Adaptive visual pattern image coding

Hierarchical visual pattern image coding (HVPIC) is a highly successful, low-computational-cost, pyramidal image coding scheme which utilizes human visual system (HVS) properties to achieve very low bit rates while maintaining a good perceived image quality. A description is presented of an extension of HVPIC, termed adaptive VPIC (AVPIC), which results in a decreased bit rate for most images with very little additional computation and virtually no further image degradation. After coding but before transmission, the encoder analyzes what it has done, and reduces the transmission bit rate by eliminating high-resolution information about low-resolution portions of the image. The method is adaptive in the sense that the bit rate is locally adjusted to match the level of detail present in an image region