An image compression method based on fractal theory

Fractal image compression is a new technique for encoding an image compactly. It builds on local self-similarities within images. It has a high compression-ratio and can zoom in or out at will without losing any detail. But it has the disadvantage of lengthy compression time unsuitable for real-processes and practical application. This paper provides an elementary introduction to this compression technique. We survey advanced concepts such as hybrid methods and adaptive portioning. Furthermore, we present a heuristic searching algorithm to decrease encoding time.