Multiple description image coding using natural scene statistics

The statistics of natural scenes in the wavelet domain are accurately characterized by the Gaussian scale mixture (GSM) model. The model lends itself easily to analysis and many applications that use this model are emerging (e.g., denoising, watermark detection). We present an error-resilient image communications application that uses the GSM model and multiple description coding (MDC) to provide error-resilience. We derive a rate-distortion bound for GSM random variables, derive the redundancy rate-distortion function, and finally implement an MD image communication system.