JPH04103257A - Picture communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow the system to be applied easily even to a field having requirements of a short transmission time of a picture regardless of not having so much good picture quality by sending a data in a way such that a rough entire image of the picture is displayed at first as a reception picture and a delicate picture is gradually displayed. CONSTITUTION:Picture elements are sampled while being divided to some steps so that the interval of sampled picture elements is made narrower as the processing is advanced at a picture transmission side and the sample value is converted into a coded data and the result is sent. That is, the sampling is implemented minutely more as the step is advanced and the sampling at each step is implemented sequentially from an upper left part of the picture. When the data are sent in such a way that an entirely rough image of the picture is displayed at first as a reception picture and the minute picture is obtained gradually, a received picture is observed on a monitor at a receiver side and when the picture communication is interrupted when the picture quality of the received picture reaches sufficiently picture quality on application purpose, the picture communication is interrupted to receive the picture with required picture quality is received in a short time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image communication system, and particularly to an image communication system in which an image is transmitted in a manner that initially the image is rough (but gradually becomes finer).

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in this type of image communication method that handles image information such as Videotex, in order to send an image requested by the receiving side to the receiving side, the image sending side sequentially processes the image from the upper leftmost pixel to the right. The pixels were encoded and transmitted. When all the pixels in that column have been processed, the same process is performed on the column below it (see FIG. 5).

The above-described processing is repeated until the processing is completed for all pixels or until a stop signal is received from the image receiving side. On the image receiving side, the received encoded data is sequentially decoded and displayed on a monitor.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The conventional image communication method described above can provide high-quality images, but since the received images are played back sequentially from the top of the monitor, it takes a considerable amount of time for one image to be played back on the receiving side. However, there is a problem in that it is difficult to use in fields where the image quality does not need to be very high, but the image transmission time is required to be short.

An object of the present invention is to enable the receiving side to view the received image on a monitor and interrupt image communication when the image quality of the received image becomes sufficient for the purpose of use. To provide an image communication system that can perform communication and can be easily used even in fields where image quality does not need to be very good but image transmission time is required to be short.

[Means to solve the problem]

The image communication system of the present invention is an image communication system in which a digital image is encoded pixel by pixel on the image transmitting side and transmitted to the image receiving side, and the image transmitting side performs (A) a process of counting the number of pixels to be encoded and transmitted; a processing pixel number counter initializing means for initializing a pixel number counter; (B) by a first stop signal from the processing pixel number counter or by a second stop signal from the image receiving side;
(C) Image communication end determination means for determining whether or not to interrupt image communication; stepwise sampling means; (D) encoding means for converting sample values into encoded data; (E) transmitting means for transmitting encoded data; (F) receiving the second stop signal and determining the end of the image communication. (G) processing pixel number counter counting means for counting up the processing pixel number counter and outputting the first stop signal when all pixels have been counted up; , the image receiving side includes: (H) receiving means for receiving the transmitted encoded data; (I) decoding means for decoding the encoded data; unsampled pixel hole filling means for setting predicted brightness values for pixels that have not been detected, and (K) image determining means for determining whether or not to transmit the second stop signal by the image receiver viewing the received image. (L) stop signal transmitting means for transmitting the second stop signal requesting the image transmission side to interrupt image communication; The system is configured such that communication can be made more efficient by interrupting image communication depending on the need for received images.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the flow of operation of an embodiment of the present invention.

The image communication system of the present invention includes a processing pixel number counter initialization means, an image communication end determination means, a staged sampling means,
It consists of encoding means, transmitting means, receiving means, decoding means, unsampled pixel filling means, image determining means, stop signal transmitting means, stop signal receiving means, and processing pixel number counter counting means.

Next, the functions of each of the above means will be explained.

The processing pixel number counter initialization means initializes the processing pixel number counter.

The image communication end determining means determines whether a stop signal from the receiving side has been received, or whether processing for all pixels has been completed and a stop signal indicating this has been received from the processing pixel number counter count-up means, and stops the image communication. If the signal is received,
When the image communication is terminated and a stop signal is not received, the stepwise sampling means is activated.

