A Rate-Distortion Theorem for Arbitrary Discrete Sources

Abstract

A rate-distortion theorem for arbitrary (not necessarily stationary or ergodic) discrete-time finite-alphabet sources is given. This result, which provides the expression of the minimum /spl epsiv/-achievable fixed-length coding rate subject to a fidelity criterion, extends a recent data compression theorem by Steinberg and Verdu (see ibid., vol.42, p.63-86 (Jan. 1996).