Edge-Based and Prediction-Based Transformations for Lossless Image Compression

• Main Authors: Md. Ahasan Kabir, M. Rubaiyat Hossain Mondal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-05-01
• Series: Journal of Imaging
• Subjects: Image compression; edge; SPIHT; computation time; pixelated image; JPEG-LS
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2313-433X/4/5/64

Pixelated images are used to transmit data between computing devices that have cameras and screens. Significant compression of pixelated images has been achieved by an “edge-based transformation and entropy coding” (ETEC) algorithm recently proposed by the authors of this paper. The study of ETEC is extended in this paper with a comprehensive performance evaluation. Furthermore, a novel algorithm termed “prediction-based transformation and entropy coding” (PTEC) is proposed in this paper for pixelated images. In the first stage of the PTEC method, the image is divided hierarchically to predict the current pixel using neighboring pixels. In the second stage, the prediction errors are used to form two matrices, where one matrix contains the absolute error value and the other contains the polarity of the prediction error. Finally, entropy coding is applied to the generated matrices. This paper also compares the novel ETEC and PTEC schemes with the existing lossless compression techniques: “joint photographic experts group lossless” (JPEG-LS), “set partitioning in hierarchical trees” (SPIHT) and “differential pulse code modulation” (DPCM). Our results show that, for pixelated images, the new ETEC and PTEC algorithms provide better compression than other schemes. Results also show that PTEC has a lower compression ratio but better computation time than ETEC. Furthermore, when both compression ratio and computation time are taken into consideration, PTEC is more suitable than ETEC for compressing pixelated as well as non-pixelated images.