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From Wavelets to Wavelet Packets: Decomposing the Details

In the orthogonal wavelet decomposition procedure, the generic step splits the approximation coefficients into two parts. After splitting we obtain a vector of approximation coefficients and a vector of detail coefficients, both at a coarser scale. The information lost between two successive approximations is captured in the detail coefficients. Then the next step consists of splitting the new approximation coefficient vector; successive details are never reanalyzed.

In the corresponding wavelet packet situation, each detail coefficient vector is also decomposed into two parts using the same approach as in approximation vector splitting. This offers the richest analysis: the complete binary tree is produced as shown in the following figure.

Figure 6-34: Wavelet Packet Decomposition Tree at Level 3

The idea of this decomposition is to start from a scale-oriented decomposition, and then to analyze the obtained signals on frequency subbands.


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