Line-sequential pyramid processing of a plurality of raster-scanned image variables

Claim 2

Apparatus for performing two-dimensional spatial-frequency filterings of each of a plurality of signals each descriptive of a raster-scanned image field sampled-data variable, said raster-scanned image field sampled-data variables having the same number of scan lines in their respective raster scans, said apparatus comprising: a respective time compressor for each of said plurality of signals, having the capability of time compressing a full scan line of its respective signal; means for timing the operation of said time compressors to time-division-multiplex said signals for interleaving successive ones of their respective scan lines on a cyclic basis; thereby to form a line-sequential composite signal which is a raster-scanned sampled-data description of a plurality of side-by-side image fields; and a first two-dimensional spatial-frequency filter receptive of said composite signal.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said raster-scanned image field sampled-data variables are raster scanned parallel in time.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least two of said raster-scanned image field sampled-data variables have the same number of samples in each of their respective scan lines.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first two-dimensional spatial-frequency filter is one of a plurality of two-dimensional spatial-frequency filters arranged as a pyramid analyzer for analyzing said raster-scanned sampled-data description of a plurality of side-by-side image fields into component spatial-frequency spectra in sampled-data form.

Claim 6

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in combination with: a formatter for arranging the samples of said component spatial-frequency spectra into a serial stream of samples.

Claim 7

A combination as set forth in claim 5 including: a differential pulse code modulator for generating a differential pulse code response to said serial stream of samples.

Claim 8

A combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said differential pulse code modulator is of a type differentially comparing samples separated by a frame time delay.

Claim 9

A combination as set forth in claim 6 further including: means for statistically encoding said differential pulse code to generate a succession of self-parsing statistical codes.

Claim 10

A combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for statistically encoding said differential pulse code includes: a zero run length encoder for determining the lengths of runs of zeroes in said differential pulse code, and means for selecting the statistical codes for zero-value samples in said differential pulse code dependent upon the length of zero runs in which those samples are included.

Claim 11

A sending apparatus, comprising in addition to the combination of claim 8: means for generating digital audio codes; means for generating synchronizing codes indicative of the framing of said raster-scanned sampled-data description of a plurality of side-by-side image fields and of the signals derived therefrom; means for generating a serial stream of bits from said statistical codes, said digital audio codes, and said synchronizing codes; and a transmitter for transmitting over a data link a signal responsive to said serial stream of bits.

Claim 12

A combination of: a pyramid synthesizer, receptive of the component spatial-frequency spectra in sampled-data form of a raster-scanned sampled-data description of a plurality of side-by-side image fields, for synthesizing said raster-scanned sampled-data description of a plurality of side-by-side image fields; and a respective time decompressor for each of said plurality of side-by-side image fields, arranged to accept as its respective input signal samples descriptive of its respective image field and to provide a raster-scanned output of its respective image field synchronously with each other of said time decompressors.

Claim 13

A combination of: a pyramid synthesizer, receptive of the component spatial-frequency spectra in sampled-data form of a raster-scanned sampled-data description of a plurality of side-by-side image fields, for synthesizing said raster-scanned sampled-data description of a plurality of side-by-side image fields; and a respective time decompressor for each of said plurality of side-by-side image fields, arranged to accept as its respective input signal samples descriptive of its respective image field and to provide a raster-scanned output of its respective image field synchronously with each other of said time decompressors.

Claim 14

A receiving apparatus, comprising in addition to the combination of claim 11: a receiver for receiving from a data link a signal, responsive to which said receiver supplies a serial stream of bits; means responsive to said serial stream of bits for separating digital audio codes, synchronizing codes indicative of the framing of said raster-scanned sampled-data description of a plurality of side-by-side image fields, and statistical codes descriptive of a differential pulse code modulation signal encoding said raster-scanned sampled-data description of a plurality of side-by-side image fields; means for decoding said statistical codes to recover said differential pulse code modulation signal; a demodulator for said differential pulse code modulation signal; a formatter for arranging data samples from said demodulator to supply to said pyramid synthesizer said component spatial-frequency spectra in sampled-data form of the raster-scanned description of a plurality of side-by-side image fields; a video monitor for providing a display; means for applying video input signals to said video monitor in response to the raster-scanned outputs of their respective image fields supplied by said time decompressors; and means responsive to at least some of said synchronizing codes for supplying said video monitor information with which to synchronize its display.