_ ’ijiinrebtsraremseeaarmeiiir or commence
`Patent and Trademar flffice
`.
`Address: COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS AND TFiADEiViAFii(D
`‘
`Washington, DLC. 20231
`-
`FIRSTNAMEDINVTZNTOR
`- 1-
`.
`.
`ATTORNEY oocKa'rNo.
`_.
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`1,._,.=%,;,,_.,:,,,_.
`EXAMINER
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`This is a communication from the examinerin 'charge~ot your application.
`COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS
`
`D This action is made final.
`V
`[3 Responsive to communication filed on
`E/This application has been examined
`days from the date of this letter.
`7,42
`A shortened statutory period for response to this action is set to expire Z month(s),
`Failure to respond within the period for response will cause the application to become abandoned. 35 U.S.C. 133
`Partl THE FOLLOWING A'lTACHMENT(S) ARE PART OF THIS ACTION:
`
`1. E otice of References Cited by Examiner, PTO-892.
`3.
`Notice of Art Cited by Applicant, PTO-1449.
`information on How to Effect Drawing Changes, PTO-1474..
`SUMMARY OF ACTTON
`
`5.
`Part II
`
`2. Q’-Notioe of Draftsman's Patent Drawing Review, PTO-948.
`4. El Notice of Informal Patent Application, PTO-152.
`6. El
`
`L ‘ 3 Q
`1. gclaims
`Of the above, claims
`
`2. El Claims
`
`3. El Claims
`
`4. E’Ciaims
`
`["3 G
`
`5. El Claims
`
`6. '3 Claims
`
`\
`
`are pending in the application.
`are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`have been cancelled.
`
`are allowed.
`
`are rejected.
`
`are objected to.
`
`are subject to restriction or election requirement.
`
`7. D This application has been filed with informal drawings under 37 C.F.Fl. 1.85 which are acceptable for examination purposes.
`‘l
`,
`
`8. D Formal drawings are required in response to this Office action.
`
`‘T Under 37 C.F.Ft. 1.84 these drawings
`9. D The corrected or substitute drawings have been received on
`are E] acceptable; -El not acceptable (see explanation or Notice of Draftsman's Patent Drawing Review, PTO-948).
`
`10. E] The proposed additional or substitute sheet(s) of drawings, filed on
`examiner; El disapproved by the examiner (see explanation).
`
`. has (have) been El approved by the
`
`11. D The proposed drawing correction, filed
`
`, has been Eiapproved; El disapproved (see explanation).
`
`12. |___| Acknowledgement is made of the claim for priority under 35 U.S.C. 119. The certified copy has El been received El not been received
`CI been filed in parent application. serial no.
`;fiied on
`
`13. I: Since this application apppears to be in condition for allowance except for formal matters. prosecution as to the merits is closed in
`accordance with the practice under Ex parte Quayle, 1935 CD. 11 ; 453 O.G. 213.
`
`14. El Other
`
`,
`r='ro’L-326 (Rev. 2/93)
`
`EXAMlNER'S ACTION
`.-_..._.. _‘
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 457/714
`
`

`
`Serial Number: 08/411,3 69
`
`ArtUnit: 2616
`
`Lot
`
`\
`
`.#
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
`
`Claims 25-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph, as being indefinite for
`
`failing to particularly_ point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which applicant regards as
`
`the invention. The claims refer to the JPEG compression standard. However, the specification
`
`does not indicate which JPEG compression standard is being referenced. Unless the date and
`
`citation number of the standard are provided the claims will remain indefinite due to the indefinite
`
`reference.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`2.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness
`
`rejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in
`section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are
`such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person
`having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the
`manner in which the invention was made.
`
`Claims 1-3, 5-9, 14-17, 20-24, 29, and 34-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. l03(a) as being
`
`unpatentable over Sugiura (5,465,164) in view of Agarwal (5,488,570).
`
`As to representative claims 14 and 15, and claims 1-3, 5-9, 29 and 34-3 6, Sugiura teaches
`
`a method of compressing and transmitting images which produces decompressed images having
`
`improved text and ‘image quality, the method comprising:
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 458/714
`
`

`
`Serial Number: O8/411,369
`
`Art Unit: 2616
`
`compressing a source image into compressed image data using a first quantization table
`
`(Qe) (Quantization Table 105 of fig. 1);
`
`forming a second quantization table (Qd), wherein the second quantization table is related
`
`to the first quantization table (Inverse Quantization Table 115 of fig. 1);
`
`transmitting the compressed image data (Interfaces 109 and 111, Communications
`
`Circuit 110 offig. 1);
`
`decompressing the compressed image data using the second quantization table Qd
`
`(Inverse Quantization 114 and Inverse Quantization Table 115 of fig. 1).
