Methods for synthesis of texture signals and for transmission and/or storage of said signals, and devices and systems for performing said methods

A method for transmitting or storing and synthesizing texture signals comprising the steps of:

• a) deriving from an image signal, a group of sample blocks of pixels constituting a reference sample of texture in said image signal;
• b) coding said reference sample into digital video signals;
• c) transmitting or storing said digital video signals;
• d) decoding said digital video signals to derive said reference sample;
• e) ascertaining and storing a plurality of sample values representing structural characteristics of, or associated with, said reference sample;
• f) forming an approximate synthesis picture by progressive growth based upon said sample values and said reference sample;
• g) subdividing said approximate synthesis picture into a plurality of approximate pixel blocks each having an identical size;
• h) creating a dictionary for storing those sample blocks of said reference sample which have the same size as said approximate pixel blocks;
• and
• i) forming a definitive synthesis picture by substituting, as a function of a predetermined criterion, each of said approximate pixel blocks for a sample block stored in said dictionary.

A device for texture synthesis based on digital video signals, characterized in that said clevice comprises:

• (a) based on those signals which are associated with a group of pixels constituting a sample referred to as reference sample, a circuit (16) for computing and memorizing structural characteristics of said sample or of values directly associated therewith;
• (b) based on structural characteristics thus computed and on digital signals corresponding to said reference sample, a circuit (17) for restituting an approximate synthesis picture by progressive growth in a predetermined region, said approximate synthesis picture being subdivided into pixel blocks having an identical size;
• (c) based on blocks considered in said reference sample and having the same size as those of the, approximate synthesis picture, a circuit (18) for constituting a dictionary;
• (d) based on output signals of said circuit for constituting the dictionary, a circuit (19) for decorating said approximate synthesis picture by substituting a block of said dictionary for each approximate synthesis picture block.