Hierarchical image coding matched to unequal error protection rate compatible punctured convolutional codes

A two-dimensional unequal error protection (UEP) image channel coding algorithm matched to the two-dimensional hierarchy in the output data of an set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT) image encoder is proposed. The simulations are done over a binary symmetric channel (BSC), a Gaussian channel and a flat fading channel using Lena, and Goldhill images. In all cases, the simulation results show that our UEP scheme can provide improvements over equal error protection (EEP). In the case of BSC with BER = 0.01, our UEP scheme, can provide up to 14.4% and 16.0% improvements of channel coding rate over EEP for Lena, and, Goldhill images.