Patent ID: 7627185

Claim:
An image processing apparatus for hierarchically compressing and coding image data by subjecting pixel values of the image data to a discrete wavelet transform, quantization and coding for each of one or a plurality of rectangular regions into which the image data is divided, the image processing apparatus comprising: a hierarchical coding unit to compress and code the image data in a state where the image data is divided for each hierarchical layer, to obtain compressed codes, wherein the hierarchical coding unit comprises: a first-level coding unit to receive the image data and to create the compressed codes of a first hierarchical layer; and a second-level coding unit to receive a sub-band of the first hierarchical layer from the first-level coding unit and to create the compressed codes of a second hierarchical layer, wherein the second hierarchical layer is a lower hierarchical layer than the first hierarchical layer; and a distributively storing unit to distributively store the compressed codes that are divided for each hierarchical layer by the hierarchical coding unit, wherein the distributively storing unit comprises: a first-level storing unit to store the compressed codes of the first hierarchical layer, without the compressed codes of the second hierarchical layer, in a first computer; and a second-level storing unit to separately store the compressed codes of the second hierarchical layer, without the compressed codes of the first hierarchical layer, in a second computer.