US4654484A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Video compression/expansion system
Assignee: LG Electronics Inc
•
Filing: 1983-07-21
•
Granted: 1987-03-31
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Expires: 2003-07-21
Abstract
Abstract An improved apparatus for rapidly compressing, expanding, and displaying broad band information which is transmitted over a narrow band communications channel. In the preferred embodiment, a video image is cyclically assembled in low resolution and high resolution phases from digitized data representing gray level intensity for individual pixels which have been grouped into pixel. During the initial cycle of the low resolution phase, a representative sample of cell intensity values is transmitted by a sending station to a receiving station according to a video compression routine. The receiving station then uses a video expansion routine to calculate an intensity value for those pixels whose intensity values were not transmitted and displays an initial image. This image is refined during subsequent low-resolution cycles by additional transmissions from the sending station which replace the calculated cell intensity values with an actual or better approximation value for that pixel. During the high resolution phase, an error determination routine or external input from a viewer selects those pixels containing the greatest deviation in intensity levels from the input video image. The error compression and expansion routines substitute a plurality of individual pixel intensity values for previously calculated intensity values. The present invention also discloses an apparatus for allowing color capable stations to send or receive color transmissions while retaining the capability to interact with noncolor stations. Color data is compressed and interleaved with black and white data by a color capable sending station and subsequently separated and expanded by a color capable receiving station.
Inventors
- 👤 Leonard Reiffel
- 👤 Wayne D. Jung
- 👤 Richard A. Karlin
- 👤 Raphael K. Tam
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 06:15
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N11/00; H04N11/04; H04N11/042; H04N7/00; H04N7/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 68
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A system for the transmission of broad band information over a narrow band transmission medium comprising a sending station and a receiving station, wherein each of the sending and receiving stations comprises means for compressing broad band information in a low resolution phase of at least one cycle; means for generating error codes for the compressed broad band information in a high resolution phase; means for transmitting the compressed broad band information and the error codes over the narrow band transmission medium; means for receiving compressed broad band information and error codes from the narrow band transmission medium; means for expanding the received compressed broad band information; means for updating the compressed and subsequently expanded broad band information in response to the received error codes; and means for display the compressed and subsequently expanded broad band information and the updated broad band information.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
143 words
A system for the transmission of broad band information over a narrow band transmission medium comprising a sending station and a receiving station, wherein each of the sending and receiving stations comprises means for compressing broad band information in a low resolution phase of at least one cycle; means for generating error codes for the compressed broad band information in a high resolution phase; means for transmitting the compressed broad band information and the error codes over the narrow band transmission medium; means for receiving compressed broad band information and error codes from the narrow band transmission medium; means for expanding the received compressed broad band information; means for updating the compressed and subsequently expanded broad band information in response to the received error codes; and means for display the compressed and subsequently expanded broad band information and the updated broad band information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for expanding the received compressed broad band information expands the received compressed broad band information in accordance with an expansion routine, and wherein a display is produced on the means for displaying, whereby said display of the broad band information appears to a viewer to be continuous in the low resolution phase and in the high resolution phase.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said broad band information is provided by a video source.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said narrow band transmission medium is a voice grade communications system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 comprising a plurality of sending stations and receiving stations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system as claimed in claim 5 wherein; said sending station is capable of serving as said receiving station; and said receiving station is capable of serving as said sending station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
146 words
The system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the broad band information is an image which is comprised of a predetermined number of pixels, and wherein the means for compressing the broad band information comprises: scanner means for establishing the digital gray level values of the individual pixels in the image; logic means for grouping said pixels into a plurality of cells; first memory means for storing said digital gray level values of said pixels; decision means for compressing the broad band information by selecting and transmitting at least one pixel of a predetermined number of the cells; and wherein the means for expanding the received compressed broad band information comprises: calculation means for calculating approximate values for the untransmitted pixels of the image; and second memory means for storing the gray level values of the transmitted pixels and the approximate values for the untransmitted pixels.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system for transmission of broad band information as claimed in claim 7 wherein said digital gray level values for each pixel is defined in 64 levels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said sending station can communicate with a plurality of said receiving stations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein operation of said receiving station is independent of the video standards of the video source at the sending station.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
37 words
A method for transmitting broad band information comprising a low resolution phase of at least one cycle and a high resolution phase where error codes derived during the low resolution phase are transmitted to increase the resolution.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
