Towards Prediction Optimality in Video Compression and Networking

In modern video compression and communication systems, prediction is one of the key schemes to exploit spatial and temporal redundancies. However, current approaches are suboptimal as they do not fully exploit the spatial and temporal correlations within signals. This dissertation focuses on the optimal prediction algorithms that fully utilize the correlations, and the optimal design of predictors that accounts for the rich variety of video statistics as well as the instability due to quantization error propagation in the closed-loop video coding system. Complementary to predictive coding, we also expand the design framework to the general predictive coding system, focusing on the optimal transform design that spatially de-correlates the residual data, leading to better compactness and compression performance.The contributions in this dissertation cover the topics of spatial (intra) prediction, temporal (inter) prediction, the layered prediction in scalable coding and transform design. The contributions have been proposed to or accepted in multiple video coding standardization efforts including the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) and the Alliance for Open Media (AOM), and have provided significant improvements in the video compression performance