Patent ID: 7515757

Claim:
A method for managing storage space in a storage medium of digital terminal equipment for data storage of images according to a prioritized pixel transmission method, wherein each image is stored in a data file that consists of an array of individual image pixels, wherein each pixel has a pixel value that describes the color or brightness information of the pixel, the method comprising the following steps: a. determining a priority value for each pixel of the array by calculating a pixel difference value based on the given pixel value of the pixel in relation to the pixel values of a previously selected group of neighboring pixels, the priority values indicating the relative importance of the respective pixels to the image; b. grouping the pixels that are used for calculating the priority value into a pixel group; c. sorting pixel groups of the image array based on their priority values; d. saving multiple data files with pixel groups sorted by priority (P 1 , P 2 , . . . , Pn) on the storage medium; e. selecting a lower priority threshold value (Pu) and an upper priority threshold value (Po), wherein the priority threshold values indirectly indicate how much information content of a file is stored on the storage medium, the lower priority threshold means that a greater number of pixel groups are available for reconstruction of the image, and the upper priority threshold means that a fewer number of pixel groups are available for reconstruction of the image; f. storing files in the form of their pixel groups having priority values between the highest priority (P 1 ) and a priority corresponding to the selected lower priority threshold value (Pu) until the available storage space of the storage medium has been filled; g. increasing the lower priority threshold value (Pu) by one priority level; h. deleting pixel groups with a lower priority than that of the current priority threshold value (Pu) on the storage medium when additional storage space is needed on the storage medium to create freed storage space; and i. using the freed storage space in the storage medium for storing further data.