37 words
A method for transmitting broad band information comprising a low resolution phase of at least one cycle and a high resolution phase where error codes derived during the low resolution phase are transmitted to increase the resolution.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the low resolution phase comprises: compressing the broad band information according to a data compression routine; transmitting the results of said data compression routine to a receiving station; expanding said compressed data according to a sending station data expansion routine; determining errors in said compressed data according to an error determination routine; expanding said compressed data according to a receiving station data expansion routine; displaying said receiving station expanded data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the high resolution phase comprises: compressing the results of said low resolution phase according to an error compression routine; transmitting the results of said error compression routine; expanding the results of said error compression routine according to an error expansion routine; displaying the results of said error expansion routine.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the broad band information is comprised of lines of cells and wherein each cell of each line is comprised of pixels, and wherein said sending station cyclically transmits to said receiving station the results of the data compression routine, and wherein the results of the data compression routine are gray level reference values for predetermined cells.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein reference values for alternate cells on alternate lines are transmitted during an initial cycle of the low resolution phase.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said transmitted reference values are the values for a predetermined pixel in each cell.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the broad band information is comprised of lines of cells and wherein each cell of each line is comprised of pixels, and wherein the results of the data compression routine are gray level values representing the average intensity of a plurality of pixels in predetermined cells.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as claimed in claim 14 and wherein the sending station data expansion routine comprises cyclically calculating gray level values for pixels not transmitted.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the receiving station data expansion routine comprises cyclically calculating gray level values for pixels not transmitted.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein said calculation is a linear interpolation.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the broad band information is comprised of lines of cells and wherein each cell of each line is comprised of pixels, and wherein the error determination routine comprises calculating the difference between actual pixel values and the results of the receiving station data expansion routine in a plurality of cycles.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the broad band information is comprised of lines of cells and wherein each cell of each line is comprised of pixels, and wherein results of the error compression routine of the cells with the greatest error levels are transmitted in a plurality of cycles prior to the results of the error compression routine of the cells with lesser error levels.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the transmitted results of the error compression routine approximate the error levels of selected pixels in said cell.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as claimed in claim 22 wherein values for individual pixels are calculated in a plurality of cycles.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
83 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for responding to resolution control signals, wherein the resolution control signals identify a portion of the broad band information, wherein the error codes corresponding to the portion of the broad band information identified by the resolution control signals are transmitted prior to the error codes not identified by the resolution control signals wherein the sequence of the high resolution phase of said displays of the displaying means can be selected by manual control.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means to provide a color display.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the broad band information is comprised of chrominance data and monochrome data.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the broad band information comprises a plurality of pixels; and wherein the pixels comprise chrominance data and luminance data, and wherein said chrominance data is compressed and transmitted as a single digital bit along with a plurality of luminance digital bits for each pixel.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein said chrominance data is represented by red difference and blue difference values.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system as claimed in claim 29 wherein portions of said chrominance data can be selectively stored in memory as the difference values.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system as claimed in claim 29 wherein said difference values are calculated for a plurality of near neighbor pixels on each line.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system as claimed in claim 29 wherein said difference values are defined in 16 levels of intensity.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein a color sending station can produce a monochrome display at a monochrome receiving station.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein a monochrome sending station can produce a monochrome display at a color receiving station.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein each line of said display contains a red, blue, and green signal.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system as claimed in claim 29 wherein said difference values are stored in a distributed fashion among near neighbor pixels.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
63 words
The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein a sending color station or a receiving color station comprises: color scanner means for establishing the values of individual pixels in an image; logic means for grouping said pixels into a plurality of cells; memory means for storing said values of the pixels; decision means for coordinating the compression, transmission, and expansion of said values;
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system as claimed in claim 32 wherein each of said difference values is transmitted serially.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
203 words
