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US5686961A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Automatic video image data reduction and prioritization system and method

Assignee: Harris Corp
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Filing: 1992-01-27
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Granted: 1997-11-11
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Expires: 2012-01-27
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Abstract

Abstract A system and method for processing video imagery. The system automatically selects for transmission, or storage, portions of a video image at an automatically selected compression level, and/or in an automatically selected order. The system and method are intended to supplement and/or replace human actions with autonomous operations that are intended to preserve and prioritize important image information and highly reduce or eliminate image data that does not contain significant information. The preservation of important and relevant image information is given a higher priority than preservation of overall image quality.

Inventors

  • 👤 Laszlo Rainhardt Gasztonyi
  • 👤 Amit Gupta

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 03:56
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N19/00; H04N19/10; H04N19/102; H04N19/12; H04N19/132; H04N19/134; H04N19/136; H04N19/14; H04N19/162; H04N19/169; H04N19/17; H04N19/176; H04N19/60; H04N19/146; H04N19/149; H04N19/15

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 98 words
A method of processing digital data representative of a video image comprising the steps of: (a) dividing the data into a plurality of blocks representing a region of the video image; (b) automatically evaluating a predetermined characteristic of the data in each block to provide a processing signal indicative of the evaluated characteristic for each block; (c) displaying the video image on a monitor; (d) indicating the processing signal for each block on the monitor; (e) selectively manually overriding the processing signal; and (f) processing the data in accordance with the automatically provided processing signals as manually overridden.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 98 words
A method of processing digital data representative of a video image comprising the steps of: (a) dividing the data into a plurality of blocks representing a region of the video image; (b) automatically evaluating a predetermined characteristic of the data in each block to provide a processing signal indicative of the evaluated characteristic for each block; (c) displaying the video image on a monitor; (d) indicating the processing signal for each block on the monitor; (e) selectively manually overriding the processing signal; and (f) processing the data in accordance with the automatically provided processing signals as manually overridden.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the processing signal for each block is indicated on the monitor by shading.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the processing includes the transmission of the data.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the processing includes compression of the data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the processing includes transmission of the compressed data in an automatically determined order.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the type of compression is responsive to the processing signal.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 112 words
A method of automatically determining the degree of reduction of the amount of data representative of a video image comprising the steps of: (a) dividing data representative of a video image into a plurality of blocks representing a region of the video image; (b) providing a neural net; (c) training said neural net by operator evaluation of a plurality of subject matter related subimages both as to region and significance of the data within the region; (d) determining the significance of the data in each of said blocks by reference to the neural net; and (e) compressing the data in each of said blocks to a degree related to the determined significance.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 112 words
A method of automatically determining the degree of reduction of the amount of data representative of a video image comprising the steps of: (a) dividing data representative of a video image into a plurality of blocks representing a region of the video image; (b) providing a neural net; (c) training said neural net by operator evaluation of a plurality of subject matter related subimages both as to region and significance of the data within the region; (d) determining the significance of the data in each of said blocks by reference to the neural net; and (e) compressing the data in each of said blocks to a degree related to the determined significance.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 36 words
The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the step of training the neural net comprises the step of training the neural net with a narrow set of test data for the classification of similar images.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 37 words
The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the step of training the neural net comprises the step of training the neural net with a broad set of test data for the classification of widely varying images.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 88 words
A system for processing blocks of digital data representative of regions of a video image comprising: automatic means for evaluating a predetermined characteristic of the data in each block to provide a processing signal indicative of the evaluated characteristic for each block; a monitor for displaying the video image; means for indicating the processing signal for each block on the monitor; manual selection means for selectively overriding the processing signal; and processing means for processing the data in accordance with the automatically provided processing signals as manually overridden.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 88 words
A system for processing blocks of digital data representative of regions of a video image comprising: automatic means for evaluating a predetermined characteristic of the data in each block to provide a processing signal indicative of the evaluated characteristic for each block; a monitor for displaying the video image; means for indicating the processing signal for each block on the monitor; manual selection means for selectively overriding the processing signal; and processing means for processing the data in accordance with the automatically provided processing signals as manually overridden.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system of claim 10 wherein the processing signal for each block is indicated on the monitor by shading.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 15 words
The system of claim 10 wherein the processing means includes means for transmitting the data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 15 words
The system of claim 10 wherein the processing means includes means for compressing the data.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 21 words
The system of claim 13 wherein the processing means includes means for transmitting the compressed data in an automatically determined order.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system of claim 13 wherein the means for compressing the data compresses the data responsively to the processing signal.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 83 words
A system for automatically determining the degree of reduction of the amount of data in a plurality of blocks, each representative of a portion of a video image comprising: a neural net for evaluating a plurality of subject matter related subimages in the video image; means for determining the significance of the data in each of said blocks by reference to the neural net; and means for compressing the data in each of said blocks to a degree related to the determined significance.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 83 words
A system for automatically determining the degree of reduction of the amount of data in a plurality of blocks, each representative of a portion of a video image comprising: a neural net for evaluating a plurality of subject matter related subimages in the video image; means for determining the significance of the data in each of said blocks by reference to the neural net; and means for compressing the data in each of said blocks to a degree related to the determined significance.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4751742A Cited
US4868653A Cited
US5006931A Cited
US5079631A Cited
US5128776A Cited
US5103306A Cited
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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) 2000-11-10 2001-05-12 2001-11-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-11-10 2005-05-12 2005-11-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-11-10 2009-05-12 2009-11-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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