Abstract: An improved scalar embedded graphics coding (EGC) for wireless HD compression is described herein. The image frame to be encoded is divided into blocks, which are further divided into color groups. These groups are encoded one bit plane at a time. The improved scalar EGC method and system uses shared grouping data among color components, but bit planes of each color are separately encoded. Further, during encoding a second-level grouping is able to occur on the splitting signaling of the groups. The system and method described herein retain the simplicity of scalar EGC and attain an efficiency comparable to vector EGC.

Abstract: A method of and system for encoding high definition video content using embedded graphics coding is described. The method determines if the video content includes an RGB or YUV444 color format or a YUV422 color format. If the color scheme includes RGB or YCbCr444 data and separate encoding is used, then all three color components are encoded separately using scalar EGC. If the color scheme includes RGB or YCbCr444 data and joint encoding is used, then all three color components are jointly encoded using joint scalar EGC. If the color scheme includes YCbCr422 data and separate encoding is used, then Y, U and V are encoded separately using scalar EGC. If the color scheme includes YCbCr422 data and joint encoding is used, then Y is encoded by itself using scalar EGC and U and V are jointly encoded using joint scalar EGC.

Abstract: Embedded Graphics Coding (EGC) is used to encode images with sparse histograms. In EGC, an image is divided into blocks of pixels. For each block, the pixels are converted into binary representations. For each block, the pixels are scanned and encoded bit-plane by bit-plane from the most significant bit-plane (MSB) to the least significant bit-plane (LSB). The pixels in the block are partitioned into groups. Each group contains pixels with the same value. From the MSB to the LSB, the groups in the current bit plane are processed. During the processing, a group is split into two, if pixels in the group have different bit values in the bit-plane being encoded. Then, the encoder sends the refinement bit for each pixel in the group and the encoder splits the original group into two. A method is described herein to compress the refinement bits which employs context-adaptive prediction and binary run-length coding.

Abstract: A method of estimating motion by estimating motion parameters of a complex motion model using reconstructed neighboring pixels of the current block and then applying the estimated motion parameters to the coordinates of the current block to determine motion compensated in a corresponding reference block. The parameters are not transmitted to a decoder and are derived at the decoder side. The encoder only sends a 1-bit control-flag to indicate whether the derived parameters should be used.

Abstract: Visually optimized quantization is described herein. Specifically, the visually optimized quantization is for arbitrary block-based transforms such as Mode-Dependent Directional Transform (MDDT). The compression method involves the process of taking a discrete cosine transform of an MDDT basis function, obtaining the frequency weights, and computing the contrast sensitivity function for each of the frequency components. The overall effect of the distortion is calculated by error pooling and the quantization matrix is the inverse proportional of the overall effect.

Abstract: A recursive adaptive intra smoothing filter for intra-mode video coding is executed using one or more approaches including, but not limited to matrix multiplication, spatial filtering and frequency domain filtering. Matrix multiplication includes initially computing a prediction matrix Pm using training data. After coding a macroblock, Pm is updated for future macroblocks. In the case of applying spatial filtering, the shift invariance problem is reduced by imposing certain constraints on the matrix to be solved. In frequency domain filtering, a transform residual is minimized using DCT-domain filtering.

Abstract: A method of compression of digital images using a fixed number of bits per block is described. Intra-coding is used for lossless compression of digital images. The image is partitioned into blocks with the same size. The encoder generates a fixed and predetermined number of bits for each block. The encoding process includes gamma conversion applied to the input image to generate data. Additional stages include prediction, quantization, DPCM, entropy coding and refinement.

Abstract: Bi-directional bitstream ordering is able to be used for expedited processing. The first part of the bitstream is coded in a standard format, but the end of the bitstream is coded in reverse order. In encoding and decoding, parallel processing is able to be implemented to provide more efficient (parallel and hence faster) encoding and decoding where a bitstream is separated and processed in parallel.

Abstract: A system and method for effectively performing an intra prediction procedure with an electronic device includes an encoder that utilizes a delta value comparison procedure to identify optimal delta values for creating optimal predicted blocks of image data corresponding to original blocks of image data. The encoder then utilizes the original blocks and the optimal predicted blocks to generate residual blocks that represent the original blocks in an encoded format. The encoder then generates a bitstream containing the delta value information and the residual block for storage or transmission purposes. A decoder may decode the delta values and the residual block to reconstruct the image block.

Abstract: The color tone compensation method provides a simple and efficient method to compensate the color tone differences between two different sources of images. A first image sample, such as a still image, from a first image capturing source and a second image sample, such as a video frame, from a second image capturing source are aligned, and a tone-mapping estimation routine is applied to the two aligned images. The tone-mapping estimation routine uses the pixel intensity value histograms associated with the two aligned images and generates a tone mapping table. The tone mapping table includes a conversion intensity value for each intensity value in the second image. The conversion intensity value is a statistical measure, such as the mean, calculated according to the data in the corresponding pixel intensity value histogram.

Abstract: An image compression method with random access capability. The method includes intracoding of digital images. The image is partitioned into small blocks and each block is coded independently of other blocks in the image. The encoder generates a fixed and predetermined number of bits for each block. The decoding of each image block is able to be done independently of any other image block.