A method for transmitting broad band information over a narrow band transmission medium, comprising the steps of: digitizing the broad band information into a plurality of digital words, wherein each digital word consists of a predetermined number of digital bits of information; dividing the digitized broad band information into a plurality of cells, wherein each cell consists of a predetermined number of digital words; deriving a reference cell value for each cell, wherein each reference cell value is derived from the digital words within that cell; generating a low resolution representation of the broad band information, comprising the steps of: transmitting a set of reference cell values over the narrow band transmission medium, wherein the set of reference cell values comprises the reference cell values from each of a preselected set of cells; receiving the set of reference cell values from the narrow band transmission medium; expanding the received set of reference cell values to obtain a set of approximated digital words, wherein the set of approximated digital words consists of approximated digital words for all digital words for all cells; display information derived from the set of approximated digital words, whereby a low resolution representation of the broad band information is obtained.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
203 words
A method for transmitting broad band information over a narrow band transmission medium, comprising the steps of: digitizing the broad band information into a plurality of digital words, wherein each digital word consists of a predetermined number of digital bits of information; dividing the digitized broad band information into a plurality of cells, wherein each cell consists of a predetermined number of digital words; deriving a reference cell value for each cell, wherein each reference cell value is derived from the digital words within that cell; generating a low resolution representation of the broad band information, comprising the steps of: transmitting a set of reference cell values over the narrow band transmission medium, wherein the set of reference cell values comprises the reference cell values from each of a preselected set of cells; receiving the set of reference cell values from the narrow band transmission medium; expanding the received set of reference cell values to obtain a set of approximated digital words, wherein the set of approximated digital words consists of approximated digital words for all digital words for all cells; display information derived from the set of approximated digital words, whereby a low resolution representation of the broad band information is obtained.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 39 wherein the step of generating a low resolution representation of the broad band information is repeated a plurality of times, whereby a plurality of low resolution representations of the broad band information is obtained.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
140 words
The method of claim 39 further comprising the steps of: computing error codes for all approximated digital words, wherein the error code for a particular digital word reflects the difference between the actual value of that digital word and the value of the corresponding approximated digital word of the set of approximated digital words; transmitting the error codes over the narrow band transmission medium; receiving the error codes from the narrow band transmission medium; updating each of the approximated digital words with the error code that corresponds to each of the approximated digital words; and displaying information derived from the updated approximated digital words, whereby a high resolution representation of the broad band information is obtained, wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is of higher resolution than the low resolution representation of the broad band information.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
142 words
The method of claim 40 further comprising the steps of: computing error codes for all approximated digital words, wherein the error code for a particular digital word reflects the difference between the actual value of that digital word and the value of the corresponding approximated digital word of the last obtained set of approximated digital words; transmitting the error codes over the narrow band transmission medium; receiving the error codes from the narrow band transmission medium; updating each of the approximated digital words with the error code that corresponds to each of the approximated digital words; and displaying information derived from the updated approximated digital words, whereby a high resolution representation of the broad band information is obtained, wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is of higher resolution than the low resolution representations of the broad band information.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
37 words
The method of claims 41 or 42 wherein the error codes are transmitted in order of decreasing magnitude, whereby the approximated digital words are updated and displayed in order of decreasing magnitude of the corresponding error codes.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
60 words
The method of claims 41 or 42 further comprising the step of responding to resolution control signals, wherein the resolution control signals identify a plurality of digital words, wherein the error codes of the digital words identified by the resolution control signals are transmitted prior to the error codes of the digital words not identified by the resolution control signals.
Claim 48
Independent Claim
32 words
The method of claims 41 or 42 wherein the error codes are of variable length, and wherein the length of the error codes is determined by the magnitude of the error code.
Claim 49
Independent Claim
31 words
The method of claims 41 or 42 wherein each of the error codes is associated with a location code that identifies the digital word to which the associated error code corresponds.
Claim 50
Independent Claim
20 words
The method of claims 41 or 42 wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is color information.
Claim 51
Independent Claim
35 words
The method of claims 41 or 42 wherein the least significant bit of each of the digital words contains color information, and wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is color information.
Claim 52
Independent Claim
35 words
The method of claims 41 or 42 wherein the least significant bit of each of the digital words contains color information, and wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is monochrome information.
Claim 53
Independent Claim
20 words
The method of claims 41 or 42 wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is monochrome information.
Claim 54
Independent Claim
35 words
The method of claims 41 or 42 wherein the least significant bit of each of the digital words contains monochrome information, and wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is monochrome information.
