Lossless region of interest coding

Abstract

In a method and a device for transmission of S+P transform coded digitized images a mask is calculated by means of which a region of interest (ROI) can be transmitted lossless whereby the ROI can be transmitted and received lossless and still maintaining a good compression ratio for the image as a whole. This is possible since no or very few bits can be used for the remaining part of the image. The calculated mask can also be used for transmitting the coefficients needed for a lossless region of interest during any stage of the transmission.

1 - 10 . (Canceled).  
     
     
         11 . A method of receiving and decompressing an image including at least one Region of Interest (ROI), comprising: 
 requesting the image;    reading information from a received code stream describing the ROI in the image;    using the information to identify wavelet transform coefficients needed to reconstruct the ROI; and    transforming the identified wavelet transform coefficients into an image domain using a wavelet transform to obtain a lossless reconstruction of the ROI.    
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the image is requested with a specified ROI instead of reading the ROI's shape and position from the code stream.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 requesting a new ROI during or after receiving the image.    
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein remaining transform coefficients are received after the ROI is received.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein transform coefficients that do not belong to the ROI are received interleaved with the transform coefficients that belong to the ROI.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the wavelet transform is an S+P transform.  
     
     
         17 . A device for receiving and decompressing an image including at least one Region of Interest (ROI), comprising electronic circuitry configured to perform the following tasks: 
 request the image;    read information from a received code stream describing the ROI in the image;    use the information to identify wavelet transform coefficients needed to reconstruct the ROI; and    transform the identified wavelet transform coefficients into an image domain using a wavelet transform to obtain a lossless reconstruction of the ROI.    
     
     
         18 . A device according to  claim 17 , wherein the image is requested with a specified ROI instead of reading the ROI's shape and position from the code stream.  
     
     
         19 . A device according to  claim 17 , wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to request a new ROI during or after receiving the image.  
     
     
         20 . A device according to  claim 17 , wherein remaining transform coefficients are received after the one ROI is received.  
     
     
         21 . A device according to  claim 17 , wherein the transform coefficients that do not belong to the ROI are received interleaved with the transform coefficients that belong to the ROI.  
     
     
         22 . A device according to  claim 17 , wherein the wavelet transform is an S+P transform.  
     
     
         23 . A device for receiving and decompressing an image including at least one Region of Interest (ROI), comprising: 
 means for requesting the image;    means for reading information from a received code stream describing the ROI in the image;    means for using the information to identify wavelet transform coefficients needed to reconstruct the ROI; and    means for transforming the identified wavelet transform coefficients into an image domain using a wavelet transform to obtain a lossless reconstruction of the ROI.    
     
     
         24 . A device according to  claim 23 , wherein the means for requesting requests the image with a specified ROI instead of reading the ROI shape and position from the code stream.  
     
     
         25 . A device according to  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 means for requesting a new ROI during or after receiving the image.    
     
     
         26 . A device according to  claim 23 , wherein remaining transform coefficients are received after the one ROI is received.  
     
     
         27 . A device according to  claim 23 , wherein the transform coefficients that do not belong to the ROI are received interleaved with the transform coefficients that belong to the ROI.  
     
     
         28 . A device according to  claim 23 , wherein the wavelet transform is an S+P transform.  
     
     
         29 . A method for lossless transmission of a region of interest, comprising: 
 wavelet transforming an image that includes a region of interest;    selecting wavelet transform coefficients from the wavelet transformed image corresponding to the ROI;    calculating an ROI mask of wavelet transform coefficients using the selected wavelet transform coefficients; and    transmitting the ROI mask to a receiver,    wherein the ROI mask permits the receiver to reconstruct the ROI losslessly.    
     
     
         30 . The method in  claim 29 , wherein the ROI coefficients are transmitted before remaining transform coefficients are transmitted.  
     
     
         31 . The method in  claim 29 , wherein after starting transmission of the ROI mask, the method further comprising: 
 formulating a new ROI;    selecting new wavelet transform coefficients from the wavelet transformed image corresponding to the new ROI;    calculating a new ROI mask of wavelet transform coefficients using the new wavelet transform coefficients; and    transmitting the new ROI mask to a receiver.    
     
     
         32 . The method in  claim 29 , wherein the wavelet transform is an S+P transform.  
     
     
         33 . An apparatus for lossless transmission of a region of interest (ROI), comprising: 
 means for wavelet transforming an image that includes a region of interest;    means for selecting wavelet transform coefficients from the wavelet transformed image corresponding to the ROI;    means for calculating an ROI mask of wavelet transform coefficients using the selected wavelet transform coefficients; and    means for transmitting the ROI mask to a receiver,    wherein the ROI mask permits the receiver to reconstruct the ROI losslessly.    
     
     
         34 . The apparatus in  claim 33 , wherein the means for transmitting transmits the ROI coefficients before transmitting remaining transform coefficients.  
     
     
         35 . The apparatus in  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 means for formulating a new ROI;    means for selecting new wavelet transform coefficients from the wavelet transformed image corresponding to the new ROI;    means for calculating a new ROI mask of wavelet transform coefficients using the new wavelet transform coefficients; and    means for transmitting the new ROI mask to a receiver.    
     
     
         36 . The apparatus in  claim 33 , wherein the wavelet transform is an S+P transform.  
     
     
         37 . An apparatus for lossless transmission of a region of interest (ROI), comprising electronic circuitry configured to perform the following tasks: 
 wavelet transform an image that includes a region of interest;    select wavelet transform coefficients from the wavelet transformed image corresponding to the ROI;    calculate an ROI mask of wavelet transform coefficients using the selected wavelet transform coefficients; and    transmit the ROI mask to a receiver,    wherein the ROI mask permits the receiver to reconstruct the ROI losslessly.    
     
     
         38 . The apparatus in  claim 37 , wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to transmit the ROI coefficients before transmitted remaining transform coefficients.  
     
     
         39 . The apparatus in  claim 37 , wherein the electronic circuitry is configured to: 
 formulate a new ROI;    select new wavelet transform coefficients from the wavelet transformed image corresponding to the new ROI;    calculate a new ROI mask of wavelet transform coefficients using the new wavelet transform coefficients; and    transmit the new ROI mask to a receiver.    
     
     
         40 . The apparatus in  claim 37 , wherein the wavelet transform is an S+P transform.