Embedded zerotree wavelet (EZW) algorithm

The embedded zerotree wavelet algorithm (EZW) is a simple, yet remarkable effective, image compression algorithm, having the property that the bits in the bit stream are generated in order of importance, yielding a fully embedded code. Using an embedded coding algorithm, an encoder can terminate the encoding at any point thereby allowing a target rate or target distortion metric to be met exactly. Also, given a bit stream, the decoder can cease decoding at any point in the bit stream and still produce exactly the same image that would have been encoded at the bit rate corresponding to the truncated stream. In addition to producing a fully embedded bit stream, EZW consistently produces compression results that are competitive with virtually all known compression algorithms. (See Figures and )