Ess Technology, Inc.

Divio, Inc.

Sophia Wei-Chun Kao

Ren-Yuh Wang

Der-Ren Chu

Kang-Huai Wang

Tony Hung-Yao Wu

Wei-Chun Lee

Chia-Hung Chen

An apparatus for edge enhancement of a digital image provided as raw digital image data to an input terminal and for providing processed image data to an output terminal. An offset processing circuit is coupled to the input terminal and configured to receive the raw data and generate offset data. An interpolation circuit is coupled to the offset processing circuit and configured to receive the offset data and to provide interpolated data. A color processing circuit is coupled to the interpolation circuit and configured to process the interpolated data to generate color data. An edge enhancement circuit is coupled to the interpolation circuit and the color processing circuit and configured to enhance the edges of the image based on the interpolated data and the color data to generate enhanced data. A lookup table is coupled to the color processing circuit and the edge enhancement circuit and configured to lookup the color data and the enhanced data to generate lookup data. A conversion circuit is coupled to the lookup table circuit and configured to convert the lookup data to generate the processed image data to the output terminal. In one aspect of the invention the processing is performed with RGB data, and in another aspect of the invention the processing is performed with YUV data. In another embodiment of the invention the edge enhancement circuit includes an edge extraction circuit, a cut-off level adjustment circuit and an edge gain scaling circuit. These circuits are used to define the edge of objects in the image and to enhance their respective edges. Advantages of the present invention include correctly locating object edges, and avoiding artifacts when the edges are enhanced. Consequently, the invention provides an improved image edge enhancement technique over conventional edge processors.

Method and apparatus for edge enhancement in digital images

An image compression apparatus for compressing image data provided to an input terminal and providing compressed data to an output terminal includes a 4&times;4 weighted digital cosine transformer (DCT) coupled to the input terminal and configured to convert the image data into weighted frequency data. A zigzag circuit is coupled to the DCT and configured to zigzag process the frequency data and generate create zigzag data. A Q-factor estimator is coupled to the DCT and configured to estimate the frequency data and generate a Q-factor. A DC coding circuit is coupled to the zigzag circuit and configured to code the zigzag data and generate a DC code. A quantization circuit is coupled to the zigzag circuit and the Q-factor estimator and configured to quantize the zigzag data based on the Q-factor and generate quantized data. A run-length coding circuit coupled to the DC coding circuit and the quantization circuit and configured to encode the quantized data to create variable length data as the compressed data to the output terminal. In this manner, the original image is compressed. While the invention is described with reference to specific hardware, the invention can also be implemented in software employing the functions as described herein. Advantages of the present invention include an image compression technique that is both fast and efficient. Additionally, the invention provides a fast and efficient image compression technique that can be applied to moving images.

Method and apparatus for image compression

Growing community of inventors

Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Sophia Wei-Chun Kao