Handwriting and bilevel graphics coding based on quadtree segmented block-run run-length coding

An efficient coding scheme for handwriting and bilevel graphics based on quadtree segmentation and block-run run-length coding (RLC) is presented. By segmenting a captured handwriting or graphic image into variable size blocks according to the image activity inside the blocks and run-length coding on a block-run basis, the proposed scheme is able to achieve higher coding efficiency than the conventional one-dimensional RLC and its bit rate is close to that of on-line dynamographical chain coding.