US5946419A
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Separate shape and texture coding of transparency data for video coding applications
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 1998-02-19
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Granted: 1999-08-31
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Expires: 2018-02-19
Abstract
Abstract A hierarchical object encoding technique or process capable of representing general binary arbitrary shapes that include, for example, embedded or disconnected components. The method decomposes successive layers of general binary arbitrary shapes into simple arbitrary shapes. Each mask formed in this manner is a simple arbitrary shape having only a continuous outer boundary. Accordingly, each outer boundary is encoded, preferably by a contour encoding method, to provide accurate encoding of general binary shapes.
Inventors
- 👤 Wei-ge Chen
- 👤 Ming-Chieh Lee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 06:36
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T17/00; H; H04; H04N; H04N19/00; H04N19/10; H04N19/169; H04N19/186; H04N19/20; H04N19/23; H04N19/50; H04N19/503; H04N19/51; H04N19/513; H04N19/517; H04N19/537; H04N19/54; H04N19/543; H04N19/563; H04N19/60; H04N19/61; H04N19/63; H04N19/649
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of encoding a general arbitrary image feature in a video image frame, the image feature including pixels that each have a pixel value and a non-binary transparency value, the method comprising the steps: applying a threshold filter to the non-binary transparency values to form a binary representation of shape of the image feature; shape coding the binary shape of the image feature; and texture coding the non-binary transparency values of the image feature separately from the binary shape.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of encoding a general arbitrary image feature in a video image frame, the image feature including pixels that each have a pixel value and a non-binary transparency value, the method comprising the steps: applying a threshold filter to the non-binary transparency values to form a binary representation of shape of the image feature; shape coding the binary shape of the image feature; and texture coding the non-binary transparency values of the image feature separately from the binary shape.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 in which the pixels of the image feature include non-binary color values; and texture coding the non-binary color values.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 in which texture coding of the non-binary transparency values of the image feature includes extrapolating the non-binary transparency values of the image feature to a rectangular configuration to facilitate block-based texture coding.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 3 including: subdividing the rectangular configuration into blocks of pixel locations; for each block of pixel locations, transform coding the non-binary transparency values at the pixel locations in the block.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 4 in which the transform coding step includes performing a discrete cosine transform of the non-binary transparency values at the pixel locations in each block.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 4 including: for each block of pixel locations, performing motion compensation on the non-binary transparency values of the image feature to compute a residual alpha signal and transform coding the residual alpha signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 including performing motion compensation on the non-binary transparency values of the image feature to compute a residual alpha signal and transform coding the residual alpha signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 1 including: identifying a rectangular bounding box around the image feature; subdividing the rectangular bounding box into blocks of pixel locations within the bounding box; for each block, transform coding a color value for each pixel location in the block and transform coding the non-binary transparency value for each pixel location in the block.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 including extrapolating color values of pixel locations inside the image feature to pixel locations outside the image feature; and extrapolating non-binary transparency values of pixel locations inside the image feature to pixel locations outside the image feature.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
A computer readable medium having instructions for performing the steps of claim 1.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of encoding multi-bit image transparency data for a general arbitrary image feature in a video image frame, the image feature including feature pixels that each have a pixel value including a multi-bit image transparency value, the method comprising the steps: identifying a transparency boundary of the arbitrary image feature within the multi-bit transparency values; forming a mask in relation to the identified transparency boundary of the image feature; shape coding the mask of the image feature; and texture coding the multi-bit transparency values of the image feature separately from the shape coding of the mask of the image feature.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of encoding multi-bit image transparency data for a general arbitrary image feature in a video image frame, the image feature including feature pixels that each have a pixel value including a multi-bit image transparency value, the method comprising the steps: identifying a transparency boundary of the arbitrary image feature within the multi-bit transparency values; forming a mask in relation to the identified transparency boundary of the image feature; shape coding the mask of the image feature; and texture coding the multi-bit transparency values of the image feature separately from the shape coding of the mask of the image feature.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 11 in which identifying the image transparency boundary of the image feature includes applying a threshold filter to the multi-bit image transparency values to form binary representations of the values.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 11 in which encoding of the multi-bit image transparency values of the image feature separately from the image feature boundary includes extrapolation of the multi-bit image transparency values of the image feature to a predefined configuration to facilitate encoding.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 11.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
90 words
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure representing multi-bit image transparency data for a general arbitrary image feature in an image segment of a video image frame, the image feature being bounded by a feature boundary and including feature pixels that each have a pixel value including a multi-bit image transparency value, the data structure comprising: an encoded binary contour representation of an image transparency boundary of the image feature; and encoded representations of the multi-bit image transparency values within the image transparency boundary of the image feature.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
90 words
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure representing multi-bit image transparency data for a general arbitrary image feature in an image segment of a video image frame, the image feature being bounded by a feature boundary and including feature pixels that each have a pixel value including a multi-bit image transparency value, the data structure comprising: an encoded binary contour representation of an image transparency boundary of the image feature; and encoded representations of the multi-bit image transparency values within the image transparency boundary of the image feature.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of decoding multi-bit image transparency data for a general arbitrary image feature in a video image frame, the image feature including feature pixels that each have a pixel value including a multi-bit image transparency value, the method comprising the steps: decoding an encoded mask representing the shape of the image feature; decoding texture coded multi-bit transparency values of the image feature separately from the decoding of the binary mask of the image feature; and applying the binary mask to the decoded multi-bit transparency values of the image feature to remove unwanted pixel values at pixel locations outside the shape of the image feature.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of decoding multi-bit image transparency data for a general arbitrary image feature in a video image frame, the image feature including feature pixels that each have a pixel value including a multi-bit image transparency value, the method comprising the steps: decoding an encoded mask representing the shape of the image feature; decoding texture coded multi-bit transparency values of the image feature separately from the decoding of the binary mask of the image feature; and applying the binary mask to the decoded multi-bit transparency values of the image feature to remove unwanted pixel values at pixel locations outside the shape of the image feature.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 16 in which the mask is a binary mask and the decoding of the mask includes applying a binary shape decoder to the encoded mask.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 16 in which the texture coded multi-bit transparency values comprise transform coded blocks of the multi-bit transparency values, and the decoding of the texture includes performing inverse transform coding on each of the coded blocks.
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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) | 2002-08-30 | 2003-03-01 | 2003-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-08-30 | 2007-03-01 | 2007-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-08-30 | 2011-03-01 | 2011-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |