Application-specific bandwidth compression for dissemination of image data

Image data collected in support of NATO forces continues to increase in quantities which exceed the available communications links. To address the mismatch in data volumes and communications lines, bandwidth compression techniques are being developed and implemented. We refer to the systems, both the hardware and software, used for compression and decompression of image data as codecs compressor/decompressor systems. Codecs have traditionally been optimized for a number of different criteria, including: the speed of decompression, ability to recover from transmission errors, preservation of specific image attributes, maintainance of visual quality, and communication factors including target bit rates. This paper will examine a family of codec systems in terms of military support, and an analysis of selected codecs will be performed. The analysis is based on an expanded optimization criterion. The new codecs criterion includes the maintenance of image quality as related to machine processing for image understanding and information extraction. Consideration will also be given to the suitability of space implementation for the compression system.