A video coding algorithm using vector-based techniques

This paper presents an algorithm proposal submitted to MPEG-4 for video coding. The proposed algorithm addresses the functionality of improved coding efficiency for compression. It uses vector-based techniques for coding intraframes (the first frame and subsequent refreshing key frames) and motion-compensated difference frames. It uses the same motion estimation and motion compensation techniques as H.263. A video frame (I or P frame) is first decomposed into a set of vector bands using a vector wavelet transform. This stage of vector-based signal processing makes subsequent vector quantization in the vector bands very efficient. Lattice vector quantization is then used in the vector bands. A 100% labeling efficiency is achieved for lattice vector quantization by using a set of generalized labeling algorithms for various important lattices with pyramid and sphere boundaries. Finally, entropy coding is used to code the indexes generated from lattice vector quantization. Our coding results have shown that a gain in peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) up to 8 dB for intraframe coding and up to 6 dB for interframe coding can be achieved over H.263. Subjective quality improvement of the proposed algorithm over H.263 can be easily observed.