| Patent and Trademer ‘Gffice
`
`Address:
`‘COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS.
`
`Washington, DG, 20231
` oe
`
`'
`
`-aes
`sine 3,
`@5/411, 363
`
`:
`
`BafSr%3a,
`
`te
`BERETTA
`
`5
`
`iag4ecos
`
`EXAMINER
`
`RECORDS idea
`LEGAL DEPARTMENT
`san
`HEWLETT PACKARD|“COP
`POO BOM ifcei
`PALO ALTO CF
`
`
`
`4
`
`This s:a.communication from the examinerin éharge-of your application.
`COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS AND TRADEMARKS
`
`CO Responsive to communicationflled on___.
`Elmhis application has been examined
`A shortened statutory period forresponsetothisaction is setto expire
`‘s
`month(s), @
`
`Failure to respond within the period for responsewill cause the application to become abandoned. 35 U.S.C. 133
`Part! THE FOLLOWING ATTACHMENT(S) ARE PART OF THIS ACTION:
`
`Ol This action Is made #inal.
`days from thedate ofthisletter.
`
`1. Bin otice of References Cited by Examiner, PTO-892.
`3.
`Notice of Ari Cited by Applicant, PTO-1449.
`5
`Information on Howto Effect Drawing Changes, PTO-1474..
`
`2. EXottce of Draftsman's Patent Drawing Review, PTO-948.
`4. CI Notice of Informal Patent Application, PTO-152.
`6.
`
`Part)
`SUMMARY OF ACTION
`
`1. Rtctaims
`L * 3 G
`Of the above,claims
`
`
`
`are pending in the application.
`are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`
`have been cancelled.
`are allowed.
`are rejected.
`are objectedto.
`
`2. oO Claims
`
`|
`a. claims
`
`4, ETciaime
`(-3 6
`5. | Claims
`
`
`
`i
`‘
`.
`
`6. Oo Claims.
`
`™
`
`are subject to restriction or election requirement.
`
`7: CT This-application has beenfiled with informal drawings under 37 C.F.R. 1.85 which are acceptable for examination purposes.
`4
`?
`
`3. Ci Formal! drawings are required in responseto this Office action.
`
`. Under 87 C.F.R.1.84 these drawings
`9. Cl The corrected.or. substitute drawings have been received on
`are [) acceptable; 0 not acceptable (see explanation or Notice of Draftsman's Patent Drawing Review, PTO-948).
`
`10. C The proposed ‘additional or substitute sheet(s) of drawings,filed on
`examiner;
`[].disapproved by the examiner (see explanation).
`
`, has (have) been Clapproved by the
`
`1. Cl The proposed drawing correction,filed
`
`,has been
`
`[Japproved; 1 disapproved (see explanation).
`
`12. | Acknowledgementis madeof the claim forpriority under 35 U.S.C. 119. Thecertified copy has C1 been received [1] not beenreceived
`C1 beenfiled in parent application, serial no.
`; fled on
`:
`
`13. Ol Since this application apppears to bein condition for allowarice exceptfor formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is closed in
`accordancewith the practice under Ex parte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11; 453 0.G.213.
`
`14. | Other
`
`.
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 2/93)
`
`EXAMINER'S ACTION
`a
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 457/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 457/714
`
`

`

`Serial Number: 08/411,369
`
`Art Unit: 2616
`
`eMCX \
`
`
`er
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Page 2
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
`Claims 25-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph, as being indefinite for
`
`1.
`
`failing to particularlypoint out and distinctly claim the subject matter which applicant regards as
`
`the invention. The claimsrefer to the JPEG compression standard. However, the specification
`
`does not indicate which JPEG compression standard is being referenced. Unless the date and
`
`citation number ofthe 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 formsthe 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 ofthis title, if the differences between the subject matter soughtto be patented andthe prior art are
`such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was madeto a person
`having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the
`manner in whichthe invention was made.
`Claims 1-3, 5-9, 14-17, 20-24, 29, and 34-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being
`3.
`unpatentable over Sugiura (5,465,164) in view of Agarwal (5,488,570).
`
`Asto representative claims 14 and 15, and claims 1-3, 5-9, 29 and 34-36, Sugiura teaches
`
`a method of compressing and transmitting images which produces decompressed images having
`
`improved text and image quality, the method comprising:
`
`a
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 458/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 458/714
`
`

