Patent US4806111A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4414580A
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Progressive transmission of two-tone facsimile
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
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Filing: 1981-06-01
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Granted: 1983-11-08
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Expires: 2001-06-01
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for the transmission of two-tone pictures progressively in several stages. Progressive transmission enables a viewer to receive and utilize pictures in a small fraction of the normal transmission time. In a first stage, information representing groups of picture elements of preselected lines of the scanned picture is transmitted which allows a coarse version of the picture to be reproduced at a receiver. During the subsequent stages the horizontal resolution of the previously transmitted scan lines is improved and additional scan lines are transmitted in a specific order until the received picture is an identical copy of the original picture. The progressive picture information is efficiently transmitted in one of several line-by-line codes resulting in a total transmission time not significantly longer than the time for a nonprogressive transmission.
Inventors
- 👤 Ottar Johnsen
- 👤 Arun N. Netravali
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 15:56
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/41; H04N1/411; H10; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/60; H10D30/64; H10D30/66
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 57
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A method for transmitting signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: transmitting signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture, where n is an integer greater than one, and wherein each transmitted signal has a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where m is an integer greater than zero and less than or equal to n; and progressively increasing the vertical resolution of the picture defined in the prior step by transmitting signals having a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
123 words
A method for transmitting signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: transmitting signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture, where n is an integer greater than one, and wherein each transmitted signal has a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where m is an integer greater than zero and less than or equal to n; and progressively increasing the vertical resolution of the picture defined in the prior step by transmitting signals having a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1 further including the step of: transmitting a supplementary signal to increase the horizontal resolution of at least one of the previously transmitted lines to a horizontal resolution of 2 m-1 pels where 1 is an integer greater than zero and less than m.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting signals are derived by the steps of: generating two or more separately identifiable signal representations of each line of said scanned picture being transmitted, and transmitting one of the two or more separately identifiable signal representations such that the signal transmission time is minimized.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
43 words
The method of claims 1, or 3 wherein each of said transmitted signals includes data bits representing the picture tone of picture elements of each transmitted line of said scanned picture and a control bit for specifying the format of said data bit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 4 wherein said data bit is encoded and said control bit specifies the code format of said data bits.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
The invention of claim 4 wherein said data bits are a difference signal between a signal of a reference line and the signal of the line presently being transmitted and said control bit specifies a signal of a previously transmitted line to be used as a reference signal for the signal of the line presently being transmitted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention of claim 4 wherein said control bit specifies as a reference signal the nearest line above or the nearest line below the position of the line presently being transmitted.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 4 wherein said reference signal is an interpolation of signals of previously transmitted lines above and below the line presently being transmitted.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The invention of claim 4 wherein said data bit is encoded in a run length format.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 4 wherein said control bit specifies a ID format or a 2D format of a CCITT code into which the data bits are encoded.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
28 words
The method of claims 1, or 3 where the pels of each scanned line of the picture have two possible tones and is represented by a binary signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 11 where the transmitted signals which defines lines of said scanned picture are generated from the binary signals of pels of the lines by the step of: determining a binary signal representing a tone of a group of two or more pels of a line by selecting the binary signal of one of the elements of said group.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
125 words
The method of claim 11 where the transmitted signals which defines lines of said scanned picture are generated from the binary signals of pels of the lines by the steps of: determining a binary signal representing the tone of a first group of two or more pels in each group of two or more pels of a line by selecting the binary signal of said first group to be the same binary signal as said first group when all the pels in said first group are the same tone and selecting the binary signal of said first group to be opposite the binary signal of a previously determined adjacent group of pels when the binary signal of each element of said first group are different.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 11 where the transmitted signals which defines lines of said scanned picture are generated from the binary signals of pels of the lines by the step of: determining a binary signal representing a tone of a group of 2 m pels of a line by selecting the binary signal of one of the elements of said group of 2 m pels.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
109 words
