US20210058629A1 - Image processing system and method - Google Patents

Image processing system and method Download PDF

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US20210058629A1
US20210058629A1 US17/052,186 US201917052186A US2021058629A1 US 20210058629 A1 US20210058629 A1 US 20210058629A1 US 201917052186 A US201917052186 A US 201917052186A US 2021058629 A1 US2021058629 A1 US 2021058629A1
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image
progressively
quality
mask
encoded
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Shawn L. Kelly
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Hfipix Inc
PANAMORPH Inc
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06T—IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
    • G06T9/00—Image coding
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    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
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Definitions

  • FIG. 1 illustrates a first aspect of an image processing system that provides for progressively masking a progressively-displayed high-definition image so as to provide for obscuring artifacts in associated intermediate images, masked versions of which are progressively displayed leading up to the display of the final high-definition image;
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a process for creating the filter masks for each of the intermediate images, masked versions of which are progressively displayed when progressively displaying the associated high-definition image in accordance with the image processing system illustrated in FIG. 1 ;
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a process for determining a particular associated filter-mask parameter for a corresponding particular intermediate image, in support of the process illustrated in FIG. 2 ;
  • FIG. 4 a illustrates a first-progression, first-quality intermediate image associated with the progressive display of the high-definition image illustrated in FIG. 4 c , together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire first-quality intermediate image;
  • FIG. 4 b illustrates a masked version of the first-progression, first-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 4 a , together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire masked first-progression, first-quality intermediate image;
  • FIG. 4 c illustrates, for purposes of comparison, the high-definition image from which the first-progression, first-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 4 a is derived, together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire high-definition image;
  • FIG. 4 d illustrates a masked version of the high-definition image illustrated in FIG. 4 c , together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire masked high-definition image, wherein the associated filter-mask parameter—associated with the associated histogram—was selected so that the corresponding images of FIGS. 4 b and 4 d had similar appearance;
  • FIG. 5 a illustrates a second-progression, second-quality intermediate image associated with the progressive display of the high-definition image illustrated in FIGS. 4 c and 5 c , together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire second-quality intermediate image, wherein the second-quality intermediate image has a higher quality than the first-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 4 a;
  • FIG. 5 b illustrates a masked version of the second-progression, second-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 5 a , together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire masked second-progression, second-quality intermediate image;
  • FIG. 5 c illustrates, for purposes of comparison, the high-definition image the same as illustrated in FIG. 4 c —from which the second-progression, second-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 5 a is derived, together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire high-definition image;
  • FIG. 5 d illustrates a masked version of the high-definition image illustrated in FIG. 5 c together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire masked high-definition image, wherein the associated filter-mask parameter—associated with the associated histogram—was selected so that the corresponding images of FIGS. 5 b and 5 d had similar appearance;
  • FIG. 6 a illustrates a third-progression, third-quality intermediate image associated with the progressive display of the high-definition image illustrated in FIGS. 4 c , 5 c and 6 c , together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire third-quality intermediate image, wherein the third-quality intermediate image has a higher quality than the second-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 5 a;
  • FIG. 6 b illustrates a masked version of the third-progression, third-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 6 a , together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire masked third-progression, third-quality intermediate image;
  • FIG. 6 c illustrates, for purposes of comparison, the high-definition image the same as illustrated in FIGS. 4 c and 5 c —from which the third-progression, third-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 6 a is derived, together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire high-definition image;
  • FIG. 6 d illustrates a masked version of the high-definition image illustrated in FIG. 6 c , together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire masked high-definition image, wherein the associated filter-mask parameter—associated with the associated histogram—was selected so that the corresponding images of FIGS. 6 b and 6 d had similar appearance;
  • FIG. 7 a is a copy of the first-progression, first-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 4 a , for purposes of comparison with the intermediate images illustrated in FIGS. 5 a / 7 b and 6 a / 7 c , and for comparison with the high-definition image illustrated in FIGS. 4 c , 5 c , 6 c and 7 d;
  • FIG. 7 b is a copy of the second-progression, second-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 5 a , for purposes of comparison with the intermediate images illustrated in FIGS. 4 a / 7 a and 6 a / 7 c , and for comparison with the high-definition image illustrated in FIGS. 4 c , 5 c , 6 c and 7 d;
  • FIG. 7 c is a copy of the third-progression, third-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 6 a , for purposes of comparison with the intermediate images illustrated in FIGS. 4 a / 7 a and 5 a / 7 b , and for comparison with the high-definition image illustrated in FIGS. 4 c , 5 c , 6 c and 7 d;
  • FIG. 7 d a copy of the high-definition image the same as illustrated in FIGS. 4 c , 5 c and 6 c —from which the intermediate images illustrated in FIGS. 7 a -7 c were derived, for purposes of comparison therewith;
  • FIG. 8 a is a copy of the masked first-progression, first-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 4 b , for purposes of comparison with the masked intermediate images illustrated in FIGS. 5 b / 8 b and 6 b / 8 c , and for comparison with the high-definition image illustrated in FIGS. 4 c , 5 c , 6 c , 7 d and 8 d;
