Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding image data

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for encoding images, more particularly to an encoding unit in conjunction with a library of pictorial entities and image qualifiers. The method and apparatus provide encoding an image by using a code factor table in conjunction with a set of element codes. The resulting image code allows the set pictorial elements of an image and their associated image, qualifiers to be represented by a compact code uniquely representing a given configuration of pictorial elements. The use of the resulting image code facilitates the transmission and storage of images requiring only the code to be sent or stored. The invention further provides a computer readable medium comprising a program element that direct a computer to implement the encoding process.

1 . A system for creating a compressed digital representation of a composite image, comprising:
 a processor; and   a computer readable storage device containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform operations comprising:
 displaying an image on a display; 
 displaying a set of facial features on the display, wherein each facial feature is associated with a pictorial entity symbol; 
 receiving a first input selecting a facial feature from the set of facial features; 
 incorporating the selected facial feature into the image displayed on the display; 
 displaying a set of image qualifiers on the display, wherein each image qualifier is associated with an image qualifier symbol; 
 receiving a second input selecting an image qualifier from the set of image qualifiers; 
 applying the selected image qualifier associated with the selected image qualifier to the selected facial feature in the image displayed on the display; and 
 generating a composite image code using the pictorial entity symbol associated with the selected facial feature and the image qualifier symbol associated with the selected image qualifier, wherein the composite image code includes or is based on a code factor, wherein the code factor is distinct from the pictorial entity symbol associated with the selected facial feature. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the image qualifiers is a color. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the image qualifiers provides positional information. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise storing the composite image code in a computer readable storage medium. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting the composite image code to a remote location. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise reproducing the composite image on the display using the composite image code. 
     
     
         7 . A method for creating a compressed digital representation of a composite image comprising:
 displaying an image on a display;   displaying a set of facial features on the display, wherein each facial feature is associated with a pictorial entity symbol;   receiving a first input selecting a facial feature from the set of facial features;   incorporating the selected facial feature into the image displayed on the display;   displaying a set of image qualifiers on the display, wherein each of the image qualifiers is associated with an image qualifier symbol;   receiving a second input selecting an image qualifier from the set of image qualifiers;   applying the selected image qualifier associated with the selected image qualifier to the selected facial feature in the image displayed on the display; and   generating a composite image code using the pictorial entity symbol associated with the selected facial feature and the image qualifier symbol associated with the selected image qualifier, wherein the composite image code includes or is based on a code factor, wherein the code factor is distinct from the pictorial entity symbol associated with the selected facial feature.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising storing the composite image code in a computer readable storage medium. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 transmitting the composite image code to a remote location, and   displaying the composite image on a second display at the remote location using the composite image code.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising reproducing the composite image on the display using the composite image code. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the image qualifiers is a color. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the image qualifiers provides positional information.