`

`Serial Number: 08/411,369
`
`Art Unit: 2616
`
`Page 3
`
`compressing a source image into compressed image data usingafirst quantization table
`
`(Qe) (Quantization Table 105 offig. 1);
`forming a second quantization table (Qd), wherein the second quantization table is related
`to the first quantization table (Inverse Quantization Table 115 offig. 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 offig. 1).
`
`Sugiura does not explicitly teach that the second quantization table is related to thefirst
`
`quantization table scaled in accordance with a predetermined function of the energyin 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 obviousto a person of ordinary
`skill in the art at the time ofthe invention for Sugiura to decompress using a quantization table
`
`scaled in accordance with a predetermined function of the energy in a reference image and the
`
`energy in a scanned imageas taught by Agarwal in order to decrease quantizationerrors.
`
`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
`
`Oo
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 459/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 459/714
`
`

`

`Serial Number: 08/4] 1,369
`
`Art Unit: 2616
`
`Page 4
`
`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 oftransmission.
`AS to claims 20-23, selecting a target image; rendering the target image into an imagefile:
`
`the target image having elementscritical to the quality of the image are inherent in using a
`
`reference to control the quality of the compression process. Images which havetext including
`
`text with a serif font are well known in theart (official notice).
`
`Asto claim 24, in using a reference image to control the quality of the compression
`
`process of a scanned image it would have been obviousto 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
`
`imageis 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, further 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 coefficients 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
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 460/714
`
`

`

`Serial Number: 08/411,369
`
`Art Unit: 2616
`
`Page 5
`
`variances as taught by Tzou with the reference and scanned imageto arrive at the scaling factor of
`
`Sugiura and Agarwalin 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), further in view ofApplicant’s admissionsofthe priorart.
`
`Asto claim 19, Sugiura and Agarwaldo not explicitly teach encapsulating the second
`
`quantization table Qd with the compressed image data to form an encapsulated datafile; 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
`
`obviousto a personofordinary skill in the art to include the quantization table which will be used
`
`in the decompression processin the transmitted datafile as taught by the prior art for the datafile
`
`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 numberis (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 numberis (703) 305-4700.
`
`Brian L. Johnson
`May 12, 1997
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 461/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 461/714
`
`

`

`
`
`
`SERIAL NO.
`RO ay UNIT)
`ATTACHMENT
`.
`
`oF/4 1; 364|ae) ose,|3
`
`/
`,
`To
`
`APPLICANT(S)
`
`NOTICE OF REFERENCES CITED
`
`
`
` Mn nateated teeta Oe haart eet
`TO SEPARATE, HOLD TOP ANDO BOTTOM EDGES, SNAP—APART AND DISCARDCARBON
`
`U.S. OEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`PATENT ANO TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`[Ronk PTOG92
`(REV.2-92)
`
`.
`
`
`
`
`
`PERTINENT
`SUB.
`
`
`
`DATE SHTS.1PP,COUNTRY NAME
`
`CLASS|Bwé’ spec.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`* A copy ofthis reference is not being furnished with this office action.
`(See Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, section 707.05 (a).)
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 462/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 462/714
`
`

