Abstract: An in-camera two-stage compression implementation is described that reduces the latency between snapshots to a fraction of that otherwise required by other systems that either process complete compression following each snapshot or that incorporate heavy, bulky, and expensive RAM hardware capable of maintaining several raw luminosity records (unprocessed file containing a digital image). In the 1st stage compression the raw luminosity record is quickly, yet partially, compressed to available RAM buffer space to allow a user to expeditiously capture a succeeding image. When the higher-priority processes, the user shooting pictures, and stage one compression subside, a 2nd stage compression, which is slower but more effective, decompresses the earlier partially-compressed images, and re-compresses them for saving in flash memory until they are distributed to a remote platform to be finally converted to the JPEG2000 format.

Abstract: A digital imaging system is described that provides techniques for reducing the amount of processing power required by a given digital camera device and for reducing the bandwidth required for transmitting image information to a target platform. The system defers and/or distributes the processing between the digital imager (i.e., digital camera itself) and the target platform that the digital imager will ultimately be connected to. In this manner, the system is able to decrease the actual computation that occurs at the digital imager. Instead, the system only performs a partial computation at the digital imager device and completes the computation somewhere else, such as at a target computing device (e.g., desktop computer) where time and size are not an issue (relative to the imager). By deferring resource-intensive computations, the present invention substantially reduces the processor requirements and concomitant battery requirements for digital cameras.

Abstract: An in-camera two-stage compression implementation is described that reduces the latency between snapshots to a fraction of that otherwise required by other systems that either process complete compression following each snapshot or that incorporate heavy, bulky, and expensive RAM hardware capable of maintaining several raw luminosity records (unprocessed file containing a digital image). In the 1st stage compression the raw luminosity record is quickly, yet partially, compressed to available RAM buffer space to allow a user to expeditiously capture a succeeding image. When the higher-priority processes, the user shooting pictures, and stage one compression subside, a 2nd stage compression, which is slower but more effective, decompresses the earlier partially-compressed images, and re-compresses them for saving in flash memory until they are distributed to a remote platform to be finally converted to the JPEG2000 format.

Abstract: A media spooler system is described that provides a methodology for efficient transmission of media content from client devices, such transmission of digital images from wireless digital cameras. The media spooler or gateway addresses wireless transmission problems by acting as a protocol gateway between a thin-client device and a target host or server (supported by a server infrastructure). More particularly, the media spooler of the present invention acts as a protocol gateway between thin-client devices (e.g., “mobile visual communicator” in the form of a wireless digital camera) and server infrastructure (e.g., server-based computer systems or “Web servers” of a photographic service provider). This task entails accepting multiple, simultaneous connections from various client devices (e.g., wireless digital cameras), extracting information from those devices (e.g., digital photographs or other media content), and then uploading that information to the target server infrastructure.

Abstract: A digital imaging system is described that provides techniques for reducing the amount of processing power required by a given digital camera device and for reducing the bandwidth required for transmitting image information to a target platform. The system defers and/or distributes the processing between the digital imager (i.e., digital camera itself) and the target platform that the digital imager will ultimately be connected to. In this manner, the system is able to decrease the actual computation that occurs at the digital imager. Instead, the system only performs a partial computation at the digital imager device and completes the computation somewhere else, such as at a target computing device (e.g., desktop computer) where time and size are not an issue (relative to the imager). By deferring resource-intensive computations, the present invention substantially reduces the processor requirements and concomitant battery requirements for digital cameras.

Abstract: An in-camera two-stage compression implementation is described that reduces the latency between snapshots to a fraction of that otherwise required by other systems that either process complete compression following each snapshot or that incorporate heavy, bulky, and expensive RAM hardware capable of maintaining several raw luminosity records (unprocessed file containing a digital image). In the 1st stage compression the raw luminosity record is quickly, yet partially, compressed to available RAM buffer space to allow a user to expeditiously capture a succeeding image. When the higher-priority processes, the user shooting pictures, and stage one compression subside, a 2nd stage compression, which is slower but more effective, decompresses the earlier partially-compressed images, and re-compresses them for saving in flash memory until they are distributed to a remote platform to be finally converted to the JPEG2000 format.

