Method and apparatus for layered compression of multimedia signals for storage and transmission over heterogeneous networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus provide the ability to code signals in a layered manner for compression and networking applications. The solution involves a relaxed hierarchical structure of layers, wherein only an optimal subset of information from lower quality levels is transmitted to higher level decoders. This framework is complemented with a design method to optimize system parameters. Specialization may include techniques for employing irregular quantizers and/or estimation theoretic optimal parameter selection and/or content specific optimization (e.g., exploiting harmonic structure in audio, adaptive transform coding and enhanced motion compensated prediction for video) and/or optimization of the structure of the layers, where the potential of exploiting all the common information is realized to improve overall system performance for that application. One specific technique provides improved compression of signals with multiple quality levels with or without prediction. Another specific technique provides improved compression of signals with multiple heterogeneous quality-levels with or without prediction.