JPEG 2000 next generation image compression system features and syntax

As the resolution and pixel fidelity of digital imagery grows, there is a greater need for more efficient compression and extraction of images and sub-images. The ability to handle many types of image data, extract images at different resolutions and quality, lossless and lossy, zoom and pan, and extract regions-of-interest is the new measures of image compression system performance. JPEG 2000 is designed to address the needs of high quality imagery. This paper describes how the JPEG 2000 syntax and file format support these features. The decomposition of the image into the codestream is described along with associated syntax markers. Examples of how the syntax enables some of the features of JPEG 2000 are offered.