Patent ID: 6897977

Claim:
A method for compressing image data corresponding to an image comprising a plurality of pixels defining a grid, each pixel having at least one component value, comprising: dividing the grid into at least one rectangular area; for each rectangular area; dividing the rectangular area into a number of triangles, each triangle defining a boundary comprising three edges; for each of triangle: identifying the vertices of the triangle; determining predicted pixel component values for at least a portion of the pixels enclosed within and/or on the boundary of the triangle; comparing the predicted pixel component values with actual values of said at least one component value to determine if a similarity threshold is met; processing a next triangle if the similarity threshold is met, otherwise, dividing the triangle into two new triangles, each defining a boundary and comprising three edges; and reiteratively repeating identifying the vertices, predicting pixel component values, and comparing actual and predicted pixel component values to determine if a similarity threshold is met for each existing triangle and any new triangles that are created; and generating compressed image data defining each triangle that is created and actual and predicted pixel component values within the triangle.