226 words
A facsimile bandwidth compression method comprising the steps of: dividing a picture information signal comprising a specified number of bits into a specified number of blocks of a uniform length, each block including a guard band of a specified number of bits; generating a control signal part comprising digital signals indicating the existence or non-existence of substantial picture information in respective blocks; composing a facsimile signal including a synchronizing signal part, a reference signal part, said control signal part, and a picture information part in the above-mentioned order; said synchronizing signal part being for distinguishing horizontal scanning lines from each other and being of one signal level, said reference signal part being of a different signal level and clearly distinguishable from said synchronizing signal part and said control signal part for indicating the beginning of said control signal part, and said picture information part comprising blocks of said picture information signal containing substantial picture information; said synchronizing signal part comprising a specified number of bits and said reference signal part comprising a specified number of bits; the numbers of bits of said signal parts being selected so that the total of a number of bits of said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part and said control signal part are an integral multiple of a number of bits of a block of said picture information part.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
226 words
A facsimile bandwidth compression method comprising the steps of: dividing a picture information signal comprising a specified number of bits into a specified number of blocks of a uniform length, each block including a guard band of a specified number of bits; generating a control signal part comprising digital signals indicating the existence or non-existence of substantial picture information in respective blocks; composing a facsimile signal including a synchronizing signal part, a reference signal part, said control signal part, and a picture information part in the above-mentioned order; said synchronizing signal part being for distinguishing horizontal scanning lines from each other and being of one signal level, said reference signal part being of a different signal level and clearly distinguishable from said synchronizing signal part and said control signal part for indicating the beginning of said control signal part, and said picture information part comprising blocks of said picture information signal containing substantial picture information; said synchronizing signal part comprising a specified number of bits and said reference signal part comprising a specified number of bits; the numbers of bits of said signal parts being selected so that the total of a number of bits of said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part and said control signal part are an integral multiple of a number of bits of a block of said picture information part.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
Facsimile bandwidth compression method of claim 13, wherein each bit of said blocks corresponds to a uniform predetermined time length, and each digital signal comprises at least two bits having said predetermined time length.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
Facsimile bandwidth compression method of claim 14, wherein the number of bits of a block is an integral multiple of the number of bits of which a digital signal of said control part is comprised.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
70 words
Facsimile bandwidth compression method of claim 13 further comprising the step of phase-modulating a carrier in accordance with said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part, and said control signal part for transmission of said facsimile signal, wherein a phase of a portion of said carrier corresponding to said reference signal part is inverted relative to a phase of a portion of said carrier corresponding to said synchronizing signal part.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
Facsimile bandwidth compression method of claim 16, wherein a portion of said carrier corresponding to a digital signal of said control signal part indicative of the existence of substantial picture information is modulated by inverting a phase of said carrier relative to a phase of an immediately preceding portion of said carrier.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
56 words
Facsimile bandwidth compression method of claim 17, wherein a portion of said carrier corresponding to a digital signal of said control signal part indicative of the existence of substantial picture information is modulated by inverting a phase of said carrier relative to a phase of a portion of said carrier corresponding to said reference signal part.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
209 words
A facsimile bandwidth compression method comprising the steps of: dividing a picture information signal comprising a specified number of bits into specified number of blocks of a uniform length; generating a control signal part comprising digital signals indicating the existence or non-existence of substantial picture information in respective blocks; composing a facsimile signal including a synchronizing signal part, a reference signal part, said control signal part, and a picture information part in the above-mentioned order, said synchronizing signal part being for distinguishing horizontal scanning lines from each other and being of a first signal level, said reference signal part being a second level clearly distinguishable from said synchronizing signal part and said control signal part for indicating the beginning of said control signal part, said picture information part comprising blocks of said picture information signal containing substantial picture information, and guard bands between adjacent blocks for preventing interference between said neighboring blocks; the numbers of bits of said signal parts being selected so that the total of a number of bits of said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part and said control signal part are an integral multiple of a total of a number of bits of a block of said picture information part and said guard band.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
209 words
A facsimile bandwidth compression method comprising the steps of: dividing a picture information signal comprising a specified number of bits into specified number of blocks of a uniform length; generating a control signal part comprising digital signals indicating the existence or non-existence of substantial picture information in respective blocks; composing a facsimile signal including a synchronizing signal part, a reference signal part, said control signal part, and a picture information part in the above-mentioned order, said synchronizing signal part being for distinguishing horizontal scanning lines from each other and being of a first signal level, said reference signal part being a second level clearly distinguishable from said synchronizing signal part and said control signal part for indicating the beginning of said control signal part, said picture information part comprising blocks of said picture information signal containing substantial picture information, and guard bands between adjacent blocks for preventing interference between said neighboring blocks; the numbers of bits of said signal parts being selected so that the total of a number of bits of said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part and said control signal part are an integral multiple of a total of a number of bits of a block of said picture information part and said guard band.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
