Method and device of compressing digital image data

A method of decompressing an image including a plurality of pixels, comprising the steps of:

• inputting average color information of each group entry, the group entry includes a plurality of entries each of which includes a plurality of pixels;
• inputting location information representing a location of the entry on the image and an address where the average color information corresponding to the entry is stored;
• reproducing pixels in each entry according to the corresponding average color information which is determined by using the address;
• and
• location the reproduced pixels on the image based on the location information.

A device of compressing an image including a plurality of pixels, comprising:

• an input image storage which inputs the image and stores color information which represents color of pixels of the image;
• an image division unit which divides the plurality of pixels into a plurality of entries;
• an entry sort unit which computes representative color information of each entry using the color information of pixels in the entry and rearranges the entries in order of the representative color information;
• an entry grouping unit which groups the rearranged entries into a plurality of group entries;
• an average unit which averages color information for each group entry by averaging color information of pixels in the group entry;
• an average color information storage which stores the average color information for each group entry;
• and
• an index which stores location information representing a location of the entry on the image and an address where the average color information corresponding to the entry is stored.

A recording medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a method of compressing an image including a plurality of pixels, the method comprising the steps of:

• dividing the plurality of pixels into a plurality of entries;
• computing representative color information of each entry using color information of pixels in the entry, the color information representing a color of the pixel;
• rearranging the entries in order of the representative color information;
• grouping the rearranged entries into a plurality of group entries;
• averaging color information for each group entry by averaging color information of pixels in the group entry;
• storing the average color information for each group entry;
• and
• storing location information representing a location of the entry on the image and an address where the average color information corresponding to the entry is stored.