`
`Sugiura does not explicitly teach that the second quantization table is related to the first
`
`quantization table scaled in accordance with a predetermined fiinction of the energy in a reference
`
`image and the energy in a scanned image. Agarwal teaches decompressing (decoding) a second
`
`video frame by relating (comparing) the energy of the scanned image (block of the encoded
`
`second video frame) to the energy of a reference image (corresponding to the scaled quantization
`
`level for the block Where the energy for the quantization level is selected in accordance with
`
`training video frames) (col. 1, lines 35-60). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary
`
`skill in the art at the time ofthe invention for Sugiura to decompress using a quantization table
`
`sealed in accordance with a predetermined function of the energy in a reference image and the
`
`energy in a scanned image as taught by Agarwal in order to decrease quantization errors.
`
`As to claims 16 and 17, Sugiura teaches that the second quantization table (Inverse
`
`Quantization Table) is determined independent of the order of transmission (fig. 1). It would
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 459/714
`
`

`
`Serial Number: 08/411,369
`
`ArtUnit: 2616
`
`have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time ofthe invention to scale prior
`
`or subsequent to the transmission step since the second quantization table is determined
`
`independent ofthe, order of transmission.
`
`As to claims 20-23, selecting a target image; rendering the target image into an image file;
`
`the target image having elements critical to the quality of the image are inherent in using a
`
`reference to control the quality of the compression process. Images which have text including
`
`text with a serif font are well known in the art (official notice).
`
`As to claim 24, in using a reference image to control the quality of the compression
`
`process of a scanned image it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at
`
`the time of the invention that scanned image could be the reference image since the reference
`
`image is readily available to be a scanned image and would serve as a check ofthe quality
`
`assurance steps.
`
`4.
`
`Claims 4, 10-13, 18, 25-28, and 30-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being
`
`unpatentable over Sugiura (5,465,164) and Agarwal (5,488,570) as applied above, fiirther in view
`
`of Tzou (4,776,030).
`
`As to representative claim 18, and claims 4, 10-13, 25-28, and 30-33, Sugiura does not
`
`explicitly teach use of the Variance in the scaling factor to reduce the quantization error. Tzou
`
`teaches that in an adaptive system the quantization of an image is ordered according to the
`
`variance of the image coefiicients to reduce quantization error (col. 2, lines 21-42). It would have
`
`been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to use the image
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 460/714
`
`

`
`Serial Number:. 08/411,369
`
`Art Unit: 2616
`
`variances as taught by Tzou with the reference and scanned image to arrive at the scaling factor of
`
`Sugiura and Agarwal in order to reduce quantization error.
`
`5.
`
`Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 (a) as being unpatentable over Sugiura
`
`(5,465,164) and Agarwal (5,488,570), fiirther in View of Applicant’s admissions ofthe prior art.
`
`As to claim 19, Sugiura and Agarwal do not explicitly teach encapsulating the second
`
`quantization table Qd with the compressed image data to form an encapsulated data file; and
`
`transmitting the data file. Applicant admits that the prior art teaches that the data includes the
`
`quantization tables for use in the decompression process (p. 5, lines 1-6). It would have been
`
`obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to include the quantization table which will be used
`
`in the decompression process in the transmitted data file as taught by the prior art for the data file
`
`of Sugiura and Agarwal where the second quantization table would be used to decompress.
`
`Conclusion
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`6.
`examiner should -be directed to Brian Johnson whose telephone number is (703) 305-3865.
`The examiner can normally be reached on Monday—Thursday from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The
`examiner can also be reached on alternate Fridays.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
`supervisor, Leo H. Boudreau, can be reached on (703) 305-4706.
`
`Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application should be
`directed to the Group receptionist whose telephone number is (703) 305-4700.