Abstract: A digital imaging system is described that provides techniques for reducing the amount of processing power required by a given digital camera device and for reducing the bandwidth required for transmitting image information to a target platform. The system defers and/or distributes the processing between the digital imager (i.e., digital camera itself) and the target platform that the digital imager will ultimately be connected to. In this manner, the system is able to decrease the actual computation that occurs at the digital imager. Instead, the system only performs a partial computation at the digital imager device and completes the computation somewhere else, such as at a target computing device (e.g., desktop computer) where time and size are not an issue (relative to the imager). By deferring resource-intensive computations, the present invention substantially reduces the processor requirements and concomitant battery requirements for digital cameras.

Abstract: An in-camera two-stage compression implementation is described that reduces the latency between snapshots to a fraction of that otherwise required by other systems that either process complete compression following each snapshot or that incorporate heavy, bulky, and expensive RAM hardware capable of maintaining several raw luminosity records (unprocessed file containing a digital image). In the 1st stage compression the raw luminosity record is quickly, yet partially, compressed to available RAM buffer space to allow a user to expeditiously capture a succeeding image. When the higher-priority processes, the user shooting pictures, and stage one compression subside, a 2nd stage compression, which is slower but more effective, decompresses the earlier partially-compressed images, and re-compresses them for saving in flash memory until they are distributed to a remote platform to be finally converted to the JPEG2000 format.

Abstract: A method of performing color space conversion and under color removal. Pixelated data is first resampled (102) to an efficient word size—typically 8-bits wide. The RGB color format data words are then subtracted from a maximum intensity to yield CMY color format data words. The minimum value of the three intensity words for each pixel is determined and used as an initial black value. A scaled version of the initial black value is then subtracted from each of the four CMYK intensity words (104). The resulting CMYK values are then limited to a range bounded by the maximum and minimum producible intensities for each color.

Abstract: A video processing circuit includes a processor that receives an encoded image having first and second regions, decodes the first region of the image, modifies the decoded first region, and re-encodes the modified first region. Such a circuit allows one to modify a region of an image by decoding and re-encoding only that region instead of the entire image. For example, if one wishes to overlay an EPG on a bottom portion of a video frame, then the circuit can decode only the EPG and the bottom portion of the frame, overlay the decoded EPG on the bottom frame portion, and re-encode the overlaid bottom frame portion. Therefore, this technique often reduces the processing time, and thus the cost and complexity of the processing circuit, as compared to a circuit that decodes and re-encode the entire frame during an image overlay process.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of rasterizing a page in a page description language efficiently utilizes the resources of a multiprocessor integrated circuit by spawning of subtasks from a RISC type processor to one or more DSP type processors. The RISC type processor interprets the page in the page description language and detects a Y coordinate of edge intersection using the floating point calculation unit. The DSP type processors sort polygon edges in increasing Y coordinate and detect a Y coordinate of edge intersections via successive midpoint approximation using an integer multiplier unit.

Abstract: A method of performing a pattern fill operation of a pattern into a clipping region resolves the pattern into an intermediate format between a page description language and a page bit map. This intermediate format is cached. For each tiling of the pattern into the clipping region the pattern is clipped to the clipping region and rendered from the clipped intermediate format pattern into a corresponding location of a page bit map. The intermediate format of the pattern may be scan line runs and trapezoid fills. The intermediate format of the pattern may be paths and curves. The clipping of the pattern to the clipping region performs scan line conversion with polygon to polygon clipping or trapezoid/run array to trapezoid/run array clipping.

Abstract: A media spooler system is described that provides a methodology for efficient transmission of media content from client devices, such transmission of digital images from wireless digital cameras. The media spooler or gateway addresses wireless transmission problems by acting as a protocol gateway between a thin-client device and a target host or server (supported by a server infrastructure). More particularly, the media spooler of the present invention acts as a protocol gateway between thin-client devices (e.g., “mobile visual communicator” in the form of a wireless digital camera) and server infrastructure (e.g., server-based computer systems or “Web servers” of a photographic service provider). This task entails accepting multiple, simultaneous connections from various client devices (e.g., wireless digital cameras), extracting information from those devices (e.g., digital photographs or other media content), and then uploading that information to the target server infrastructure.

