Image processing method and apparatus

Abstract: An image coding method which can preferably transmit image data even on a transmission path of a bad quality is provided. An image is divided into a plurality of areas. Information indicative of the image is variable length coded into the data of, for instance, (138 x 132) symbols. Boundary information corresponding to the area is transmitted in a format as shown in the diagram every data of 128 symbols after it was variable length coded.

Description: The invention relates to apparatus and method of encoding image signal data, particularly where the encoding involves generation of variable length codes. It also relates to apparatus and method of decoding image signals encoded as aforesaid, transmission signals adapted by encoded data, and a method of producing a recorded medium on which an encoded image signal is recorded. Various kinds of image compression methods have been proposed. An "ADCT method" has been proposed for colour image coding. According to the ADCT method, image data is converted by a Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) and is, thereafter, scalar quantised and, further, the scalar quantised data is Huffman coded, thereby reducing the amount of data. This results in variable length coding. However, although such a variable length coding method has an excellent compression efficiency, when errors exist in the compressed data, subsequent decoding cannot be executed. Thus, there is a case where an image, after the occurrence of an error, fluctuates and becomes unsightly. When the apparatus does not have an error detecting/correcting unit for a transmission path such as an optical fibre having a high error immunity in order to reduce the costs of the apparatus, such an image fluctuation rarely occurs. Or, if the error detecting/correcting unit is provided for protection if an error should happen, this results in an increase in cost of the apparatus. For instance, for a transmission path of bad quality, as in satellite communication, an error detecting/correcting unit is indispensable to prevent further accumulation of errors. It is necessary to assure a large redundant component such as a parity or the like in order to enhance the error detecting/correcting capability for the variable length coding. Thus, substantial compression efficiency is not achieved. Further, the processing speed is raised, the hardware is increased, and the costs of the apparatus rise. The above problems are not limited to the foregoing ADCT method and apparatus. The above problems will be explained further. Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing a schematic construction of a conventional image transmitting/receiving system. In the diagram, reference numeral 101 denotes a terminal to which an image signal is supplied. An image signal sent from a terminal 101 is digitised by an analog-digital (hereinafter abbreviated to A/D) converter 102. The digital image signal is coded by a high efficiency coding circuit 103 and an information amount (band) is compressed. The image information compressed by the circuit 103 is supplied to an error correction coding circuit 104. A parity examination bit for correction of a code error is added to the image information (namely, the image information is error correction coded) and, after that the image information is sent to a transmission path 105. On the reception side, a data train transmitted through the transmission path 105 is once stored into a memory unit 106 and is subjected to a code error correction, using the above parity examination bit, by an error correction unit 107 which accesses the memory unit 106. The image information in which the code error has been corrected is generated from the memory unit 106 and supplied to a high efficiency decoding circuit 108. The decoding circuit 108 executes a process opposite to the process in the high efficiency coding circuit 103. That is, the decoding circuit 108 expands the information amount (band) to reproduce the original digital image signal. The digital image signal is converted into an analog signal by a digital-analog (hereinafter referred to D/A) converter 109 and is generated as an analog image signal from a terminal 110. Many various image compressing methods have been proposed to realise the high efficiency coding circuit 103 of Fig.10. An "ADCT method" has been proposed and is mentioned as typical of colour image coding methods. The ADCT method is disclosed in detail in Takahiro Saito, et al., "The Coding Method of a Still Image", the magazine of The Institute of Television Engineers of Japan, Vol. 44, No. 2 (1990) and Hiroshi Ochi, et al., "The International Standard Tendency for Still Image Coding", the record of the National Conversion of The Institute of Image Electron of Japan, No. 14 (1988) and the like. Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing schematically a construction of the high efficiency coding circuit for performing the above ADCT method. In the diagram, it is assumed that a digital data train converted into eight-bit data, namely, 256 gradations/colour by the A/D converter 102 of Fig. 10 is used as an image signal which is supplied to a terminal 111. The number of colours is set to three or four colours such as RGB, YUV, YP b P r , YMCK or the like. The input digital image signal is immediately subjected to a two-dimensional discrete cosine transformation (hereinafter abbreviated to DCT) on a sub-block unit basis of (8 x 8) pixels by a DCT converter 112. The DCT converted data of (8 x 8) words (hereinafter, referred to as conversion coefficients) is quantized by a linear quantization circuit 113. Quantization step sizes at this time differ for the conversion coefficients. That is, the quantization step size for each conversion coefficient is set to a value in which (8 x 8) quantization matrix elements from a quantization matrix generating circuit 114 are multiplied by 2 S by a multiplier 116. The quantization matrix elements are determined in consideration of the fact that visual sensitivities to quantization noise differ for each conversion coefficient of (8 x 8) words. Table 1 shows an example of the quantization matrix elements. Example of quantization matrix