Storing coding image data in storage of fixed memory size

A method of storing coded image data of an image in a storage of fixed memory size, wherein the image comprises a plurality of pixels and the method comprises the steps of:

• arranging the image into a plurality of bands each comprising a predetermined number N of consecutive lines of pixels;
• and
• buffering and processing the bands one by one in turn, wherein said processing step comprises the following sub-steps for each currently buffered band:
• arranging the current band into a plurality of blocks of pixels of size M×M, wherein M is equal to the predetermined number N;
• transforming the blocks of pixels to produce respective blocks of transform coefficients;
• partitioning the blocks of transform coefficients into a plurality of partitions wherein each partition comprises data from each block of transform coefficients and at least one partition comprises data from at least one but not all bit-planes of each block of transform coefficients, and wherein the plurality of partitions comprise a perceptually significant partition and a perceptually insignificant partition and partitions of varying perceptually significance there between;
• coding each partition;
• and
• managing the storing of the coded partitions in the storage of fixed memory size, wherein during the storing of the coded partitions if it is determined the storage is full, a coded least perceptually significant partition currently stored in the buffer is overwritten by data from a coded more perceptually significant partition, and wherein the managing step comprises the sub-steps of:
• assigning in the storage corresponding linked lists for the coded partitions;
• and
• determining during the storage of the coded partitions if the storage is full and if so, freeing a linked list of a coded least perceptually significant partition currently stored in the buffer allowing it to be overwritten by data from a coded more perceptually significant partition.

A method of decoding an image, comprising the steps of:

• buffering respective coded data of bands of the image one by one in turn in a storage of fixed memory size;
• processing the respective coded data of the bands of the image, wherein said processing step comprises the following sub-steps for each currently buffered band:
• retrieving information from the storage on at least one linked list stored in the storage corresponding to at least one coded partition;
• retrieving from the storage said at least one partition utilizing the information;
• decoding the retrieved at least one partition;
• reconstituting blocks of transform coefficients of size M×M from the at least one decoded partition, wherein each decoded partition comprises data from blocks of transform coefficients, and wherein the at least one partition comprise a perceptually significant partition;
• inverse transforming the blocks of transform coefficients to produce respective blocks of pixels;
• and
• reconstituting the current band of the image from the blocks of pixels, wherein the band comprises a predetermined number N of lines of pixels and M is equal to the predetermined number N.

Apparatus for storing coded image data of an image in a storage of fixed memory size, wherein the image comprises a plurality of pixels and the apparatus comprises:

• a module adapted to arrange the image into a plurality of bands each comprising a predetermined number N of consecutive lines of pixels;
• a buffer, adapted to buffer the bands one by one in turn;
• and
• a processor, adapted to process a currently buffered band, wherein the processor comprises:
• a module adapted to arrange the currently buffered band into a plurality of blocks of pixels of size M×M, wherein M is equal to the predetermined number N;
• a transform module, adapted to transform the blocks of pixels to produce respective blocks of transform coefficients;
• a partitioning module, adapted to partition the blocks of transform coefficients into a plurality of partitions wherein each partition comprises data from each block of transform coefficients and at least one partition comprises data from at least one but not all bit-planes of each block of transform coefficients, and wherein the plurality of partitions comprise a perceptually significant partition and a perceptually insignificant partition and partitions of varying perceptually significance there between;
• a coder module, adapted to code each partition;
• and
• a manager module, adapted to manage the storing of the coded partitions in the storage of fixed memory size, wherein during the storing of the coded partitions if it is determined the storage is full, a coded least perceptually significant partition currently stored in the buffer is overwritten by data from a coded more perceptually significant partition.

Apparatus for storing coded image data of an image in storage of fixed memory size, wherein the image comprises a plurality of pixels and the apparatus comprises:

• a module adapted to arrange the image into a plurality of bands each comprising a predetermined number N of consecutive lines of pixels;
• a buffer, adapted to buffer the bands one by one in turn;
• and
• a processor, adapted to process a currently buffered band, wherein the processor comprises:
• a module adapted to arrange the currently buffered band into a plurality of blocks of pixels of size M×M, wherein M is equal to the predetermined number N;
• a transform module, adapted to transform the blocks of pixels to produce respective blocks of transform coefficients;
• a partitioning module, adapted to partition the blocks of transform coefficients into a plurality of partitions wherein each partition comprises data from each block of transform coefficients and at least one partition comprises data from at least one but not all bit-planes of each block of transform coefficients, and wherein the plurality of partitions comprise a perceptually significant partition and a perceptually insignificant partition and partitions of varying perceptually significance there between;
• a coder module, adapted to code each partition;
• and
• a manager module, adapted to mange the storing of the coded partitions in the storage of fixed memory size, wherein during the storing of the coded partitions if it is determined the storage is full, a coded least perceptually significant partition currently stored in said buffer is overwritten by data from a coded more perceptually significant partition, and wherein the manager module comprises:
• a module, adapted to assign in the storage corresponding linked lists for the coded partitions;
• and
• a module, adapted to determine during the storage of the coded partitions if the storage is full and if so, freeing a linked list of a coded least perceptually significant partition currently stored in the buffer allowing it to be overwritten by data from a coded more perceptually significant partition.