`

`{VOU TEN 1) ANYCRYY
`~*.US005465164A
`
` United StatesPatent
`
`Sugiuraet al.
`
`
`
`(19)
`
`[54]
`
`(75],
`
`:
`
`: IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND
`DEVICE FOR THE SAME
`“Inventors: Susumu Sugiura, Atsugi;. Yoshinobu
`Mita, Kawasaki, both of Japan
`
`[73] Assignee: Canon: Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo,
`~ Japan
`
`[21] Appl. No;: 868,103
`
`Apr. 14, 1992
`[22] Filed:
`(30}
`Foreign Application. Priority Data
`
`Japan ..i..
`sees, 3-0B2403
`Apr. 15, 1991.
`[JP].
`
`Apr. 81992.
`[JP]
`Japan Fess
`ssi4-087114
`eeeesewnceceseneinsene HOAN 1/41
`(51) Unt. CLS
`
`[52] U.S.C.
`oes 358/448: 358/432: 358/458:
`:
`“348/384
`(58] Field of Search tensatasegenesisestoncesssaciicnseerse GOOI448, 458,
`358/433, 56,-80, 133,135,136, 500, 528,
`434, 527, 138; 56, 426, 261.3,:261.4, 432,
`-479, 909, 13, 85, 209
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`“1O/19B8. Daly et al. encecesessseseceeees> 358/133
`4,780,761
`11/1988 Mita ......
`Q 358/280
`4,782,398
`-2/1990 ‘Sugiura’.
`4,905,294.
`. 382/9
`4,974,078 Y1/1990 Tsai
`sevsssseees
`358/133
`4,984,076...
`1/1991 Watanabe: étal.
`358/133
`5,060,280 10/1991 Mita et.al.
`........
`382/33
`5,073,820.
`12/1991 Nakagawaet al.
`358/133
`5,079,621.
`1/1992. Dalyet al.
`. 358/13
`5,142,380
`8/1992 Sakagamii etal.cscisenecnecn "358/432
`
`
`
`[56]
`
`5,465,164
`[11] Patent Number:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Nov. 7, 1995
`
`
`2/1993. BUfii. cacvscsstricsnssemererersrsne 358/458
`5,189,530
`6/1993 Tanaka et al... 358/426
`5.216516
`
`6/1993. Shimadaet al.
`358/133 X
`5,216,712
`
`6/1993 Stoneet al.
`358/133
`5,223,926.
`
`10/1993 Sugiyama ,......
`358/500
`5,251,020
`10/1993 Civanlar et al.
`358/133
`5,253,055
`11/1993 Fjii ecceenmncroornnronee 358/458
`5,260,808
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`416918
`
`3/1991. Buropean Pat. Off.
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`......... HO4N 7/13
`
`Legeretal., “Still- Picture Compression Algorithms Evalu-
`ated for International Standardisation”, IEEE Global Tele-
`communications Conference. vol. 2, pp: 1028-1032 (Nov.
`1988).
`:
`Groll et al.,. “Using the 8 bit CCIR Recommendation 601
`Digital: Interface”, IBC. Int’), Broad. Jayant et al., Digital
`Coding of Waveforms, Prentice Hall, pp. 351-371 (1984).
`Primary Examiner—Paul Ip
`Altorney, Agent, or Firm—Fitzpatick, Cella, Harper &
`
`Scinto
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`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 diffused to nearby space frequency
`components.
`
`9 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets
`
`ADCT ‘UNIT
`
`
`
`
` QUANTIZATION
`
`:
`QUANTIZATION
`
`HUFFMAN
`CODING
`
`QUANTIZATION
`TABLE
`
`OORT
`&
`TABLE
`
`116.
`
`INVERSE.
`QUANTIZATION
`TABLE
`
`HUFFMAN
`DECODING
`TABLE
`
`109
`
`I/F
`
`AL
`
`110
`
`113
`
`101
`Ret
`
`INPUT
`UNIT
`
`t i 1!
`
`ouTput7_] La — INVERSE
`INVERSE
`- HUFFMAN
`VF
`UNIT) Eo.|ace | DCT
`DECODING
`
`116
`
`114
`
`112
`
`11
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 463/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 463/714
`
`

`

`Saer7Ke se
`
`AuTatt:
`
`2A
`
`CCCe2c
`
`ke
`
`Bret ord
`
`cetenwe one /vs.eT AND TRADEMARKOFFICE
`CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
`
`:
`PATENTNO.
`:
`DATED
`INVENTOR(S).:°
`
`°5,465,164
`November .7, 1995
`Susumu SUGIURA, et al.
`
`Page 1 of 2
`
`It is certified that error appearsin the above-indentified patent and that said Letters Patentis hereby
`correctedas shown below:
`
`IN THE DRAWINGS
`
`Sheet. 7
`
`"ERRER" should read --ERROR--
`Figure 8A,
`(both occurrences).
`
`Column1
`
`Line 43,
`
`“an" should be déleted.
`
`Column2
`
`Line 67,
`
`"main" should read --the main--.
`
`Column 3
`
`Line 8, "reminder" should read .--remainder--.
`Line 40,
`."reminder" should: read
`--remainder--.
`Line 49, "reminder" should read
`--remainder--.
`
`Column4
`
`Line 13, "dominator" should read
`--denominator--.
`
`
`
`a
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 464/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 464/714
`
`