The method of claim 11 where the transmitted signals which define lines of said scanned picture are generated from the binary signals of pels of the lines by the steps of: determining a binary signal representing the tone of a pair of pels in each group of 2 m pels of a line by selecting said binary signal to be the same as the binary signal as said pair when both pels in said pair are the same tone and selecting said binary signal to be opposite the binary signal of a previously determined adjacent pair of pels when the tone of each element of said pair are different.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 15 wherein m≧2 and said steps of claim 15 are sequentially repeated m times.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted signals are selected from two or more separately identifiable signals of each line of said scanned picture, said selection being determined by which of said two or more separately identifiable signals would minimize the transmission time.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for transmitting signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: transmitting signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture at a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where n is an integer greater than zero and m is an integer greater than zero and less than n; transmitting supplementary signals to increase the horizontal resolution of the previously transmitted lines to a horizontal resolution of 2 m-1 pels, where 1 is an integer greater than zero and less than m; and progressively increasing the vertical resolution of the picture defined in the prior steps by transmitting signals which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for transmitting signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: transmitting signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture at a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where n is an integer greater than zero and m is an integer greater than zero and less than n; transmitting supplementary signals to increase the horizontal resolution of the previously transmitted lines to a horizontal resolution of 2 m-1 pels, where 1 is an integer greater than zero and less than m; and progressively increasing the vertical resolution of the picture defined in the prior steps by transmitting signals which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
123 words
A method for receiving signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: receiving signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture, where n is an integer greater than one, and wherein each received signal has a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where m is an integer greater than zero and less than or equal to n; and progressively increasing the vertical resolution of the picture defined in the prior step by receiving signals having a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
123 words
A method for receiving signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: receiving signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture, where n is an integer greater than one, and wherein each received signal has a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where m is an integer greater than zero and less than or equal to n; and progressively increasing the vertical resolution of the picture defined in the prior step by receiving signals having a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 19 further including the step of: receiving a supplementary signal to increase the horizontal resolution of at least one of the previously received lines to a horizontal resolution of 2 m-1 pels where 1 is an integer greater than zero and less than m.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 19 including the step of: decoding a received signal representing one of the two or more separately identifiable signal representations of each line of said scanned picture.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 19, further including the step of: linearly interpolating between two received signals of two received lines to generate a signal of a line of said scanned picture not yet received.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 22 wherein said linearly interpolating step further including the step of: linearly interpolating an unreceived line between two received lines by interpolating a group of pels on the unreceived line only when a group of pels exists on each of said two received lines and have at least one pel in each group which occupy the same vertical column.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for receiving signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: receiving signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture at a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where n is an integer greater than zero and m is an integer greater than zero and less than n; receiving supplementary signals to increase the horizontal resolution of the previously received lines to a horizontal resolution of 2 m-1 pels, where 1 is an integer greater than zero and less than m; and progressively increasing the vertical resolution of the picture defined in the prior steps by receiving signals which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for receiving signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: receiving signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture at a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where n is an integer greater than zero and m is an integer greater than zero and less than n; receiving supplementary signals to increase the horizontal resolution of the previously received lines to a horizontal resolution of 2 m-1 pels, where 1 is an integer greater than zero and less than m; and progressively increasing the vertical resolution of the picture defined in the prior steps by receiving signals which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for transmitting signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: transmitting at a resolution of four pels a first signal representing sequentially every 4th line of said scanned picture, transmitting a second signal to increase the resolution of every previously transmitted line of said scanned picture from four pels to two pels, and transmitting at a resolution of two pels a third signal representing sequentially each line of said scanned picture located two lines away from the previously transmitted lines.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for transmitting signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: transmitting at a resolution of four pels a first signal representing sequentially every 4th line of said scanned picture, transmitting a second signal to increase the resolution of every previously transmitted line of said scanned picture from four pels to two pels, and transmitting at a resolution of two pels a third signal representing sequentially each line of said scanned picture located two lines away from the previously transmitted lines.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 25 further including the steps of: transmitting a fourth signal to increase the resolution of every previously transmitted line of said scanned picture from two pels to one pel, and transmitting at a resolution of one pel a fifth signal representing sequentially each of the remaining lines of said scanned picture.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