  • FIG. 8 b is a copy of the masked second-progression, second-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 5 b , for purposes of comparison with the masked intermediate images illustrated in FIGS. 4 b / 8 a and 6 b / 8 c , and for comparison with the high-definition image illustrated in FIGS. 4 c , 5 c , 6 c , 7 d and 8 d;
  • FIG. 8 c is a copy of the masked third-progression, third-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 6 b , for purposes of comparison with the masked intermediate images illustrated in FIGS. 4 b / 8 a and 5 b / 8 b , and for comparison with the high-definition image illustrated in FIGS. 4 c , 5 c , 6 c , 7 d and 8 d;
  • FIG. 8 d a copy of the high-definition image—the same as illustrated in FIGS. 4 c , 5 c , 6 c , 7 d and 8 d —from which the masked intermediate images illustrated in FIGS. 8 a -8 c were derived, for purposes of comparison therewith;
  • FIG. 9 illustrates a first aspect of a process for progressively receiving and forming intermediate and final images of a progressively-displayed high-definition image, and for applying associated mask filters to the intermediate images either prior to, or during, the display thereof, in accordance with the first aspect of the image processing system illustrated in FIG. 1 ;
  • FIG. 10 illustrates a second aspect of an image processing system that provides for progressively generating and masking associated intermediate images of a progressively-displayed high-definition image so as to provide for obscuring artifacts in the associated intermediate images that are progressively displayed leading up to the display of the final high-definition image;
  • FIG. 11 illustrates a process for generating and masking progressive image components, and for storing the masked progressive image components for use by the second aspect of the image processing system
  • FIG. 12 illustrates a process for progressively receiving and displaying masked intermediate images and a final image of a progressively-displayed high-definition image, in accordance with the second aspect of the image processing system illustrated in FIG. 10 ;
  • FIG. 13 a is a compressed and tonally-shifted version of the first-progression, first-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 4 a , together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire image illustrated in FIG. 13 a , in accordance with a second aspect of an associated masking process;
  • FIG. 13 b is a compressed and tonally-shifted version of the second-progression, second-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 5 a , together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire image illustrated in FIG. 13 b , in accordance with the second aspect of the associated masking process;
  • FIG. 13 c is a compressed and tonally-shifted version of the third-progression, third-quality intermediate image illustrated in FIG. 6 a , together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire image illustrated in FIG. 13 c , in accordance with the second aspect of the associated masking process;
  • FIG. 13 d a copy of the high-definition image—the same as illustrated in FIGS. 4 c , 5 c , 6 c , 7 d and 8 d —from which the intermediate images illustrated in FIGS. 13 a -13 c were derived, for purposes of comparison therewith, together with a histogram of associated image pixel values for the entire image illustrated in FIG. 13 d;
  • FIG. 14 illustrates a flow chart of the first and second aspects of the image processing system illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 10 , respectively, from the point-of-view of an associated image server device;
  • FIG. 15 illustrates a flow chart of the first and second aspects of the image processing system illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 10 , respectively, from the point-of-view of an associated image receiving and display device.
  • a first aspect 10 . 1 of an image processing system 10 , 10 . 1 provides for uploading both a high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 and an associated set of mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 from a website proprietor 14 to a webpage 16 of a server device 18 , acting as an internet webserver 18 ′, for distribution to a client internet-connected receiving device 20 , for example, operating an internet web browser 22 under control of a user 24 .
  • the transmission, receipt and display of a high-quality digital image is often preceded by one or more relatively lower quality, and therefore lower bandwidth, initial and/or intermediate image representations so that viewer(s) thereof has/have a perceived lower delay before being able to assimilate image content.
  • Such a practice is inherent in many progressive image delivery methods which either incrementally reconstruct and display higher spatial image quality from an initial low-quality image as additional image data is received, or alternatively, which simply include the transmission, receipt and display of initial, low-quality placeholder images prior to the receipt and display of the separate higher quality image.
  • the low-quality initial or intermediate images of such methods are typically of such low spatial quality that they may appear heavily pixelated, and therefore artificial or heavily blurred. These initial images therefore represent a sufficiently substantial and unrealistic compromise of spatial quality that many viewers prefer to simply wait for the final high-quality image without having to view any prior intermediate image representations.
  • the progressive transmission and display of images provides for transforming the content of a relatively-higher-quality image into a base image and one or more image supplements, or supplemental images, wherein the base image is transmitted and displayed first, and the one or more image supplements or supplemental images are progressively transmitted and progressively used to increase the quality of, or detail in, the associated displayed image.
  • successive image supplements ⁇ (k ⁇ 1, k) are combined with the image content of a predecessor image to generate its successor image, the latter being of relatively greater quality than the former, wherein generally image supplement ⁇ (k ⁇ 1, k) provides for transforming the k th image of the progression into the corresponding (k ⁇ 1) st image of the progression.
  • image supplement ⁇ (k ⁇ 1, k) provides for transforming the k th image of the progression into the corresponding (k ⁇ 1) st image of the progression.
  • each image supplement ⁇ (k ⁇ 1, k) comprises an additional set of coefficients for building detail of higher spatial frequency in the JPEG-restored image.
  • a high-quality image may be progressively, and losslessly, transmitted, reconstructed and displayed in accordance with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 8,798,136 or 8,855,195, each of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein the image supplements ⁇ ,(i,j) comprise the associated extra data that are combined with data of a predecessor image to generate a relatively-higher quality successor image.
  • each image supplement ⁇ (k ⁇ 1, k) may comprise values for additional pixels that were missing from the predecessor image.