Claim 55
Independent Claim
220 words
An apparatus for transmitting broad band information over a narrow band transmission medium, comprising: means for digitizing the broad band information into a plurality of digital words, wherein each digital word consists of a predetermined number of digital bits of information; means for dividing the digitized broad band information into a plurality of cells, wherein each cell consists of a predetermined number of the digital words; means for deriving a reference cell value for each cell, wherein each reference cell value is derived from the digital words within that cell; means for generating a low resolution representation of the broad band information, comprising: means at one station for transmitting a set of reference cell values over the narrow band transmission medium, wherein the set of reference cell values comprises the reference cell values from each of a preselected set of cells; means at another station for receiving the set of reference cell values from the narrow band transmission medium; means for expanding the received set of reference cell values to obtain a set of approximated digital words, wherein the set of approximated digital words consists of approximated digital words for all digital words for all cells; means for displaying information derived from the set of approximated digital words, whereby a low resolution representation of the broad band information is obtained.
Claim 56
Independent Claim
220 words
An apparatus for transmitting broad band information over a narrow band transmission medium, comprising: means for digitizing the broad band information into a plurality of digital words, wherein each digital word consists of a predetermined number of digital bits of information; means for dividing the digitized broad band information into a plurality of cells, wherein each cell consists of a predetermined number of the digital words; means for deriving a reference cell value for each cell, wherein each reference cell value is derived from the digital words within that cell; means for generating a low resolution representation of the broad band information, comprising: means at one station for transmitting a set of reference cell values over the narrow band transmission medium, wherein the set of reference cell values comprises the reference cell values from each of a preselected set of cells; means at another station for receiving the set of reference cell values from the narrow band transmission medium; means for expanding the received set of reference cell values to obtain a set of approximated digital words, wherein the set of approximated digital words consists of approximated digital words for all digital words for all cells; means for displaying information derived from the set of approximated digital words, whereby a low resolution representation of the broad band information is obtained.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 52 wherein the means for generating a low resolution representation of the broad band information further comprises means for generating a plurality of low resolution representations of the broad band information.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
157 words
The apparatus of claim 52 further comprising: means for computing error codes for all approximated digital words, wherein the error code for a particular digital word reflects the difference between the actual value of that digital word and the value of the corresponding approximated digital word of the set of approximated digital words; wherein said means for transmitting also transmits the error codes over the narrow band transmission medium; said means for receiving also receives the error codes from the narrow band transmission medium; means for updating each of the approximated digital words with the error code that corresponds to each of the approximated digital words; and said means for displaying also displays information derived from the updated approximated digital words, whereby a high resolution representation of the broad band information is obtained, wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is of higher resolution than the low resolution representation of the broad band information.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
159 words
The apparatus of claim 53 further comprising: means for computing error codes for all approximated digital words, wherein the error code for a particular digital word reflects the difference between the actual value of that digital word and the value of the corresponding approximated digital word of the last obtained set of approximated digital words; wherein said means for transmitting also transmits the error codes over the narrow band transmission medium; said means for receiving also receives the error codes from the narrow band transmission medium; means for updating each of the approximated digital words with the error code that corresponds to each of the approximated digital words; and said means for displaying also displays information derived from the updated approximated digital words, whereby a high resolution representation of the broad band information is obtained, wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is of higher resolution than the low resolution representations of the broad band information.
Claim 60
Independent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claims 54 or 55 wherein the error codes are transmitted in order of decreasing magnitude, whereby the approximated digital words are updated and displayed in order of decreasing magnitude of the corresponding error codes.
Claim 61
Independent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claims 54 or 55 further comprising means for responding to resolution control signals, wherein the resolution control signals identify a plurality of digital words, wherein the error codes of the digital words identified by the resolution control signals are transmitted prior to the error codes of the digital words not identified by the resolution control signals.
Claim 62
Independent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claims 54 or 55 wherein the error codes are of variable length, and wherein the length of the error codes is determined by the magnitude of the error code.
Claim 63
Independent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claims 54 or 55 wherein each of the error codes is associated with a location code that identifies the digital word to which the associated error code corresponds.
Claim 64
Independent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claims 54 or 55 wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is color information.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 54 or 55 wherein the least significant bit of each of the digital words contains color information, and wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is color information.
Claim 66
Independent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claims 54 or 55 wherein the least significant bit of each of the digital words contains color information, and wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is monochrome information.
Claim 67
Independent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claims 54 or 55 wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is monochrome information.
Claim 68
Independent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claims 54 or 55 wherein the least significant bit of each of the digital words contains monochrome information, and wherein the high resolution representation of the broad band information is monochrome information.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-03-30 | 1994-09-29 | 1995-03-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-03-30 | 1998-09-29 | 1999-03-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |