Object Based Video with Progressive Foreground

A novel algorithm is described for coding objects in video compression systems which gives complete control over the bit allocation to the video objects. The method is evaluated by application to a two layer codec, with background and foreground objects. Images in a sequence are divided into macroblocks, which are compared to a stored background model. Those whose mean square difference (MSD) exceeds a noise threshold are considered as foreground, and may be split into successively finer partitions described by a quadtree data structure. This defines more precisely the outline of the foreground object within each macroblock and gives a set of microblocks of variable size. The microblocks are transformed by the 2D DCT, and the DCT coefficients are coded bitplane by bitplane over the selected object, using a zigzag masked (ZZM) technique. For robustness, data is then transmitted macroblock by macroblock, and intraframe or interframe coding of blocks can be selected adaptively at frame, ...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1997
• Where: ICIP
• Authors: Donald M. Monro, Huijuan Li, J. A. Nicholls
• Keywords: Bit Allocation, Foreground Object, ICIP 1997, Image Processing, Video Compression