`
`Brian L. Johnson
`
`May 12, 1997
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 461/714
`
`

`
`FFMM PTO-E92
`»
`(REV. 2-92)
`,
`
`'
`
`u.s. DEPARTMENT OF commence
`PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`NOTICE OF msrenemcss CITED
`
`""”'-'°A”""
`
`A1-TACHMENT
`To
`PAPER
`NUMBER
`
`PERTINENT
`SHTS.
`PP.
`
`* A copy of this re erence is not being furnished with this office action.
`(See Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, section 707.05 (a).)
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 462/714
`
`

`
`.4;
`
`-r
`
`“~11/5.’/»;
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`USO05465164A
`
`United
`
`Sugiurav et al.
`
`/‘Patent
`
`[191
`
`[54]
`
`[75]
`
`, IMAGE PROCESSINGMETHOD AND
`DEVICE FOR THE SAME
`
`Inventors: Susumu Sugiura, Atsugi; Yoshinobu
`Mita,’ Kawasaki, both of Japan
`
`[73] Assignee: Canon Kabnshiki Kaisha, Tokyo,
`V Japan
`
`[21] Appl. No.:, 868,103
`
`Apr. 14, 1992
`[22] Filed:
`[30]
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`Apr. 15, 1991
`UP]
`Japan
`p3—oVs24o5
`Ap1'.8.l9_92
`[JP]
`Japan
`4—037114
`......
`[51]
`Im.c1.°
`'......—...............
`Ho4N ,1/41
`[52] U.S. Cl.
`358/448; 358/432; 358/458;
`348/384
`5
`.358/448, 458,
`[58] Field of Search ..............................
`358/433, 56, 80, 133, 135,136, 500, 528,
`434, 527, 138, 56, 426,726.13, 261.4, 432,
`.479, 909, 13, 85, 209
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`10/1988‘
`4,780,761
`11/1988
`4,782,398
`2/1990 '
`4,905,294
`1
`4,974,078 ‘ 11/1990
`4,984,076
`1/1991 Watanabe et a1.
`5,060,280 '10/1991 Mita etal.
`5,073,820 12/1991 Nakagawa et al.
`5,079,621
`1/1992 Daly er al.
`5,142,330
`8/1992
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`-5,465,164
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`Nov. 7, 1995
`
`5,189,530
`........................................ 358/458
`2/1993 Fujii
`358/426
`.6/1993
`5,216,516
`358/133 X
`6/1993
`5,216,712
`358/133
`6/1993
`5,223,926
`358/500
`10/1993
`5,251,020
`358/133
`10/1993
`5,253,055
`........................................ 358/458
`11/1993 Fujii
`5,260,808
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`416918
`
`European Pat. Ofl‘.
`3/1991
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`H04N 7/13
`
`Leger et al., “Still Picture Compression Algorithms Evalu-
`ated for International Standardisation", IEEE Global Tele-
`communications Conference vol. 2, pp.‘ 1028-1032 (Nov.
`1988); _'
`»
`,
`Groll et a1., “Using the 8 bit CCIR Recommendation 601
`Digital Interface”, IBC Int‘l, Broad Jayant et a1., Digital
`Coding of Waveforms, Prentice Hall, pp. 351-371 (1984).
`
`,
`Primary Examiner—Paul Ip
`Attorney, Agent. or Fz'rm—Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper &
`Scinto
`
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`Disclosed is an image processing device which comprises a
`conversion means for converting an image data to a space
`frequency component, a quantization means for quantizing
`the space frequency component converted by the conversion
`means, and a control means for controlling the quantization
`means so that a quantization error produced when the
`converted space frequency component is quantized by the
`quantization means is dilfused to nearby space frequency
`components.
`
`9 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets
`
`ADCT UNIT
`
`‘QUANTIZATION
`TABLE
`
`HUFFMAN
`CODING
`"TABLE
`
`.
`INVERSE
`OUANTI ZATION
`
`TABLE
`
`HUFFMAN
`DECODING
`TABLE
`
`INVERSE
`QUANTIZATION
`
`’ HUFFMAN
`DECODING
`
`output — Y”lV — INVERSE
`um — RG3 — DCT
`
`5
`
`H8
`
`117
`
`116
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 463/714
`
`

`
`:1 K
`
`3'!-‘ii-.";I1~‘I'.i~
`
`1..---- - _- -A-A__ _ - _;_- .T AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
`
`PATENTNO.
