Patent ID: 8406314

Claim:
A method of processing a pixel of an array of pixels, the pixels each comprised of a plurality of pixel components, the method comprising: buffering a first set of pixels according to a first array scan direction; buffering a second set of pixels according to a second array scan direction; encoding a current pixel for buffering to become a member of the second set of pixels, wherein, for each current pixel component, the encoding comprises: predicting a current pixel component based on a pixel component of a last buffered pixel of the second set of pixels and a pixel component of at least one pixel of the first set of pixels proximate to the current pixel; differencing the predicted current pixel component and the current pixel component to generate a current pixel component difference; and if the current pixel component difference exceeds a threshold, then quantizing each current pixel component of the current pixel to generate a quantized current pixel and combining the quantized current pixel with a pulse code modulation (PCM) indicator indicating a coding mode for transmission; and if the current pixel component difference does not exceed the threshold, then determining a set of magnitudes of differenced buffered pixel components of the first set of pixels and the second set of pixels; determining the quantization parameter of the current pixel for buffering, the determining based on: selecting the larger in magnitude of the determined set of pixel component magnitudes and coding modes of one or more previously quantized neighboring pixels wherein the coding modes of the one or more previously quantized neighboring pixels is concatenated to determine a quantization step; and quantizing each current pixel component difference, based on the determined quantization parameter and the determined quantization step, to generate a quantized current pixel difference, and combining the quantized current pixel difference with a differential pulse code modulation (DPCM) indicator indicating a coding mode for transmission.