System and method for efficiently encoding video frame sequences

Abstract

A video data encoding system and method represents video frame image by an initial array of data. The image data array is processed by a wavelet transform function to produce an array of transform coefficients, sometimes called a processed image data array. The processed image data array is divided into subarrays and each subarray is encoded by generating a plurality of encoded representations of the subarray, and then selecting and outputting the smallest of the encoded subarray representations. The plurality of encoded representations are generated by encoding the subarray using a predefined coding technique; generating a differential array that is equal to the difference, on a coefficient by coefficient basis, between the subarray of transform coefficients and the corresponding subarray from a prior video frame; and encoding the differential array. Each encoded subarray is preceded by a flag to indicate if the encoded data represents the subarray or the differential array. Each subarray and differential subarray is encoded using a nested split coding technique.