`
`DATED
`
`:
`
`:
`
`5.465.164
`
`,
`
`November 7, 1995
`
`INVENT0R(S)I
`
`Susumu SUGIURA, et al.
`
`Page ; of 2
`
`it is certified that erfor appears in the above-indentified patent and that said Letters Patent is hereby
`corrected" as shown below:
`'
`
`IN THE‘ DRAWINGS
`
`Sheet 7
`
`Figure 8A, VERRER" should read ~—ERROR——
`(both occurrences).
`
`43,
`
`"an" should be deleted.
`
`$7,
`
`"main" should read -—the main--.
`
`8, "reminder" should read --remainder--.
`40, "reminder" should read
`--remainder--.
`~49, "reminder" should read
`--remainder--.
`
`fldominator" should read
`13,
`--denominator--.
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 464/714
`
`

`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
`
`PATENTNO.
`
`:
`
`5,465,164
`
`V
`
`DATED
`
`3 November 7, 1995
`
`"NVE"‘T°F‘(5)‘
`
`Susumu SUGIURA, et al.
`
`It is certified that error appears in the above-indentifiedepatent and that said Letters Patent is hereby
`corrected as shown below:
`
`Column 5
`
`Column 7
`
`Line 7, "values" should read --value——.
`
`Column‘8
`
`Line 54, "step" should read —-éteps——.
`
`Signed and Sealed this
`
`Fourteenth Day of May, 1996
`
`mum
`
`BRUCE LEI-IMAN
`
`Attesring Officer
`
`I
`
`Commisxianer of Parent: and Trademarks
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 465/714
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 7; 1995
`
`0If014|eehS
`
`5,465,164
`
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`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 466/714
`
`

`
`U.S.- Patent
`
`Nov. 7, 1995
`
`Sheet 2 of 10
`
`5,465,164
`
`FIG. 2A
`
`HIGH FREQUENCY WAVE
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`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 467/714
`
`

`
`Patent
`
`‘ Nov. 7, 1995
`
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`5,465,164
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`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 468/714
`
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`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 469/714
`
`

`
`U.S.A Patent
`
`Nov. 7, 1995
`
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`5,465,164
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`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 470/714
`
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`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 471/714
`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`_ N(_iv.7,1‘9SI5
`
`Sheet 7 of 10
`
`5,465,164
`
`804
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`
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`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 472/714
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`U.S. Patent
`
`V
`
`Nov. 7, 1995
`
`Sheet 8 of 10
`
`5,465,164
`
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`
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`
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`
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`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 473/714
`
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`
`US.» Patent
`
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`
`Nov.7, 1995
`
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`
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`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 474/714
`
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`
`US. Patent
`
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`
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`
`79
`
`Sheet 10 of 10
`
`5,465,164
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`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 475/714
`
`

`
`5,465,164
`
`1
`IIVIAGE PROCESSENG IVIETHOD AND
`DEVICE FOR THE SAME
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Field of the Invention
`
`invention reiates to an image processing
`The present
`method and device for the same by which image data is
`quantized.
`2. Related Background Art
`At present. an Adaptive Discrete Cosine Transforrn
`ADC’? (Adaptivraphic Expert Group) system is intended to
`be standardized as a compression system of a multi-value
`image data by JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert Group).
`Also, it is contemplated to use the ADCT system in the
`field of a color image communication. in particular, in the
`field of a color facsimile.
`Nevertheless, the above ADCI‘ system has been studied to
`be applied to art image having the relatively small number of
`pixels such as an image on a CRT.
`Therefore, the application of the ADC’? system, as it is. to
`a field such as the color facsimile requiring a high resolution
`gives rise to a new problem. More specificaliy, when the
`ADC’? system is employed for the color facsimile. as it is,
`a deterioration of image quality such as shade off. disloca-
`tion and spread of coior is caused in the field of fine lines of
`characters, graphics and the like.
`Further, when data compressed by the ADCT system is
`compared with data prior to compression, density is not
`preserved and thus image quality is deteriorated.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`Taking the above problems into consideration, a first
`object of the present
`invention is to provide an image
`processing method and a device for the same by which
`image quality can be improved.
`Another object of the present invention is to provide an
`image processing method and a device for the same by
`which a quantized error produced in quantization is reduced.
