Patent ID: 8457427

Claim:
A method for processing a variable length code encoded image having a plurality of scan lines, each scan line having a number of original code blocks having a differentially encoded parameter, the method comprising: defining a subarea of the image having parts of a number of the scan lines; extracting the subarea; generating a set of auxiliary code blocks, wherein a first of the auxiliary code blocks having an auxiliary parameter based on the differentially encoded parameter of a first code block of a first scan line in the subarea, wherein a second of the auxiliary code blocks having an auxiliary differentially encoded parameter based on the differentially encoded parameter in a last code block of the first scan line in the subarea; associating the set of auxiliary code blocks with original code blocks of the subarea; wherein the generating further comprises: generating alignment data relating to a specific code word, wherein the alignment data is based on a number of excluded bits included in the specific code word; and inserting the alignment data in an auxiliary code block associated with the specific code word; and wherein the specific code word is the first code block of the first scan line.