<title>Lapped-transform-based video coding</title>

Abstract

Standard video compression algorithms share one common coding framework based on the hybrid block-based motion-compensated DCT structure. Recently, video compression at low bit-rates has become the focus of research in the signal processing community due to the expanding applications in video conferencing, video over telephone lines, streaming video over the Internet, multimedia and wireless video communications. Unfortunately, in these situations, the notorious blocking artifacts resulting from block DCT and block-based motion estimation/compensation set a severe limit on the achievable bit-rate with acceptable quality. To avoid blocking artifacts and to improve video coding efficiency, this paper presents a novel video compression algorithm based on the lapped transform and overlapping block motion estimation/compensation. Our long-term focus is to develop a complete integrated framework for lapped-transform-based video coding, ranging from theory, design, fast implementations, to practically desirable features for video streaming and delivery over communication networks. In this paper, we are mainly concerned with fundamental theoretical issues. The goals of the proposed video coding technique are to eliminate blocking artifacts and to improve coding efficiency while maintaining a minimal complexity overhead and retaining the flexibility that block-based methods possess. Preliminary coding results confirm the validity of the proposed theory.