`To achieve the above objects, according to a preferred
`embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed an
`image processing device which comprises a conversion
`means for convening an image data to a space frequency
`component. 21 quantization means for quurttizing the space
`frequency component convened by the conversion means,
`and a control means for controlling the quantization means
`so that a quantization error produced when the converted
`space frequency component is quantized by the quantization
`means is diffused to nearby space frequency components.
`Further,
`the present
`invention has another object for
`further improving an image compression method referred to
`as ADC1‘.
`
`Furthermore, the present invention has a further object for
`providing an image processing method and device for the
`same by which a compression ratio as well as image quality
`are improved.
`Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
`become apparent from the foliowing embodiments when
`taken in conjunction with the description of the accompa-
`nying drawings.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an
`embodiment according to the present invention;
`FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams showing a zig-zag scan-
`ning:
`
`2
`FIGS. 3A-3C are diagrams showing a conventional quan-
`tization method;
`showing a quantization
`FIGS. 4A—4E are diagrams
`method according to the present invention;
`HG. Sis a block diagram showing a characteristic portion
`of the present invention;
`FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the
`present invention;
`FEGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams showing an embodiment
`embodying an error diffusion unit 60};
`FIGS. 8A«-SE are diagrams showing another embodiment
`embodying the error ditfusion unit 601;
`FIGS. 9A and 9B are diagrams expiaining the content of
`a hit diminution unit: and
`FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the arrangement of a third
`embodiment according to the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an
`image processing device according to the present invention.
`wherein 101 designates an image input unit composed. for
`example, of a color scanner arranged as CCD line sensors
`for R, G, B; 102 designates a coior component conversion
`unit for converting R, G. E signais of each pixel produced
`in the image input unit 101 to ‘(UV (lightness, chromatic-
`ness and hue) component signals; and 103 designates a DCT
`circuit for causing each component signal of YUV to be
`subjected to a discrete cosine conversion to thereby perform
`an orthogonal conversion from a true space component to a
`frequency space component; 104 designates a quantization
`unit for quantizing the orthogonally converted space fre-
`quency component by a quantization coeilicient stored in a
`quantization table 105; 107 designates a line through which
`two-dimensional block data, which is quantized and made to
`linear data by zig-zag scanning. is transmitted; 168 desig-
`nates a Huffman coding circuit having a DC component
`composed of category information and a data value obtained
`from a difference signai and an AC component classified to
`categories based on the continuity of zero and thereafter
`provided with a data value; 106 designates a Huffman
`coding table wherein a document appearing more frequently
`is set
`to a shorter code length; and 109 designates an
`interface with a communication line through which a com-
`pressed image data is transmitted to a circuit 110.
`On the other hand. data is received by an 1/F 111 on it
`receiving side through a process completely opposite to that
`when the compressed data is transmitted. More specifically,
`the data is Hulfman decoded by a Huifman decoding unit
`112 in accordance with a coeflicicnt set from a Huffman
`decoding table 113 arranged in the same way as that of the
`Huffman coding tabic 106 and then inverse quantized by an
`inverse quantizing unit 114 in accordance with a cocllicient
`set from an inverse quantizing table 115. Next,
`the thus
`obtained data is inverse DCT convened by an inverse DCT
`conversion unit 116 and convened from the YUV color
`components to the RGB color components by a color
`component conversion unit 117 so that a color image is
`formed by an image output unit 118. The image output unit
`118 can provide a soft copy such as a dispitty and the like and
`a hard copy printed by a laser beam printer, ink jet printer
`and the like.
`
`Although the above deterioration of image quality is
`caused by various factors, one of main factors is contem-
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`
`plated to be that an error (remainder) produced in quarto»
`zation performed by a quantization tabie following to 2
`processing perfonned by OCT is cut off.
`The present invention is devised to preserve the error
`amount as etfectively as possible to thereby prevent the
`deterioration of image quality as much as possible.
`Thus, according to embodiments oftl-re present invention.
`a reminder or error produced when quantization is per-
`formed hy a quantization table is multi~dimensionaIly dill
`fused to nearby frequency components to keep the frequency
`components or” an original image as much as possible so that
`an image with Icss deteriorated quafity can be reproduced.
`A DCT portion as a main portion ofthe present invention
`will be further described here prior to the description ofthc
`chmctcristic portion of the embodiments of the present
`invention.
