Patent ID: 7359560
Filing Date: 2008-04-15
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for compression of image data comprising an array of pixels, wherein each pixel has a pixel value that describes its color, the method comprising: a) arranging every pixel in the array into fixed pixel groups, wherein every pixel in a pixel group neighbors at least one other pixel in the pixel group, b) using one pixel of a pixel group as a reference pixel, c) determining a pixel difference value of the reference pixel by comparing its pixel value to the pixel value of every other pixel in said reference pixel's pixel group, d) repeating steps b) and c) until the pixel difference value of every pixel in the array has been calculated, e) determining a priority value for each pixel group based on the pixel difference values of every pixel in said each pixel group, f) ranking the pixel groups in decreasing order of priority value, g) storing the pixel groups on a computer readable medium in order of priority; wherein steps a), b), c), d), e), f), and g) are all performed by processor.