Apparatus for decoding an image, wherein the apparatus comprises:

• a module adapted to buffer respective coded data of bands of the image one by one in turn in a storage of fixed memory size;
• and
• a processor, adapted to process a currently buffered band of coded data, wherein the processor comprises:
• a module adapted to retrieve information from the storage on at least one linked list stored in the storage corresponding to at least one coded partition of the currently buffered band of coded data;
• a module adapted to retrieve from the storage the at least one partition utilizing the information;
• a decoding module, adapted to decode the retrieved at least one partition;
• a module adapted to reconstitute blocks of transform coefficients of size M×M from the at least one decoded partition, wherein each decoded partition comprises data from blocks of transform coefficients, and wherein the at least one partition comprise a perceptually significant partition;
• an inverse transform module, adapted to inverse transform the blocks of transform coefficients to produce respective blocks of pixels;
• and
• a module adapted to reconstitute the current band of the image from the blocks of pixels, wherein the band comprises a predetermined number N of lines of pixels and M is equal to the predetermined number N.

A computer program for storing coded image data of an image in a storage of fixed memory size, wherein the image comprises a plurality of pixels and the computer program comprises:

• means for arranging the image into a plurality of bands each comprising a predetermined number N of consecutive lines of pixels;
• and
• means for buffering and processing the bands one by one in turn, wherein the processing means performs the following steps for each currently buffered band:
• arranging the current band into a plurality of blocks of pixels of size M×M, wherein M is equal to the predetermined number N;
• transforming the blocks of pixels to produce respective blocks of transform coefficients;
• partitioning the blocks of transform coefficients into a plurality of partitions wherein each partition comprises data from each block of transform coefficients and at least one partition comprises data from at least one but not all bit-planes of each block of transform coefficients, and wherein the plurality of partitions comprise a perceptually significant partition and a perceptually insignificant partition and partitions of varying perceptually significance there between;
• coding each partition;
• and
• managing the storing of the coded partitions in the storage of fixed memory size, wherein during the storing of the coded partitions if it is determined the storage is full, a coded least perceptually significant partition currently stored in the buffer is overwritten by data from a coded more perceptually significant partition.

A computer program for storing coded image data of an image in a storage of fixed memory size, wherein the image comprises a plurality of pixels and the computer program comprises:

• means for arranging the image into a plurality of bands each comprising a predetermined number N of consecutive lines of pixels;
• and
• means for buffering and processing the bands one by one in turn, wherein the processing means performs the following steps for each currently buffered band:
• arranging the current band into a plurality of blocks of pixels of size M×M, wherein M is equal to the predetermined number N;
• transforming the blocks of pixels to produce respective blocks of transform coefficients;
• partitioning the blocks of transform coefficients into a plurality of partitions wherein each partition comprises data from each block of transform coefficients and at least one partition comprises data from at least one but not all bit-planes of each block of transform coefficients, and wherein the plurality of partitions comprise a perceptually significant partition and a perceptually insignificant partition and partitions of varying perceptually significance there between;
• coding each partition;
• and
• managing the storing of the coded partitions in the storage of fixed memory size, wherein during the storing of the coded partitions if it is determined the storage is full a coded least perceptually significant partition currently stored in the buffer is overwritten by data from a coded more perceptually significant partition, and wherein the managing step comprises the sub-steps of:
• assigning in the storage corresponding linked lists for the coded partitions;
• and
• determining during the storage of the coded partitions if the storage is full, and if so freeing a linked list of a coded least perceptually significant partition currently stored in the buffer allowing it to be overwritten by data from a coded more perceptually significant partition.

A computer program, for decoding an image, wherein the computer program comprises:

• means for buffering respective coded data of bands of the image one by one in turn in storage of fixed memory size;
• and
• means for processing the respective coded data of the bands of the image, wherein the processing means performs the following steps for each currently buffered band:
• retrieving information from the storage on at least one linked list stored in the storage corresponding to at least one coded partition;
• retrieving from the storage the at least one partition utilizing the information;
• decoding the retrieved at least one partition;
• reconstituting blocks of transform coefficients of size M×M from the at least one decoded partition, wherein each decoded partition comprises data from blocks of transform coefficients, and wherein the at least one partition comprises a perceptually significant partition;
• inverse transforming the blocks of transform coefficients to produce respective blocks of pixels;
• and
• reconstituting the current band of the image from the blocks of pixels, wherein the band comprises a predetermined number N of lines of pixels and said M is equal to the predetermined number N.