Method and apparatus for compressing and decompressing image data

Apparatus for decompressing compressed digital image data having rows and columns of pixels, comprising:

• (a) means for storing the compressed image data;
• (b) means for processing the compressed image data which includes:
• (i) means for decompressing the compressed image data at least once, thereby creating decompressed image data, and
• (ii) means for resizing the decompressed image data into inverse resized image data which includes:
• means for selecting at least one row from the decompressed image data for inclusion in the inverse resized image data;
• and
• means for selecting at least one pixel within each selected row for inclusion in the inverse resized image data;
• and
• (c) means for communicating information between said storing means and said processing means.

Method for compressing digital image data having rows and columns of pixels, comprising the steps of:

• (a) storing the image data;
• (b) processing the image data which includes
• (i) resizing the image data into resized image data which includes:
• selecting at least one row from the image data for inclusion in the resized image data;
• and
• selecting at least one pixel within each selected row for inclusion in the resized image data;
• and
• (ii) compressing the resized image data at least once, thereby creating compressed image data.

Method for decompressing compressed digital image data having rows and columns of pixels, comprising the steps of:

• (a) storing the compressed image data;
• (b) processing the compressed image data which includes
• (i) decompressing the compressed image data at least once, thereby creating decompressed image data, and
• (ii) resizing the decompressed image data into inverse resized image data which includes:
• selecting at least one row from the decompressed image data for inclusion in the inverse resized image data;
• and
• selecting at least one pixel within each selected row for inclusion in the inverse resized image data.

A computer program product having a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for compressing digital image data having rows and columns of pixels, comprising:

• (a) means for resizing the image data into resized image data which includes:
• (i) means for selecting at least one row from the image data for inclusion in the resized image data;
• and
• (ii) means for selecting at least one pixel within each selected row for inclusion in the resized image data;
• and
• (b) means for compressing the resized image data at least once, thereby creating compressed image data.

A computer program product having a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for decompressing compressed digital image data having rows and columns of pixels, comprising:

• (a) means for decompressing the compressed image data at least once, thereby creating decompressed image data;
• and
• (b) means for resizing the decompressed image data into inverse resized image data which includes:
• (i) means for selecting at least one row from the decompressed image data for inclusion in the inverse resized image data;
• and
• (ii) means for selecting at least one pixel within each selected row for inclusion in the inverse resized image data.