Data compression using set partitioning in hierarchical trees

A computer program comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code therein for use in encoding and decoding a subband decomposition of a data set, said computer readable program code in said computer program comprising:

• first computer readable program code for causing a computer to affect creating a list (LIS) consisting of insignificant sets of points, each set of said LIS being designate by a root node within said subband decomposition and having a corresponding tree structure of points within said subband decomposition, said corresponding tree structure being organized only as descendants and offspring of said root node and not including said root node, wherein a first generally of said descendants comprise said offspring;
• second computer readable program code for causing a computer to affect evaluating said descendants of said root node of each set of said LIS for significance, wherein a significant descendent of said descendants of said root node has a coefficient at least equal to said predetermined threshold;
• third computer readable program code for causing a computer to affect for each root node of said LIS having at least one significant descendant, evaluating descendants of said offspring of said root node for significance, wherein a significant descendant of said offspring of said root node has a coefficient at least equal to said predetermined threshold;
• and
• fourth computer readable program code for causing a computer to affect adding additional sets corresponding to each of said offspring of said root node to said LIS as a root node thereof when said root node has at least one significant descendant of offspring.