The stage-based sampling means performs sampling in several stages, as shown in FIG. In the figure, diagonal lines indicate sampling pixels up to the previous stage, O marks indicate sampling pixels up to the current stage, and blank areas indicate unsampled pixels. In the first stage, pixels located at the four edges and the center of the image are sampled (see FIG. 2(a)). Second
In this step, pixels located at the center of the left, right, top, and bottom sides of the pixel are sampled (see FIG. 2(b)). In the third stage, a pixel located at the center of a square formed by the points sampled in the first stage and the second stage is sampled (see FIG. 2(C)).

In the fourth stage, a pixel located at the center of a square (tilted at 45°) composed of the points sampled in the first, second, and third stages is sampled (see Figure 2(d)). ). From the fifth stage onwards, in the same way as the third and fourth stages, pixels located at the center of the square made up of the points sampled in the previous stages are sampled (Fig. 2(e), (See Figure 2(f)). As described above, sampling is performed in detail as each stage progresses, and sampling at each stage is performed sequentially from the upper left of the image.

The encoding means converts the sample value into binary encoded data.

In the transmitting means, the data encoded into binary numbers is converted into an electrical signal by the encoding means.0→1ow11→h i
gh), send to the line.

The receiving means receives the electrical signal from the transmitting means via the line and obtains binary coded data (10W+01
h i gh → 1).

The decoding means decodes the encoded data using a procedure reverse to that of the encoding means. The decoded sample values are set on the image memory on the image receiving side. The set position is the position of the pixel sampled on the image transmission side.

The unsampled pixel filling means sets predicted luminance values to unsampled pixels existing around the received sampling pixel. The example shown in FIG. 3 will be explained below.

FIG. 3(a) shows the luminance value of pixel B being decoded and set in memory on the receiving side. When the X coordinate is X1, the V coordinate is y1, and the brightness value is 2, each pixel can be represented by three elements (X t7, z). Pixel A is (0°0.0), pixel B is (2, 2, 10
), C becomes (0, 4, 10). Here, these
Considering these points as points in a three-dimensional space, calculate the following equation for a plane that passes through these three points A, B, and C.

(5x+57-2z)=O(1) By substituting X coordinate 1 and (See figure (b)).

From formula (1), z = 0.25x + 0.25y (Substitute the X and X coordinates of pixel Hole filling is performed for all pixels (see FIG. 3(C)).

The above processing is performed on a pixel (A).

E, B), (E, D, B), and (D, C, B) are also processed to fill in the unsampled pixels around pixel B (see FIG. 3(d)).

If the image determining means determines that the image receiver does not need to continue image communication any further, the image determining means activates the next stop signal transmitting means; otherwise, it activates the processing pixel number counter count-up means. Start.

The stop signal transmitting means electrically converts the stop signal into (
0→l OWs 1→h i gh) Send to the line.

The stop signal receiving means receives an electrical signal from the line and obtains a stop signal (low→O1high→1).

The processing pixel number counter counts up the processing pixel number counter by one.

Next, the operation will be explained.

In FIG. 4, an explanation will be given of the operation in the case where the pixels marked with "*9" in the figure are sequentially processed and the communication of the image immediately thereafter is interrupted.

First, the processing pixel number counter is initialized by the processing pixel number counter initialization means (step 1-1).

Next, the image communication end determining means determines whether a stop signal has been received or processing of all pixels has been completed;
If the stop signal has not been received and the processing of all pixels has not been completed, the stepwise sampling means is activated (step 1-2).

The activated staged sampling means samples the pixel X (step 1-3), then the encoding means converts the sampling value output from the staged sampling means into encoded data (step 1-4), and transmits it. The means transmits the encoded data to the image receiving side (step 1-5).

On the image receiving side, the receiving means receives the encoded data transmitted from the transmitting means on the image transmitting side.Step 1-6
), the received encoded data is decoded by the decoding means and stored in the pixel X)7) L (Step 1-7), the hatched part in FIG. The image is played (step 1)
-8).

Next, the image determination means processes all pixels and determines whether or not it is necessary to continue image communication. Also, since an image of sufficient quality has already been obtained, it is determined whether or not it is necessary to continue image communication. It is checked whether or not a stop request indicating that the image is not sent is inputted by the image recipient, and it is determined whether a stop signal requesting to stop transmitting the image has been sent (step 1-9), and the stop request is made. If so, the stop signal transmitting means for transmitting a stop signal is activated. The stop signal transmitting means transmits a stop signal to the image transmitting side (step 1-1
0).

