Linear list compression

• Main Author: Krtolica, Radovan V
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.10.2004

1. Field of the Invention Methods, apparatus, and computer readable medium for compressing connected component objects () of bi-level images. The compression apparatus () can take various forms including apparatus for coding a stroke of an object () or for coding the entirety of the object (), including plural strokes. The compression apparatus () typically includes a referencing module () for identifying at least one reference node (), a coding module () for successively coding pixel runs () such that at least one run () is coded relative to the reference node () and other runs () are coded relative to previously coded runs, and a closing module () for terminating the process. Certain forms of the apparatus operate in a horizontal or a vertical mode only, never operate in horizontal mode during two consecutive coding operations, code each run using two code-words, and/or utilize modified Huffman coding techniques. Various compression methods of the general nature described above are also disclosed.