 Multiple resolution data display |
| Small handheld electronic devices, such as palmtop computers, handheld notepads, and handheld ... |
|
| Color conversion device |
| It is therefore an objective of the present invention to overcome the above-described problems and ... |
|
| Multipass graphics rendering method and apparatus with re-traverse flag |
| According to the invention, roughly described, a graphics rendering system is provided which allows ... |
|
| Apparatus and method for simulating specular reflection in a computer graphics/imaging system |
| In accordance with the invention, a specular- reflected illumination intensity unit for a display ... |
|
| Weather simulation system |
| One aspect of the invention is a method of using a computer to generate a visual display of weather ... |
|
| Image rendering system with local, adaptive estimation of incident diffuse energy |
| An improved method and apparatus for rendering an image of a geometrical model in a defined space ... |
|
|
Method and apparatus for processing both still and moving visual pattern images
| Details |
Inventors: Bovik, Alan C.; Chen, Dapang;
Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System (Austin, TX)
Primary Examiner: Couso; Jose L.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Arnold, White & Durkee
An improved method for coding and decoding still or moving visual pattern images by partitioning images into blocks or cubes, respectively, and coding each image separately according to visually significant responses of the human eye. Coding is achieved by calculating and subtracting a mean intensity value from digital numbers within each block or cube and detecting visually perceivable edge locations within the resultant residual sub-image. If a visually perceivable edge is contained within the block or cube, gradient magnitude and orientation at opposing sides of the edge within each edge block or cube are calculated and appropriately coded. If no perceivable edge is contained within the block or cube, the sub-image is coded as a uniform intensity block. Decoding requires receiving coded mean intensity value, gradient magnitude and pattern code, and then decoding a combination of these three indicia to be arranged in an orientation substantially similar to the original digital image or original sequence of digital images. Coding and decoding can be accomplished in a hierarchical pattern. Further, hierarchical processing can be programmably manipulated according to user-defined criteria. |
|
DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of conventional coding and decoding techniques, and more particularly overcomes the problems associated with BTC and VQ coding schemes used with digital still and moving pictures The present coding invention can operate on either still or moving pictures.
If still pictures are encountered, the present intention uses Visual Pattern Image Coding (VPIC).
Conversely, if moving pictures are to be encountered, the present invention uses Visual Pattern Image Sequence Coding (VPISC).
VPISC comprises a method and apparatus for transmitting sequences of digital images according to visually significant responses of the human eye.
An important element of both VPIC and VPISC coding/decoding schemes is their ability to adapt to a hierarchical coding structure (HVPIC or HVPISC).
HVPIC can be applied to VPIC, while HVPISC can be applied to VPISC scheme, to achieve greater coding efficiency with even greater accuracy.
Still further VPISC can be modified using adaptive VPISC (AVPISC) to vary the quality or depth of resolution hierarchy required to retain a sufficient amount of sequential digital image detail.
Even still further, the present invention utilizes foveal VPISC, or FVPISC as another modification of the standard concept of VPISC, HVPISC and AVPISC by allowing a human user to select a spatial point or points of which higher quality coding/decoding is desired at those points.
The basic concept of VPISC allows higher compression ratios so that sequences of digital images can be transmitted at a much higher rate using a reduced transmission channel bandwidth.
Furthermore, image sequence files can be stored in a smaller memory medium.
By utilizing the basic concept of VPISC, image sequences can be decomposed into a hierarchy (pyramid) of image sequences having variable resolutions.
This hierarchical structure of varying resolutions, called HVPISC, yields high accuracy of coding reproduction by first efficiently coding the lowest-resolution version of the total image sequence by using the basic coding VPISC operation
|
|
CPUs 