Abstract: Enhanced directional prediction apparatus and methods are taught which are based on edge-based adaptive directional estimation, for providing an improved prediction direction for intra prediction within a coding device. Image gradient vectors are obtained for pixels in the neighborhood of the current block, and edge directions determined. Candidate edge directions are processed to derive a dominant edge direction in response to defining an objective function as a summation of projections to a candidate direction and computing suggested direction of each neighboring pixel. The dominant edge direction may be utilized for the prediction direction, such as in response to a detection mode flag signaled to the decoder, or modified by an angular adjustment, which can be communicated to a decoder.

Abstract: Reordering of a bitstream is able to be used to speed up the decoding in embedded graphics coding. In the reordering, the signaling bits of all of the groups are sent and then the refinement bits of each group follow. With this reordering, the decoder can decode the header, identify the number of refinement bits for each group and locate the starting point of each group within the bitstream, therefore parallel processing of each group is able to be implemented at the decoder side.

Abstract: An improved scalar embedded graphics coding (EGC) for wireless HD compression is described herein. The image frame to be encoded is divided into blocks, which are further divided into color groups. These groups are encoded one bit plane at a time. The improved scalar EGC method and system uses shared grouping data among color components, but bit planes of each color are separately encoded. Further, during encoding a second-level grouping is able to occur on the splitting signaling of the groups. The system and method described herein retain the simplicity of scalar EGC and attain an efficiency comparable to vector EGC.

Abstract: A method of and system for encoding high definition video content using embedded graphics coding is described. The method determines if the video content includes an RGB or YUV444 color format or a YUV422 color format. If the color scheme includes RGB or YCbCr444 data and separate encoding is used, then all three color components are encoded separately using scalar EGC. If the color scheme includes RGB or YCbCr444 data and joint encoding is used, then all three color components are jointly encoded using joint scalar EGC. If the color scheme includes YCbCr422 data and separate encoding is used, then Y, U and V are encoded separately using scalar EGC. If the color scheme includes YCbCr422 data and joint encoding is used, then Y is encoded by itself using scalar EGC and U and V are jointly encoded using joint scalar EGC.

Abstract: A method of coding High Definition (HD) color pictures is described. The method divides the HD picture into individual bit planes of the three colors. The method then interleaves the bit planes such that bit planes of the three colors having the same significance are coded together. The method codes a block of the picture based on the bit distribution in corresponding groups of the corresponding bit planes of the three colors. The method performs a first level grouping of bits in a bit plane of an image and a second level grouping of the first level grouping bits of different color components within a group.

Abstract: Embedded Graphics Coding (EGC) is used to encode images with sparse histograms. In EGC, an image is divided into blocks of pixels. For each block, the pixels are converted into binary representations. For each block, the pixels are scanned and encoded bit-plane by bit-plane from the most significant bit-plane (MSB) to the least significant bit-plane (LSB). The pixels in the block are partitioned into groups. Each group contains pixels with the same value. From the MSB to the LSB, the groups in the current bit plane are processed. During the processing, a group is split into two, if pixels in the group have different bit values in the bit-plane being encoded. Then, the encoder sends the refinement bit for each pixel in the group and the encoder splits the original group into two. A method is described herein to compress the refinement bits which employs context-adaptive prediction and binary run-length coding.

Abstract: Compression of graphics images and videos includes partitioning an image into blocks, determining the number of bitplanes for encoding each block, encoding the block by grouping pixel values so that within each group, the pixel values are the same or similar, sending the number of bitplanes, sending the number of groups and the pixel value of each group and sending a signal for each pixel to indicate the group for that pixel, as well as using leftover bits from a bit budget for sending refinement bits for pixels.

Abstract: Adaptive entropy encoding and decoding utilizing set partitioning within generalized hierarchical trees which is applicable to both embedded and non-embedded encoding. After decorrelation and quantization during encoding, a tree structure is selected from multiple candidates, based on geometric relationships within the image block, for coding the coefficients toward improving coefficient zero clustering. The tree structure has leaf and non-leaf nodes in a specified arrangement, with leaf nodes containing coefficients associated with each non-leaf node. By proper tree selection, the number of zero clustered coefficients which may be eliminated from the encoded output stream is increased. During decoding, a tree structure compatible with the encoding for the current block is used for decoding the existing coefficients from the symbol stream and restoring missing zero coefficients.

Abstract: Adaptive entropy encoding and decoding which utilizes Set Partitioning within Generalized Hierarchical Trees (SPRIGHT) and a method of designing trees utilizing directionality. After decorrelation and quantization a tree structure is selected from multiple candidates, based on geometric relationships within the image block, for coding the coefficients toward improving zero-clustering of coefficients. Trees for the SPRIGHT encoding are created in response to finding frequency position of each coefficient and scaling frequency position followed by use of octave-band partitioning of coefficient patterns into squares and L-shapes, and the L-shapes are iteratively partitioned into squares. The tree comprises leaf nodes containing coefficients associated with each non-leaf node. The number of zero clustered coefficients can be increased, thus decreasing the number of nodes coded into the encoded image output.