Scalable image coding using Gaussian pyramid vector quantisation with resolution-independent block size

We present a new approach to multiresolution vector quantisation. Its main advantage is exploitation of long-range correlations in the image by keeping the vector size constant, independent of the image scale. We also developed a variable block-rate version of the algorithm, which allows better utilisation of the available bit budget by refining only those areas of the image which are not efficiently approximated by lower resolutions of the pyramid