A method for processing bit symbols generated by a data source, in
particular a video, still image or audio source, comprising the following
steps of constructing a plurality of bit-planes from the data source,
each bit-plane comprising a plurality of bit-plane symbols; scanning the
bit-plane symbols of each bit-plane to generate a binary string of
bit-plane symbols; and encoding the binary string of the bit-plane
symbols using a statistical model, wherein the statistical model is based
on statistical properties of a Laplacian probability distribution
function which characterizes the data source.
