US5204920A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for region and texture coding
Assignee: US Philips Corp
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Filing: 1992-02-12
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Granted: 1993-04-20
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Expires: 2012-02-12
Abstract
Abstract A luminance signal (Y) is applied to a segmentation device (2) which subjects the signal to a segmentation algorithm to produce a region image signal which is then encoded in a region image encoder (3). The region image signal is also applied to a region post-processor (4) in which an adapted smooth function is added to the region signal. The resulting modified region image signal is subtracted in subtractor (5) from the luminance signal to produce a texture signal which is encoded by a texture image encoder (6). The encoded signals are conveyed via a data channel (9) to respective region (12) and texture (14) image decoders and the recovered region image signal is post-processed in a processor (13) in the same manner as with processor (4). The resulting modified region image signal and the recovered texture image signal are added in an adder (15) to produce a reconstructed luminance signal. The smoothing function takes account of step edge height between adjacent regions and the width of the regions, so that it can be applied to all contour edges without having to identify and avoid those which are erroneous with respect to the luminance signal.
Inventors
- 👤 David Moran
- 👤 Octavius J. Morris
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 03:55
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T9/00; G06T9/20; H; H04; H04N; H04N19/00; H04N19/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
204 words
A method of processing a picture signal for conveyance by a transmission path or via a storage medium, said method comprising: (i) receiving a picture signal which corresponds to luminous intensities in a picture; (ii) subjecting said picture signal to a segmentation algorithm to derive a region signal corresponding to a profile of step edges of adjoining closed regions of contrasting luminous intensities in said picture; (iii) post-processing the original region signal derived in (ii) to produce a modified region signal which is more free of false step edges in said profile than is the initial region signal; and (iv) producing a texture signal which corresponds to the difference between the received picture signal and the modified region signal produced in (iii); characterized in that the post-processing of the original region signal in (iii) comprises: (v) deriving a smoothing function which is adapted to the contour of each of the step edges of said original region signal, such adaptation for any step edge being based on the height of such step edge and the widths of the closed regions of contrasting intensities adjacent thereto; and (vi) adding the smoothing function derived in (v) to said original region signal to produce said modified region signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
204 words
A method of processing a picture signal for conveyance by a transmission path or via a storage medium, said method comprising: (i) receiving a picture signal which corresponds to luminous intensities in a picture; (ii) subjecting said picture signal to a segmentation algorithm to derive a region signal corresponding to a profile of step edges of adjoining closed regions of contrasting luminous intensities in said picture; (iii) post-processing the original region signal derived in (ii) to produce a modified region signal which is more free of false step edges in said profile than is the initial region signal; and (iv) producing a texture signal which corresponds to the difference between the received picture signal and the modified region signal produced in (iii); characterized in that the post-processing of the original region signal in (iii) comprises: (v) deriving a smoothing function which is adapted to the contour of each of the step edges of said original region signal, such adaptation for any step edge being based on the height of such step edge and the widths of the closed regions of contrasting intensities adjacent thereto; and (vi) adding the smoothing function derived in (v) to said original region signal to produce said modified region signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gradient of said smoothing function at a step edge of a region is dependent on the step edge size.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said smoothing function is a polynomial providing the approximation f(x)=ax.sup.3 +bx.sup.2 +cx+d where a, b, c and d are coefficients chosen to provide a spline function f(x) which is adapted to the geometric properties of the region signal and x is the distance from its associated step edge.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gradient of said smoothing function at a step edge of a region is dependent upon the width of such region.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gradient of said smoothing function at a step edge of a region is dependent upon the width of such region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the gradient of said smoothing function at a step edge of a region is dependent upon the width of such region.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
199 words
An apparatus for processing a picture signal for conveyance by a transmission path or via a storage medium, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving a picture signal which corresponds to luminous intensities in a picture; means for subjecting said picture signal to a segmentation algorithm to produce a region signal corresponding to a profile of step edges of adjoining closed regions of contrasting luminous intensities in said picture; means for post-processing the original region signal to produce a modified region signal which is more free of false step edges in said profile than is the original region signal; and means for producing a texture signal which corresponds to the difference between the received picture signal and the modified region signal; characterized in that said means for post-processing the original region signal comprises: means for deriving a smoothing function which is adapted to the contour of each of the step edges of said original region signal, such adaptation for any step edge being based on the height of such step edge and the widths of the closed regions of contrasting intensities adjacent thereto; and means for adding said smoothing function to said region signal to derive said modified region signal.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
199 words
An apparatus for processing a picture signal for conveyance by a transmission path or via a storage medium, said apparatus comprising: means for receiving a picture signal which corresponds to luminous intensities in a picture; means for subjecting said picture signal to a segmentation algorithm to produce a region signal corresponding to a profile of step edges of adjoining closed regions of contrasting luminous intensities in said picture; means for post-processing the original region signal to produce a modified region signal which is more free of false step edges in said profile than is the original region signal; and means for producing a texture signal which corresponds to the difference between the received picture signal and the modified region signal; characterized in that said means for post-processing the original region signal comprises: means for deriving a smoothing function which is adapted to the contour of each of the step edges of said original region signal, such adaptation for any step edge being based on the height of such step edge and the widths of the closed regions of contrasting intensities adjacent thereto; and means for adding said smoothing function to said region signal to derive said modified region signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the gradient of said smoothing function produced by said function producing means at a step edge of a region is dependent on the step edge size.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the said smoothing function produced by said function producing means is a polynomial providing the approximation f(x)=ax.sup.3 +bx.sup.2 +cx+d where a, b, c and d are coefficients chosen to provide a spline function f(x) which is adapted to the geometric properties of the region signal and x is the distance from its asociated step edge.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the gradient of said smoothing function produced by said function producing means at a step edge of a region is dependent upon the width of such region.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the gradient of said smoothing function produced by said function producing means at a step edge of a region is dependent upon the width of such region.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the gradient of said smoothing function produced by said function producing means at a step edge of a region is dependent upon the width of such region.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