elements 16 11 10 16 24 40 51 61 12 12 14 19 26 58 60 55 14 13 16 24 40 57 69 56 14 17 22 29 51 87 80 62 18 22 37 56 68 109 103 77 24 35 55 64 81 104 113 92 49 64 78 87 103 121 120 101 72 92 95 98 112 100 103 99 The 2 S data is derived from a data generator 115. S is 0 or a positive or negative integer and is called a scaling factor. A picture quality and a data amount are controlled by the value of S. The DC component in each of the quantized conversion coefficients, namely, the DC conversion coefficient (hereinafter, referred to as a DC component) in the matrix of (8 x 8) is supplied to a one-dimensional estimation difference circuit 117. An estimation error obtained by the circuit 117 is Huffman coded by a Huffman coding circuit 118. Practically speaking, a quantization output of the estimation error is classified into groups. The identification number of the group to which the estimation error belongs is first Huffman coded and information indicative of which value in the group is subsequently expressed by an equal length code. The conversion coefficient other than the above DC component, that is, an A. C. conversion coefficient (hereinafter, referred to as an AC component) is supplied to a zigzag scanning circuit 119 and is zigzag scanned from the low frequency component to the high frequency component by a two-dimensional frequency as shown in Fig. 7. A set of the number (run length) of conversion coefficients in which the quantization output is not 0 (hereinafter, referred to as effective coefficients) and the number (run length) of conversion coefficients in which the quantization output is equal to 0 and which exist between the effective coefficients just before such conversion coefficients (hereinafter, referred to as ineffective coefficients) are generated from the zigzag scanning circuit 119 to a Huffman coding circuit 120. In the Huffman coding circuit 120, an output signal from the scanning circuit 119 is classified into groups in accordance with the values of the effective coefficients and Huffman codes a set of the group identification number and the above run length. Subsequently, information indicative of which value in the group is expressed by an equal length code. Outputs from the Huffman coding circuits 118 and 120 are multiplexed by a multiplexing circuit 121 and supplied as a coded output from a terminal 122 to the error correction coding circuit 104 at the post stage. According to the high efficiency coding as mentioned above, even when an information amount is compressed into a fraction of an integer, the image never deteriorates and an extremely high efficiency compression can be performed. However, when the compression of a high compression efficiency as mentioned above, namely, the information compression at a high compression ratio is executed, an influence which is exerted on the image by one code error is serious. For instance, in the case where the variable length coding as mentioned above is performed, the subsequent decoding cannot be executed at all. Thus, there is a case where the image after the occurrence of the error fluctuates and a fairly unsightly state occurs. On the other hand, generally, in the case of executing such a compression of a high compression ratio, if an uncorrectable code error occurs in a significant code such that it becomes a key upon decoding, a reproduction image is damaged. In recent years, particularly, such a kind of apparatus is also used for a transmission path such that there is a case where the transmission quality changes depending on the weather and deteriorates as in the communication satellite. A countermeasure to protect data against the generation of errors on the transmission path is required. However, when the countermeasure for errors is merely enhanced, this results in an increase in redundancy of the code in vain. Even when a high efficiency image compression is executed, its meaning is lost. One technique for preventing deterioration in picture quality is described in Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 14, No. 362 (ε-960), 6 August 1990 and Japanese Patent Application publication No. JP-A-2-127872. As therein described, image signal data is encoded for each one of a number of block areas of an image and a block area identity code is attached to each respective image code. The compressed signal data is decoded whilst the area of image represented is determined from the identity code. Another technique for preventing deterioration in picture quality is described in Signal Processing of HDTV, II; Proceedings of the Third International Workshop on HDTV, Turin, IT; 30 August - 1st September, 1989; pages 769-776; R. DEL PERO ET AL.: 'CRITERIA FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE VIDEO INFORMATION IN A CODEC BASED ON DCT'. The general features of apparatus therein disclosed, which are common to the present invention, are set out in the preamble of claim 1 of the claims appended hereto. In the particular arrangement described, pseudorandom binary sequence correlation codes are assembled with image codes and in each assembled data block each correlation code is at a boundary between consecutive image codes. The boundaries between image data can therefore be determined by a correlation technique and the start position of each image code can be located for decoding purposes. In image signal encoding apparatus in accordance with the invention defined in claim 1 of the claims appended, the boundaries between image codes of image blocks obtained by the blockwise division of the image picture are indicated by respective boundary information codes. These latter codes are assembled with the image codes and are located at predetermined positions of the assembled data block. The boundaries can therefore be determined by reference to these boundary information codes at predetermined positions and subsequent decoding by corresponding image signal decoding apparatus can be performed reliably from the start of each image code. In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a construction of the first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an image to be transmitted in the first embodiment of the invention; Figs. 3(A) and 3(B) are diagrams showing