Many contemporary video compression algorithms classify each block of image data into one of a small number of modes and then apply a coding technique determined by the mode. The design and optimization of this classifier is a central problem in designing the overall video compression algorithm. We derive a theoretical bound on performance of block classification for independently coded blocks by minimizing a Lagrangian functional of rate and distortion. This bound can be used to evaluate the efficiency of simple classification schemes. As an example, we analyzed a heuristically optimized classification scheme for a simple three mode video coding system and showed that its performance was within 5% of the Lagrangian minimization. We also demonstrate how our technique can be used to improve classification logic.

Date Published: 1 November 1989
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 1199, Visual Communications and Image Processing IV, (1 November 1989); doi: 10.1117/12.970034

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1199:
Visual Communications and Image Processing IV
William A. Pearlman, Editor(s)