  • each successive supplemental images IMG K ⁇ 1 is a relatively-higher quality image that replaces a corresponding relatively-lower quality, and therefore, relatively-smaller bandwidth, predecessor image IMG K .
  • the server device 18 upon request from a user 24 seeking to display the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 on the client internet-connected receiving device 20 , the server device 18 initially transmits a base image IMG N , followed by image supplements ⁇ (N ⁇ 1,N), ⁇ (N ⁇ 2,N ⁇ 1), . . .
  • a first image supplement ⁇ (N ⁇ 1,N) provides for generating a first-improved image IMG N ⁇ 1 from the original base image IMG N
  • a second image supplement ⁇ (N ⁇ 2,N ⁇ 1) provides for generating a second-improved image IMG N ⁇ 2 from the first-improved image IMG N ⁇ 1
  • the last image supplement ⁇ (0, 1) provides for generating the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 from the next-to-last-improved image IMG 1 .
  • the server device 18 further transmits the mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 that provide for masking the displayed images so as to obscure progressive-display-related artifacts therein, in accordance with an associated masking process.
  • the first-aspect image processing system 10 , 10 . 1 ′′ may alternatively utilize an underlying second-aspect progressive-imaging process 26 . 2 , wherein independent intermediate images IMG N ⁇ 1 , image IMG N ⁇ 2 , . . . , image IMG 2 , image IMG 1 , and eventually the final image IMG 0 , are each transmitted in succession, rather than the above-described image supplements ⁇ ,(i,j), wherein the separate independent intermediate images IMG N ⁇ 1 , image IMG N ⁇ 2 , . . .
  • image IMG 2 , image IMG 1 are each accompanied by the mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 that provide for masking the displayed images so as to obscure progressive-display-related artifacts therein, in accordance with an associated masking process, the same as for the above-described first embodiment 10 . 1 ′ of the first-aspect image processing system 10 , 10 . 1 ′.
  • the image processing system 10 , 10 . 1 provides for masking the above-described artifacts in the initial and/or intermediate image representations so that the underlying relatively low quality of these images is not perceived as such by the viewers, but instead, the viewer perceives an image having an underlying relatively high-quality content that emerges from a fog as the quality of the underlying intermediate images improves.
  • This masking process can significantly improve the perceived spatial quality of progressively-delivered initial and intermediate images of progressive image delivery methods by restricting the spatial detail visibility of such images so that low spatial quality is not immediately apparent, while simultaneously providing an impression or illusion of presumed high spatial quality being seen through, or behind, a realistic obscuring medium, for example, similar to a fog or haze, which obscures the presumed higher quality of the image. Accordingly, the presentation of progressively higher quality images with a concurrent progressive reduction of this obscuration gives the appearance of a gradual but realistic removal or clearing of the perceived obscuring medium to reveal the final image quality which was reasonably presumed to always exist but for the obscuration.
  • This limitation of spatial visibility may include, but is not limited to, reductions in contrast, with or without changes in transparency, brightness and/or color, as represented by modifications of pixel values, for example, in one set of embodiments, resulting in, at a minimum, a compression or limitation of the range of tonal values of the image histogram relative to that of the unmasked image.
  • a compression or limitation may be applied by a transformation of the image tonal values by an associated mask filter 28 as follows:
  • OutputPixelValue( i,j,k ) T ( ⁇ k ) ⁇ BackgroundPixelValue( i,j )+(1 ⁇ T ( ⁇ k )) ⁇ P ( i,j,k ) (1)
  • the transparency level T( ⁇ k ), bias( ⁇ k ), and compression factor ⁇ ( ⁇ k ) parameters of the mask filter 28 may determined by either the website proprietor/owner or the client/user, as a function of, or for discrete levels of, the mask parameter ⁇ k measure of image quality, so as to provide for subjectively optimizing the presentation of progressive images. More particularly, these three parameters T( ⁇ k ), bias( ⁇ k ), ⁇ ( ⁇ k ) ultimately impact the visibility of the spatial detail of the image and therefore can be tuned to mask the perceived low quality of initial and intermediate images of a progressively-encoded image, so that the evolving image is perceived as one of high quality notwithstanding the obscuration of the initial and intermediate images by the mask filter 28 .
  • the mask parameter ⁇ k can be either a singular value as described hereinabove—with the other parameters T( ⁇ k ), bias( ⁇ k ), ⁇ ( ⁇ k ) dependent thereupon—or may be an array or set of parameters, for example, individual values of the transparency level T k , bias k , compression factor ⁇ k , or one or more other imaging parameters, for example, color balance or value.
  • the mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 may be manually set by the user 24 by simulating the progressive delivery of the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 , and then, for each level of progression, determining the associated mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 of an associated mask filter or masking algorithm as necessary to sufficiently reduce or obscure progression related granularity in the resulting masked image.
  • the mask-filter design process 200 commences in step ( 202 ) with receipt of a high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 to be used as a basis for establishing the associated mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 of the mask filter 28 . Then, in step ( 204 ), the associated progressive imaging process 26 , 26 . 1 , 26 .
  • step ( 206 ) for each of the lower-quality progressive images IMG N , IMG N ⁇ 1 , IMG N ⁇ 2 , . . . ,
  • step ( 302 ) commences in step ( 302 ) with receipt of the particular lower-quality progressive image IMG k for which the associated mask parameter ⁇ k is to be determined.