the transmission synchronization in the first embodiment of the invention; Figs. 4(A) and 4(B) are diagrams showing the correspondence with the transmission synchronization in the first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a transmitting method of the first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 6 is a diagram for explaining a variable length coding method of the embodiment; Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining the details of the variable length coding method of the embodiment; Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the transmission synchronization of the second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing a construction of the second embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing an outline of a conventional image transmission/reception system. By way of example, an embodiment of the invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a construction of an image coding apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. An analog image signal supplied from a terminal 1 is converted into a digital signal by an A/D converter 2 and is variable length compression coded by a high efficiency coding unit 3. A sync code is added to a coded output by a sync code addition unit 4. A transmission ID is added to the output signal by a transmission ID addition unit 5. A parity and an error check code for subsequent error detection and correction are added to the output signal by a parity addition unit 6. Reference number 7 denotes a boundary information addition unit, which will be explained hereinfater, of the embodiment. When codes generated for respective divided regions (of the same size before coding) are transmitted, the boundary information addition unit 7 generates a flag for each boundary. Reference numeral 8 denotes a transmission path. In the case of immediate transmission, the transmission path is a transmission medium such as ground ratio wave, light space, or the like of an optical fibre, a satellite, a microwave, or the like. In the case of accumulation transmission, the transmission path is a memory medium such as tape-shaped medium of a digital video tape recording (VTR), a digital audio tape (DAT), or the like, disk-shaped medium such as floppy disk, optical disk, or the like, solid medium such as a semiconductor memory etc., or the like. The transmission rate in the embodiment is determined by the information amount of the original image, the compression ratio, and the required transmission time and can be set to various values within a range from tens of kbits/sec to tens of M bits/sec. On the other hand, the data received from the transmission path 8 is first synchronized by a synch code detection unit 9. An attribute of the transmission synchronization is detected by a transmission ID detection unit 10 on the basis of the ID and is once accumulated into a memory 11. In an error detection and correction unit 12, errors in the transmission path are detected and corrected by using the foregoing parity and error check code. Further, in a boundary information detection unit 13 in the embodiment, the boundaries of the compression coding portions of the divided regions are detected. In a decoding unit 14, the variable length data is expanded and decoded. The decoded digital signal from the decoding unit 14 is converted into an analog signal by a D/A converter 15. An image is generated from a terminal 16. The operation of the embodiment will now be further described in detail with reference to Figs. 2 to 5. Fig. 2 shows an example of an image to be transmitted. An image of one picture is constructed by 1280 pixels in the lateral direction and 1088 pixels in the vertical direction. Each pixel consists of eight bits and is an A/D converted image. A data capacity per image is set to 1280 x 1088 x 8 = 11,141,120 (bits) In the embodiment, it is assumed that moving images are transmitted. To transmit moving images of 30 images per second, the transmission rate is set to 11,141,120 x 30 = 334,233,600 bits/sec Explanation will now be made with respect to the case where the above image information is compresed and coded to about 1/10 by, for example, the ADCT method and is transmitted. It is now assumed that a block comprising 8 pixels (in the lateral direction) x 8 pixels (in the vertical direction) is set to one DCT sub-block. As shown in Fig. 2, one re-sync block is constructed by continuous 40 DCT sub-blocks in one image to be transmitted. When one picture plane is divided on a re-sync block unit basis, it is divided into a total of 544 re-sync blocks, i.e.4 re-sync blocks (in the lateral direction) x 136 re-sync blocks (in the vertical direction). Now, assuming that each pixel is defined by 8-bit data, a data capacity before compression per re-sync block is equal to 40 x 8 x 8 x 8 = 20,480 (bits) Boundary information, which will be explained hereinafter, is information indicative of the boundaries of the foregoing re-sync blocks. Fig. 3(B) shows a format of the transmission synchronization (ECC block) in the embodiment. In the embodiment, for instance, the format is set to a two-dimensional construction using a well-known double Reed Solomon code as an error detection and correction code. In the embodiment, since the image data is compressed by the DCT method, the compressed information of the image to be transmitted is defined by a variable length code. However, a C 2 parity of four symbols is added to 128 symbols (hereinafter, one symbol = 8 bits) in the lateral direction of such a variable length code. A C 1 parity of four symbols is also added to 128 symbols in the vertical direction of the image information. Thus, error correction can be performed and up to 2 symbol errors can be corrected in each direction. A sync code of two symbols, a transmission ID of two symbols, and boundary information of two symbols according to the embodiment are added to the portion of one lateral train in Fig. 3(B), namely, 128 symbols of the coded image information and four symbols of the C 2 parity or to 132 symbols of all of the C 1 parities. One transmission block in which all of them are combined is shown in Fig. 3(A). One ECC block is constructed by 132 transmission blocks each