Median Predictor-based Lossless Video Compression Algorithm for IR Image Sequences

Abstract

Lossless image compression has long been recognised as an important need for several applications such as medical imaging, storage of critical IR image sequences, and remote sensing. In this paper, a simple, fast and easy to realisable-on-hardware lossless video compression algorithm is proposed that is well-suited for IR imageries. Context-based median predictor is used for prediction of reference pixels. Three neighboring pixels are used as context for prediction. Inter-frame coding is performed by encoding the redundant pixels in an efficient way, using 1-bit code. Finally, the arithmetic coder is used as entropy coding. The proposed algorithm is able to operate in image compression and video compression mode. The proposed Median Predictor based Lossless Video Compression (MPLVC) algorithm is compared with Joint Pictures Experts Group-Lossless (JPEG-LS) and Fast and Efficient Lossless Image Compression System (FELICS) for compression performance. The results demonstrate that proposed algorithm is superior in encoding rate with added advantage in simplicity and ease in realization on hardware.

Defence Science Journal, 2009, 59(2), pp.183-188, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.59.1507