Rate-Distortion Optimized Image Compression using Wedgelets

Conference PaperMost wavelet-based image coders fail to model the joint coherent behavior of wavelet coefficients near edges. Wedgelets offer a convenient parameterization for the edges in an image, but they have yet to yield a viable compression algorithm. In this paper, we propose an extension of the zerotree-based Space-Frequency Quantization (SFQ) algorithm by adding a wedgelet symbol to its tree-pruning optimization. This incorporates wedgelets into a rate-distortion compression framework and allows simple, coherent descriptions of the wavelet coefficients near edges. The resulting method yields improved visual quality and increased compression efficiency over the standard SFQ technique.Office of Naval ResearchNational Science FoundationAir Force Office of Scientific Researc