comprising the image information, C 1 and C 2 parities, sync code, transmission ID, and boundary information in Fig. 3(A). When one picture plane of the image to be transmitted is coded so as to give ten ECC blocks, a transmission capacity 128 x 128 x 8 x 10 = 1,310,720 bits/image is given to the data which is allocated to the image information excluding the sync code and the like. That is, it is sufficient to compress and encode the image to be transmitted into about 11% of the original image data amount. In the case of performing the above compression for moving images in which, for instance, 30 images are transmitted per second, a transmission capacity 128 x 128 x 8 x 10 x 30 = 39,321,600 bits/sec is required. The transmission rate necessary to transmit all of the data including both the image information and additional information is equal to or larger than 138 x 132 x 8 x 10 x 30 = 43,718,400 bits/sec The sync code in Figs. 3(A) and 3(B) is used to detect the synchronisation of the transmission block and includes a predetermined fixed pattern. The transmission ID is data indicative of the consecutive number of the transmission block amongst the blocks necessary to transmit one image. In the embodiment, since the transmission ID consists of 16 bits, 2 16 = about 65000 transmission blocks can be identified by using the transmission ID. In the case of the embodiment, since the number of transmission blocks is set to 132 x 10 = 1320, it is sufficient to use only 11 bits. Figs. 4(A) and 4(B) show the relations between the boundary information (Fig. 4(B)) in the embodiment and the image information (Fig. 4(A)) in Figs. 3(A) and 3(B). For the image information which has been variable length compressed, the image information region of 128 symbols in Figs. 3(A) and 3(B) is divided into hutches (small rooms) each consisting of eight symbols, namely, every 64 bits. The boundary information obtained corresponds to the boundary of each one re-sync block of the image data before compression. Each bit of information represents one hutch. Therefore, a total of 16 bits of boundary information correspond to 16 hutches. For instance, as shown in Fig. 4(A), assuming that the boundaries of the re-sync blocks of the image to be transmitted exist at the fifth and thirteenth hutches from the left, a bit "1" is set to the fifth and thirteenth positions from the left of each bit of the boundary information corresponding to the above boundaries. (A bit "0" is set to the other portions). First, two symbols (16 bits) indicative of the re-sync block number of the first re-sync block is generated for the first re-sync block. The image compression information is then generated starting with the third symbol. Fig. 5 shows a transmission format of the compressed image data. The first re-sync block is DCT converted by the DCT converter 112 on a sub-block unit basis of (8 x 8) pixels by a construction shown in Fig. 6. After that, the DCT conversion coefficients are linearly quantised by the linear quantisation circuit 113. The quantisation step sizes differ for each coefficient which has been generated by DCT conversion. The quantisation step size for each conversion coefficient is set to a value in which the quantisation matrix elements of 8 x 8 shown at 114 have been multiplied by a scaling factor 2 S 115 in consideration of the difference of every conversion coefficient according to the visual sensitivity to the quantisation noise. S denotes a scaling factor and is set to 0 or a positive or negative integer. By variably setting the value of S, the picture quality and the generation data amount are controlled and the generation data amount is compressed to about 1/10. After completion of the quantisation, with respect to the DC component, a one-dimensional estimation is performed by the 1-dimensional estimation circuit 117 between the adjacent sub-blocks as a difference value from 0 in the first DCT sub-block. Further, the estimation error is Huffman coded by the Huffman coding circuit 118. That is, the quantization outputs of the estimation errors are classified into groups. The identification number of the group to which the estimation error belongs is Huffman coded. Further, information indicative of which value in the group is subsequently expressed by an equal length code. On the other hand, as for the AC component, the quantization output is zigzag scanned from the low frequency component to the high frequency component by the zigzag scan circuit 119. Fig. 7 shows a state of such a zigzag scan. The above scan output is encoded by the Huffman coding circuit 120. That is, the effective coefficients (that is, the coefficients other than "0") are classified to either one of a plurality of groups to which the values belong. The group ID number and the number of ineffective coefficients sandwiched between the effective conversion coefficient just before the ineffective coefficient and the next effective coefficient are constructed to one set. Such a set is Huffman coded. Subsequently, information indicative of which value in the group is expressed by an equal length code. The above coding operation is first executed for the first 40 DCT sub-blocks, namely, for the first re-sync block. The generated variable length codes are combined into symbols each of eight bits length and are used to construct the image information region of the transmission block. For the hutch (shown by * in Fig. 5) including the last bit of the information in which the 40 DCT sub-blocks are compressed, nothing is written into the remaining bits beyond the end of the data bits until the last bit of the hutch (capacity is set to 64 bits) is reached and these bits are set into an undefined bit state. A flag "1" is set in the boundary information for the hutch, at this time. Subsequently, for the second re-sync block, two symbols (16 bits), indicative of the number (re-sync block number) of the second re-sync block are generated from the beginning of the hutch next to the last hutch used by the first re-sync block. The image compression information is generated starting with the third symbol. With respect to the DC component, in the first DCT sub-block, the 1-dimensional estimation is executed between the adjacent sub-blocks