Image processing method and image processing apparatus

An image processing method comprising:

• a calculation step of calculating a size of partial area requested by a transmission destination;
• and
• a transmission step of transmitting encoded data encoded by dividing an image into a plurality of tiles,
• wherein the encoding step includes:
• transmitting, when the size is smaller than a reference, encoded data corresponding to the partial area in encoded data obtained by dividing the image to have a first number of tiles;
• and
• transmitting, when the size is larger than the reference, encoded data corresponding to the partial area in encoded data obtained by dividing the image to have a second number of tiles smaller than the first number of tiles.

An image processing method in a server/client system in which a server fragmentarily transmits encoded data which is hierarchically encoded by dividing an image into a plurality of tiles in response to a request from a client, wherein

• the server comprises:
• a reception step of receiving a request to display a predetermined area of the image requested from the client;
• an analysis step of analyzing the received request;
• a calculation step of calculating an occupation ratio of a displayed area of the image requested from the client to an entire image on the basis of the analysis result of the request;
• a generation step of generating second encoded data which is hierarchically encoded by dividing the image to have a second number of tiles, and has a different number of divided tiles from first encoded data which is held by the server and is hierarchically encoded by dividing the image to have a first number of tiles;
• a selection step of selecting, when the ratio is not more than a predetermined value, encoded data encoded by dividing the image to have a larger number of tiles of the first and second encoded data, and selecting, when the ratio is not less than the predetermined value, encoded data encoded by dividing the image to have a smaller number of tiles of the first and second encoded data;
• an extraction step of extracting encoded data corresponding to the displayed area from the selected encoded data;
• and
• a transmission step of transmitting the extracted encoded data to the client.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• calculation means for calculating an occupation ratio of a partial area requested by a transmission destination to an entire image;
• and
• transmission means for transmitting encoded data encoded by dividing the image into a plurality of tiles,
• wherein when the ratio is not more than a predetermined value, said encoding means transmits encoded data corresponding to the partial area in encoded data obtained by dividing the image to have a first number of tiles;
• and
• when the ratio is not less than the predetermined value, said encoding means transmits encoded data corresponding to the partial area in encoded data obtained by dividing the image to have a second number of tiles smaller than the first number of tiles.

An image processing apparatus comprising:

• calculation means for calculating a size of partial area requested by a transmission destination;
• and
• transmission means for transmitting encoded data encoded by dividing an image into a plurality of tiles,
• wherein when the size is smaller than a reference, said encoding means transmits encoded data corresponding to the partial area in encoded data obtained by dividing the image to have a first number of tiles;
• and
• when the size is larger than the reference, said encoding means transmits encoded data corresponding to the partial area in encoded data obtained by dividing the image to have a second number of tiles smaller than the first number of tiles.

An image processing apparatus which fragmentarily transmits encoded data which is hierarchically encoded by dividing an image into a plurality of tiles in response to a request from another apparatus, comprising:

• reception means for receiving a request to display a predetermined area of the image requested from the other apparatus;
• analysis means for analyzing the received request;
• calculation means for calculating an occupation ratio of a displayed area of the image requested from the other apparatus to an entire image on the basis of the analysis result of the request;
• holding means for holding first encoded data which is hierarchically encoded by dividing the image to have a first number of tiles;
• generation means for generating second encoded data which is hierarchically encoded by dividing the image to have a second number of tiles different from the number of divided tiles of the first encoded data;
• selection means for, when the ratio is not more than a predetermined value, selecting encoded data encoded by dividing the image to have a larger number of tiles of the first and second encoded data, and for, when the ratio is not less than the predetermined value, selecting encoded data encoded by dividing the image to have a smaller number of tiles of the first and second encoded data;
• extraction means for extracting encoded data corresponding to the displayed area from the selected encoded data;
• and
• transmission means for transmitting the extracted encoded data to the other apparatus.