Patent ID: 6891973
Filing Date: 2005-05-10
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of image compression, said method comprising the steps of: providing digital image data in a computer-readable format, said digital image data including data on values and coordinates for a plurality of pixels; selecting a region of interest of an image represented by said digital image data; sorting and prioritizing said digital image data according to at least two priority categories, with digital image data corresponding to the region of interest having a higher priority than digital image data corresponding to areas outside of the region of interest; and transmitting said sorted and prioritized digital image data to a remote location with the digital information data corresponding to the region of interest being transmitted with higher priority than the areas outside of the region of interest, wherein said sorting and prioritizing of said digital image data comprises shifting bits of transform coefficients corresponding to the digital image data by a predetermined amount, said predetermined amount of corresponding to a desired scale-up rate for reconstruction of the region of interest.