as a differential value from 0 and the estimation errors are Huffman coded in a manner similar to the above. The quantisation outputs of the estimation errors are classified into groups. First, the ID number of the group to which the estimation error belongs is Huffman coded. Subsequently, information indicative of which value in the group is expressed by an equal length code. On the other hand, the quantisation output of the Ac component is zigzag scanned from the low frequency component to the high frequency component and is encoded. The generated variable length codes are each represented by a string of each of eight bits length and generated for the image information region of the transmission block. For the second re-sync block as well, for the hutch (shown by * in Fig. 5) including the last bit of the information in which the 40 DCT sub-blocks of the second re-sync block are compressed, nothing is written into the remaining bits of this hutch and undefined bits are set into these bits. A flag "1" is set into the boundary information for the hutch, at this time. The above processes are continued, until the last re-sync block has been processed, in a manner similar to the above. A construction of the apparatus on the decoding side will now be described. In Fig. 1, the data received from the transmission path 8 is first synchronised by the syc code detection unit 9. The attribute of the transmission synchronisation is detected on the basis of the ID by the transmission ID detection unit 10 and is once stored into the memory 11 after that. A memory capacity in the embodiment is equal to or larger than the compressed information amount of the target image. In the error correction unit 12, errors on the transmission path are detected by using the C 1 and C 2 parities in Figs. 3(A) and 3(B) and are corrected. The memory 11 has areas to store the image information in the data which is supplied through the transmission path 8 and the C 1 and C 2 parities. The memory 11 also has a memory controller C to control addresses in the memory area on the basis of the data detected by the sync code detection unit 9, transmission ID detection unit 10, and boundary information detection unit 13. With respect to the image information in the area to store the C 1 and C 2 parities, the error detection and correction unit 12 detects and corrects the errors. The operation of the memory 11 will now be described. First, with regard to the first re-sync block, since it is the beginning of the information, the image information is sent to the decoding unit at the post stage from the next third symbol from the first two symbols (re-sync block number). For the second re-sync block, the last hutch of the first re-sync block is detected by the boundary information detection unit 13 in the embodiment. The image information is sent to the decoding unit starting from the third symbol in the next hutch. The above operation is similarly executed with respect to the third and subsequent re-sync blocks. In the case where errors cannot be corrected in the error detection and correction unit 12 and only the error detection can be performed, it is sufficient to correct on the re-sync block unit basis mentioned above. For instance, it is sufficient to correct the error detected re-sync block by using the data of the adjacent re-sync blocks. Or, in the case of a moving image, it is sufficient to correct by using the data of the re-sync block corresponding to the previous picture plane on such a re-sync block unit. In brief, it is sufficient to perform the correction on a re-sync block unit basis. On the other hand, in the case where the quality of the transmission path deteriorates and the error detection and correction unit has performed the error correction while exceeding the error correcting capability, or in the case where the boundary information is broken, at a time point when the quality of the transmission path has been recovered, new boundary information is detected and the re-sync block number as first two symbols in the hutch next to the hutch for which a boundary flag has been set is read. Thus, the true re-sync block is returned and from this time point, a complete image can be reproduced. According to the embodiment as mentioned above, it is possible to provide an image coding apparatus in which the feature of the variable length coding method having an excellent compression efficiency is not lost, and even in the case where errors should happen to be mixed to the transmission path and the quality of the transmission path fairly deteriorates and the error detection and correction unit has performed the error correction while exceeding the error correcting capability, at a time point when the quality of the transmission path was recovered, by detecting new boundary information, the true re-sync block is returned and from this time point, a complete image can be reproduced, and an extremely good image is reproduced. Therefore, it is possible to provide an image coding apparatus having no error detection and correction unit for the transmission path such as an optical fibre of a high error quality for the purpose of reduction in costs of the apparatus. On the other hand, for the transmission path such as a satellite channel of a bad quality, it is possible to provide a small cheap image coding apparatus in which there is no need to assure a large redundant component such as parities to enhance the error detecting and correcting capability for the variable length coding and the substantial compression eficiency is not deteriorated. In the embodiment, although an example of the ADCT method has been described as a method of performing the variable length coding on a 2-dimensional block unit basis, the invention is not limited to such a method. Another method such as a method of arithmetically encoding by preprocessing after completion of orthogonal transformation also can be used so long as it is a method of performing variable length encoding on a 2-dimensional block unit basis. According to the embodiment described above, the invention has been described with respect to the image coding apparatus having the error detection and correction unit 12. However, the invention can be also obviously easily applied to an image coding apparatus having no error detection and correction unit which is used on the transmission path in which errors are very rarely mixed like an optical fibre. The invention is not limited to the coding apparatus of a moving image, a semi-movinq image, and a still image. The number of bits of the boundary information, the number of hutches, the method of dividing into hutches, the definition name, and the like are not particularly limited to those mentioned above. According to the embodiment, even in the case where errors should happen to be mixed with the compressed data, fluctuation of the image after the occurrence of errors is reduced and an image which is good in the human sense of sight can be reproduced. Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing a schematic construction of an image transmission reception system as a second embodiment of the invention. The second embodiment of the invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to Fig. 9. In Fig. 9, the component elements having the same functions as those in Fig. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. The analog image signal supplied from the input terminal 1 is converted into the digital signal by the A/D converter 2. The digital signal is subjected to the variable length compression coding process by the high efficiency coding unit 3 in a manner similar to the foregoing conventional apparatus. A sync code is inserted to a predetermined position of the compression encoded data train by the sync code addition unit 4. Further, the transmission ID addition unit 5 inserts additional information (transmission ID) regarding the transmission of the system, for instance, the sync block number into the data train. Reference numeral 7 denotes the circuit to produce the boundary information. As mentioned above, the boundary information shows the boundaries of the information (generation codes which have been variable length coded) of the respective regions in which one picture plane is divided into a plurality of regions. The boundary information is the significant information. An examination bit of the error detection code is added by an error detection coding circuit 213 and inserted into the data train. The error detection coding circuit 213 forms a second error detection or correction code of the second embodiment. Reference numeral 206 denotes an error correction coding circuit and executes the error correction coding to the boundary information and the compression coded image data (generation codes) in a manner similar to the parity addition unit 6 in Fig. 1. The error correction coding circuit 206 forms the first error detection or correction code of the embodiment. The parity examination bit of the error correction code is inserted from the error correction coding circuit 206 to a predetermined position of the data train mentioned above and is transmitted by the transmission path 8. As for a transmission path 8, as an immediate transmission path, it is possible to presume a transmission medium such as ground radio wave, light space, or the like of an optical fiber, satellite, microwave, or the like. As an accumulation transmission path, it is possible to presume a recording medium such as tape-shaped medium of a digital VTR, a DAT, or the like, disk-shaped medium such as floppy disk, optical disk, or the like, solid-state medium such as a semiconductor memory, etc., or the like. The transmission rate is determined by an original image information amount, a compression ratio, and a required transmission time and is set into various values within a range from tens of kbits/sec to tens of Mbits/sec. The data train received on the reception side through the transmission path 8 are supplied to the sync code detection unit 9 and the foregoing sync code is separated and detected. In the transmission ID detection unit 10, the foregoing transmission ID is detected and the detection of the attribute of each sync block or the like is performed. The boundary information detection unit 13 separates and detects the foregoing boundary information. The memory 11 stores the data train in accordance with the sync code and the transmission ID. The memory 11 has a capacity of one picture plane or more. To receive the moving image data, the memory needs to have a capacity of a plurality of picture planes or more. An error correction unit 212 accesses data in the memory 11 and the memory in the boundary information detection unit 13 and corrects code errors for the compression coded image data and the boundary information. It will be obviously understood that the above error correction is executed by using the examination bit added by the foregoing error correction coding circuit 206. On the other hand, an error detection unit 229 detects the code errors regarding the boundary information after completion of the error correcting process by using the examination bit added by the error detection coding unit 213. According to the embodiment as mentioned above, since double error correction and detection are performed for the boundary information, the reliability of the boundary information which is reconstructed at the reception side is improved. The boundary information detection unit 13 detects the boundaries of the compression coded data trains of block regions which are obtained by dividing one picture plane and supplies the detected boundary information to the memory 11. The high efficiency decoding unit 14 fetches only the variable length coded image data in accordance with the boundary information and expands and decodes to the digital image signal whose information amount (zone) is returned to the original amount. Then, the decoding unit 14 supplies the digital image signal to the D/A converter 15. Thus, the analog image signal is generated from an output terminal 16. When the variable length data is expanded and decoded in the high efficiency decoding unit 14, if the boundaries of the compressed data train of the respective divided regions are erroneously detected, the correct decoding process is not executed and the image cannot be reproduced. However, in the embodiment, error correction can be performed for the boundary information using an error