EMPHASIS: Architecture software and hardware for MPEG4 systems

• Forschungsstelle: EU FRP
• Projektnummer: 95.0781-1
• Projekttitel Englisch: EMPHASIS: Architecture software and hardware for MPEG4 systems

Schlüsselwörter (Englisch)

MPEG-4; processor architectures; multimedia systems; coprocessors

Alternative Projektnummern (Englisch)

EU project number: AC105

Forschungsprogramme (Englisch)

EU-programme: 4. Frame Research Programme - 1.2 Communications technologies

Kurzbeschreibung (Englisch)

See abstract

Weitere Hinweise und Angaben (Englisch)

Full name of research-institution/enterprise:
EPF Lausanne
Laboratoire de traitement des signaux
STI/ITS/LTS3 ELB 120

Partner und Internationale Organisationen (Englisch)

SGS Thomson Microelectronics (ST),
Centro Studi e Laboratori Telecomunicazioni (CSELT),
Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI), University of Hannover,
EPFL, Forschungszentrum Informatik (FZI), Ecole nationale Superieure des Telecommunications (ENST),
France Telecom (CNET),
Studer Professional Audio,
Siemens, Laboratoire d'Electronique Philips,
Matra Communication,
TAO Group Limited

Abstract (Englisch)

Project description
EMPHASIS is a project involving the three major European silicon companies, system providers, research and academic institutions to provide support and solutions for the new emerging MPEG-4 standard. The aim is to develop software and hardware technology for the next generation of multimedia processors and systems.
EPFL contribution to EMPHASIS
1. Objectives.
C3I and LTS laboratories of the EPFL are engaged in EMPHASIS to:
· contribute to the definition of the MPEG-4 standard
· develop software technology for MPEG-4 compression MPEG-4 systems and MPEG-4 SNHC (Synthetic Natural Hybrid Coding).
· develop the architecture of next generation multimedia processors and co-processors with particular emphasis for the EPFL on architectures for MPEG-4 audio.
2. Results of the considered period (October 1997-Février 1999).
C3I and LTS have been very active in the MPEG-4 activities by direct involvement in the ISO-SC29WG11 committee. The chairing of various Ad-Hoc study groups and the number of MPEG-4 contributions are the most visible results of such activity. Various contributions to the video coding group, to the implementation study group to the audio and to the system group have been produced on behalf of EMPHASIS project.
After the reshaping of the project, the audio studies and the audio architectural activities have assumed a great importance in the final year of EMPHASIS for the C3I of EPFL. A great effort was devoted to the definition of the Structured Audio tool in MPEG-4. A tool measuring the complexity of Structured Audio (SA) algorithms has been proposed and donated to MPEG. This tool has become the reference for the definition of complexity based SA in MPEG-4.
Architectural studies and an implementation of SA have been completed providing important insight on the audio BIFS node complexity thus defining a meaningful MPEG-4 implementation.
In the framework of SNHC activities the LTS of EPFL has developed a new technology for texture rendering based on view dependent scalability on triangular meshes.

Concerning architectural and system analysis, C3I had, previously in the project, developed a technique called 'instrumentation' based on the overloading of elementary operations by C++ operators. In the last year this technique has become a true 'tool' with the inclusion of a graphical interface for a user friendly display of the results generated and stored in the data-base.
The solution of real-time implementation problems is a key point for the success of MPEG-4 systems. Such solutions cannot be expected on processor based platforms just relying on processing power. Specific mechanisms have been investigated by the C3I in the framework of EMPHASIS project. The results of these investigations have yielded the proposition of including a specific complexity driven encoding statistics in the MPEG-4 bitstream syntax. Such proposition has been accepted by the competent standardisation body. The technique has been implemented in the MPEG-4 reference software. A patent has been issued by C3I-EPFL on the subject.
3. Conclusions
The development of the MPEG-4 standard in version 1 has arrived to its final stage. The software and analysis tools developed up to now in the framework of EMPHASIS project have been used for the final complexity analysis of the complete system. Three major achievements have been reached by EPFL contribution to EMPHASIS and MPEG-4:
- the development of the 'instrumentation tool',
- the development of a technology for the real-time implementation of variable processing load tasks typical of audio and video coding,
- the development of tools and architectural studies for the implementation of Structured Audio for MPEG-4,
- a relevant impact and an effective contribution to the definition of the MPEG-4 standard.
4. Practical applications
Results of EMPHASIS project will provide applications to all systems which will implement the new MPEG-4 multimedia standard.
5. Technology transfer
The close contacts with the three major European silicon companies, with service providers and other academic institution has provided a unique exchange of experiences and advances in system analysis and processor technology.
6. Perspective
Since the project has come to its end, perspective are towards the development of the MPEG-4 implementations in the future 5th framework and for new project in the MPEG-4 audio field with Studer Professional AG and possibly other partners. All these developments are possible for the knowledge and experience acquired during the EMPHASIS project and during the MPEG-4 standardization activity.

Datenbankreferenzen (Englisch)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 95.0781-1