Method and system for image processing

1. A method for raster image processing onto an output device, by a user, of a digital file containing an original digital image and a set of parameters for at least one resolution independent modification transformation, comprising:

selecting, using a computer, a region and a resolution for image display on said output device;

applying, using a computer, said at least one resolution independent modification transformation to said original digital image so as to produce said region of a modified original image at said resolution; and

rendering, using a computer, said region of said modified original image on said output device.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said applying step also combines several resolution independent modification transformations.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said original digital image is represented as a pyramid of sub-images, each sub-image having a lower pixel resolution than its predecessor in the pyramid.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said sub-images are partitioned into individually accessible rectangular image tiles.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said digital file only contains a subset of said parameters of resolution independent modification transformations, and wherein said applying step also includes filling in the missing parameters by interpolation.

6. A system for raster image processing onto an output device, by a user, of a digital file containing an original digital image and a set of parameters for at least one resolution independent modification transformation, comprising:

a user interface selecting a region and a resolution for image display on said output device;

an image processor applying said at least one resolution independent modification transformation to said original digital image so as to produce said region of a modified original image at said resolution; and

an image renderer rendering said region of said modified original image on said output device.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein said image processor includes a combiner to combine several resolution independent modification transformations.

8. A system according to claim 6 wherein said original digital image is represented as a pyramid of sub-images, each sub-image having a lower pixel resolution than its predecessor in the pyramid.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein said sub-images are partitioned into individually accessible rectangular image tiles.

10. A method system according to claim 6 wherein said digital file only contains a subset of said parameters of resolution independent modification transformations, and wherein said image processor also fills in the missing parameters by interpolation.

11. A system for image processing comprising: an image processor capable of applying at least one resolution independent modification transformation to a digital image so as to produce a region of a modified digital image at one or more potential resolutions; and an image renderer capable of rendering said region of said modified image on an output device at said one or more potential resolutions.

12. A method for image processing comprising:

applying using a computer at least one resolution independent modification transformation to a digital image so as to produce a region of a modified digital image at one of a set of potential resolutions; and

rendering using a computer said region of said modified digital image on an output device at said one of a set of potential resolutions.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform operations comprising:

applying at least one resolution-independent modification transformation to a digital image so as to produce a region of a modified digital image at one of a set of potential resolutions; and

rendering said region of said modified digital image on an output device at said one of a set of potential resolutions.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the image processor is configured to combine several resolution-independent modification transformations, at least one of the resolution-independent modification transformations involving an interpolation if one or more of parameters for the at least one of the resolution-independent modification transformations is missing.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the digital image is represented as one or more sub-images and each sub-image is partitioned into one or more individually accessible tiles.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the applying includes combining several resolution-independent modification transformations, at least one of the resolution-independent modification transformations involving an interpolation if one or more of parameters for the at least one of the resolution-independent modification transformations is missing.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the digital image is represented as a pyramid of sub-images and each sub-image has a lower pixel resolution than its predecessor sub-image in the pyramid.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the applying includes combining several resolution-independent modification transformations, at least one of the resolution-independent modification transformations involving an interpolation.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the digital image is represented as two or more sub-images and a second sub-image has a lower pixel resolution than a first sub-image and at least the first sub-image is partitioned into individually accessible image tiles.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the individually accessible image tiles are rectangular.