correction code as mentioned above. Further, erroneous correction of the error correction code also can be detected by the error detection code. Thus, accurate boundary information can be reproduced at the reception side. The second embodiment will now be described mainly with respect to points which are different from the first embodiment. The data capacity and size of each of the sync blocks which are obtained by dividing the image of one picture plane are similar to those in the first embodiment. The second embodiment is characterized in that the transmission format described in Fig. 3 is modified as shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 8 shows a data transmission format in the system of the embodiment and, more particularly, shows a format of an error correction block (ECC block). According to the embodiment, as shown in the diagram, an examination (check) bit of the CRCC (Cyclic Redundancy Check Code) of one symbol (8 bits) is added to the boundary information of two symbols. The example in the case of using the double Reed Solomon code as an error correction code for the boundary information and the compression coded image information is shown. Fig. 8 shows a range of code word of the error detection code by the CRCC and a range of code word of the error correction code by an external code of the double Reed Solomon code. As will be obviously understood from Fig. 8, the CRCC examination bit of one symbol is added to the boundary information of two symbols. The other data construction is similar to that of Figs. 3(A) and 3(B). As mentioned above, in the error correction unit 206, the errors of the boundary information and the compressed image data are corrected. Further, in the error detection unit 229, the erros existing in the boundary information are detected even in the case where an overlook or an erroneous correction of the errors occurs in the correcting process of the error correction code. Therefore, only the correct boundary information can be accurately extracted, thereby preventing that the wrong boundary information is used in the decoding process of the compression code. In the embodiment, the code word is formed by adding the examination bit of the error detection code to the boundary information. The code word is formed by adding the examination bit of error correction code to the boundary information and the compressed image information generation code. However, a similar effect is also derived by forming the code word of the error correction code to any one of the boundary information and the compressed image information generation code. According to the embodiment as described above, the boundary information indicative of the position of the boundary of the generation code between the respective regions on the screen in each data block is transmitted as additional information, so that the correct decoding operation can be performed by reconstructing the boundary information upon decoding. Moreover, the boundary information can be strongly protected by not only the first error detection or correction code but also the second error detection or correction code of a short code word. Therefore, an adverse influence on the reproduced image in association with the generation of the code errors can be extremely reduced without largely increasing the redundancy degree.

Claims: An image signal encoding apparatus comprising: encoding means (3) for encoding image signal data for each one of a plurality of image blocks resulting from blockwise division of a picture represented by an image signal, and outputting image codes of a variable length; and data block forming means (4 to 7) for assembling a data block to include respective image codes; which encoding apparatus (1 to 7) is characterised in that: said data block forming means (4 to 7) includes boundary position encoding means (7), for adding at a predetermined position in said data block, a boundary information code to indicate a boundary between the image codes of image blocks obtained by the blockwise division of the picture. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image code part of said data block is divisible into hutch units and said boundary position encoding means (7) adds, as said boundary information code, a code indicating a boundary position expressed as a number of hutch units. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said data block forming means (4 to 7) includes bit insertion means operable to add a respective minimum number of indefinite bits to each respective image code, such that each image code with the additional respective number of bits shall have a bit length that is a respective integer multiple of hutch units. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said encoding means (3) is operable to perform the variable length encoding on a 2-dimensional sub-block unit basis by ADCT conversion. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said encoding means (3) is operable to perform the variable length encoding on a 2-dimensional sub-block unit basis following an orthogonal transformation. Apparatus according to either of claims 4 or 5 wherein each 2-dimensional sub-block corresponds to a respective 8 x 8 pixels area of the picture represented by the image signal data. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said data block forming means (4 to 7) includes parity encoding means (6;206) for adding a parity check code, for said data block, to said data block. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said data block forming means (2 to 7) includes additional check coding means (213) for adding an additional check code to said boundary information code for checking said boundary information code. Apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, including transmission frame assembly means (6,206) for assembling a transmission frame comprising a plurality of data blocks assembled by said data block forming means (4 to 7), together with a data block comprising parity check bits for each column of the transmission frame. