Patent Document ID: 7573488
Application ID: 11200805
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of storing image data of a picture in a plurality of levels, each level corresponding to a specific resolution level of the image data, said method comprising: receiving an element of the picture for storing on one of the plurality of levels of image data; wherein each level of the plurality of levels comprises a set of subpictures having an amount of image data resolution that is different from an amount of image data resolution at other levels, each said level having a different number of subpictures; wherein the set of subpictures in each said level of the plurality of levels is operable to cover an entire coordinate space of the picture without overlap; identifying a subpicture in a lowest one of the plurality of levels in which the received element may be placed, wherein the lowest level represents a lowest resolution of image data, and wherein each subpicture stores a predetermined maximum amount of elements; determining whether the identified subpicture has previously been loaded; if the identified subpicture is determined not to have been loaded, loading the identified subpicture; placing the received element in the identified subpicture; determining if a number of elements in the identified subpicture exceeds the predetermined maximum; if the number of elements in the identified subpicture exceeds the predetermined maximum, identifying a number of overlapping subpictures, in a higher one of the plurality of levels, into which the received element may be placed, wherein the higher level represents a higher resolution of image data than the lowest level, and wherein the subpicture in the higher level is capable of storing a larger number of elements than the subpicture in the lowest level; and wherein each subpicture of the plurality of subpictures is created by successively filling a limited predetermined size of memory with image data.