44 words
Facsimile bandwidth compression method of claim 19, wherein said guard band has a black level when a trailing part of an immediately preceding neighboring block of said picture information part is substantially black, and a white level when said trailing part is substantially white.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
44 words
Facsimile bandwidth compression method of claim 19, wherein said guard band has a black level when a leading part of an immediately following neighboring block of said picture information part is substantially black, and a white level when said leading part is substantially white.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
Facsimile bandwidth compression method of claim 19 wherein each block of said picture information part contains a number "m" of bits and said synchronizing signal part contains no less than 2m-2 bits.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
Facsimile bandwidth compression method of claim 19, wherein each block of said picture information part contains a number "m" of bits, said guard band signal contains a number "P" of bits, and said synchronzing signal part contains no less than 2m-2+P bits.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
113 words
Facsimile bandwidth compression method of claim 19, wherein said guard band includes a first part and a second part, said first part being associated with a trailing part of an immediately preceding neighboring block of said picture information part and said second part being associated with a leading part of an immediately following neighboring block of said picture information part, said first part having a black level when said trailing part is substantially black and having a white level when said trailing part is substantially white, and said second part having a black level when said leading part is substantially black and having a white level when said leading part is substantially white.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
72 words
Facsimile bandwidth compression method of claim 24, wherein said synchronizing signal part is of a white level and said guard band further includes a center part between said first part and said second part, said center part comprising a black level pulse of at least one bit when said first part and said second part are of a white level substantially the same as the white level of said synchronizing signal part.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
320 words
An apparatus for providing bandwidth compressed facsimile signals from respective picture information signals each picture information signal having a plurality of first blocks of uniform bit lengths, said apparatus comprising: means for generating a control signal part, said control signal part having a number of second blocks at least equal to the number of said first blocks, said second blocks having uniform bit lengths; wherein a second block obtains a value indicative of the presence of substantial picture information in a corresponding first block if a corresponding first block contains substantial picture information, and a second block obtains a value indicative of the absence of substantial picture information in a corresponding first block if a corresponding first block contains non-substantial picture information; means for obtaining a picture information part, wherein said picture information part comprises first blocks having substantial picture information selected from said picture information signal, no substantial picture information being omitted therefrom and guard bands being inserted in each and between blocks of information; means for generating a synchronizing signal part having at least a predetermined first number of bits of a first binary level; means for generating a reference signal part having at least a predetermined second number of bits of a second binary level, the numbers of bits of said signal parts being selected so that the total of the number of bits of said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part, and said control part being an integral multiple of the number of bits of a first block, and means for combining said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part, said control signal part, and said picture information part to form a scanning line signal, whereby said synchronizing signal part distinquishes respective scanning line signals from one another, and said reference signal part follows the synchronizing part and indicates the beginning of said control signal part and distinguishes between the control and synchronizing signal parts.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
320 words
An apparatus for providing bandwidth compressed facsimile signals from respective picture information signals each picture information signal having a plurality of first blocks of uniform bit lengths, said apparatus comprising: means for generating a control signal part, said control signal part having a number of second blocks at least equal to the number of said first blocks, said second blocks having uniform bit lengths; wherein a second block obtains a value indicative of the presence of substantial picture information in a corresponding first block if a corresponding first block contains substantial picture information, and a second block obtains a value indicative of the absence of substantial picture information in a corresponding first block if a corresponding first block contains non-substantial picture information; means for obtaining a picture information part, wherein said picture information part comprises first blocks having substantial picture information selected from said picture information signal, no substantial picture information being omitted therefrom and guard bands being inserted in each and between blocks of information; means for generating a synchronizing signal part having at least a predetermined first number of bits of a first binary level; means for generating a reference signal part having at least a predetermined second number of bits of a second binary level, the numbers of bits of said signal parts being selected so that the total of the number of bits of said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part, and said control part being an integral multiple of the number of bits of a first block, and means for combining said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part, said control signal part, and said picture information part to form a scanning line signal, whereby said synchronizing signal part distinquishes respective scanning line signals from one another, and said reference signal part follows the synchronizing part and indicates the beginning of said control signal part and distinguishes between the control and synchronizing signal parts.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 26, wherein a first block of said picture information part contains a number "m" of bits and said predetermined first number is equal to 2m-2.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 26, wherein a portion of said carrier corresponding to a second block of said control signal part containing a value indicative of the presence of substantial picture information is modulated by inverting a phase of said carrier relative to a phase of a portion of said carrier corresponding to said reference signal part.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 26 wherein at least one of said second blocks is a dummy code block.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the number of bits of a first block is an integral multiple of the number of bits of a second block.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 30, wherein a second block contains at least two bits.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising means for phase-modulating a carrier in accordance with said respective scanning line signals, wherein a phase of a portion of said carrier corresponding to said reference signal part is inverted relative to a phase of a portion of said carrier corresponding to said synchronizing signal part.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 32 wherein a portion of said carrier corresponding to a second block of said control signal part containing a value indicative of the presence of substantial picture information is modulated by inverting a phase of said carrier relative to a phase of an immediately preceding portion of said carrier.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
