Abstract: The present invention provides a method to compress digital moving pictures or video signals based on an overcomplete basis transform using a modified Matching Pursuit algorithm. More particularly, this invention focuses on the efficient coding of the motion residual image, which is generated by the process of motion estimation and compensation. A residual energy segmentation algorithm (RESA) can be used to obtain an initial estimate of the shape and position of high-energy regions in the residual image. A progressive elimination algorithm (PEA) can be used to reduce the number of matching evaluations in the matching pursuits process. RESA and PEA can speed up the encoder by many times for finding the matched basis from the pre-specified overcomplete basis dictionary. Three parameters of the matched pattern form an atom, which defines the index into the dictionary and the position of the selected basis, as well as the inner product between the chosen basis pattern and the residual signal.

Abstract: A new effective and fast method and apparatus for still image compression implements an embedded progressive sorting scheme in a quadtree-like structure. In contrast to zerotree-based methods for wavelet coding, the invented embedded quadtree wavelet (EQW) method exploits the inherent spatial self-similarity within individual layers of the multiresolution decomposition hierarchy. This self-similarity offers higher predictability of the data within the same resolution level, and therefore usually provides a higher performance in seeking a compact code. The computation involved in the EQW method is more efficient than in the zerotree wavelet coding, and the produced bitstream is more robust to channel noise. The present invention can effectively be used for object-oriented shape coding or region coding in image and video compression coding systems.

Abstract: A region-based system, method and architecture for encoding and decoding digital still images to produce a scalable, content-based, randomly accessible compressed bit stream is disclosed. According to the system raw image data is decomposed and ordered into a hierarchy of multi-resolution sub-images. Regions of interest are then determined. A region mask is defined to identify the regions of interest and then encoded. This data is then sorted on the basis of the magnitude of the multi-resolution coefficients to produce the scalable, content-based randomly accessible compressed bit stream.

Abstract: A system and method for digital live video transmission is disclosed. According to the system, live or full-motion video is transmitted over plain old telephone system ("POTS") wiring. Successive frames of a video image are captured or received in a source computer, and are then processed prior to transmission. A destination computer reverses the process after the image is received. Quad-tree encoding techniques are preferably employed. A unique YUV pixel representation scheme is used where the pixel data is truncated for further compression. Proportional dithering is applied to smooth the received image, which is preferably displayed on a video screen. Approximately 30 frames per second of video data is transmitted synchronously over twisted pair wiring at currently achievable baud rates.