Smooth side-match classified vector quantizer with variable block size

Although the side-match vector quantizer (SMVQ) reduces the bit rate, the image coding quality by SMVQ generally degenerates as the gray level transition across the boundaries of the neighboring blocks is increasing or decreasing. This study presents a smooth side-match method to select a state codebook according to the smoothness of the gray levels between neighboring blocks. This method achieves a higher PSNR and better visual perception than SMVQ does for the same bit rate. Moreover, to design codebooks, a genetic clustering algorithm that automatically finds the appropriate number of clusters is proposed. The proposed smooth side-match classified vector quantizer (SSM-CVQ) is thus a combination of three techniques: the classified vector quantization, the variable block size segmentation and the smooth side-match method. Experimental results indicate that SSM-CVQ has a higher PSNR and a lower bit rate than other methods. Furthermore, the Lena image can be coded by SSM-CVQ with 0.172 bpp and 32.49 dB in PSNR.