346 words
An apparatus for providing bandwidth compressed facsimile signals from respective picture information signals, each picture information signal having a plurality of first blocks of uniform bit lengths, said apparatus comprising: means for generating a control signal part, said control signal part having a number of second blocks at least equal to the number of said first blocks, said second blocks having uniform bit lengths; wherein a second block obtains a value indicative of the presence of substantial picture information in a corresponding first block if a corresponding first block contains substantial picture information, and a second block obtains a value indicative of the absence of substantial picture information in a corresponding first block if a corresponding first block contains non-substantial picture information; means for obtaining a picture information part, wherein said picture information part comprises first blocks having substantial picture information selected from a picture information signal, no substantial picture information being omitted therefrom; means for generating a synchronizing signal part having at least a predetermined first number of bits of a first binary level; means for generating a reference signal part having at least a predetermined second number of bits of a second binary level; means for generating guard band signals having respective predetermined uniform numbers of bits, said combining means further being responsive to said guard band signal generating means for inserting respective guard band signals between neighboring first blocks of said picture information part, the numbers of bits of said signal parts being selected so that the total of the number of bits of said snychronzing signal part, said reference signal part, and said control signal part being an integral multiple of the number of bits of a first block plus the number of bits of a guard band signal; and means for combining said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part, said control signal part, and said picture information part to form a scanning line signal, whereby said synchronizing signal part distinguishes respective scanning line signals from one another, and said reference signal part indicates the beginning of said control signal part.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
346 words
An apparatus for providing bandwidth compressed facsimile signals from respective picture information signals, each picture information signal having a plurality of first blocks of uniform bit lengths, said apparatus comprising: means for generating a control signal part, said control signal part having a number of second blocks at least equal to the number of said first blocks, said second blocks having uniform bit lengths; wherein a second block obtains a value indicative of the presence of substantial picture information in a corresponding first block if a corresponding first block contains substantial picture information, and a second block obtains a value indicative of the absence of substantial picture information in a corresponding first block if a corresponding first block contains non-substantial picture information; means for obtaining a picture information part, wherein said picture information part comprises first blocks having substantial picture information selected from a picture information signal, no substantial picture information being omitted therefrom; means for generating a synchronizing signal part having at least a predetermined first number of bits of a first binary level; means for generating a reference signal part having at least a predetermined second number of bits of a second binary level; means for generating guard band signals having respective predetermined uniform numbers of bits, said combining means further being responsive to said guard band signal generating means for inserting respective guard band signals between neighboring first blocks of said picture information part, the numbers of bits of said signal parts being selected so that the total of the number of bits of said snychronzing signal part, said reference signal part, and said control signal part being an integral multiple of the number of bits of a first block plus the number of bits of a guard band signal; and means for combining said synchronizing signal part, said reference signal part, said control signal part, and said picture information part to form a scanning line signal, whereby said synchronizing signal part distinguishes respective scanning line signals from one another, and said reference signal part indicates the beginning of said control signal part.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the number of bits of a first block is an integral multiple of the number of bits of a second block.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 35, wherein a second block contains at least two bits.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 34, 35 or 36, wherein said guard band signal has a black level if a trailing portion of an immediately preceding neighboring first block of said picture information part has a substantially black level, and a white level if said trailing portion has a substantially white level.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 34, 35, or 36. wherein said guard band has a black level if a leading portion of an immediately following neighboring first block of said picture information part has a substantially black level, and a white level if said leading portion has a substantially white level.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
100 words
The apparatus of claim 34, 35 or 36, wherein said guard band includes a first part and a second part, said first part having a black level when a trailing portion of an immediately preceding neighboring first block of said picture information part has a substantially black level, and a white level if said trailing portion has a substantially white level; and said second part having a black level if a leading portion of an immediately following neighboring first block of said picture information part is substantially black, and having a white level if said leading portion is substantially white.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said synchronizing signal part is of a white level, and said guard band further includes a center part between said first part and said second part, said center part having a level of black when said first part and said second part are of a white level substantially the same as the white level of said synchronizing signal part.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 34, wherein a first block of said picture information part contains a number "m" of bits, said guard band signals contains a number "P" of bits, and said predetermined first number is equal to 2m-2+P.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-10-04 | 1986-04-05 | 1986-10-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-10-04 | 1990-04-05 | 1990-10-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-10-04 | 1994-04-05 | 1994-10-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |