Encoder and method

A non-transitory computer-readable data storage media comprising computer instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

• (a) process the input data into a plurality of blocks or packets, the blocks or packets having a size depending upon one or more parameters describing the data content and/or data type of the input data, and the blocks or packets being of one or more sizes;
• (b) apply a plurality of mutually different transformations or combinations of transformations to content of the blocks or packets to generate corresponding transformed data;
• (c) check a quality of representation of the transformed data of the blocks or packets compared to the content of the blocks or packets prior to application of the plurality of mutually different transformations or combinations of transformations to determine whether or not the quality of representation of the transformed data satisfies one or more quality criteria;
• (d) in an event that the quality of representation of the transformed data of one or more blocks or packets does not satisfy the one or more quality criteria, to divide and/or combine the one or more individual blocks or packets whose quality of representation does not satisfy the one or more criteria further and to repeat step (b) for the one or more blocks or packets whose quality of representation does not satisfy the one or more criteria;
• (e) in an event that the quality of representation of the transformed data of the one or more blocks or packets satisfies the one or more quality criteria, to select one or more coding methods and to encode the data representative of the input data to be encoded to encoded output data;
• and
• (f) communicate in the encoded output data information describing the plurality of mutually different transformations or combinations of transformations employed when coding the blocks or packets.

An encoder operable to encode input data to generate corresponding encoded output data, comprising data processing hardware which is operable:

• (a) to process the input data into a plurality of blocks or packets, the blocks or packets having a size depending upon one or more parameters describing the data content and/or data type of the input data, and the blocks or packets being of one or more sizes;
• (b) to apply a plurality of mutually different transformations or combinations of transformations to content of the blocks or packets to generate corresponding transformed data;
• (c) to check a quality of representation of the transformed data of the blocks or packets compared to the content of the blocks or packets prior to application of the plurality of mutually different transformations or combinations of transformations to determine whether or not the quality of representation of the transformed data satisfies one or more quality criteria;
• (d) in an event that the quality of representation of the transformed data of one or more blocks or packets does not satisfy the one or more quality criteria, to sub-divide and/or to combine the one or more individual blocks or packets whose quality of representation does not satisfy the one more criteria further and repeating step (b) for the one or more blocks or packets whose quality of representation does not satisfy the one or more criteria;
• (e) in an event that the quality of representation of the transformed data of the one or more blocks or packets satisfies the one or more quality criteria, to select the one or more coding methods and encode the data representative of the input data to be encoded to encoded output data;
• and
• (f) to communicate in the encoded output data information describing the plurality of mutually different transformations or combinations or transformations employed when coding the blocks or packets.