• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.611-623
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• 2007

The H.264|AVC standard incorporates an intra prediction tool into inter frame coding. However, this leads to excessive amount of increase in encoding time, thus resulting in the difficulty in real-time implementation of software encoders. In this paper, we first propose an early decision on intra prediction coding and a fast intra prediction method using the characteristics of block contents and the context of neighboring block modes for the intra prediction in the inter frame coding of H.264/AVC. Basically, the proposed methods determine a skip condition on whether the $4{\times}4$ intra prediction is to be used in the inter frame coding by considering the content characteristics of each block to be encoded and the context of its neighboring blocks. The performance of our proposed methods is compared with the Joint Model reference software version 11.0 of H.264|AVC. The experimental results show that our proposed methods allow for 41.63% reduction in the total encoding time with negligible amounts of PSNR drops and bitrate increases, compared to the original Joint Model reference software version 11.0.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.596-610
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• 2007

In order to reduce the complexity of SVC encoding, we introduce a fast mode decision method in the enhancement layers of spatial scalability by selectively performing the inter-layer residual prediction of SVC. The Inter-layer residual prediction coding in Scalable Video Coding has a large advantage of enhancing the coding efficiency since it utilizes the correlation between two residuals from a lower spatial layer and its next higher spatial layer. However, this entails the dramatical increase in the complexity of SVC encoders. The proposed method is to analyze the characteristics of integer transform coefficients for the subtracted signal for two residuals from lower and upper spatial layers. Then it selectively performs the inter-layer residual prediction coding and rate-distortion optimizations in the upper spatial enhancement layer if the SAD values of residuals exceed adaptive threshold values. Therefore, by classifying the residuals according to the properties of integer-transform coefficients only with SAD of residuals between two layers, the SVC encoder can perform the inter-layer residual coding selectively, thus significantly reducing the total required encoding time. The proposed method results in reduction of the total encoding time with 51.5% in average while maintaining the RD performance with negligible amounts of quality degradation.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.188-199
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• 2008

In conventional video coding, encoder complexity is much higher than that of decoder. However, investigations for lightweight encoder to eliminate motion prediction/compensation claiming most complexity in encoder have recently become an important issue. The Wyner-Ziv coding is one of the representative schemes for the problem and, in this scheme, since encoder generates only parity bits of a current frame without performing any type of processes extracting correlation information between frames, it has an extremely simple structure compared to conventional coding techniques. However, in Wyner-Ziv coding, channel decoding errors occur when noisy side information is used in channel decoding process. These channel decoding errors appear more frequently, especially, when there is not enough correlation between frames to generate accurate side information and, as a result, those errors look like Salt & Pepper type noise in the reconstructed frame. Since this noise severely deteriorates subjective video quality even though such noise rarely occurs, previously we proposed a computationally extremely light encoding method based on selective median filter that corrects such noise using spatial correlation of a frame. However, in the previous method, there is a problem that loss of texture from filtering may exceed gain from error correction by the filter for video sequences having complex torture. Therefore, in this paper, we propose an improved lightweight encoding method that minimizes loss of texture detail from filtering by allowing information of texture and that of noise in side information to be utilized by the selective median filter. Our experiments have verified average PSNR gain of up to 0.84dB compared to the previous method.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.179-187
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• 2008

In this paper, we proposed the qualify metric based on SVC and the subjective quality. The proposed quality metric is for a general purpose. It means we can use it for any video sequences regardless of its temporal and spatial characteristics. The Quality of Service(QoS) is one of the important issues in heterogeneous environment which has diverse restrictions such as limited network bandwidth and limited display resolution. Scalable Video Coding(SVC) is the efficient video coding skill in heterogeneous environment. Because SVC can be adapted to various quality bitstreams using three scalabilities(spatial, temporal, and SNR) from one bitstream which has full scalability. To maximize the QoS in this environment, we should consider the subjective quality which is the viewer response. And also we should consider temporal and spatial characteristics of video sequence because the subjective quality is affected by temporal and spatial characteristics of video sequence. To verify the efficiency of the proposed method, we perform subjective assessments. The experimental results show that the proposed method has high correlation with subjective quality. The proposed method can be a decision tool of SVC birstream extraction.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.919-927
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• 2019

In this paper, we propose an accurate camera calibration method for acquiring multiview stereoscopic images. Generally, camera calibration is performed by using checkerboard structured patterns. The checkerboard pattern simplifies feature point extraction process and utilizes previously recognized lattice structure, which results in the accurate estimation of relations between the point on 2-dimensional image and the point on 3-dimensional space. Since estimation accuracy of camera parameters is dependent on feature matching, accurate detection of checkerboard corner is crucial. Therefore, in this paper, we propose the method that performs accurate camera calibration method through accurate detection of checkerboard corners. Proposed method detects checkerboard corner candidates by utilizing 1-dimensional gaussian filters with succeeding corner refinement process to remove outliers from corner candidates and accurately detect checkerboard corners in sub-pixel unit. In order to verify the proposed method, we check reprojection errors and camera location estimation results to confirm camera intrinsic parameters and extrinsic parameters estimation accuracy.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1085-1095
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• 2019

In this paper, we perform a subjective quality assessment on low-resolution surveillance videos, which are encoded with a very low target bit-rate to use in an ultra-low band transmission system and investigate the encoding effects on the perceived video quality. The test videos are collected based on their spatial and temporal characteristics which affect the perceived quality. H.265/HEVC encoder is used to prepare the impaired sequences for three target bit-rates 20, 45, and 65 kbps and subjective quality assessment is conducted to evaluate the quality from a viewing distance of 3H. The experimental results show that the quality of encoded videos, even at target bit-rate of 45 kbps can satisfy the users. Also we compare objective image/video quality assessment methods on the proposed dataset to measure their correlation with subjective scores. The experimental results show that the existing methods poorly performed, that indicates the need for a better quality assessment method.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.879-891
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• 2019

This paper provides performance evaluations of various channel estimation schemes for Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system under a fixed reception environment. ATSC 3.0 MIMO system can obtain high spectral efficiency and improved reception performance compared to conventional terrestrial broadcasting systems. The ATSC 3.0 MIMO defines Walsh-Hadamard and null pilot encoding algorithms and the amplitude and phase of MIMO pilots are different from those of single-input single-output pilots. At the receiver, linear and discrete Fourier transform (DFT)-based interpolations can be used for the channel estimation. This paper provides the various combinations of the interpolation schemes for channel estimation in time and frequency dimensions, and then analyzes the performance of the various combinations through the computer simulation. The results of computer simulation show that the combination of the linear interpolation in the time dimension and then DFT-based interpolation in the frequency dimension can obtain the best performance among the considered combinations.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.849-858
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• 2019

Recent developments in computer graphics technology and image processing technology have increased interest in point cloud technology for inputting real space and object information as three-dimensional data. In particular, point cloud technology can accurately provide spatial information, and has attracted a great deal of interest in the field of autonomous vehicles and AR (Augmented Reality)/VR (Virtual Reality). However, in order to provide users with 3D point cloud contents that require more data than conventional 2D images, various technology developments are required. In order to solve these problems, an international standardization organization, MPEG(Moving Picture Experts Group), is in the process of discussing efficient compression and transmission schemes. In this paper, we provide a region division transfer method of 3D point cloud content through extension of existing MPEG-DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP)-SRD (Spatial Relationship Description) technology, quality parameters are further defined in the signaling message so that the quality parameters can be selectively determined according to the user's request. We also design a verification platform for ROUTE (Real Time Object Delivery Over Unidirectional Transport)/DASH based heterogeneous network environment and use the results to validate the proposed technology.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.703-712
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• 2019

Single image Super-Resolution (SISR) aims to generate a visually pleasing high-resolution image from its degraded low-resolution measurement. In recent years, deep learning - based super - resolution methods have been actively researched and have shown more reliable and high performance. A typical method is WaveletSRNet, which restores high-resolution images through wavelet coefficient learning based on feature maps of images. However, there are two disadvantages in WaveletSRNet. One is a big processing time due to the complexity of the algorithm. The other is not to utilize feature maps efficiently when extracting input image's features. To improve this problems, we propose an efficient single image super resolution method, named RDB-WaveletSRNet. The proposed method uses the residual dense block to effectively extract low-resolution feature maps to improve single image super-resolution performance. We also adjust appropriated growth rates to solve complex computational problems. In addition, wavelet packet decomposition is used to obtain the wavelet coefficients according to the possibility of large scale ratio. In the experimental result on various images, we have proven that the proposed method has faster processing time and better image quality than the conventional methods. Experimental results have shown that the proposed method has better image quality by increasing 0.1813dB of PSNR and 1.17 times faster than the conventional method.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.713-725
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• 2019

Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) is a technology required for many applications such as Intelligent Transportation Systems and Video Surveillance Systems. Most of the studies have studied were about the detection and recognition of license plates on cars, and there is very little about detecting and recognizing license plates on motorbikes. In the case of a car, the license plate is located at the front or rear center of the vehicle and is a straight or slightly sloped license plate. Also, the background of the license plate is mainly monochromatic, and license plate detection and recognition process is less complicated. However since the motorbike is parked by using a kickstand, it is inclined at various angles when parked, so the process of recognizing characters on the motorbike license plate is more complicated. In this paper, we have developed a 2-stage YOLOv2 algorithm to detect the area of a license plate after detection of a motorbike area in order to improve the recognition accuracy of license plate for motorbike data set parked at various angles. In order to increase the detection rate, the size and number of the anchor boxes were adjusted according to the characteristics of the motorbike and license plate. Image warping algorithms were applied after detecting tilted license plates. As a result of simulating the license plate character recognition process, the proposed method had the recognition rate of license plate of 80.23% compared to the recognition rate of the conventional method(YOLOv2 without image warping) of 47.74%. Therefore, the proposed method can increase the recognition of tilted motorbike license plate character by using the adjustment of anchor boxes and the image warping which fit the motorbike license plate.