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, including transmission or accumulation means (8) for transmitting or accumulating the encoded and assembled data for decoding. A method of encoding an image signal, comprising the following steps: encoding image signal data for each one of a plurality of image blocks resulting from blockwise division of a picture represented by said image signal data, and thereby outputting image codes of a variable length; and assembling a data block to include respective image codes; which method is characterised in that: said step of assembling includes adding, at a predetermined position of said data block, a boundary information code to indicate a boundary between the image codes of image blocks obtained by the blockwise division of the picture. A method according to claim 11, wherein said step of assembling includes adding, as said boundary information code, a code indicating boundary position expressed as a number of hutch units. A method according to claim 12, wherein said step of assembling includes adding to each respective image code a respective minimum number of indefinite bits such that each respective image code with the additional respective number of bits shall have a bit length that is a respective integer multiple of hutch units. A method according to any preceding claim 11 to 13, wherein said step of compressing and encoding the image signal data is performed by ADCT conversion of 2-dimensional sub-block units of the picture represented by the image signal data. A method according to any preceding claim 11 to 13, wherein said step of compressing and encoding the image signal data is performed by variable length encoding on a 2-dimensional sub-block unit basis following orthogonal transformation. A method according to either preceding claim 14 or 15, wherein each 2-dimensional sub-block corresponds to a respective 8 x 8 pixels area of the picture represented by the image signal data. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said step of assembling the data block includes adding a parity check code, for said data block, to said data block. A method according to claim 17, wherein said step of assembling the data block includes adding an additional check code to said boundary information code for checking said boundary information code. A method according to either claim 17 or 18, including a step of assembling a transmission frame comprising a plurality of data blocks assembled by said data block forming means (4 to 7), together with a data block comprising parity check bits for each column of the transmission frame. A method according to any preceding claim, including a step of transmitting or accumulating the encoded and assembled data for decoding. An image signal decoding apparatus for decoding transmitted or accumulated data encoded and assembled by the apparatus of any of claims 1 to 10, comprising: boundary information code detecting means (13) for detecting each boundary information code and for determining therefrom each respective boundary indicated thereby; and decoding means (11,14) co-operable with said boundary information code detecting means (13) for decoding each respective variable length image code from a starting position determined in dependance on the position of the respective boundary indicated by said boundary information code detecting means (13). Apparatus according to claim 21, including: boundary information code error detection means (229) for detecting a boundary information code check code; and boundary information code error correction means (212), responsive to said boundary information code error detection means (229) for correcting any error in said boundary information code identified using said boundary information code check code. A method of decoding an image signal transmitted or accumulated following encoding and assembly by the method of any of claims 11 to 20, comprising the following steps: detecting each boundary information code and identifying therefrom each respective boundary indicated thereby; and decoding each respective variable length image code from a starting position determined in dependance on the position of the respective boundary indicated by each respective boundary information code. A method according to claim 23, including correcting an error in any boundary information code on the basis of error detection of a respective check code specific to each boundary information code. A system for encoding and decoding an image signal comprised of: an image signal encoding apparatus of any of claims 1 to 10; transmission path means (8); and an image signal decoding apparatus of either of claims 21 or 22. A method of encoding and decoding an image signal comprising: the steps of any one of the methods of claims 11 to 20; a step of transmitting or accumulating data encoded and assembled by that method; and the steps of either one of the methods of claims 23 or 24. A transmitted or recorded image signal including: variable length image codes obtained by compression encoding image signal data for each one of a plurality of image blocks resulting from blockwise division of a picture represented by the image signal data; characterised by: boundary information codes each indicating a boundary between image codes of image blocks obtained by the blockwise division of the picture, which boundary information codes and variable length image codes have been assembled into a transmission block with the boundary information codes added at predetermined positions of the transmission block, whereby the respective start positions of each variable length image code are determinable upon reception of the transmitted image signal or upon reproduction of the recorded image signal in relation to the respective boundaries indicated by the respective boundary information codes. A method of producing a recording medium on which encoded image signal is recorded, comprising steps of: encoding an image signal by the method of claim 11; and recording the encoded image signal on a recording medium.

Inventors: ENARI MASAHIKO, SHIKAKURA AKIHIRO, ENARI, MASAHIKO, SHIKAKURA, AKIHIRO, ENARI, MASAHIKO, C/O CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SHIKAKURA, AKIHIRO, C/O CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Applicants: CANON KK, CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H04N7
IPC codes: H04N7, G06T9, G11B20, H03M13