  • step ( 304 ) the associated mask parameter ⁇ k —or mask parameters ⁇ k for the case of ⁇ k being an array of mask parameters—are initialized to an initial value, for example, a nominal value or set of values for the lowest-quality progressive images IMG N , or the previously-determined value(s) ⁇ k+1 for subsequent lower-quality progressive images IMG k ⁇ N .
  • step ( 306 ) the lower-quality progressive image IMG k is masked by the mask filter 28 , for example, in accordance with equations 1 and 2, so as to generate an associated masked lower-quality progressive image IMG k′ , which, in step ( 308 ), is viewed—for example, by the website proprietor 14 —and subjectively judged in step ( 310 ) by the viewer to assess whether the associated progression-related granularity that might be visible in the masked lower-quality progressive image IMG k′ is objectionable, or, at the other extreme, the masking has been excessive.
  • step ( 312 ) the mask parameter ⁇ k , or mask parameters ⁇ k , are returned to the mask-filter design process 200 , which then proceeds to the next lower-quality progressive image IMG k ⁇ 1 . Otherwise, from step ( 310 ), then, in step ( 314 ), the mask parameter ⁇ k , or mask parameters ⁇ k , is/are either increased in value to further reduce progression-related granularity in the masked lower-quality progressive image IMG k′ , or reduced in value to decrease the amount of masking, and therefor provide for displaying greater detail. Then, the mask-parameter determination process 300 is repeated beginning with step ( 306 ), until the acceptable mask parameter ⁇ k , or mask parameters ⁇ k , is/are returned in step ( 312 ).
  • the mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 provide for setting the contrast and transparency (similarly—opacity) of the masked image, for example, via the above-described compression factor ⁇ ( ⁇ k ), and transparency level T( ⁇ k ), respectively.
  • These adjustments for each level of progressive image quality are determined using example images of a particular progressive scheme because the perceived quality of low-quality images is dependent on that scheme. However, such determination may be done visually, with masking to the extent that produces a result which appears as the high-quality image masked by a realistic medium such as a fog or low light level.
  • the values of the associated the mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 are currently tailored for a particular progressive imaging process 26 , 26 . 1 , 26 . 2 , regardless of the ultimate content of the sent images, and these mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 are then later sent to the client internet-connected receiving device 20 to be automatically applied to the associated progressively-displayed images, for example, through instructions in the HTML code which controls how the webpage 16 is to be drawn/presented.
  • the mask-filter design process 200 is operated by the website proprietor 14 on the server device 18 /internet webserver 18 ′ after transmitting the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 provided thereto, whereby the associated mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , ⁇ N ⁇ 2 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 are then configured on the server device 18 /internet webserver 18 ′.
  • the mask-filter design process 200 could be operated by the website proprietor 14 as an image processing application on a separate computer system, for example, on an image server device 30 such as a secondary internet webserver 30 ′, which then transmits the resulting mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , ⁇ N ⁇ 2 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 to the primary internet webserver 18 ′ on the primary server device 18 .
  • FIGS. 4 a - c , 5 a - c and 6 a - c The effect of the mask filter 28 is illustrated in FIGS. 4 a - c , 5 a - c and 6 a - c for three lower-quality images IMG 3 , IMG 2 , IMG 1 of progressively higher spatial quality, shown in FIGS. 4 a , 5 a and 6 a respectively, that are sequentially displayed in advance of a final, relatively-higher spatial quality image IMG 0 shown in FIGS. 4 c , 5 c and 6 c , all exemplifying the associated progressive-imaging process 26 , 26 . 1 , 26 . 2 .
  • FIGS. 4 b , 5 b and 6 b illustrate corresponding masked lower-quality images IMG 3′ , IMG 2′ , IMG 1′ resulting from the application of mask filter 28 of the image processing system 10 to mask visible spatial detail of artifacts in the lower-quality images IMG 3 , IMG 2 , IMG 1 of FIGS. 4 a , 5 a and 6 a , respectively, through a reduction in contrast resulting in a compression of the image histogram shown as an inset in each of FIGS. 4 a - b , 5 a - b and 6 a - b .
  • the amount of the associated image compression is determined so as to decrease the visibility of spatial detail in the lower-quality images IMG 3 , IMG 2 , IMG 1 to a level which not only obscures the appearance of low spatial quality in the lower-quality images IMG 3 , IMG 2 , IMG 1 but also provide for corresponding resulting masked lower-quality images IMG 3′ , IMG 2′ , IMG 1′ that each reasonably appear as a final high-resolution image obscured by a similar, though not necessarily identical, contrast reduction, or masking, thereof, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 d , 5 d and 6 d , respectively.
  • ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 of the mask filter 28 are determined so that the masked lower-quality images IMG 3′ , IMG 2′ , IMG ′ have an appearance that is similar to the similarly-masked high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 , so that the progression-related artifacts in the lower-quality images IMG 3 , IMG 2 , IMG 1 are obscured, whereby the masked lower-quality images IMG 3′ , IMG 2′ , IMG 1′ are substantially indistinguishable from a similarly masked high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 , leaving an impression of the object in the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 emerging from a fog as the image progression of the associated progressively-displayed high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 progresses.
