Controlling a compression of an image according to a degree of photo-realism

1. A method of controlling a compression of an input image according to a degree of photo-realism in the input image, comprising:

computing a photo-realism value indicating a degree of photo-realism for the input image based on a numerical distribution of pixel luminance values within the input image, including processing a histogram of the input image which denotes the numerical distribution of pixel luminance values within the input image, wherein said processing comprises computing a relation among histogram bins having a value that is above an average and histogram bins having a value below the average;

calculating a configuration parameter based on the photo-realism value for the input image; and

configuring an encoder to compress the input image according to the configuration parameter.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

tiling the input image giving rise to a plurality of input image tiles;

computing a photo-realism value indicating a degree of photo-realism for each one of the plurality of input image tiles based on a numerical distribution of pixel luminance values within the respective input image tile;

calculating a configuration parameter for each one of the plurality of input image tiles based on the photo-realism value that was computed for the input image tile; and

configuring an encoder to compress each one of the plurality of input image tiles according to its respective configuration parameter.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein a configuration parameter for an input image tile having a relatively low photo-realism value is effective for configuring the encoder to apply a relatively low compression level to the respective input image tile.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the degree of photo-realism is associated with a spatial distribution of the pixel luminance values within the input image.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said computing comprises processing values of adjacent pixels to determine a local smoothness score representing a relation between a number of adjacent pixels having a relation which meets a first smoothness criterion and a number of adjacent pixels having a relation which meets a second smoothness criterion, where the second smoothness criterion demands a substantially higher degree of smoothness relative to the first smoothness criterion.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said computing comprises processing values of adjacent pixels to determine a sharp edge score representing a relation between a number of adjacent pixels having a relation which meets an edge criterion and a number of adjacent pixels having a relation which meets a sharp edge criterion.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said computing comprises processing values of adjacent pixels to determine a sharp edge score representing a relation between a number of adjacent pixels having a relation which meets an edge criterion and a number of adjacent pixels having a relation which meets a sharp edge criterion.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said processing the histogram comprises computing a relation between histogram bins having a maxima value and an average value of the bins.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said processing the histogram comprises computing a relation among histogram bins having a maxima value and values of histogram bins on either side of the histogram bins having the maxima value.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said processing the histogram comprises computing absolute differences between adjacent histogram bins.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the photo-realism measure is associated with a spatial distribution of the pixel luminance values within the input image.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said processing the histogram comprises computing a relation between histogram bins having a maxima value and an average value of the bins.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said processing the histogram comprises computing a relation among histogram bins having a maxima value and values of histogram bins on either side of the histogram bins having the maxima value.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said processing the histogram comprises computing absolute differences between adjacent histogram bins.

15. A method of controlling a compression of an input image according to a degree of photo-realism in the input image, comprising:

computing a photo-realism value indicating a degree of photo-realism for the input image based on a numerical distribution of pixel luminance values within the input image, including processing a histogram of the input image which denotes the numerical distribution of pixel luminance values within the input image, wherein said processing the histogram comprises computing a relation between histogram bins having a maxima value and an average value of the bins;

calculating a configuration parameter based on the photo-realism value for the input image; and

configuring an encoder to compress the input image according to the configuration parameter.

16. A method of controlling a compression of an input image according to a degree of photo-realism in the input image, comprising:

computing a photo-realism value indicating a degree of photo-realism for the input image based on a numerical distribution of pixel luminance values within the input image, including processing a histogram of the input image which denotes the numerical distribution of pixel luminance values within the input image, wherein the degree of photo-realism is associated with a spatial distribution of the pixel luminance values within the input image;

calculating a configuration parameter based on the photo-realism value for the input image; and

configuring an encoder to compress the input image according to the configuration parameter.