# Semantics-Guided Diffusion for Deep Joint Source-Channel Coding in Wireless Image Transmission

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.01138 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.01138/

## Key facts

- Cited by 16 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Placed in Diffusion for compression and wireless, one of 14 directions in Diffusion models.
- Builds on 44 of its 51 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 2 Jan 2025.

## Placed in

- Diffusion models / [Diffusion for compression and wireless](https://mlsanity.com/diffusion/diffusion-for-compression-and-wireless/)

## Builds on (most cited first, 30 of 44)

- [Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2006.11239/) (2020)
- [High-Resolution Image Synthesis with Latent Diffusion Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.10752/) (2021)
- [Microsoft COCO: Common Objects in Context](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1405.0312/) (2014)
- [Denoising Diffusion Implicit Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2010.02502/) (2020)
- [Diffusion Models Beat GANs on Image Synthesis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2105.05233/) (2021)
- [Segment Anything](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.02643/) (2023)
- [BLIP-2: Bootstrapping Language-Image Pre-training with Frozen Image Encoders and Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.12597/) (2023)
- [Scalable Diffusion Models with Transformers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.09748/) (2022)
- [Adding Conditional Control to Text-to-Image Diffusion Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.05543/) (2023)
- [Conceptual 12M: Pushing Web-Scale Image-Text Pre-Training To Recognize Long-Tail Visual Concepts](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2102.08981/) (2021)
- [PixArt-α: Fast Training of Diffusion Transformer for Photorealistic Text-to-Image Synthesis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.00426/) (2023)
- [DataComp: In search of the next generation of multimodal datasets](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.14108/) (2023)
- [MDTv2: Masked Diffusion Transformer is a Strong Image Synthesizer](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.14389/) (2023)
- [CelebV-HQ: A Large-Scale Video Facial Attributes Dataset](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2207.12393/) (2022)
- [JourneyDB: A Benchmark for Generative Image Understanding](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2307.00716/) (2023)
- [On the Importance of Noise Scheduling for Diffusion Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.10972/) (2023)
- [Beyond Transmitting Bits: Context, Semantics, and Task-Oriented Communications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2207.09353/) (2022)
- [Lossy Image Compression with Conditional Diffusion Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2209.06950/) (2022)
- [PIXART-δ: Fast and Controllable Image Generation with Latent Consistency Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.05252/) (2024)
- [Towards image compression with perfect realism at ultra-low bitrates](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.10325/) (2023)
- [Nonlinear Transform Source-Channel Coding for Semantic Communications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.10961/) (2021)
- [Text + Sketch: Image Compression at Ultra Low Rates](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2307.01944/) (2023)
- [CDDM: Channel Denoising Diffusion Models for Wireless Semantic Communications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.08895/) (2023)
- [Generative Joint Source-Channel Coding for Semantic Image Transmission](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.13772/) (2022)
- [DeepJSCC-Q: Constellation Constrained Deep Joint Source-Channel Coding](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2206.08100/) (2022)
- [Joint Source-Channel Coding: Fundamentals and Recent Progress in Practical Designs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.17557/) (2024)
- [Extreme Generative Image Compression by Learning Text Embedding from Diffusion Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.07793/) (2022)
- [Deep Joint Source-Channel Coding for Adaptive Image Transmission over MIMO Channels](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.00470/) (2023)
- [Latency-Aware Generative Semantic Communications with Pre-Trained Diffusion Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.17256/) (2024)
- [High Perceptual Quality Wireless Image Delivery with Denoising Diffusion Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.15889/) (2023)

## Built on by (most cited first, 16 of 16)

- [ToDMA: Large Model-Driven Massive Token Communications for Semantic Multiple Access](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.10946/) (2025)
- [Diffusion Models for Future Networks and Communications: A Comprehensive Survey](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.01586/) (2025)
- [SING: Semantic Image Communications using Null-Space and INN-Guided Diffusion Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.12484/) (2025)
- [Low-Bitrate Video Compression through Semantic-Conditioned Diffusion](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.00408/) (2025)
- [Diffusion-aided Extreme Video Compression with Lightweight Semantics Guidance](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2602.05201/) (2026)
- [Visual Fidelity Index for Generative Semantic Communications with Critical Information Embedding](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.10405/) (2025)
- [Land-then-transport: A Flow Matching-Based Generative Decoder for Wireless Image Transmission](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.07512/) (2026)
- [SecDiff: Diffusion-Aided Secure Deep Joint Source-Channel Coding Against Adversarial Attacks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.01466/) (2025)
- [DiT-JSCC: Rethinking Deep JSCC with Diffusion Transformers and Semantic Representations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.03112/) (2026)
- [Low-Latency Generative Semantic Communication via Channel-Realization Flow Matching](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.24876/) (2026)
- [Ada-TokenCom: Rate-Adaptive Token Communications via Large-Model-Driven Token Compression and Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.28086/) (2026)
- [Through-the-Earth Magnetic Induction Communication and Networking: A Comprehensive Survey](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.14854/) (2025)
- [Optimally Bridging Semantics and Data: Generative Semantic Communication via Schr"odinger Bridge](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.17802/) (2026)
- [JSCGC: Joint Source-Channel-Generation Coding for Wireless Generative Communications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.12858/) (2026)
- [FlowSem: Flow Matching for Adaptive Wireless Image Transmission in Semantic Communication](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.21651/) (2026)
- [Beyond Token Accuracy: Prioritizing What Matters for Visual Reconstruction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2610.03822/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Joint source-channel coding (JSCC) offers a promising avenue for enhancing transmission efficiency by jointly incorporating source and channel statistics into the system design. A key advancement in this area is the deep joint source and channel coding (DeepJSCC) technique that designs a direct mapping of input signals to channel symbols parameterized by a neural network, which can be trained for arbitrary channel models and semantic quality metrics. This paper advances the DeepJSCC framework toward a semantics-aligned, high-fidelity transmission approach, called semantics-guided diffusion DeepJSCC (SGD-JSCC). Existing schemes that integrate diffusion models (DMs) with JSCC face challenges in transforming random generation into accurate reconstruction and adapting to varying channel conditions. SGD-JSCC incorporates two key innovations: (1) utilizing some inherent information that contributes to the semantics of an image, such as text description or edge map, to guide the diffusion denoising process; and (2) enabling seamless adaptability to varying channel conditions with the help of a semantics-guided DM for channel denoising. The DM is guided by diverse semantic information and integrates seamlessly with DeepJSCC. In a slow fading channel, SGD-JSCC dynamically adapts to the instantaneous signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) directly estimated from the channel output, thereby eliminating the need for additional pilot transmissions for channel estimation. In a fast fading channel, we introduce a training-free denoising strategy, allowing SGD-JSCC to effectively adjust to fluctuations in channel gains. Numerical results demonstrate that, guided by semantic information and leveraging the powerful DM, our method outperforms existing DeepJSCC schemes, delivering satisfactory reconstruction performance even at extremely poor channel conditions.