Method and apparatus for converting floating-point pixel values to byte pixel values by table lookup

Method and apparatus for generating integer pixel values from floating point values using table lookup. The method includes the steps of (a) providing a floating-point representation of a pixel value; and (b) applying the floating-point representation as an index into a lookup table. The lookup table includes a memory device having a plurality of entries. Each of the entries is uniquely indexed by one value of a floating-point representation of a pixel value, and each of the entries stores a corresponding integer representation of the pixel value. A third step (c) outputs from the lookup table the integer representation of the pixel value that corresponds to the applied floating-point representation. It is shown that only a sub-set of the entire floating-point representation need be employed as a table index value, specifically the sign bit, the exponent, and a portion of the mantissa.