241 words
A method of recovering a picture signal received in the form of a first picture signal component and a second picture signal component, the first component being related to a region signal corresponding to a profile of step edges of adjoining closed regions of contrasting luminous intensities in a picture represented by said picture signal, and a second component being related to a texture signal corresponding to a texture characteristic of said picture signal; said method comprising: (i) receiving said first picture signal component and recovering said region signal therefrom; (ii) receiving said second picture signal component and recovering said texture signal therefrom; (iii) post-processing the original region signal recovered in (i) to produce a modified region signal which is more free of false step edges in said profile than is the original region signal; and (iv) producing a recovered picture signal by combining the modified region signal produced in (iii) and the texture signal recovered in step (ii); characterized in that the post-processing of the original region signal in (iii) comprises: (v) deriving a smoothing function which is adapted to the contour of each of the step edges of the original region signal, such adaptation for any step edge being based on the height of such step edge and the widths of the closed regions of contrasting intensities adjacent thereto; and (vi) adding the smoothing function derived in (v) to said original region signal to produce said modified region signal.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
241 words
A method of recovering a picture signal received in the form of a first picture signal component and a second picture signal component, the first component being related to a region signal corresponding to a profile of step edges of adjoining closed regions of contrasting luminous intensities in a picture represented by said picture signal, and a second component being related to a texture signal corresponding to a texture characteristic of said picture signal; said method comprising: (i) receiving said first picture signal component and recovering said region signal therefrom; (ii) receiving said second picture signal component and recovering said texture signal therefrom; (iii) post-processing the original region signal recovered in (i) to produce a modified region signal which is more free of false step edges in said profile than is the original region signal; and (iv) producing a recovered picture signal by combining the modified region signal produced in (iii) and the texture signal recovered in step (ii); characterized in that the post-processing of the original region signal in (iii) comprises: (v) deriving a smoothing function which is adapted to the contour of each of the step edges of the original region signal, such adaptation for any step edge being based on the height of such step edge and the widths of the closed regions of contrasting intensities adjacent thereto; and (vi) adding the smoothing function derived in (v) to said original region signal to produce said modified region signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the gradient of said smoothing function at a step edge of a region is dependent on the step edge size.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the said smoothing function is a polynomial providing the approximation f(x)=ax.sup.3 +bx.sup.2 +cx+d where a, b, c and d are coefficients chosen to provide a spline function f(x) which is adapted to the geometric properties of the region signal and x is the distance from its associated step edge.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the gradient of said smoothing function at a step edge of a region is dependent upon the width of such region.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
233 words
An apparatus for recovering a picture signal received in the form of a first picture signal component and a second picture signal component, the first component being related to a region signal corresponding to a profile of step edges of adjoining closed regions of contrasting luminous intensities in a picture represented by said picture signal, and the second component being related to a texture signal corresponding to a texture characteristic of said picture signal; said apparatus comprising: means for receiving said first picture signal component and recovering said region signal therefrom; means for receiving said second picture signal component and recovering said texture signal therefrom; means for post-processing the original region signal to produce a modified region signal which is more free of false step edges in said profile than is the original region signal; and means for producing a recovered picture signal by combining the modified region signal with said texture signal; characterized in that said means for post-processing the original region signal comprises; means for producing a smoothing function which is adapted to the contour of each of the step edges of the original region signal, such adaptation for any step edge being based on the height of such step edge and the widths of the closed regions of contrasting intensities adjacent thereto; and means for adding said smoothing function to said original region signal to produce said modified region signal.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
233 words
An apparatus for recovering a picture signal received in the form of a first picture signal component and a second picture signal component, the first component being related to a region signal corresponding to a profile of step edges of adjoining closed regions of contrasting luminous intensities in a picture represented by said picture signal, and the second component being related to a texture signal corresponding to a texture characteristic of said picture signal; said apparatus comprising: means for receiving said first picture signal component and recovering said region signal therefrom; means for receiving said second picture signal component and recovering said texture signal therefrom; means for post-processing the original region signal to produce a modified region signal which is more free of false step edges in said profile than is the original region signal; and means for producing a recovered picture signal by combining the modified region signal with said texture signal; characterized in that said means for post-processing the original region signal comprises; means for producing a smoothing function which is adapted to the contour of each of the step edges of the original region signal, such adaptation for any step edge being based on the height of such step edge and the widths of the closed regions of contrasting intensities adjacent thereto; and means for adding said smoothing function to said original region signal to produce said modified region signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the gradient of said smoothing function produced by said function producing means at a step edge of a region is dependent on the step edge size.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
63 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein the said smoothing function produced by said function producing means is a polynomial providing the approximation f(x)=ax.sup.3 +bx.sup.2 +cx+d where a, b, c and d are coefficients chosen to provide a spline function f(x) which is adapted to the geometric properties of the region signal and x is the distance from its associated step edge.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the gradient of said smoothing function produced by said function producing means at a step edge of a region is dependent upon the width of such region.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-04-19 | 1996-10-19 | 1997-04-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-04-19 | 2000-10-19 | 2001-04-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-04-19 | 2004-10-19 | 2005-04-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |