Scanning techniques using hierarchical set of curves
AssigneeBritish Broadcasting Corporation
InventorJohn O. Drewery
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Conventionally, transmission of television images is performed by Raster scanning. To avoid the problems associated with flyback, and the limiting of Raster scanning to image scanning standards it is proposed to transmit images by scanning along a locus defined by a fractal curve. A Peano curve is particularly suitable. Image resolution may be varied by varying the order of curve used to scan the image. Smoothing of a curve of a given order results in a graceful degradation to a curve of lower order so that the image created by a given order is still recognizable when displayed by a lower or higher order.
Claims14
A method of scanning an image to produce a signal for transmission and display, comprising scanning an image in a coordinate sequence defined by one order of a hierarchical set of fractal curves.
A television camera, comprising means for forming a signal indicative of an image to be transmitted, the signal forming means comprising means for scanning the image in a co-ordinate sequence defined by one order of a hierarchical set of fractal curves.
A television receiver, comprising means for receiving a signal indicative of an image to be displayed, the signal receiving means comprising means for scanning the display along a co-ordinate sequence defined by one order of a hierarchical set of fractal curves to form said image from said signal.
A television camera comprising a conventional raster camera, the raster output of which is coupled with converting means for converting a signal produced by a raster scan to a fractal signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.