Abstract

The embedded zerotree wavelet 2) Prediction of the absence of

algorithm (EZW) is a simple, yet significant information across
remarkably effective, image compression scales by
algorithm, having the property that the bits Exploiting the self-similarity
in the bit stream are generated in order of inherent in images,
importance, yielding a fully embedded 3) entropy-coded successive-
code. The embedded code represents a approximation quantization,
sequence of binary decisions that 4) Universal lossless data
distinguish an image from the “null” compression which is achieved via
image. Using an embedded coding adaptive arithmetic coding.
algorithm, an encoder can terminate the EZW encoding does not
encoding at any point thereby allowing a really compress anything; it only
target rate or target distortion metric to be reorders wavelet coefficients in
met exactly.Also, given a bit stream, the such a way that they can be
decoder can cease decoding at any point in compressed very efficiently. An
the bit stream and still produce exactly the EZW encoder should therefore
same image that would have been encoded always be followed by a symbol
at the bit rate corresponding to the encoder, for instance an arithmetic
truncated bit stream. In addition to encoder.
producing a fully embedded bit stream, CONTENTS
EZW consistently produces compression 1. Introduction
results that are competitive with virtually
• What is wavelet
all known compression algorithms on
transform?
standard test images. Yet this performance
is achieved with a technique that requires • Why wavelets?
absolutely no training, no prestored tables • Zerotree coding
or codebooks, and requires no prior
2. Steps involved in EZW
knowledge of the image source. coding
The EZW algorithm is based on 3. EZW coding algorithm
four key concepts:
4. Flow chart
5. Denoising using EZW
1) A discrete wavelet transform or 6. Conclusion
hierarchical subband Decomposition,
Introduction:
The EZW encoder is a
special type of encoder used to encode
signalas of any dimentions.It is used to
encode the signals such as image, sound
etc…Ofcourse, it couldn`t beat out the
popular type of encoders in the market.It
can have it`s own applications in the
embedded encoded systems. Hence it
could maintain the illegal access of the
data from the systems.
The EZW encoder also Fourier analysis consists of breaking up a

provides the advantages of Denoising, signal into sine waves of various

lower BW, simply implemented frequencies. Similarly, wavelet analysis is

algorithms, which are well explained in the the breaking up of a signal into shifted and

following sections.There by it, can provide scaled versions of the original (or mother)

a lot of room for the embedded type of wavelet.

encoding.
What is Wavelet transform? Why Wavelets?

A wavelet is a waveform of effectively Traditional DCT & sub band coding:

limited duration that has an average value trends “obscure” anomalies that carry

of zero.A wavelet transform transforms a information.

signal from the time domain to the joint E.g., edges get spread, yielding many

time-scale domain. This means that the non-zero coefficients to be coded.

wavelet coefficients are two- Wavelets are better at localizing edges and

dimensional.After wavelet transforming an other anomalies Yields a few non-zero

image we can represent it using trees coefficients & many zero coefficients

because of the subsampling that is Difficulty: telling the decoder “where” the

performed in the transform. few non-zeros are!!! Significance map

(SM): binary array indicating location of
Zero/non zero Coefficients. Typically
requires a large fraction of bit budget to
specify the SM.Wavelets provide a
structure (zerotrees) to the SM that yields
efficient coding quad-tree of which all nodes are
equal to or smaller than the root.
Zerotree Coding EZW Coding Algorithm:
Every wavelet coefficient at a given scale STEP 1: determine the initial threshold
can be related to a set of coefficients at using bitplane coding.
the next finer scale of similar orientation.
Zerotree root (ZTR) is a low scale “zero-
valued” coefficient for which all the For successive iterations
related higher-scale coefficients are also threshold (Ti) is halved and
“zero-valued” coefficients <2Ti are only
Specifying a ZTR allows the decoder to coded in each flow.
“track down” and zero out all the related STEP 2: We Maintain Two Separate
higher-scale coefficients Lists:
Dominant List:
Steps involved in EZW Encoding • coordinates of those
An image is wavelet transformed, the coefficients not yet
energy in the subbands decreases as the found to be
scale decreased.Encode the wavelet significant
coefficients in decreasing order, in several Subordinate List:
passes.For every pass a threshold is chosen • Magnitudes of those
against which all the wavelet coefficients coefficients found to
are measured.When all the wavelet be significant for
coefficients have been visited the threshold each threshold,
is lowered and the image is scanned again perform two passes:
to add more detail to the already encoded Dominant Pass
image. followed by
Using the dependency Subordinate Pass.
between the wavelet coefficients STEP 3: Dominant Pass (Significance
across different scales to efficiently Pass):
encode large parts of the image • Wavelet
which are below the current Coefficients on the
threshold. It is here where the Dominant List are
zerotree enters.A zerotree is a compared to Ti to
 determine old cell, provide
significance and, if “1”
significant, their  If magnitude is
sign in lower half of
• The resulting old cell, provide
significance map is “0”
zero-tree coded and
sent STEP 7:Entropy code sequence of 1’s and
0’s using adaptive AC, and send Stop
STEP 4: Code using four symbols: When bit budget is exhausted.
◊ zerotree root Encoded stream has embedded in it
◊ isolated zero all lower-rate encoded versions.