On the image transmitting side, the stop signal receiving means receives the stop signal sent from the stop signal transmitting means (step 1-1).
1). Next, since the stop signal has been received by the image communication termination determining means, the image communication is terminated (step 1-2). The stop signal is sent not only from the stop signal transmitting means, but also when all processed pixels have been counted by the processing pixel number counter counting up means, and also when the processing pixel number counter counting up means sends the image communication signal. A stop signal is output to the end determination means (step 1-1)
2) When received by the image communication termination determining means, the image communication is terminated (step 1-2).

In step 1-9, if all pixels have not yet been processed and a stop request has not been input from the image recipient, the processed pixel number counter counts up the processed pixels. 1-12)
, step 1-2) to activate the image communication end determination means;
Further, the stepwise sampling means is activated to continue processing the pixels described above.

In this way, by first displaying a rough overall image of the received image and then transmitting data to gradually create a more detailed image, the receiving side can view the received image on a monitor and check the quality of the received image. By interrupting image communication when the image quality becomes sufficient for the purpose of use, images of the required image quality can be received in a short time.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention initially displays a rough overall image of the received image, and then transmits data so that it gradually becomes a more detailed image, so that the receiving side can view the received image on a monitor. This makes it possible to interrupt image communication when the image quality of the received image becomes sufficient for the purpose of use, and the image quality does not need to be that good, but the image transmission time is required to be short. It has the advantage that it can be easily used in various fields.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing sampling pixels at each stage of the operation of the image communication method shown in FIG. 1, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the image communication system shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the order of pixel transmission in the conventional image communication system. Agent Patent Attorney Susumu Uchihara A X coordinate < a) X coordinate (c) Fill-in pixel X X coordinate (b) X coordinate (a) Figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an image communication system in which a digital image is encoded pixel by pixel on the image transmitting side and transmitted to the image receiving side, the image transmitting side includes: (A) a process of counting the number of pixels to be encoded and transmitted; a processing pixel number counter initializing means for initializing a pixel number counter; (B) by a first stop signal from the processing pixel number counter or by a second stop signal from the image receiving side;
(C) A step for sampling pixels in several stages so that the interval between sampling pixels becomes narrower as processing progresses on the image sending side. separate sampling means; (D) encoding means for converting sample values into encoded data; (E) transmitting means for transmitting encoded data; (F) means for receiving the second stop signal and determining the end of the image communication. (G) processing pixel number counter counting means for counting up the processing pixel number counter and outputting the first stop signal when all pixels have been counted up; The image receiving side includes: (H) receiving means for receiving the transmitted encoded data; (I) decoding means for decoding the encoded data; and (J) an image receiving side that has not yet been sampled on the image transmitting side. unsampled pixel hole filling means for setting predicted brightness values for pixels that do not exist; (K) image determining means for determining whether or not to transmit the second stop signal by an image receiver viewing the received image; (L) stop signal transmitting means for transmitting the second stop signal requesting the image transmission side to interrupt image communication; An image communication method characterized in that it is possible to improve the efficiency of communication by interrupting image communication depending on the need for a received image. 2. In an image communication system in which a digital image is encoded pixel by pixel on the image transmitting side and transmitted to the image receiving side, the image transmitting side (A) initializes a processing pixel number counter that counts the number of pixels to be encoded and transmitted. (B) by a first stop signal from the processing pixel number counter or by a second stop signal from the image receiving side,
(C) A step of sampling pixels in several stages so that the interval between sampling pixels becomes narrower as processing progresses on the image sending side. another sampling step, (D) an encoding step of converting the sample value into encoded data, (E) a transmitting step of transmitting the encoded data, (F) a step of receiving the second stop signal and determining the end of the image communication. (G) counting up the processing pixel number counter and outputting the first stop signal when all pixels have been counted up; The image receiving side includes (H) a receiving step of receiving the transmitted encoded data, (I) a decoding step of decoding the encoded data, and (J) an image receiving side that has not yet been sampled on the image transmitting side. an unsampled pixel filling step for setting predicted brightness values for pixels that do not exist; (L) a stop signal transmitting step of transmitting the second stop signal requesting the image transmission side to interrupt the image communication; An image communication method characterized in that it is possible to improve the efficiency of communication by interrupting image communication depending on the need for a received image.