Method of compressing and/or decompressing a data set using significance mapping

A method of compressing a data set comprising:

• in multiple passes, characterizing each data signal in the data set into a category of a predetermined set, and, for selected categories of the predetermined set, coding the data signals for that category using a codebook for that category, wherein the data signals are coded so that a predetermined binary digital signal budget is not exceeded and the categories have a rank order.

A system for compressing data signals comprising a storage medium storing data signals representing instructions, the instructions, when executed by a system recognizing the instructions, resulting in:

• multiple passes over a data set, categorizing each data signal in the data set into one category of a predetermined set, and, for selected categories of the predetermined set, coding the data signals for that category using a codebook for that category, wherein the data signals are coded so that a predetermined binary digital signal budget is not exceeded and the categories have a rank order;
• and further comprising:
• a system capable of recognizing the instructions.

A system for processing data signals comprising:

• a storage medium storing compressed data signals, the data signals having been compressed as follows:
• in multiple passes, categorizing each data signal in an uncompressed data set into one category of a predetermined set, and, for selected categories of the predetermined set, coding the uncompressed data signals for that category using a codebook for that category, wherein the data signals are coded so that a predetermined binary digital signal budget is not exceeded and the categories have a rank order and further comprising:
• a system capable of decompressing the compressed data signals.