Course Description
This course provides an introduction to the basic concepts and techniques used for the compression of digital images and video. Video compression requirements, algorithm components, and ISO Standard video processing algorithms are studied. Image compression components that are used in video compression methods are also identified. Since many of the capabilities of these standards are still being developed, and have not been integrated into computer and communication systems, the study of the component technologies will provide guidelines for evaluation and selection when the standards are approved. Topics to be covered include: introduction to video systems, Fourier analysis of video signals, properties of the human visual system, motion estimation, basic video compression techniques, video communication standards, and error control in Video Communications. A mini-project is required.

This course is offered  in the fall semester.

Syllabus

1. Basics of analog and digital video basics: color video formation and specification, analog TV system, video raster, digital video formats (Chap. 1)
2. Frequency domain analysis of video signals, spatial and temporal frequency response of the human visual system. (Chap. 2)
3. Scene, camera, and motion modeling, 3D motion and projected 2D motion, models for typical camera/object motions. (Chap. 5)
4. 2D motion estimation: optical flow equation, different motion estimation methods (pel-based, block-based, mesh-based, global motion estimation, multi-resolution approach) (Chap. 6)
5. Basic compression techniques: information bounds for lossless and lossy source coding, binary encoding, scalar/vector quantization (Chap. 8)
6. Waveform-based coding: transform coding, predictive coding including motion compensated prediction and interpolation, block-based hybrid video coding, scalable video coding (Chap. 9 and 11)
7. Video compression standards (H.261 and H.263, MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, MPEG7). (Chap. 13)
8. Image and Video Compression Role in Forensic Studies (Class Handouts)

Prerequisites
525.427 Digital Signal Processing

Instructor
Nicholas Beser received a Ph.D. in 1983 in systems engineering and computer science from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Beser has worked at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory for over 15 years. Currently, he is Assistant Section Supervisor for the Knowledge Discovery Section of the Intelligence Systems Group. Dr. Beser is the Project Manager for the Multimedia Forensic Laboratory and is the Chief Engineer on the Digital Video Authentication Project. He has also been the lead researcher at on several Video Exploitation IR&D projects developing video mosaic, super-resolution, and automated scene change detection methods. In addition, he has supplied video exploitation services to both Howard County Police and Baltimore City Police in the analysis and enhancement of crime video tapes. Dr. Beser is the JHU/APL representative to the International Standards Organization Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) Panel. He has authored many papers on data compression standards, history of space data compression, and data compression quality measures.  In addition, he also has extensive work experience in the area of high-speed signal and data processing covering both design and software.

Course Section, Location, and Time
Please refer to the Course Schedule for section information, including time and location.

Computer Lab Requirements
No computer lab, but homework assignments will require access to Matlab, and projects could be computer based. Matlab is available on APL classroom computer systems, or available from Mathworks using the Student Version.

Textbook
Video Processing and Communications by Yao Wang, Jorn Ostermann, Ya-Qin Zhang, Prentice Hall, 2002, ISBN 0-13-017547-1

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updated August 2002