`

`UNITED STATES PATENT AND: TRADEMARK OFFICE
`CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
`
`.
`5,465,164
`:
`PATENTNO.
`> November 7, 1995
`DATED
`INVENTOR(S):
`susumu: SUGIURA, et al.
`
`Page 2 of 2
`
`it is certified that errot appears in the above-indentified patent and that said Letters Patent is hereby
`corrected as shown below:
`
`Column 5
`
`Line 53, "corresponds" should read. --corresponds
`to--.
`
`Column 7
`
`Line 7, "values" should. read --value--.
`
`Column .8
`Line 54, "step" should read --steps--.
`
`Attest:Wsnce 7
`
`
`
`Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks Attesting Officer
`
`
`
`BRUCE LEHMAN
`
`Signed and Sealed this
`
`Fourteenth Day of May, 1996
`
`oe a
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 465/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 465/714
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Noy. 7, 1995
`
`Sheet 1 of 10
`
`5,465,164
`
`J18vl
`
`NVWIINH
`ONTO.
`NOTLVZTLNVND
`
`a1evl
`
`601
`
`LINNLGV
`
`d/lNYW44nH
`
`“ONI000
`NOTIVZTINVAD
`
`LNdNI
`
`LINA
`
`PYain|ANA|LdLNO
`ASHIANT
`
`
`
`ELI]NYWS4NH
`
`ASYSANT-
`
`|ONTG0030
`NOTLVZTINYND
`
`J1avL
`
`devi
`
`QNTG09S0qiNVW33NH
`
`
`NOTLYZIINYNO
`
`ISUSANI
`
`Lod
`
`ILIZbl
`
`vit
`
`9tl
`
`dtl8
`
`Lt
`
`
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 466/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 466/714
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`5,465,164
`
`Sheet 2 of10
`Nov. 7, 1995
`FIG. 2A
`HIGH FREQUENCY WAVE
`10
`20
`30
`
`00
`
`40 50 60 70. _HIGH
`FREQUENCYWAVE ° ow
`
`FaZ|
`48)YY|
`0orepe]rd
`FIG. 2B eons a7
`
`FIG. 3A
`PsoTss[as[75783[277isT3ay47121 [------ so]
`
`
`
`FIG. 3B.
`COTOTOTO20L20720S030 ------ OTA]
`
`FIG. 3C
`Gerereer —---.
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 467/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 467/714
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Nov. 7, 1995
`
`Sheet 3 of 10
`
`5,465,164
`
`FIG 4A
`S035ML7o1831211131331a2} ----- (SLO)
`
`
`FIG. 4B
`
`
`
`35]50]75|88]29]22]35]62]23]|
`
`
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 468/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 468/714
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 7
`
`3
`
`1995
`
`Sheet 4 of 10
`
`5,465,164
`
`
`
`QV2Z-91Z
`
`E15
`
`AYONSN
`
`-VZTLNVAD
`
`318V1
`
`NOTL
`
`01S
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 469/714
`
`
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 469/714
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Noy. 7, 1995
`
`Sheet 5 of 10
`
`5,465,164
`
`Oly
`
`dav
`
`‘|NYW43nH
`ONTO
`NOTLYZTLNVND
`
`TevL
`
`601
`
`801
`
`4/1
`
`NVASNH
`
`~QNIGOO
`
`LINLody
`
`faeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek
`
`iI
`
`cllvil911Zt
`
`4/T
`
`
`
`ONT00930NOTLVZILNVND
`
`toa7]
`
`
`NVAS3NHASUSANI
`
`aswaant[—"]
`
`NOILVZTLNYNDO
`
`JSUSANI
`
`719v1
`
`NoISn4id
`ifidLno
`|-@}LINN|9}INdNIu:
`
`youd
`
`‘LINN
`
`0k
`
`
`
`Bil
`
`LINN
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 470/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 470/714
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 7, 1995
`
`Sheet.6 of 10
`
`5,465,164
`
`L09-"
`
`d014-di1d0
`ONILIVYLXS
`
`Y3M01LI
`
`LINN
`
`4JdO-ONILINI
`
`Y3MO7TLI
`
`ZINA
`
`
`
`
`
`00"F55
`
`LOL
`
`vateLe}82Old
`
`
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 471/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 471/714
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`~ Nov. 7, 1995
`
`Sheet 7 of 10
`
`5,465,164
`
`BIT
`
`PAMTNUTTON
`DWINGTION
`SMUT
`
`. UNIT
`
`eaeHVaul
`
`MULTI-
`PLIER
`
`aT
`WULTI-
`
`TRACTER
`
`Wei
`
`|
`
`[—
`
`:
`
`SB-
`ro TRACTER.
`Gen
`PiTRACTER
`
`SUB-
`
`|
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 472/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 472/714
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 7, 1995
`
`Sheet 8 of 10
`
`5,465,164
`
`FIG. aC
`
`DIVISION RATIO
`
`i
`
`SUBJECT
`PIXEL
`
`(Re)
`
`POSITION
`OF
`SUBJECT
`PIXEL
`
`POSITION
`OF
`SUBJECT
`
`PIXEL
`
`
`
`SUBJECT
`PIXEL
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 473/714
`
`
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 473/714
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`—=—
`
`Nov. 7, 1995
`
`Sheet 9 of 10 _
`
`5,465,164 -
`
`
`:
`
`WS
`S
`
`o ;a
`
`ae
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 474/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 474/714
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.7, 1995
`
`Sheet 10 of 10
`
`ONTHOLINS
`
` LINN
`
`LNSNOdMOD20
`‘YZ912LINALod
`
`LINN
`
`ONTLOWYLX
`AMOWEN
`|
`
`5,465,164
`
`
`
`NOTLYZTLNVNO
`
`F18¥L
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 475/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 475/714
`
`
`
`
`

