A symbol-map wavelet zero-tree image coding algorithm

A improved SPIHT image compression algorithm called symbol-map zero-tree coding algorithm (SMZTC) is proposed in this paper based on wavelet transform. The SPIHT algorithm is a high efficiency wavelet coefficients coding method and have good image compressing effect, but it has more complexity and need too much memory. The algorithm presented in this paper utilizes two small symbol-maps Mark and FC to store the status of coefficients and zero tree sets during coding procedure so as to reduce the memory requirement. By this strategy, the memory cost is reduced distinctly as well as the scanning speed of coefficients is improved. Those comparison experiments for 512 by 512 images are done with some other zerotree coding algorithms, such as SPIHT, NLS method. During the experiments, the biorthogonal 9/7 lifting wavelet transform is used to image transform. The results of coding experiments show that this algorithm speed of codec is improved significantly, and compression-ratio is almost uniformed with SPIHT algorithm.