Patent ID: 6594310
Filing Date: 2003-07-15
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
A coding method of coding segmented pictures, or partitions, divided into homogeneous regions to which specific labels are respectively associated, wherein it comprises, for each successive partition, the steps of:(a) translating the picture of labels into a description in terms of a contour element chain in which the elements are defined by means of their movements through successive basic cells, between an input point and an output point of said cells; (b) tracking inside each successive cell each contour from its initial contour point, previously extracted, to its end by storing chain symbols corresponding both to input, internal and output contour elements of said cell and to priorities between possible multiple outputs elements; (c) repeating these steps up to the end of each successive contour segment of the concerned partition; (d) coding the information corresponding in each cell to the initial point of each contour segment and to the associated chain of movements between that initial point and the initial one of the following cell; said successive steps defining a so-called intra-mode coding process of image partitions, wherein each current partition is divided into a basic layer and at least an enhancement one, said intra-mode coding process being then successively applied to the basic layer without any change and to the enhancement layer with the following modifications: in the operation of extraction of the initial contour points, the initial points of contour segments are associated to contour points from the basic layer; in the tracking step, all the points belonging to the basic layer are withdrawn; in the repeating step, the closing of a contour before processing the following one is associated to contour points of the basic and enhancement layers.