Abstract: This invention is a method of multilevel dither screening in a printer. Plural pixel values are packed into equal sections of a first data word. Corresponding dither values are packed into the equal sections of a second data word. These first and second data words are added in an arithmetic logic unit selectively spilt into the equal sections. Each section of the sum data word is saturated to all 1's. A predetermined number of least significant bits of the saturated sections are truncated. The resulting normalized pixel values are quantized into a limited set of threshold ranges. This dithering process serves to introduce an amount of scattering to the input pixel values to reduce quantization and pixelation artifacts in the final printed product.

Abstract: This invention is a computer implemented method of approximating a gray scale tone with a more limited range image producer. One of a plurality of tone curves is associated with each pixel of a screening matrix. The plural tone curves are approximated by a polynomial and the polynominal coefficients are determined. The polynomial coefficients are stored in a look-up table. Each pixel of an image is mapped to a corresponding pixel of the screening matrix. For each pixel the corresponding polynomial coefficients approximating the tone curve are recalled and used to compute a pixel output value from a pixel input value. The polynomial is preferrably of the third degree polynomial and in a form easily computed using a digital signal processor with a hardware multiplier and arithmetic logic unit. Screening in this manner requires less memory storing the screening data than the prior art pure look-up table screening.

Abstract: This invention proposes to transcode the compressed image, that may be in the JPEG format for example, to an intermediate format that allows pseudo-random access. Such a pseudo-random access would that allow efficient image transformation. By using this format, in most cases a pixel is decoded only once in the entire image transformation process. This is certainly true for the most common transformation operations such as rotation by 90, 180 and 270 degrees. This transcoding would enable image transformations in printers whose memory is insufficient to store the entire decompressed image.

Abstract: A computer implemented method of clipping to a clip polygon and trapezoid formation employs an edge array rather than a set linked list from an array of pointers equal in number to the number of scan lines. This eliminates storage of linked list pointers which in the prior art included many null pointers resulting in better memory utilization. This method sorts the active edge table only at edge intersections and vertices, thus eliminating much unneeded sorting. This method permits integrated clipping of a subject polygon by a clip polygon and forming trapezoids filling the clipped area by activating trapezoid formation at every vertex of either polygon and at every edge intersection.

Abstract: A digital imaging system is described that provides techniques for reducing the amount of processing power required by a given digital camera device and for reducing the bandwidth required for transmitting image information to a target platform. The system defers and/or distributes the processing between the digital imager (i.e., digital camera itself) and the target platform that the digital imager will ultimately be connected to. The system only performs a partial computation at the digital imager device and completes the computation somewhere else, such as at a target computing device (e.g., desktop computer) where time and size are not an issue (relative to the imager). This image processing technique employs an efficient color conversion process, using a GUV color space. After an RGB mosaic (image) is captured, the image may be “companded” or quantized by representing it with less bits (e.g., companding from 10 bits to 8 bits).

Abstract: A screening method in a printer for approximating a gray scale tone with a more limited range image producer using a tree search. An input pixel packed data word is compared with a second data word packed with threshold values. The result of the comparison enables selection of a next second data word with thresholds is a narrower range. This process repeats until a comparison with a second data word having adjacent threshold values. The comparing is preferably performed by subtracting the second data word from the first data word in a splittable arithmetic logic unit and storing respective carry outs from each section. The selection of the next second data word uses the stored carry outs from each section. The next second data word can be determined by extracting a left most one of the stored carry outs for use as an index into a table. Alternatively, the stored carry outs can be used directly as an index into a table. An output pixel value is determined for each pixel.

Abstract: This invention cures many inefficiencies with known scan conversion methods. This invention employs a edge array rather than a set linked list from an array of pointers equal in number to the number of scan lines. This invention thus eliminates storage of linked list pointers which in the prior art included many null pointers resulting in better memory utilization. es on-chip memory when employing a single chip microprocessor. This invention sorts the active edge table only at edge intersections and vertices, thus eliminating much unneeded sorting. This invention permits integrated clipping of a subject polygon by a clip polygon and forming trapezoids filling the clipped area by activating trapezoid formation at every vertex of either polygon and at every edge intersection. This process saves code space and computer processing time. This invention efficiently utilizes the resources of a multiprocessor integrated circuit by spawning of subtasks from a RISC type processor to one or more DSP type processors.