  • the associated amount of masking (e.g. contrast reduction) and the actual algorithm for masking each progressive initial image is determined in advance; stored as masking parameters on the server device 18 ; and thereafter sent to the client internet-connected receiving device 20 with instructions regarding their application prior to, or simultaneous with, the sending of each progressively-higher-quality image so that such masking can be applied, and resulting intermediate images thereafter displayed, by the client internet-connected receiving device 20 .
  • such instructions and parameters, including the masking algorithms themselves may be included as part of the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) of a webpage 16 provided by a internet webserver 18 ′, to be processed by an internet web browser 22 on a client internet-connected device 22 .
  • HTML Hypertext Markup Language
  • 4 d , 5 d and 6 d are not necessarily intended as the visual goal of the masking result of FIGS. 4 b , 5 b and 6 b , respectively, but simply to illustrate that masking of the lower-quality images may be easily interpreted as a realistic obscuration of the spatial detail inherent in the high-quality, high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 .
  • FIGS. 4 a - b , 5 a - b and 6 a - b illustrate the processing and display of each progressively higher quality initial image
  • the comparison between a progressive image display with and without masking is more easily seen by rearranging the images of FIGS. 4 a - c , 5 a - c and 6 a - c into FIGS. 7 a - d and 8 a - d
  • the progression from low to high image quality without masking is shown in FIGS. 7 a through 7 d
  • the progression from low to high image quality with masking is shown in FIGS. 8 a through 8 d .
  • the progressive, masked images provide a visual suppression of the low spatial quality of such images while providing an impression of an inherently high-resolution image gradually being revealed in a more natural, realistic way.
  • FIGS. 4 a - d , 5 a - d and 6 a - d correspond to the correspond to the original images presented in U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/669,296 filed on 9 May 2018. However, the corresponding masked images of FIGS.
  • 4 b , 4 d , 5 b , 5 d , 6 b , 6 d and 8 a - c of the instant application were generated using Adobe Photoshop Version 12.0x32 using respective Legacy Brightness/Contrast levels of ⁇ 80, ⁇ 60 and ⁇ 40, respectively, within an available range of +/ ⁇ 100, so as to provide for printable images that better illustrates the masking process.
  • the image processing system 10 , 10 . 1 utilizes the first-aspect progressive imaging process 26 , 26 . 1 to progressively transform and transmit the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 , then the base image IMG N is initially transmitted to the client internet-connected receiving device 20 , followed by image supplements ⁇ (N ⁇ 1,N), ⁇ (N ⁇ 2,N ⁇ 1), . . . , ⁇ (2,3), ⁇ (1,2), ⁇ (0 ⁇ ,1) interleaved with the associated mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , ⁇ N ⁇ 2 , . . .
  • Each progressively-encoded lower-quality progressive image IMG k leading up to the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 is filtered by a mask filter 28 on the client internet-connected receiving device 20 using the associated mask parameters ⁇ k to generate an associated masked lower-quality progressive image IMG k′ that is displayed on the client internet-connected receiving device 20 , either as determined by the client internet-connected receiving device 20 , or responsive to instructions from the server device 18 , for example via software encoded in a webpage 16 to be processed by an internet web browser 22 , for the display of an intermediate image while the actual, unmasked, lower-quality progressive images IMG k (or the associated data thereof) are used for progressively reconstructing the lower-quality progressive images IMG k and eventually the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 .
  • a progressively encoded JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) image provides progressively higher quality intermediate renderings of an image as data is received and decoded prior to presentation of the final high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 . Therefore, in accordance with the first aspect of the image processing system 10 , 10 . 1 , the client internet-connected receiving device 20 uses the mask filters 18 , or associated masking algorithms, only for the display of the masked lower-quality progressive image IMG k′ , whereas the unmasked lower-quality progressive images IMG k are successively preserved in support of the progressive JPEG reconstruction process.
  • JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group
  • the progressively-improved images are generated, masked and displayed on the client internet-connected receiving device 20 in accordance with the process illustrated in FIG. 9 , culminating with an unmasked display of the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 .
  • a progressive image-masking and display process 900 operative on the client internet-connected receiving device 20 provides for receiving, from the server device 18 , a base image IMG N , a plurality of associated image supplements ⁇ (N ⁇ 1,N), ⁇ (N ⁇ 2,N ⁇ 1), . . . , ⁇ (2,3), ⁇ (1,2), ⁇ (0 ⁇ ,1), and a plurality of associated mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , ⁇ N ⁇ 2 , . . .
  • the progressive image-masking process 900 commences in step ( 902 ) with receipt of the base image IMG N and the associated mask parameter ⁇ N , after which, in step ( 904 ), the corresponding masked lowest-quality progressive image IMG N′ is generated by the associated mask filter 28 from the lowest-quality progressive image IMG N (i.e. the base image IMG N ), with an associated level of masking controlled by the value of the mask parameter ⁇ N , after which the resulting masked lowest-quality progressive image IMG N′ is displayed.
  • a counter k may be initialized to a value of N ⁇ 1 to track the number of remaining lower-quality progressive images IMG k to be processed in subsequent steps ( 908 ) through ( 912 ). Then, in step ( 908 ), the next image supplement ⁇ (k,k+1) and an associated mask parameter ⁇ k are received form the server device 18 .
  • the image supplement ⁇ (k,k+1) is an image transition component that provides for generating the next lower-quality progressive image IMG k from the previous lower-quality progressive image IMG k+1 , with the former being of higher quality than the latter.
