Rate-Distortion-Optimized Video Transmission Using Pyramid Vector Quantization

• Published in: IEEE transactions on image processing Vol. 21; no. 8; pp. 3560 - 3572
• Main Authors: Bokhari, S. M. M., Nix, A. R., Bull, D. R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.08.2012; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bit rate; Codecs; Coding, codes; Detection, estimation, filtering, equalization, prediction; Encoding; Equations; Exact sciences and technology; Image processing; Information, signal and communications theory; Pyramid vector quantization; rate-distortion optimization; Sampling, quantization; Signal and communications theory; Signal processing; Signal, noise; Telecommunications and information theory; Transform coding; Transforms; Vectors; video coding; wireless video; Video coding; Performance evaluation; High resolution; Image processing; Data compression; Wireless telecommunication; Video signal; Entropy; Optimization; Video signal processing; Image coding; Codec; Signal transmission; Growth of error; Motion estimation; Vector quantization; Rate distortion theory; Lossy medium; Image compression; Algorithm; Pyramid vector quantization; rate-distortion optimization; Compression ratio; Signal processing; Error detection; Error correction; wireless video
• ISSN: 1057-7149; 1941-0042
• DOI: 10.1109/TIP.2012.2191568

Conventional video compression relies on interframe prediction (motion estimation), intraframe prediction, and variable-length entropy encoding to achieve high compression ratios but, as a consequence, produces an encoded bit stream that is inherently sensitive to channel errors. In order to ensure reliable delivery over lossy channels, it is necessary to invoke various additional error detection and correction methods. In contrast, techniques such as pyramid vector quantization (PVQ) have the ability to prevent error propagation through the use of fixed-length codewords. This paper introduces an efficient rate-distortion optimization algorithm for intramode PVQ, which offers similar compression performance to intra H.264/AVC and Motion JPEG 2000, while offering inherent error resilience. The performance of our enhanced codec is evaluated for high-definition content in the context of a realistic (IEEE 802.11n) wireless environment with up to 11 dB PNR improvement over H.264/AVC. We show that PVQ provides greater tolerance to corrupted data while obviating the need for complex encoding tools.