Abstract
This paper considers the use of multiple description coding (MDC) for image transmission in communication systems where long burst errors and sometimes complete channel failures are inevitable. A general framework for MDC is proposed, which uses nonhierarchical signal decomposition at the encoder and image reconstruction at the decoder. A realization of this framework using lapped orthogonal transforms (LOTs) is developed. In the encoder, the bitstream generated by a conventional LOT-based image coder is decomposed so that each description consists of a subsampled set of the coded LOT coefficient blocks. In the decoder, instead of using the inverse LOT directly, a novel image reconstruction technique is employed, which makes use of the constraints between adjacent LOT coefficient blocks and the smoothness property of common image signals. To guarantee a satisfactory reconstruction quality, the transform should introduce a desired amount of correlation among adjacent LOT coefficient blocks. The tradeoff between coding efficiency and reconstruction quality obtainable by using different LOT bases is investigated

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