  • step ( 910 ) the next progression lower-quality progressive image IMG k is generated responsive to both the previous lower-quality progressive image IMG k+1 and the image supplement ⁇ (k,k+1), in accordance with a counterpart to the first-aspect progressive imaging process 26 , 26 . 1 of the server device 18 .
  • step ( 912 ) the corresponding masked lower-quality progressive image IMG k′ is generated by the associated mask filter 28 from the lower-quality progressive image IMG k using the associated mask parameter ⁇ k , which provides progressively less masking for the previous masked lower-quality progressive image IMG k+1′ , after which the resulting masked lower-quality progressive image IMG k′ is displayed.
  • steps ( 914 ) and ( 916 ) respectively provide for testing and decrementing the counter k so as to provide for repeating steps ( 908 ) through ( 912 ) for each of the progressively-increasing-quality lower-quality progressive images IMG k and associated masked lower-quality progressive images IMG k′ .
  • steps ( 918 ) a final image supplement ⁇ (0,1) is received, from which, in step ( 920 ), the final, high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 is generated and displayed, without masking.
  • the termination of repetitions of steps ( 908 ) through ( 912 ) could be controlled by a signal from the server device 18 indicating when to transition to step ( 918 ).
  • the image processing system 10 , 10 . 1 utilizes the second-aspect progressive imaging process 26 , 26 . 2 to progressively transform and transmit the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0
  • the lower-quality progressive images IMG k are each independent of one another and are each transmitted along with an associated mask parameter ⁇ k , the latter of which are used by an associated mask filter 28 on the client internet-connected receiving device 20 to generate the corresponding masked lower-quality progressive image IMG k′ from the corresponding lower-quality progressive images IMG k for display on the client internet-connected receiving device 20 .
  • the masking of the lower-quality progressive images IMG N , IMG N ⁇ 1 , IMG N ⁇ 2 , . . . , IMG 2 , IMG 1 is done either on the server device 18 or on an associated image server device 30 , and the components of the progressive image are each transmitted from the server device 18 , or the associated image server device 30 , to the client internet-connected receiving device 20 as masked lower-quality progressive images IMG N′ , IMG N ⁇ 1′ , IMG N ⁇ 2′ , . . .
  • the mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , ⁇ N ⁇ 2 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 are determined in the same manner as described hereinabove for the first-aspect image processing system 10 , 10 . 1 , i.e.
  • the mask-filter design process 200 operating on either the server device 18 or an associated image server device 30 , 30 ′, for the particular associated progressive imaging process 26 , 26 . 1 , 26 . 2 , except that the associated masked lower-quality progressive images IMG N′ , IMG N ⁇ 1′ , IMG N ⁇ 2′ , . . . , IMG 2′ , IMG 1′ generated in step ( 308 ) are saved for eventual transmission to the client internet-connected receiving device 20 .
  • ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 alone may be determined by the mask-filter design process 200 on the image server device 30 and then transmitted to the server device 18 along with the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 , the latter of which is then progressively encoded and then masked by an associated progressive image-masking process 1100 on the server device 18 for eventual transmission to the client internet-connected receiving device 20 .
  • step ( 1104 ) of the progressive image-masking process 1100 for each lower-quality image component k of the associated progressively generated image, generated from the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 received from the website proprietor 14 , in step ( 1104 ), the next progressive image component IMG k is generated by the associated progressive imaging process 26 , 26 . 1 , 26 .
  • step ( 1106 ) the corresponding masked lower-quality progressive image IMG k′ is generated from the corresponding lower-quality progressive image IMG k by the mask filter 28 using the given value of the mask parameter ⁇ N , after which, in step ( 1108 ), the masked lower-quality progressive image IMG k′ is saved for eventual transmission to the client internet-connected receiving device 20 .
  • steps ( 1104 ) through ( 1108 ) are repeated for each lower-quality image component k, after which, in step ( 1112 ), the masked lower-quality progressive images IMG k′ are returned for eventual transmission to the client internet-connected receiving device 20 .
  • the lower-quality progressive images IMG N , IMG N ⁇ 1 , IMG N ⁇ 2 , . . . , IMG 2 , IMG 1 associated with the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 may be masked to lower quality place holder images before they are transmitted to a client internet-connected receiving device 20 , such as a computer with an internet web browser 22 , since such images are typically discarded as higher quality images become available.
  • a client internet-connected receiving device 20 such as a computer with an internet web browser 22
  • image processing will likely result in greater compression efficiency and therefore faster transmission, without requiring subsequent masking by the client internet-connected receiving device 20 .
  • an associated masked-progressive-image display process 1200 provides for displaying fully-formed masked lower-quality progressive images IMG N′ , IMG N ⁇ 1′ , IMG N ⁇ 2′ , . . . , IMG 2′ , IMG 1′ of progressively-increasing quality from the server device 18 , culminating with receipt and display of the unmasked high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 .
  • the masked base image IMG N′ is first received and displayed in step ( 1202 ).
  • step ( 1204 ) the value of which is initialized in step ( 1204 ) to one less than the total number of image components—for each of the masked lower-quality progressive images IMG N′ , IMG N ⁇ 1′ , IMG N ⁇ 2′ , . . . , IMG 2′ , IMG 1′ .
