Set Partition Coding: Part II of Set Partition Coding and Image Wavelet Coding Systems

This monograph describes current-day wavelet transform image coding systems. As in the first part, steps of the algorithms are explained thoroughly and set apart. An image coding system consists of several stages: transformation, quantization, set partition or adaptive entropy coding or both, decoding including rate control, inverse transformation, de-quantization, and optional processing (see Figure 1.6). Wavelet transform systems can provide many desirable properties besides high efficiency, such as scalability in quality, scalability in resolution, and region-of-interest access to the coded bitstream. These properties are built into the JPEG2000 standard, so its coding will be fully described. Since JPEG2000 codes subblocks of subbands, other methods, such as SBHP (Subband Block Hierarchical Partitioning) [3] and EZBC (Embedded Zero Block Coder) [8], that code subbands or its subblocks independently are also described. The emphasis in this part is the use of the basic algorithms presented in the previous part in ways that achieve these desirable bitstream properties. In this vein, we describe a modification of the tree-based coding in SPIHT (Set Partitioning In Hierarchical Trees) [15], whose output bitstream can be decoded partially corresponding to a designated region of interest and is simultaneously quality and resolution scalable. This monograph is extracted and adapted from the forthcoming textbook entitled Digital Signal Compression: Principles and Practice by William A. Pearlman and Amir Said, Cambridge University Press, 2009.