`
`5
`
`FIG. 2A shows an arrangement of frequency component
`values subjected to a discrete cosine conversion of 8x8
`which is a base of the DCT portion. Although this arrangc—
`merit is basically a two-dimensional frequency structure, it
`can be made to a linear frequency arrangement by a zig-zag
`scanning, as shown in FIG. 2B. In FIG. 213. a DC compo-
`nent, and linear frequency component up to mzlimensionat
`frequency component are arranged from the left side thereof.
`Each numeral in FIG. 2B is obtained by adding an address
`in a vertical direction and an address in a horizontal direction
`in FIG. 2A. and thus these numerals in FIG. 2B show an
`address and do not show a value of a frequency component.
`FlGS. 3Aw3C show a conventional quantization system.
`and FIG. 3A shows ti value of a frequency component just
`after DCT and FIG. 3B shows a quantization table. FEG. 3C
`shows a result of quantization performed by using FIGS. 3A
`and 313. wherein the values shown in FIG. 3A are sirnpiy
`divided by the values shown FIG. 3B and portions other than
`an integer portion are cut olf, from which it is assumed that
`a considerabie error is caused by the cutting oil’.
`FIG. 4A~4E show a portion of an embodiment of the
`present invention.
`FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C correspond to FIGS. 3A,3B and 3C,
`respectively, and FIG. 4D shows a reminder value after
`quantization has been performed. For example. since the
`data vaiue of a first frequency component is 35 and a
`corresponding tabie value is 10. a value 3 is obtained after
`quantization and thus a remainder is 5. This remainder 5 is
`shown in the second box in ES. 4D. Therefore, a second
`frequency component 45 is made to 50 by being added with
`the remainder 5 in the previous frequency. Since this value
`50 is divided by a table value 10, a quantized value of 5 is
`obtained with a reminder of D. An image of good quaiity can
`be reproduced on a receiving side in such a manner that a
`frequency component loss caused by cutting off is reduced
`by diffusing 21 remaining error component
`to it nearby
`frequency component, as described above.
`FIG. 5 shows a specific arrangement for performing the
`processing shown in FIG. 4, wherein 501 designates color
`decomposition data of three colors ‘(UV input from the
`color component conversion unit 102; 502 designates :1
`buffer memory composed, for example, of an FIFO for a
`plurality of lines for extracting data for each block of 8X8
`pixel from the color decomposition data of the three colors;
`503 designates a DCT conversion circuit, 504 designates a
`zig«z2tg memory for storing at space frequency component
`produced by being subjected to the discrete cosine conver-
`sion and further subjected to the zig-zag scanning conver-
`sion as described above: and 505 designates an adder for
`adding data from the 7.ig~7.ag memory 504 with data delayed
`
`by a clock and suppiied from a register 508 and outputting
`resultant data. This addition operation of the adder 505
`corresponds to an addition operation of the remainder value
`and next data in FIG. 4. The data from the adder 505 is
`divided by a divider 506 and only the integer portion of
`resultant data is output as 513. Designated at 507 is a
`subtracter for subtracting a value obtained by multiplying
`data of 513 made to integer by a quantization coefficient (an
`output from a multiplier 514) from data supplied from the
`adder 505 to thereby create remainder data. The remainder
`data eaiculatccl by the subtracter 507 is stored in the register
`508 after delayed by a clock. On the other hand, a value of
`the dominator in the divider 506 is a memory portion in
`which quantization data stored in 509 is stored. Designated
`at 510 and 511 are address counters for extracting data from
`509. These address counters 510 and 511 are operated in
`synchronisrn with a clock from a clock generator 512
`together with the buffer memory 502, SET conversion
`circuit 503. memory 504, and register 508.
`Note. although a system based on a linear error diffusion
`is described in the above example, it is apparent that the
`same effect can be obtained in such a manner that errors are
`two-dirnensionaliy dilfused about the line connecting the
`point 90, 60 to the point 70. 07 in FIG. 2A. and this is also
`included in the present invention.
`According to this embodiment, since a frequency com-
`ponent conventionally cut off by the DCT quantization
`portion is accumulated to a nearby frequency component
`and corrected. a reproduced image is less deteriorated and
`thus a reproduced image of good quality can be obtained.
`Moreover, since the basic requirements of the ADCT are
`observed, a special extension circuit is not required on a
`receiving side and thus this invention is expected to greatly
`contribute to a communication of a color image hereinafter.