  • the next masked lower-quality progressive images IMG k′ is received in step ( 1206 ) and displayed in step ( 1208 ), after which, in step ( 1210 ), if all masked lower-quality progressive images IMG k′ have not been displayed, then, in step ( 1212 ), the image component counter k is decremented, and the process 1200 repeats beginning with step ( 1206 ). Otherwise, from step ( 1210 ), after all the lower-quality image components have been received and displayed, the unmasked high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 is received in step ( 1214 ) and then displayed in step ( 1216 ).
  • the amount of spatial detail masking for the best progressive image presentation can be largely subjective.
  • the mask filter or filtering algorithm provides for sufficiently masking the appearance of spatial detail so that the progressive process appears as a gradual removal of high spatial detail masking rather than a gradual increase in spatial quality itself.
  • such masking necessarily diminishes the detail in the lower resolution images that may help the viewer more rapidly assimilate the content the entire purpose of progressive imaging.
  • a certain degree of masking can be applied to initial images to minimize the impression that the image is indeed one of lower quality, such masking would be weighed against the benefit of additional albeit low resolution detail.
  • the relative subjectiveness of the ideal amount of masking suggests that general masking parameters, such as the amount of contrast modification, are somewhat flexible.
  • such parameters may therefore be generally assigned based upon the actual native resolution, or inherent relative quality between a given low resolution image and the final image, rather than the actual content of those images, making such parameters a simple function of the given progressive imaging approach as modified by the inclinations of those tasked with determining such best parameters, rather than requiring an analysis of each image.
  • Such enhancement may include, but is not limited to, artificial emphasis of edge structures in the image. Whereas such enhancement may be taken to an excessive degree when treating unmasked images of low spatial quality, thereby increasing an artificial appearance, the associated masking process will also decrease the visibility of such enhancement, allowing for more aggressive application of the enhancement prior to masking.
  • the progressive reduction of applied masking with progressive improvement in the inherent spatial image quality provides the effect of revealing an image which seems like it had always possessed high spatial quality, with the visibility of that high spatial quality being obscured by the masking. Yet another interpretation is that the high-quality image actually fades in, in front of the mask, and ultimately obscures the mask, making the mask gradually disappear while the high-quality image gradually appears. Accordingly, the characteristics of the masking process may include not only a reduction in the visibility of the low-quality image spatial detail, but may also include characteristics of a background image by blending the masked lower-quality image with the background image.
  • the masked low-quality image may include a degree of transparency, whether global or as a pixel level image transparency component, which is initially high and progressively decreases as the image quality progressively increases and as the contrast restriction progressively decreases, providing the effect of the high-quality image gradually appearing in front of such a background.
  • the masked low-quality image may include progressive changes in brightness, such as may naturally and realistically occur when either gradually turning on a light, or even turning it down to improve visual contrast. This is particularly relevant when the background of a display is white, such as is the case with many internet websites, and the desired effect is to have an image progressively appear from the background.
  • the intermediate images of FIGS. 4 a , 5 a and 6 a are masked to both compress and shift their tonal values to create the respective masked lower-quality progressive images IMG 3′′ , IMG 2′′ , IMG 1′′ of FIGS. 13 a , 13 b and 13 c , respectively, culminating with the final, unmasked high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 illustrated in FIG. 13 d , all such images including their respective tonal histograms.
  • the progressive images resulting from this second aspect of the masking process therefore provide a similar effect to the first aspect of the masking process—affecting contrast alone—in that the image offers the presumption or illusion that high spatial quality exists but, in this case, is being masked by a generally white mask which progressively fades to reveal the final image.
  • the generally white mask may initially create the same appearance as the white page background before the first, masked initial low-quality image appears (such a completely masked, uniform white image not shown), the high resolution image appears to be progressively revealed from the page as if fading in from that background, while also providing the illusion that presumably high spatial detail is simply being revealed as part of that process.
  • the associated masking process of the image processing system 10 may combine a number of methods which effectively modify the visibility of spatial detail, so as to appear as an obscuration of that detail, without changing spatial detail itself, but rather, changing the visibility of that spatial detail through adjustment of the tonal values of the displayed image.
  • the mask filters or masking algorithms may be applied to progressive images either in accordance with predetermined instructions given by a server device 18 to a client internet-connected receiving device 20 , such as through the software encoding included in, or accessed by, a webpage 16 , or may be applied independently by a client internet-connected receiving device 20 upon detection of a progressive image without such instruction.
  • progressive JPEG images are inherently encoded with, and detectable as, providing data for displaying progressively higher quality images, and a server device 18 may include instructions for the resultant masking of such progressive JPEG images.
  • a client internet-connected receiving device 20 may independently apply masking in accordance with general masking settings resident on the client internet-connected receiving device 20 , such as settings within an internet browser application, which, for example, show the initial images of progressive JPEG images with higher transparency and then decreasing such transparency as the quality improves.
  • General masking settings resident on the client internet-connected receiving device 20 such as settings within an internet browser application, which, for example, show the initial images of progressive JPEG images with higher transparency and then decreasing such transparency as the quality improves.
  • Progressive JPEG images while often requiring less bandwidth than non-progressive JPEG images, are at present little used in websites, presumably due to the low and artificial initial spatial quality as well as the difficulty in visually determining when the final image is achieved.
  • the application of progressively-decreasing masking while image quality progressively increases may serve to mitigate these issues.
