Dynamic Configuration Beyond Video Coding

Prof. Iain Richardson

Centre for Video Communications/The Robert Gordon University, UK

Abstract

Video coding is an enabling technology for an ever-increasing range of applications. Video coding standards such as MPEG-2 and H.264 are considered essential to many of these applications, enabling interoperability between products and systems. However, there are problems associated with standards-based video coding.

This presentation describes a new approach to video coding, dynamically configurable video compression. In this framework, a universal video decoding engine is dynamically configured as any standard-based or non-standard video decoder, by communicating video decoding functionality and automatically creating the necessary processing structures. This approach has the potential to shorten the time-to-market for new video coding concepts; to reduce the cost of supporting multiple video formats in consumer devices; and to enable significant gains in compression performance through dynamic adaptation. The dynamically configurable coding concept is presented and compared with recent work such as MPEG's Reconfigurable Video Coding standard. Initial results and a first working prototype will be demonstrated.

Biography

Professor Iain Richardson is the Director of the Centre for Video Communications at the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK. Prof. Richardson specializes in video compression technology, standards and systems. He wrote the world's first book on the well-known H.264 compression standard, has researched and written extensively on MPEG and H.264 video compression and holds several patents. He provides consulting and analysis services to businesses and industry groups. His current research interests include video codec implementation, human perception and video coding, and dynamic configuration of videocodecs.

Presentation

Slides for Fully Configurable Video Coding are online as of 4/2009