`Next, FIG. 6 is at block diagram showing another enrbodi~
`rnent according to the present invention. wherein I01 des-
`ignates an image input unit composed. for example, of a
`color scanner arranged as CCD line sensors for R, G, B.
`An output from the image input unit 101 is processed in
`an error diffusion unit 601 such that the hit number of the
`image data in the input unit 101 is diminished and an error
`produced in the process of diminishing the bit number is
`diffused to some nearby pixels of a subject pixel. Therefore,
`an output from the error diffusion unit 601 is obtained in
`such a manner that a result obtained by diffusing the errors
`of the nearby pixels is added to the value of the subject pixel
`and the number of bits of the subject pixel is diminished.
`This output is processed such that the RG13 signals thereof
`are converted to YUV (lightness, ehromatieness, hue) com-
`ponent signals by a color component conversion unit 1&2,
`next each component signal of the YUV is subjected to a
`discrete cosine conversion by a DCT circuit 103 and thus a
`true space component is orthogonally converted to a fre-
`quency space component. Designated at 194 is a quantiza~
`tion unit for quantizing the orthogonally converted space
`frequency component by 21 quantization cocilicient stored in
`a quantization table 105; 107 designates a line through
`which two—dir'nensional block data, which is quantized and
`made to linear data by zig-zag scanning.
`is transmitted;
`designated at 108 is a Huffman coding circuit having a DC
`component composed of category inforrntltion and :1 data
`value obtained from a difference signai and an AC compo»
`nent classified to categories based on the continuity of zero
`and thereafter provided with a data value designated at 106
`is a lluilman coding table wherein a document appearing
`more frequendy is set to a shorter code length; and desig-
`nated at 109 is an interface with a communication line
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`through which a compressed image data is transmitted to a
`circuit 110.
`On the other hand, data is received by an l/F 111 on a
`receiving side through a process completely opposite to that
`when the compressed data is transmitted. More specifically.
`the data is Huffman decoded by n Huffman decoding unit
`112 in accordance with a coefficient set from a Huffman
`decoding table I13 arranged in the same way as that of the
`Huffman coding tabie 106 and then inverse quantized by an
`inverse quantizing unit 114 in accordance with a coeflicient
`set from an inverse quantizing table 115. Next. the thus
`obtained data is inverse DCT converted by an inverse DCT
`conversion unit 116 and convened from the ‘(UV color
`components to the RGE color components by a color
`component conversion unit 117 so that a color image is
`formed by an image output unit 118. The image output unit
`118 can provide a soft copy such as a display and the like and
`a hard copy printed by a laser beam printer, ink jet printer
`and the like.
`Therefore, in this embodiment. an input image of high
`quality can be compressed by an ADCT conversion circuit
`without being ailected by the number of bits of the input
`image in such a manner that the input image is read by the
`input unit 101, the number of bits thereof is diminished
`without deteriorating the quality of the image by using an
`error diffusion method even if the number of quantized bits
`per pixel is increased and further the input image is sub-
`jected to an ADCT conversion. In addition. it is possible that
`the number of bits processed by the ADCT conversion
`circuit is made smaller than a usual number by diminishing
`the number of bits of an image data at the input unit to
`thereby make the scale of the ADCT conversion circuit
`smaller.
`
`Further. the deterioration of image quality may be further
`restricted by using an improved ADCT shown in FIG. 5 in
`place of the ADCI‘ unit shown in FIG. 6 and a quantization
`error produced after a DCT conversion is not out off but
`effectively preserved by an error diifusion.
`FIG. 7A shows a first embodiment of the error dilfusion
`unit 601. Image data of 10 bits input to the error dilfusion
`unit 601 are first input to adders 701. 702 and 703 and added
`with diffusion errors of three color components output from
`a D-llipllop 706. Therefore, the data outputs from the adders
`701, 702 and 703 have the number of bits up to ll bits. The
`lower 3 bits of each of the outputs are cut oil by a lower hit
`diminution unit 704 for cutting oil" bits and thus the output
`becomes a signal of 8 bits and supplied to a color component
`conversion unit 102. Further. a lower bit extracting unit 705
`extracts 3 hits having the same value as that cut oil by the
`lower bit diminution unit 704 from each of the outputs of 11
`bits supplied from