  • the masking of intermediate images associated with a progressive display of a high-definition image provides for significantly diminishing the often objectionable, obvious low or artificial visual spatial quality of the initial and intermediate images, while still providing sufficient, progressively improving image detail to accelerate the viewer's assimilation of the content of that image.
  • the associated mask parameters ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 are configured, for example, using the associated mask-filter design process 200 that is run on either the server device 18 , or on a separate image server device 30 .
  • step ( 1406 ) if each progressively-high-quality image component IMG k ⁇ 1 requires data from a previous-lower-quality image component IMG k , i.e. as a result of progressive-encoding by an associated first-aspect progressive imaging process 26 , 26 . 1 , then, in step ( 1408 ), the server device 18 awaits a demand for an image from an associated client internet-connected receiving device 20 , and upon receipt thereof, in step ( 1410 ), sends to the client internet-connected receiving device 20 the lowest-quality, base image IMG N , following by the associated image supplements ⁇ (N ⁇ 1,N), ⁇ (N ⁇ 2,N ⁇ 1), . . .
  • each lower-quality progressive images IMG N , IMG N ⁇ 1 , IMG N ⁇ 2 , . . . , IMG 2 , IMG 1 is masked by a mask filter 28 using a corresponding associated mask parameter ⁇ N , ⁇ N ⁇ 1 , ⁇ N ⁇ 2 , . . . , ⁇ 2 , ⁇ 1 wherein the masking is done during the mask-filter design process 200 , or by a subsequent progressive image-masking process 1100 .
  • step ( 1414 ) the server device 18 awaits a demand for an image from an associated client internet-connected receiving device 20 , and upon receipt thereof, in step ( 1416 ), successively sends to the client internet-connected receiving device 20 each masked lower-quality progressive image IMG N′ , IMG N ⁇ 1′ , IMG N ⁇ 2′ , . . . , IMG 2′ , IMG 1′ —in a succession of progressively-increasing image quality—following by the original high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 , for example, in accordance with the process 1000 schematically illustrated in FIG. 10 .
  • step ( 1504 ) the received image includes masking and display instructions that provide for treating the image as a series of progressively-improving-quality images
  • step ( 1506 ) if the image does not contain instructions to replace each of the progressively-improving-quality images with a progressively-higher-quality masked image as data is received, i.e. in accordance with a first-aspect image processing system 10 , 10 . 1 , 10 . 1 ′, 10 . 1 ′′, also referred to as a first option
  • step ( 1508 ) a base image IMG N is received.
  • step ( 1510 ) if the current image is not the final high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 , then in step ( 1512 ), if the current, received image is not an image supplements ⁇ (k,k+1), then the current, received image is masked by the mask filter 28 using the associated mask parameter ⁇ k and then displayed. If the current, received image is an image supplements ⁇ (k,k+1)—in accordance with a first-aspect progressive imaging process 26 , 26 . 1 —then the corresponding lower-quality progressive images IMG k ⁇ 1 is first formed therefrom based upon the previous lower-quality progressive images IMG k before masking and display.
  • step ( 1514 ) depending upon the progressive imaging process 26 , 26 . 1 , 26 . 2 , the next image supplements ⁇ (k,k+1) or image IMG k is received, along with the associated mask parameter ⁇ k , after which, the process repeats beginning with step ( 1510 ). Otherwise, from step ( 1510 ), if the final level of progress has been reached, then, in step ( 1516 ), the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 is displayed, without masking.
  • step ( 1518 ) the masked lower-quality progressive images IMG N′ , IMG N ⁇ 1′ , IMG N ⁇ 2′ , . . . , IMG 2′ , IMG 1′ , followed by the high-definition image 12 , IMG 0 , are received and progressively displayed in accordance with the masked-progressive-image display process 1200 illustrated in FIG. 12 .
  • step ( 1520 ) if the received image does not include masking and display instructions that provide for treating the image as a series of progressively-improving-quality images, then, in step ( 1520 ), if a progressively-encoded image has been received, but without display instructions, then, in accordance with a third aspect 10 . 3 of an image processing system 10 , 10 . 3 , also referred to as a third option, in step ( 1522 ), the number of progression levels is determined, and then successively decreasing levels of masking, for example, successively decreasing levels of transparency, are applied to each successive image of the progression, per setting on the client internet-connected receiving device 20 , for example, predetermined settings, i.e.
  • step ( 1524 ) the image is displayed normally, without masking.
  • any reference herein to the term “or” is intended to mean an “inclusive or” or what is also known as a “logical OR”, wherein when used as a logic statement, the expression “A or B” is true if either A or B is true, or if both A and B are true, and when used as a list of elements, the expression “A, B or C” is intended to include all combinations of the elements recited in the expression, for example, any of the elements selected from the group consisting of A, B, C, (A, B), (A, C), (B, C), and (A, B, C); and so on if additional elements are listed.
  • indefinite articles “a” or “an”, and the corresponding associated definite articles “the’ or “said”, are each intended to mean one or more unless otherwise stated, implied, or physically impossible.
  • expressions “at least one of A and B, etc.”, “at least one of A or B, etc.”, “selected from A and B, etc.” and “selected from A or B, etc.” are each intended to mean either any recited element individually or any combination of two or more elements, for example, any of the elements from the group consisting of “A”, “B”, and “A AND B together”, etc.

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