Method of picture compression by auto-organisation of a neural network

PCT No. PCT/FR90/00888 Sec. 371 Date Jul. 25, 1991 Sec. 102(e) Date Jul. 25, 1991 PCT Filed Dec. 6, 1990 PCT Pub. No. WO91/08546 PCT Pub. Date Jun. 13, 1991.The method of picture compression consists: in processing a current displaced pixel block in the picture to be compressed by using a network of N neurons, 1 to N, disposed in a single plane, each neuron having a number of inputs equal to the dimension of the blocks extracted from the picture, and such that, after a learning phase during which the network has auto-organised so that the neurons represent most probable input values, each neuron receives on its inputs, at the same instant, the pixels of the current block and outputs a signal, or potential, dj, which is positive and is all the lower the nearer is the state of the corresponding neuron j to the state of the inputs ei, in coding the current pixel block through a code associated with the neuron j whose potential dj is minimal. The invention applies, in particular, to the compression of television pictures.