Progressive image compression and restoration providing a high spatial quality intermediate image

1. A method of processing an image, comprising:

a. receiving from an image server, all color components of a lowest-resolution image of a plurality of successively-higher-resolution images;

b. displaying said lowest-resolution image on a display; and

c. for each remaining image of said plurality of successively-higher-resolution images, in order of increasing resolution:

i. receiving from said image server, a single color component of a corresponding set of extra data of each of a plurality of corresponding sets of extra data;

ii. reconstructing a next-higher-resolution image from a combination of a previous image and said single color component of said corresponding set of said extra data, wherein said previous image comprises said lowest-resolution image for a first set of said extra data, and otherwise comprises a next-lower-resolution reconstructed image;

iii. displaying said next-higher-resolution image on said display; and

iv. at least temporarily saving a color component of said next-higher-resolution image, wherein said color component corresponds to said single color component of said corresponding set of said extra data.

2. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a. receiving from said image server, remaining components of said extra data of a corresponding set of extra data associated with a candidate image, wherein said candidate image is the lowest-resolution image of said plurality of successively-higher-resolution images that has not been substantially-losslessly-reconstructed;

b. substantially-losslessly reconstructing a successively-higher-resolution substantially-losslessly-reconstructed image responsive to a combination of said candidate image and said remaining components of said extra data;

c. displaying said successively-higher-resolution substantially-losslessly-reconstructed image; and

d. at least temporarily saving said successively-higher-resolution substantially-losslessly-reconstructed image.

3. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 1 , further comprising receiving from said image server, a color-component indicator that identifies said single color component.

4. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a. receiving from said image server, a transparency-component indicator; and

b. prior to displaying said next-higher-resolution image:

i. if said transparency-component indicator indicates a first state, scaling or interpolating a transparency component of said lowest-resolution image to form a transparency component of said next-higher-resolution image in one-to-one pixel correspondence with said next-higher-resolution image; and

ii. if said transparency-component indicator indicates a second state, reconstructing said transparency component of said next-higher-resolution image from said previous image in combination with said single color component of said corresponding set of said extra data.

5. A method of processing an image, comprising:

a. receiving at least two color components of a first resolution image, wherein each color component of said at least two color components is associated with a different primary color;

b. receiving a first portion of extra data associated with said first resolution image, wherein said first portion of extra data provides for generating a second resolution image corresponding to said first resolution image, said second resolution of said second resolution image is greater than said first resolution of said first resolution image, said first resolution image is derivable from a common underlying image having a corresponding resolution that is relatively higher than said first resolution, said second resolution image is either derivable from or substantially equivalent to said common underlying image, said first portion of extra data includes a subset of color components corresponding to at least one of said at least two color components of said first resolution image, and said subset of color components contains fewer said color components than said at least two color components of said first resolution image;

c. generating said second resolution image from said first resolution image using at least one color component of said first portion of extra data; and

d. providing for displaying on a display or storing in a memory, an image selected from the group consisting of said second resolution image and a further processed image based upon said second resolution image.

6. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 5 , further comprising displaying said second resolution image on said display.

7. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 5 , further comprising displaying both said first and second resolution images in succession on said display.

8. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 5 , wherein said first resolution image and said first portion of extra data are received from an image server.

9. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 5 , wherein said first portion of extra data comprises a plurality of extra-data values, and each extra-data value of said plurality of extra-data values is responsive to difference between corresponding associated adjacent pixels in said second resolution image.

10. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 5 , further comprising:

a. receiving a first portion of extra data associated with said second resolution image, wherein said first portion of extra data associated with said second resolution image provides for generating a third resolution image corresponding to said first and second resolution images, said third resolution of said third resolution image is greater than said second resolution, said third resolution images is derivable from or substantially equivalent to said common underlying image, and said first portion of extra data associated with said second resolution image includes said subset of color components corresponding to said at least one of said at least two color components of said first resolution image; and

b. generating said third resolution image from said second resolution image using said at least one color component of said first portion of extra data associated with said second resolution image, wherein said further processed image includes an image selected from the group consisting of said third resolution image and a yet further processed image based upon said third resolution image.

11. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 10 , further comprising displaying said third resolution image on said display.

12. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 10 , further comprising displaying at least two images selected from the group consisting of said first resolution image, said second resolution image and said third resolution image in succession on said display.

13. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 10 , further comprising:

a. receiving at least one additional portion of extra data associated with said second resolution image, wherein said at least one additional portion of extra data associated with said second resolution image provides for generating a corresponding supplemental second resolution image, and said at least one additional portion of extra data associated with said second resolution image includes at least one additional color component associated with said first resolution image that was not included in said first portion of extra data;

b. generating said supplemental second resolution image from said second resolution image using said at least one additional color component of said at least one additional portion of extra data associated with said second resolution image, wherein said further processed image includes an image selected from the group consisting of said supplemental second resolution image and a yet further processed image based upon said supplemental second resolution image.

14. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 13 , further comprising displaying at least two images selected from the group consisting of said first resolution image, said second resolution image, said third resolution image and said supplemental second resolution image, in succession on said display.

15. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 5 , further comprising:

a. receiving at least one additional portion of extra data associated with said second resolution image, wherein said at least one additional portion of extra data associated with said second resolution image provides for generating a corresponding supplemental second resolution image, and said at least one additional portion of extra data associated with said second resolution image includes at least one additional color component associated with said first resolution image that was not included in said first portion of extra data;

b. generating said supplemental second resolution image from said second resolution image using said at least one additional color component of said at least one additional portion of extra data associated with said second resolution image, wherein said further processed image includes an image selected from the group consisting of said supplemental second resolution image and a yet further processed image based upon said supplemental second resolution image.

16. A method of processing an image as recited in claim 15 , further comprising displaying said supplemental second resolution image on said display.