Method for syntactically analyzing a bit stream using a schema and a method of generating a bit stream based thereon

A method of generating an instance of a schema,

• the instance constituting a tree-like representation of encoded image data,
• the schema generically describing the format of the representation and comprising a plurality of elements for which elements the format describes a name and type of data,
• the method comprising:
• accessing the image;
• coding the image, according to predetermined coding parameters, thereby generating a bit stream and the instance by linking the portions of the bit stream which correspond to the elements;
• the method being characterized in that:
• the schema includes a special element related to the coding parameters of the coding method;
• and
• the instance includes explicit information linked to the special element,
• the explicit information also being embedded in the bit stream and which relating to the coding parameters.

A method of generating an adapted bit stream from an original bit stream,

• the bit stream being encoded image data, the encoding being performed according to predetermined coding parameters,
• the method comprising:
• receiving the original bit stream and an instance of a schema which contains data found in the original bit stream, the instance constituting a tree-like representation,
• generating an adapted instance of the schema;
• and
• generating the adapted bit stream from the adapted instance, the method being characterized in that:
• the instance includes explicit information on the coding parameters;
• and
• generating an adapted instance exploits the explicit information.

An image coding apparatus, comprising:

• means for reading an image;
• means for inputting coding parameters;
• a hardware portion being configured for encoding the read image according to the coding parameters, thereby generating a bit stream;
• and
• the coding apparatus being provided for generating an instance of a schema,
• the schema generically describing the format of the representation and comprising a plurality of elements for which elements the format describes a name and type of data,
• the instance constituting a tree-like representation of the encoded image data and containing links between portions of the bit stream with the elements
• the apparatus being characterized in that:
• the schema includes a special element related to the coding parameters;
• and
• the instance includes explicit information about the coding parameters linked to the special element.

A terminal, comprising:

• means for receiving a first bit stream, the bit stream being encoded image data, the encoding being performed according to predetermined coding parameters;
• means for receiving or generating an instance of a schema which contains the data found in the first bit stream and which constitutes a tree-like representation;
• a hardware portion being configured for generating an adapted instance of the schema and for generating an adapted bit stream from the adapted instance,
• the terminal being characterized in that:
• the instance includes explicit information on the coding parameters;
• and
• the hardware portion being configured for generating an adapted instance by exploiting the explicit information.

A method of generating an adapted bit stream from an original bit stream, the method comprising:

• receiving the original bit stream;
• syntactically analyzing the original bit stream containing data which have a structure according to a certain format, the analyzing step generating a tree-like representation of the original bit stream;
• the method comprising:
• reading a schema generically describing the format, the schema comprising a plurality of elements for which the format describes a name and type of data, and a special element associated with information related to the coding method;
• searching in the original bit stream for the data that correspond to the elements including the special element contained in the schema;
• generating an instance of the schema which contains the data found in the original bit stream and which constitutes the tree-like representation, the instance further including explicit information, which is embedded in the original bit stream;
• generating an adapted instance of the schema, the adaptation process exploiting the explicit information;
• and
• generating the adapted bit stream from the adapted instance.

A method of generating an instance of a schema,

• the instance constituting a tree-like representation of a bit stream being the result of applying a coding method on at least a portion of an image, wherein in the bit stream a plurality of packets can be distinguished,
• the schema generically describing the format of the representation and comprising a plurality of elements for which the format describes a name and type of data,
• the method comprising:
• accessing the image;
• coding the image,
• thereby generating a bit stream and the instance by linking the portions of the bit stream which correspond to the elements;
• the method being characterized in that:
• the schema includes a special element related to packet position information as defined by the coding method;
• and
• the instance includes an additional attribute for the packets, the additional attribute indicating the position of the packet in the bit stream, the position being defined by the coding method.

An image coding apparatus, comprising:

• means for reading an image;
• a hardware portion being configured for encoding the read image according to the coding parameters, thereby generating a bit stream, comprising a plurality of packets;
• and
• the coding apparatus being provided for generating an instance of a schema,
• the schema generically describing the format of the representation and comprising a plurality of elements for which it describes a name and type of data,
• the instance constituting a tree-like representation of the encoded image data and containing links between portions of the bit stream with the elements,
• the apparatus being characterized in that
• the schema includes a special element related to packet positions in the bit stream;
• and
• the instance includes attributes for the packets indicating the packets position within the bit stream, the attributes being linked with the special element.

A method of generating an adapted bit stream from an original bit stream,

• the original bit stream being the result of applying a coding method on at least a portion of an image, wherein in the original bit stream a plurality of packets are provided
• the method comprising:
• receiving the original bit stream;
• syntactically analyzing the original bit stream containing data which have a structure according to a certain format, the analyzing step generating a tree-like representation of the original bit stream and comprising:
• reading a schema for generically describing the format, comprising a plurality of elements for which it describes a name and type of data, and a special element related to information, related to the coding method;
• searching in the original bit stream for the data that correspond to the elements including the special element contained in the schema;
• generating an instance of the schema which contains the data found in the original bit stream and which constitutes the tree-like representation, the instance further including an additional attribute for the packets, the additional attribute indicating the position of the packet in the original bit stream;
• generating an adapted instance of the schema, the adaptation process exploiting the additional attribute;
• and
• finally generating the adapted bit stream from the adapted instance.

A image displaying terminal, comprising:

• an image display;
• indicator means for indicate which portion of the image is to be displayed on the image display;
• a means for accessing a bit stream and an instance of a schema, which constitutes a tree-like representation of the bit stream, the instance containing the data found in bit stream, the bit stream being the result of applying a coding method to at least a portion of an image, the bit stream further comprising a plurality of packets;
• a hardware part being configured to receive inputs from the indicator means,
• the hardware part being characterized in that it selects packets based on the indicator means input from the bit stream by using an additional attribute provided by the instance, the additional attribute indicating the position of the packet in the bit stream in accordance with a predefined scanning procedure related to the coding method.