Source model for transform video coder and its application. I. Fundamental theory

A source model describing the relationship between bits, distortion, and quantization step sizes of a large class of block-transform video coders is proposed. This model is initially derived from the rate-distortion theory and then modified to match the practical coders and real image data. The realistic constraints such as quantizer dead-zone and threshold coefficient selection are included in our formulation. The most attractive feature of this model is its simplicity in its final form. It enables us to predict the bits needed to encode a picture at a given distortion or to predict the quantization step size at a given bit rate. There are two aspects of our contribution: one, we extend the existing results of rate-distortion theory to the practical video coders, and two, the nonideal factors in real signals and systems are identified, and their mathematical expressions are derived from empirical data. One application of this model, as shown in the second part of this paper, is the buffer/quantizer control on a CCITT P/spl times/64 k coder with the advantage that the picture quality is nearly constant over the entire picture sequence.