Variable-to-fixed length codes are better than fixed-to-variable length codes for Markov sources

摘要

It is demonstrated that for finite-alphabet, kth-order ergodic Markov sources (i.e. memory of k letters), a variable-to-fixed length code is better than the best fixed-to-variable length code (Huffman code). It is shown how to construct a variable-to-fixed length code for a kth order ergodic Markov source, which compresses more effectively than the best fixed-to-variable code.