`

`5,465,164
`
`3
`
`20
`
`30
`
`1
`IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND
`DEVICE FOR THE SAME
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present
`invention relates to an image processing
`method and device for the same by which image data is
`quantized.
`2. Related Background Art
`Al present, an Adaptive Discrete Cosine Transform
`ADCT (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 ADCT system has been studied to
`be applied to an image having the relatively small number of
`pixels such as an image on a CRT.
`‘Therefore, the application of the ADCT system,as it is, to
`a field such as the color facsimile requiring a high resolution
`gives rise to a new problem. More specifically, when the
`ADCT system is employed for the color facsimile, as it is,
`a deterioration of image quality such as shade off, disloca-
`tion and spread of color is caused in thefield offine 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 abave objects, according to a preferred
`embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed 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 componentis 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 ADCT.
`Furthermore,the present invention hasa 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 advantagesofthe present invention will
`become apparent from the following 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 arrangementof an
`embodiment according 1o the present invention;
`FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams showing a zig-zag scan-
`ning;
`
`65
`
`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;
`FIG. § is a block diagram showing a characteristic portion
`of the present invention;
`FIG.6 is a diagram showing a second embodimentof the
`present invention;
`FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams showing an embodiment
`embodying an error diffusion unit 601,
`FIGS. 8A~SE are diagrams showing another embodiment
`embodying the error diffusion unit 601;
`FIGS. 9A and 9B are diagrams explaining the content of
`a bit diminution unit; and
`FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the arrangementof a third
`embodimentaccording to the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodimentof an
`image processing device according to the present invemion,
`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 color component conversion
`unit for converting R, G, B signals of each pixel produced
`in the image input unit 101 to YUV (lightness, chromatic-
`ness and hue) componentsignals; and 103 designates a DCT
`cireuit for causing each component signal of YUV to be
`subjected to a discrete cosine conversion to thereby perform
`an orthogonal conversion from a tue space componcnt to a
`frequency space component, 104 designates a quantization
`unit for quantizing the orthogonally converted space fre-
`quency component by a quantization coefficient 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 transmined; 108 desig-
`naies a Huffman coding circuit having a DC component
`composed of category information and a data value obtained
`from a difference signal and an AC componentclassified to
`categories based on the continuity of zero and thereafier
`provided with a data valuc; 106 designates a Huffman
`coding table wherein a documentappearing mere 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 I/F Hi 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 a Huffman decoding unit
`112 in accordance with a coefficient set from a Hulfman
`decoding table 113 arranged in the same way as thal of the
`Huffman coding table 106 and then inverse quantized by an
`inverse quaniizing unit 114 in accordance with a coefficient
`sei from an inverse quantizing table 115. Next,
`the thus
`obtained data is inverse DCT converted by an inverse DCT
`conversion unit 116 and converted 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 display and the like and
`a hard copy printed by a laser beam printer, ink jet primer
`and the like.
`Although the above deterioration of image quality is
`caused by various factors, one of main factors is contem-
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 476/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 476/714
`
`

