Abstract: A process for producing a compressed representation of 2D and 3D images. The image is represented in a compressed form by approximating regions with slowly changing brightness or color, by a background, formed by low degree polynomials. Fast brightness or color changes are represented by special models, including local models and curvilinear structures. Visual adjacency relations between the models are identified, the background partition represents these adjacency relations, curvilinear structures are approximated by spline functions. The three-dimensional image is represented by producing one or several compressed images of the scene from different positions, in which a depth value is associated to each model. A view of the scene from any prescribed point is produced by a geometric processing of these compressed data.

Abstract: Processes for pictorial representation by data compression including dividing a picture into regions of designated brightness values, fixing a characteristic scale for each region representing a number of pixels, dividing each region into cells, identifying each cell representing the basic structure of each cell by way of models, and storing and/or transmitting the data for each such model in the form of primary compression of the picture.

Abstract: A process for producing a compressed image of a color picture. The color picture is optically scanned to obtain an array of optical parameters representing the basic colors at each coordinate point of the picture which are then converted into digital values. From such digital values, a selection is made of sets of data values representing a series of elements of the picture having discontinuities therein. A model is formulated for each of the elements having a first component containing all of the discontinuities and a second component representing the differentiable content of the elements. The second component is represented by a Taylor polynomial having a selected polynomial degree of at least 2. A maximum allowable error is then selected. The coefficients of the polynomials of the second component are calculated at selected points of a grid with a grid pitch defined by a specified formula. A compressed color picture is derived from the data values constituting the compressed image.