toplogo
Entrar

Multi-Scale Feature Prediction with Auxiliary Information for Efficient Neural Image Compression


Conceitos Básicos
A novel neural image compression architecture that utilizes auxiliary information to predict multi-scale features of the original image, enabling efficient encoding of only the feature residuals in the main network.
Resumo

The proposed method introduces a new neural image compression architecture that consists of an auxiliary coarse network and a main network. The auxiliary coarse network encodes auxiliary information and predicts multi-scale features as an approximation of the original image. The main network then encodes only the residual between the predicted features and the original image features, leading to efficient compression.

Key highlights:

  • The auxiliary coarse network predicts multi-scale features of the original image using the auxiliary information, and the main network encodes the residual between the predicted features and the original image features.
  • The Auxiliary info-guided Feature Prediction (AFP) module effectively predicts the original image features using global correlation.
  • The Context Junction module refines the predicted auxiliary features and implicitly subtracts them from the original image features.
  • The Auxiliary info-guided Parameter Estimation (APE) module predicts the approximation of the latent vectors and estimates their probability distribution using the auxiliary information.
  • Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms state-of-the-art neural image compression methods, achieving up to 19.49% higher rate-distortion performance on the Tecnick dataset compared to the VVC codec.
edit_icon

Customize Summary

edit_icon

Rewrite with AI

edit_icon

Generate Citations

translate_icon

Translate Source

visual_icon

Generate MindMap

visit_icon

Visit Source

Estatísticas
The proposed model achieves a 19.49% higher rate-distortion performance than VVC on the Tecnick dataset. The proposed model saves an average of 19.49% bits for the same PSNR quality on the Tecnick dataset compared to VVC.
Citações
"Inspired by neural video compression structures, we introduce a new prediction architecture for neural image compression." "To further leverage our new structure, we propose Auxiliary info-guided Feature Prediction (AFP) module that uses global correlation to predict more accurate predicted features." "Finally, we introduce Auxiliary info-guided Parameter Estimation (APE) module, which predicts the approximation of the latent vector and estimates the probability distribution of these residuals."

Perguntas Mais Profundas

How can the proposed architecture be extended to handle variable-rate image compression?

The proposed architecture can be extended to handle variable-rate image compression by incorporating adaptive bitrate control mechanisms that dynamically adjust the quantization levels and the amount of auxiliary information used based on the content characteristics of the image. This can be achieved through the following strategies: Content-Aware Quantization: By analyzing the image content, the model can determine regions that require higher fidelity and allocate more bits to those areas while reducing the bitrate for less critical regions. This can be implemented by integrating a content analysis module that assesses local features and adjusts the quantization parameters accordingly. Dynamic Auxiliary Information: The architecture can utilize a feedback loop where the auxiliary information is adjusted in real-time based on the reconstruction quality. For instance, if the reconstruction error exceeds a certain threshold, the model can increase the amount of auxiliary information to improve the prediction accuracy. Multi-Scale Feature Adaptation: The existing multi-scale feature prediction can be enhanced by allowing the model to adaptively select which scales to use based on the image complexity. For simpler images, fewer scales can be utilized, while more complex images can leverage additional scales for better detail preservation. Rate-Distortion Optimization: Implementing a rate-distortion optimization framework that evaluates the trade-off between bitrate and image quality can guide the model in making decisions about how much auxiliary information to use and how to allocate bits across different segments of the image. By integrating these strategies, the architecture can effectively manage variable-rate image compression, ensuring that it meets the demands of diverse image types and quality requirements.

What are the potential limitations of using auxiliary information for image compression, and how can they be addressed?

While the use of auxiliary information in image compression offers significant advantages, there are potential limitations that need to be addressed: Increased Complexity: The introduction of auxiliary information can complicate the model architecture, leading to longer training times and increased computational requirements. This can be mitigated by optimizing the model architecture to reduce redundancy and improve efficiency, such as using lightweight neural network designs or pruning techniques. Dependency on Quality of Auxiliary Information: The effectiveness of the compression relies heavily on the quality of the auxiliary information. If the auxiliary information is not accurately predictive, it can lead to poor reconstruction quality. To address this, the model can incorporate robust training techniques, such as adversarial training, to enhance the reliability of the auxiliary predictions. Overfitting to Auxiliary Data: There is a risk that the model may overfit to the auxiliary information, especially if it is not representative of the broader dataset. Regularization techniques, such as dropout or weight decay, can be employed to prevent overfitting and ensure that the model generalizes well to unseen data. Bitrate Overhead: The auxiliary information itself requires bits to be transmitted, which can add to the overall bitrate. To minimize this overhead, the model can implement efficient encoding strategies for the auxiliary data, such as using entropy coding techniques that adaptively compress the auxiliary information based on its statistical properties. By addressing these limitations through careful design and optimization, the proposed architecture can maximize the benefits of auxiliary information while minimizing potential drawbacks.

How can the proposed techniques be applied to other image processing tasks, such as image enhancement or super-resolution, to leverage the benefits of auxiliary information?

The techniques proposed in the context of neural image compression can be effectively adapted for other image processing tasks, such as image enhancement and super-resolution, by leveraging the principles of auxiliary information and multi-scale feature prediction. Here’s how: Image Enhancement: The auxiliary information can be utilized to predict enhancements in image quality, such as contrast adjustment or noise reduction. By training the model to predict enhanced features based on the original image, the architecture can learn to apply transformations that improve visual quality. The multi-scale feature prediction can help in identifying and enhancing details at various resolutions, ensuring that enhancements are contextually appropriate. Super-Resolution: In super-resolution tasks, the model can use auxiliary information to predict high-resolution features from low-resolution inputs. By employing a similar architecture where the auxiliary network predicts high-frequency details, the main network can focus on reconstructing the low-frequency components. This approach allows for a more accurate reconstruction of high-resolution images by effectively utilizing the auxiliary information to fill in details that are typically lost in downsampling. Contextual Feature Learning: The proposed Auxiliary info-guided Feature Prediction (AFP) module can be adapted to enhance feature extraction in other tasks. By utilizing global correlations in the image, the model can learn to enhance or reconstruct features that are contextually relevant, improving the overall performance in tasks like image segmentation or object detection. Adaptive Parameter Estimation: The Auxiliary info-guided Parameter Estimation (APE) module can be repurposed to estimate parameters for various image processing tasks, such as determining the optimal filter settings for enhancement or the best upscaling factors for super-resolution. This adaptability allows the model to generalize across different tasks while maintaining high performance. By applying these techniques, the benefits of auxiliary information can be harnessed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of various image processing applications, leading to enhanced visual quality and performance across a range of tasks.
0
star