Shape-based image compression/decompression using pattern matching

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving the values indicating the selected shapes and the associated position and size information; accessing a second bank of shapes based on the values indicating the selected shapes to obtain shape parameters of the selected shapes; and displaying the selected shapes based on the shape parameters and the position and size information on a display device.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein accessing the second bank of shapes to obtain shape parameters includes accessing the second bank of shapes to obtain information describing a geometric relation ship between features of the shapes.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein identifying boundaries of regions within a digitized image includes the step of detecting edges within the digitized image based on changes in pixel shading.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein detecting edges within the digitized image based on changes in pixel shading include detecting changes in pixel color.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 wherein selecting shapes from a first bank of shapes based on the identified boundaries further includes determining a geometric relationship between two or more of the boundaries.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 wherein selecting shapes from a first bank of shapes based on the identified boundaries further includes selecting a shape in the bank of shapes that has sides geometrically arranged relative to one another in a manner similar to the geometric relationship between the two or more boundaries.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 wherein selecting shapes from a first bank of shapes includes selecting shape indices from the first bank of shapes based on the identified boundaries, each of the shape indices corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of shapes.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8 wherein transmitting values indicating the selected shapes includes transmitting the shape indices.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 wherein associating position and size information with the selected shapes includes associating information with each of the shapes that indicates a position and an orientation of the shape relative to a frame of reference.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting values indicating the selected shapes and the associated position and size information includes transmitting the values and the position and size information to a non-volatile storage device for storage.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting values indicating the selected shapes and the associated position and size information includes transmitting the value and the position and size information to a computer via a computer network.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising: means for receiving the values indicating the selected shapes and the associated position and size information; means for accessing a second bank of shapes based on the values indicating the selected shapes to obtain shape parameters of the selected shapes; and means for displaying the selected shapes based on the shape parameters and the position and size information on a display device.

Claim 17

A computer system comprising: a first processor; and a first memory coupled to the first processor and having stored therein a non-vector quantized digitized image; a first bank of predetermined shapes, wherein the first bank of shapes has a shape index; and program code which, when executed by the first processor causes the first processor to: identify boundaries of regions within a non-vector quantized, digitized image; associate a color, a color gradient, and a texture with the regions; select predetermined shapes to represent the regions from the first bank of shapes based on the identified boundaries; associate position and size information with the selected shapes based on the position and size of the regions within the non-vector quantized, digitized image; and transmit values indicating the selected shapes and the associated position and size information as a representation of the non-vector quantized, digitized image.

Claim 18

A computer system comprising: a first processor; and a first memory coupled to the first processor and having stored therein a non-vector quantized digitized image; a first bank of predetermined shapes, wherein the first bank of shapes has a shape index; and program code which, when executed by the first processor causes the first processor to: identify boundaries of regions within a non-vector quantized, digitized image; associate a color, a color gradient, and a texture with the regions; select predetermined shapes to represent the regions from the first bank of shapes based on the identified boundaries; associate position and size information with the selected shapes based on the position and size of the regions within the non-vector quantized, digitized image; and transmit values indicating the selected shapes and the associated position and size information as a representation of the non-vector quantized, digitized image.

Claim 19

The computer system of claim 15 further comprising a network transmission path coupled to the first processor; a second processor coupled to the network transmission path; a display device coupled to the second processor; and a second memory coupled to the second processor and having stored therein a second bank of predetermined shapes, wherein the second bank of shapes has a second shape index; and program code which, when executed by the second processor causes the second processor to: receive via the network transmission path the values indicating the selected shapes and the associated position and size information; access the second bank of predetermined shapes based on the values indicating the selected shapes to obtain shape parameters of the selected shapes; and display the selected shapes based on the shape parameters and the position and size information on the display device.

Claim 20

The computer system of claim 16 wherein the network transmission path is coupled to a plurality of computers including at least a first computer that includes the first processor and a second computer that includes the second processor.

Claim 21

An article of manufacture including one or more computer readable media having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform: identifying boundaries of regions within a non-vector quantized, digitized image; associating a color, a color gradient, and a texture with the regions; selecting predetermined shapes to represent the regions from a first bank of predetermined shapes based on the identified boundaries, wherein the first bank of shapes has a shape index; associating position and size information with the selected shapes based on the position and size of the regions within the non-vector quantized, digitized image; and transmitting values indicating the selected shapes and the associated position and size information as a representation of the non-vector quantized, digitized image.

Claim 22

An article of manufacture including one or more computer readable media having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform: identifying boundaries of regions within a non-vector quantized, digitized image; associating a color, a color gradient, and a texture with the regions; selecting predetermined shapes to represent the regions from a first bank of predetermined shapes based on the identified boundaries, wherein the first bank of shapes has a shape index; associating position and size information with the selected shapes based on the position and size of the regions within the non-vector quantized, digitized image; and transmitting values indicating the selected shapes and the associated position and size information as a representation of the non-vector quantized, digitized image.