88 words
The method of claim 25 wherein the step of generating a first signal includes the steps of: transmitting at a resolution of four pels a signal representing sequentially every 16th line of said scanned picture, transmitting at a resolution of four pels a signal representing sequentially each line of said scanned picture located eight lines away from the previously transmitted lines, and transmitting at a resolution of four pels a signal representing sequentially each line of said scanned picture located four lines away from the previously transmitted lines.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for receiving signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: decoding each received first signal as every 4th line of said scanned picture at a resolution of 4 pels, decoding each received second signal to increase the resolution of every previously received line of said scanned picture from 4 pels to 2 pels, and decoding each received third signal as a line located two lines away from the previously transmitted lines at a resolution of 2 pels.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for receiving signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: decoding each received first signal as every 4th line of said scanned picture at a resolution of 4 pels, decoding each received second signal to increase the resolution of every previously received line of said scanned picture from 4 pels to 2 pels, and decoding each received third signal as a line located two lines away from the previously transmitted lines at a resolution of 2 pels.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 28 further including the steps of decoding each received fourth signal to increase the resolution of every previously received line of said scanned picture from 2 pels to 1 pel, and decoding each received fifth signal as representing sequentially each of the remaining lines of said scanned picture at a resolution of 1 pel.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
113 words
Apparatus for transmitting signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said apparatus includes first means for transmitting signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture, where n is an integer greater than one, and wherein each transmitted signal has a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where m is an integer greater than zero and less than or equal to n; and second means for transmitting signals having a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
113 words
Apparatus for transmitting signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said apparatus includes first means for transmitting signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture, where n is an integer greater than one, and wherein each transmitted signal has a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where m is an integer greater than zero and less than or equal to n; and second means for transmitting signals having a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 30 further including third means for transmitting a supplementary signal to increase the horizontal resolution of at least one of the previously transmitted lines to a horizontal resolution of 2 m-1 pels where 1 is an integer greater than zero and less than m.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 30 including means for generating two or more separately identifiable signal representations of each line of said scanned picture to be transmitted, and means for transmitting one of said two or more separately identifiable signal representations such that the transmission time is minimized.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
139 words
The apparatus of claims 30 or 32 wherein the pels of each scanned line of the picture have two possible tones and is represented by a binary signal and where the transmitted signals which define lines of said scanned picture are generated from the binary signals of pels of the lines, said apparatus further including means for determining a binary signal representing the tone of a pair of picture elements (pels) in each group of 2 m picture elements by selecting the binary signal of said pair to be the same binary signal as said pair when both pels in said pair are the same tone, and selecting the binary signal of said pair to be opposite the binary signal of a previously determined adjacent pair of pels when the tone of each element of said pair are different.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 33 wherein m≧2 and said determining means repeats the operation of claim 33 sequentially m times.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention of claim 30 wherein said apparatus further includes means for selecting a signal for transmission from two or more sequentially identifiable signals of each line of the scanned picture, said selecting means selecting a signal which minimizes the transmission time.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
136 words
Apparatus for transmitting signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: first means for transmitting signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture at a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where n is an integer greater than zero and m is an integer greater than zero and less than or equal to n; second means for transmitting supplementary signals to increase the horizontal resolution the previously transmitted lines to a horizontal resolution of 2 m-1 pels, where 1 is an integer greater than zero and less than m; and third means for transmitting signals which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
136 words
Apparatus for transmitting signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: first means for transmitting signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture at a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where n is an integer greater than zero and m is an integer greater than zero and less than or equal to n; second means for transmitting supplementary signals to increase the horizontal resolution the previously transmitted lines to a horizontal resolution of 2 m-1 pels, where 1 is an integer greater than zero and less than m; and third means for transmitting signals which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
112 words
Apparatus for receiving signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said apparatus includes first means for receiving signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture, where n is an integer greater than one, and wherein each received signal has a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where m is an integer between zero and less than or equal to n; and second means for receiving signals having a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
112 words
Apparatus for receiving signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said apparatus includes first means for receiving signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture, where n is an integer greater than one, and wherein each received signal has a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where m is an integer between zero and less than or equal to n; and second means for receiving signals having a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 37 further including third means for receiving a supplementary signal to increase the horizontal resolution of at least one of the previously transmitted lines to a horizontal resolution of 2 m-1 pels where 1 is an integer greater than zero and less than m.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 37 including means for decoding a received signal representing one of the two or more separately identifiable signal representations of each line of said scanned picture.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention of claims 37 or 39 wherein said apparatus further includes means for linearly interpolating between two received signals of two received lines to generate a signal of a line of said scanned picture not yet received from said transmitting terminal.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
134 words
Apparatus for receiving signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: first means for receiving signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture at a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where n is an integer greater than zero and m is an integer greater than zero and less than n; second means for receiving supplementary signals to increase the horizontal resolution of the previously received lines to a horizontal resolution of 2 m-1 pels, where 1 is an integer greater than zero and less than m; and third means for receiving signals which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
134 words
Apparatus for receiving signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture, the method CHARACTERIZED BY the steps of: first means for receiving signals which define each 2 n th line of said line scanned picture at a horizontal resolution of 2 m pels, where n is an integer greater than zero and m is an integer greater than zero and less than n; second means for receiving supplementary signals to increase the horizontal resolution of the previously received lines to a horizontal resolution of 2 m-1 pels, where 1 is an integer greater than zero and less than m; and third means for receiving signals which define additional lines including each 2 n-p th line of said line scanned picture, where p is an integer greater than zero and less than n.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
95 words
Apparatus for transmitting signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said apparatus includes means for transmitting at a resolution of four pels a first signal representing sequentially every 4th line of said scanned picture, means for transmitting a second signal to increase the resolution of every previously transmitted line of said scanned picture from four pels to two pels, and means for transmitting at a resolution of two pels a third signal representing sequentially each line of said scanned picture located two lines away from the previously transmitted lines.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
95 words
Apparatus for transmitting signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said apparatus includes means for transmitting at a resolution of four pels a first signal representing sequentially every 4th line of said scanned picture, means for transmitting a second signal to increase the resolution of every previously transmitted line of said scanned picture from four pels to two pels, and means for transmitting at a resolution of two pels a third signal representing sequentially each line of said scanned picture located two lines away from the previously transmitted lines.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
56 words
The apparatus of claim 42 further including means for transmitting a fourth signal to increase the resolution of every previously transmitted line of said scanned picture from two pels to one pel, and means for transmitting at a resolution of one pel a fifth signal representing sequentially each of the remaining lines of said scanned picture.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
98 words
Apparatus for receiving signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said apparatus includes means for decoding each received first binary line signal as every 4th line of said scanned picture at a resolution of 4 pels, means for decoding each received second binary line signal to increase the resolution of every previously received line of said scanned picture from 4 pels to 2 pels, and means for decoding each received third binary line signal as a line located two lines away from the previously transmitted lines at a resolution of 2 pels.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
98 words
Apparatus for receiving signals representing picture elements (pels) of a line scanned picture CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said apparatus includes means for decoding each received first binary line signal as every 4th line of said scanned picture at a resolution of 4 pels, means for decoding each received second binary line signal to increase the resolution of every previously received line of said scanned picture from 4 pels to 2 pels, and means for decoding each received third binary line signal as a line located two lines away from the previously transmitted lines at a resolution of 2 pels.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 44 further including means for decoding each received fourth binary line signal to increase the resolution of every previously received line of said scanned picture from 2 pels to 1 pel, and means for decoding each received fifth binary line signal as representing sequentially each of the remaining lines of said scanned picture at a resolution of 1 pel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-11-07 | 1987-05-09 | 1987-11-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-11-07 | 1991-05-09 | 1991-11-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-11-07 | 1995-05-09 | 1995-11-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |