The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 23, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 02, 1997
Applicant:
Inventors:
Tetsuo Tanaka, Kasuga, JP;
Seiichiro Hiratsuka, Kitakyushu, JP;
Assignee:
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06K / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
382232 ;
Abstract
An image with multiple gradations is divided into a plurality of pixel blocks each of which comprises a plurality of pixels. Pixel data of the pixel block are compressed to two representing values indicative of pixel levels and a binary block pattern by block approximation coding. Representing patterns of which the number is less than that of the block patterns are set previously. A plurality of block patterns having a specific relationship with one of the representing patterns are replaced with the one of the representing patterns, so that the block patterns are compressed.