◊ positive significant Thus, encoding/decoding can be

terminated prior to reaching the full
◊ negative significant
rate version.
STEP 5:Entropy code using adaptive
AC, and send. For each coefficient
Coded as significant (pos. or
neg.).
 put its magnitude on
the Subordinate List
 remove it from the
Dominant List
STEP 6: Subordinate Pass (Refinement
Pass)
 Provide one more
bit on the
magnitudes on the
subordinate List as
follows
 Halve the
quantizer cells
 If magnitude is
in upper half of
FLOW CHART

Denoising using EZW: START

throw away everything smaller than zero
Lossy EZW compression/decompression (if we consider only the positive values).
is very similar to wavelet shrinkage. In the following, when we use
Wavelet shrinkage is a way of noise EZW, we mean the reorganisation of the
Find Threshold Ti and initialise k=0
reduction by trying to remove the wavelet wavelet coefficients as described above
coefficients that correspond to noise. Since only, not the compression part. The
noise is uncorrelated and usually small compression doesn't change anything; it
Initialize Dominant List = All
just makes it less clear what happens.
with respect to the signal of interest, the Coefficients
wavelet coefficients that result from itSubordinate
will List
When = Empty
we do lossy EZW, we throw away
be uncorrelated too and probably be small the coefficients that you don't need to meet
as well. The idea is therefore to remove the the quality criteria you set for the
small coefficients before reconstruction reconstruction. These coefficients are the
Call Significant pass because these are the ones that
small ones,
and so remove the noise. Of course this
method is not perfect because some parts add the extra detail. Due to the way EZW
of the signal of interest will also result in works, these are also the coefficients that
small coefficients, indistinguishable from are encoded at the end of the EZW stream.
Call Refinement Pass
The threshold for lossy EZW is often
the noisy coefficients that are thrown
away. But if the selection criteria are well based on visual criteria and acceptable
chosen, based on statistical properties of PSNR after reconstruction.
YESinput
the signal and the required Since you simply throw away the
Ti+1 =Ti/2 and k=k+1
reconstruction quality, the result is quite small coefficients, lossy EZW looks a lot
remarkable. like hard thresholding, but it isn't, because
the small coefficients at the end of the
There are two popular kinds of
NO also to lift the already
stream are used
wavelet shrinkage: one using hard
thresholding and one using soft If decoded coefficients to their
STOP
original level.
Ti+1 >min
So t0if you do not have these small
thresholding. For hard thresholding you
coefficients, all the other coefficients will
simply throw away all wavelet coefficients
be too small. Furthermore, this difference
smaller than a certain threshold. For soft
is the same for all coefficients. This means
thresholding you subtract a constant value
from all wavelet coefficients and you
that lossy EZW is identical to soft ANALYSIS BASED CODING OF
thresholding. IMAGE TRANSFORM AND
SUBBAND COEFFICIENTS.
Proceedings of the SPIE, Vol. 2564
Conclusion 1: Lossy EZW is identical
(1995), p. 11-21.
to wavelet shrinkage using soft
thresholding.
Conclusion 2: You can use lossy EZW
to do noise reduction and data
compressions in one go!

References

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Shapiro, J. M.
EMBEDDED IMAGE CODING
USING ZEROTREES OF
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[Cre97]
Creusere, C. D.
A NEW METHOD OF ROBUST
IMAGE COMPRESSION BASED
ON THE EMBEDDED
ZEROTREE WAVELET
ALGORITHM.
IEEE Transactions on Image
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p. 1436-1442.
[Alg95]
Algazi, V. R. and R.R. Estes.