Output modeling of a hierarchical still-image coder

The coded output for a single image can be modeled independently. In the case of a hierarchical coder, the output can be modeled as a succession of coding periods and data output periods. The coding periods are deterministic, and the data output periods, while being deterministic for the same image, are distributed between images according to the distribution of the compression ratios of the images being transmitted. In a hierarchical still image coder the data output period for a given hierarchy level in an image is proportional to the number of coded bits in this level, this number being approximated by an exponential expression