# US 2018/0324427 A1 · Quantization partitioning for enhanced image compression > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0324427 A1 - Document ID: US20180324427A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/586,420 - Filed: 2017-05-04 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-04 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: HYE-YEON CHEONG; MOHAMMED GOLAM SARWER; ALI TABATABAI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180324427A1 ## CPC - H04N 19/124: Quantisation - H04N 19/146: Data rate or code amount at the encoder output - H04N 19/176: the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock - H04N 19/18: the unit being a set of transform coefficients - H04N 19/186: the unit being a colour or a chrominance component - H04N 19/60: using transform coding - H04N 19/119: Adaptive subdivision aspects, e.g. subdivision of a picture into rectangular or non-rectangular coding blocks - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image-processing apparatus and method for quantization partitioning for enhanced image compression, includes storage of an input image in a first storage space having a first storage access bandwidth. The image-processing apparatus selects a plurality of QP values from a defined QP range for a first block of a plurality of blocks of the input image. The plurality of QP values are selected from the defined QP range based on defined criteria. The image-processing apparatus is configured to encode, by the selected plurality of QP values, the first block to generate an encoded bit stream of the first block. The encoded bit stream of the first block is storable in a reduced second storage space in the memory with a reduced second storage access bandwidth. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image-processing apparatus for image compression, comprising: a memory configured to store an input image in a first storage space having a first storage access bandwidth; and one or more circuits configured to: partition said stored input image into a plurality of blocks; select a plurality of quantization parameters (QPs) from a defined QP range for a first block of said plurality of blocks based on defined criteria; and encode, by said selected plurality of QP values, said first block to generate an encoded bit stream of said first block storable in a reduced second storage space in said memory with a reduced second storage access bandwidth. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said defined criteria for said selection of said plurality of QPs is based on further partition of said first block into a plurality of sub-blocks. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image-processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said one or more circuits are further configured to control said selection of said plurality of QP values from said defined QP range based on a defined value and a difference between two QP values of said selected plurality of QP values. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said defined criteria for said selection of said plurality of QPs is based on a plurality of color components associated with said first block. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said defined criteria for said selection of said plurality of QPs is based on application of a transform type on said first block to generate transformed coefficients. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image-processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said defined criteria for said selection of said plurality of QPs is further based on a frequency of said generated transformed coefficients of said first block. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said encoded bit stream of said first block is generated by a sequential encoding scheme that comprises a sequential application of transform coding, followed by quantization coding, predictive coding, and entropy coding. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image-processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said quantization coding is applied on a result of said transform coding of said first block, based on said selected plurality of QP values. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits are further configured to encode said selected plurality of QP values of said first block by a fixed length code or a variable length code, to generate a plurality of encoded QP values. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The image-processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits are further configured to signal said generated plurality of encoded QP values in said generated encoded bit stream of said first block, to a decoder that receives said encoded bit stream of said first block for decompression. ### Claim 11 An image-processing method for image compression, comprising: storing, by one or more circuits, an input image in a first storage space having a first storage access bandwidth in a memory; partitioning, by said one or more circuits, said stored input image into a plurality of blocks; selecting, by said one or more circuits, a plurality of quantization parameters (QPs) from a defined QP range for a first block of said plurality of blocks based on a defined criteria; and encoding, by said one or more circuits, said first block, by said selected plurality of QP values, to generate an encoded bit stream of said first block storable in a reduced second storage space in said memory with a reduced second storage access bandwidth. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The image-processing method according to claim 11, wherein said defined criteria for said selection of said plurality of QPs is based on further partition of said first block into a plurality of sub-blocks. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The image-processing method according to claim 11, further comprising controlling, by said one or more circuits, said selection of said plurality of QP values from said defined QP range based on a defined value and at least an absolute value, wherein said absolute value corresponds to a difference between two QP values of said selected plurality of QP values. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The image-processing method according to claim 11, wherein said defined criteria for said selection of said plurality of QPs is based on a plurality of color components associated with said first block. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The image-processing method according to claim 11, wherein said defined criteria for said selection of said plurality of QPs is based on application of a transform type on said first block to generate transformed coefficients. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The image-processing method according to claim 15, wherein said defined criteria for said selection of said plurality of QPs is further based on a frequency of said generated transformed coefficients of said first block. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The image-processing method according to claim 11, wherein said encoded bit stream of said first block is generated by a sequential encoding scheme that comprises a sequential application of transform coding, followed by quantization coding, predictive coding, and entropy coding. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The image-processing method according to claim 17, wherein said quantization coding is applied on a result of said transform coding of said first block, based on said selected plurality of QP values. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The image-processing method according to claim 11, further comprising encoding, by said one or more circuits, said selected plurality of QP values of said first block by a fixed length code or a variable length code, to generate a plurality of encoded QP values. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The image-processing method according to claim 19, further comprising signaling, by said one or more circuits, said generated plurality of encoded QP values in said generated encoded bit stream of said first block, to a decoder that receives said encoded bit stream of said first block for decompression.