A new approach to scalable video coding

This paper introduces a new framework for video coding that facilitates operation over a wide range of transmission rates. The new method is a subband coding approach that employs motion compensation, and uses prediction-frame and intra-frame coding within the framework. It is unique in that it allows lossy coding of the motion vectors through its use of multistage residual vector quantization (RVQ). Furthermore, it selects the motion vector with the best rate-distortion tradeoff among a number of possible motion vector candidates, and provides a rate-distortion-based mechanism for alternating between intra-frame and inter-frame coding. The framework provides an easy way to control the system complexity and performance, and inherently supports multiresolution transmission.