`

`5,465,164
`
`3
`plated to be that an error (remainder) produced in quanti-
`zation performed by a quantization table following to a
`processing performed by DCTis cut off.
`The present invention is devised to preserve the error
`amount as effectively as possible to thereby prevent the
`deterioration of image quality as much as possible.
`Thus, according 19 embodiments of the present invention,
`a reminder or error produced when quantization is per-
`formed by a quantization table is multi-dimensionally dif-
`fused to nearby frequency components to keep the frequency
`components of an original image as much as possible so that
`an image with less deteriorated quality can be reproduced.
`A DCT portion as a main ponion of the present invention
`will be further described here prior to the description of the
`characteristic portion of the embodiments of the present
`invention.
`
`0
`
`3
`
`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 arrange-
`ment is basically a two-dimensional frequency structure,it
`cant be madeto a linear frequency arrangementby a zig-zag
`scanning, as shown in FIG. 2B. In FIG, 2B, a DC compo-
`nent, and linear frequency component up to n-dimensional
`frequency componentare arranged from theleft side thereof.
`Each numeral in FIG. 2B is obtained by adding an address
`in a vertical direction and an addressin 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.
`FIGS. 3A-3C show a conventional quantization system,
`and FIG. 3A shows a value of a frequency component just
`after DCT and FIG. 3B shows a quantization table. FIG. 3C
`shows a result of quantization performed by using FIGS. 3A
`and 3B, wherein the values shown in FIG. 3A are simply
`divided by the values shown FIG. 3B and portions other than
`an integer portion are cutoff, from which it is assumed that
`a considerable error is caused by the cutting off.
`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 value of a first frequency component is 35 and a
`corresponding table value is 10, a value 3 is obtained after
`quantization and thus a remainder is 5. This remainder 5 is
`shownin the second box in FIG, 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 rerninder of 0. An image of good quality can
`be repreduced on a receiving side in such a mannerthat a
`frequency component loss caused by cutting off is reduced
`by diffusing a remaining error component
`to a 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 YUV input from the
`color component conversion unit 192; 502 designates a
`buffer memory composed, for example, of an FIFO for a
`plurality of lincs for extracting data fer each block of 8x8
`pixel from the color decomposition data of the three colors:
`503 designates a DCT conversion circuit, 504 designates a
`zig-zag memory for storing a space frequency component
`produced by being subjected to the discrete cosine conver-
`sion and further subjected to the zig-zag scanning conver-
`ston as described above: and 505 designatcs an adder for
`adding data from the zig-zag memory 504 with dala delayed
`
`30
`
`65
`
`4
`by a clock and supplied 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 4 multiplier 514) from data supplied from the
`adder 505 to thereby create remainder data. The remainder
`data calculated 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
`synchronism with a clack from a clock generator 512
`together with the buffer memory 502, DCT 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 mannerthat errors are
`two-dimensionally diffused about the line connecting the
`point 80, 00 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 thusthis invention is expected to greatly
`contribute to a communication of a color image hereinafter.
`Next, FIG.6 is a block diagram showing another embodi-
`Ment according ta the present invention, wherein 101 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 10] is processed in
`an error diffusion unit 601 such that the bit 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 same 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 addedto the value ofthe subject pixel
`and the number ofbits of the subject pixe! is diminished,
`This output is processed such that the RGB signals thereof
`are converted to YUV (lightness, chromatieness, hue) com-
`ponent signals by a color component conversion unit 102,
`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 camponent. Designated at 164 is a quantiza-
`lion unit for quantizing the orthogonally converted space
`frequency component by a quantization cocflicient 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:
`designated at 108 is a Huffman coding circuit having a DC
`component composed of category information and a data
`value obtained from a difference signal 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 Huffman coding table wherein a document appearing
`more frequently is set to a shorter code length: and desig.
`nated at 109 is an interface with a communication line
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 477/714
`
`HUAWEI EX. 1016 - 477/714
`
`

`

`5,465,164
`
`§
`through which a compressed image data is wansmitted to a
`circuit 110,
`On the other hand, data is received by an I/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 a Huffman decoding unit
`112 in accordance with a coefficient set from a Huffman
`decoding table 113 arranged in the same way as that of the
`Huffman coding table 106 and then inverse quantized by an
`inverse quantizing unit 114 in accordance with a coefiicient
`set from an inverse quantizing table 115. Next, the thus
`obtained data is inverse DCT converted by an inverse DCT
`conversion unit 116 and converted 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 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 affected by the numberof bits of the input
`image in such a manner that the input image is read by the
`input unit 101, the number ofbits thercof 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 fur