An efficient system for reliably transmitting image and video data over low bit rate noisy channels

This research project is intended to develop an efficient system for reliably transmitting image and video data over low bit rate noisy channels. The basic ideas behind the proposed approach are the following: employ statistical-based image modeling to facilitate pre- and post-processing and error detection, use spare redundancy that the source compression did not remove to add robustness, and implement coded modulation to improve bandwidth efficiency and noise rejection. Over the last six months, progress has been made on various aspects of the project. Through our studies of the integrated system, a list-based iterative Trellis decoder has been developed. The decoder accepts feedback from a post-processor which can detect channel errors in the reconstructed image. The error detection is based on the Huber Markov random field image model for the compressed image. The compression scheme used here is that of JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group). Experiments were performed and the results are quite encouraging. The principal ideas here are extendable to other compression techniques. In addition, research was also performed on unequal error protection channel coding, subband vector quantization as a means of source coding, and post processing for reducing coding artifacts. Our studies on unequal error protection (UEP) coding for image transmission focused on examining the properties of the UEP capabilities of convolutional codes. The investigation of subband vector quantization employed a wavelet transform with special emphasis on exploiting interband redundancy. The outcome of this investigation included the development of three algorithms for subband vector quantization. The reduction of transform coding artifacts was studied with the aid of a non-Gaussian Markov random field model. This results in improved image decompression. These studies are summarized and the technical papers included in the appendices

Convolutional Coded Generalized Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum

In this thesis we investigate the worst-case performance of coded ordinary and coded generalized direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) systems in a communication channel corrupted by an unknown and arbitrary interfering signal of bounded power. We consider convolutional codes with Viterbi decoding in order to compare the performance of coded ordinary and coded generalized DSSS systems. For the generalized DSSS system, we use a pulse stream of +1,-1 and 0 as the spreading sequence, which is different from ordinary DSSS system which uses the typical sequence with pulse values of +1 and -1. A C program for performing Monte-Carlo simulations is written in order to evaluate and compare the performance of coded ordinary and coded generalized DSSS systems. Plots of the worst-case error probability versus signal-to-interference ratio are presented for different code rates and constraint lengths of the convolutional code. Simulation results of the worst-case performance of ordinary and generalized DSSS show that generalized DSSS consistently performs appreciably better than ordinary DSSS. Simulation is performed for various code rates, various constraint lengths of the convolutional code and various lengths of the convolutional interleaver. Over all these simulations, it is observed that the difference between ordinary and generalized DSSS gets more pronounced as the channel gets wors

Convolutional Coded Generalized Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum

In this thesis we investigate the worst-case performance of coded ordinary and coded generalized direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) systems in a communication channel corrupted by an unknown and arbitrary interfering signal of bounded power. We consider convolutional codes with Viterbi decoding in order to compare the performance of coded ordinary and coded generalized DSSS systems. For the generalized DSSS system, we use a pulse stream of +1,-1 and 0 as the spreading sequence, which is different from ordinary DSSS system which uses the typical sequence with pulse values of +1 and -1. A C program for performing Monte-Carlo simulations is written in order to evaluate and compare the performance of coded ordinary and coded generalized DSSS systems. Plots of the worst-case error probability versus signal-to-interference ratio are presented for different code rates and constraint lengths of the convolutional code. Simulation results of the worst-case performance of ordinary and generalized DSSS show that generalized DSSS consistently performs appreciably better than ordinary DSSS. Simulation is performed for various code rates, various constraint lengths of the convolutional code and various lengths of the convolutional interleaver. Over all these simulations, it is observed that the difference between ordinary and generalized DSSS gets more pronounced as the channel gets wors

Convolutional Coded Generalized Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum

In this thesis we investigate the worst-case performance of coded ordinary and coded generalized direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) systems in a communication channel corrupted by an unknown and arbitrary interfering signal of bounded power. We consider convolutional codes with Viterbi decoding in order to compare the performance of coded ordinary and coded generalized DSSS systems. For the generalized DSSS system, we use a pulse stream of +1,-1 and 0 as the spreading sequence, which is different from ordinary DSSS system which uses the typical sequence with pulse values of +1 and -1. A C program for performing Monte-Carlo simulations is written in order to evaluate and compare the performance of coded ordinary and coded generalized DSSS systems. Plots of the worst-case error probability versus signal-to-interference ratio are presented for different code rates and constraint lengths of the convolutional code. Simulation results of the worst-case performance of ordinary and generalized DSSS show that generalized DSSS consistently performs appreciably better than ordinary DSSS. Simulation is performed for various code rates, various constraint lengths of the convolutional code and various lengths of the convolutional interleaver. Over all these simulations, it is observed that the difference between ordinary and generalized DSSS gets more pronounced as the channel gets wors

Joint Source-channel Coding Using Machine Learning Techniques

Most modern communication systems rely on separate source encoding and channel encoding schemes to transmit data. Despite the long-lasting success of separate schemes, joint source channel coding schemes have been proven to outperform separate schemes in applications such as video communications. The task of this research is to develop a joint source-channel coding scheme that mitigates some of the limitations of current separate coding schemes. My research will attempt to leverage recent advances in machine/deep learning techniques to develop resilient schemes that do not depend on explicit codes for compression and error correction but automatically learn end-to-end mapping schemes for source signals. The success of the developed scheme will depend on its ability to correctly approximate an input vector under inconsistent channel conditions