Segmentation based image compression system

摘要

An image processing system encodes a natural image into a segmented or mosaic image having well-defined edges and a residual image. The segmented image is encoded using a lossless encoding technique while the residual image is encoded using a lossy technique. This encoded image may be recorded on a video tape such that the segmented image may be recovered in picture-in-shuttle modes such as fast forward and fast rewind. In addition, the recorded image may be decoded and reencoded through several generational levels without experiencing significant degradation in perceived image quality. The segmented image is produced by an encoder which employs a multi-scale edge finder that is able to resolve transitions occurring over two, four and eight pixels into an edge located between two pixels. In addition, the lossless encoder includes circuitry which chain-encodes the segmented image into a low-resolution image and multiple complementary images such that the low-resolution image may be stored as a single data packet and, thus, recovered as a unit from the tape in picture-in-shuttle mode.