Decoding of MPEG-4, H.264, and VC-1 compatible video content possible with one IP
Tokyo, August 28, 2006−− Renesas Technology Corp. today announced the development of hardware IP (Intellectual Property) supporting a decode function for the VC-1*1 video compression standard for mobile phone use.
This IP features the addition of a VC-1 standard compatible decode function to Renesas Technology’s current VPU4 (Video Processing Unit 4) hardware IP enabling encoding and decoding for the MPEG-4*2 and H.264/MPEG-4 AVC*3 (referred to below as "H.264") video compression standards.
Background
Multimedia content has become well established in the mobile phone field, and video content is in widespread use. Up to now, mobile phone content has centered on MPEG-4 content used in video telephony and the like, while H.264 standard content used by the recently introduced one segment reception service is also becoming increasingly used. Renesas Technology developed the VPU4 enabling MPEG-4 and H.264 encoding and decoding by means of a single hardware IP, and responded to market needs by incorporating this hardware IP in SH-Mobile*4 Series application processors for mobile phone use.
Meanwhile, mobile phone data communication speeds are increasing, together with display data volumes. At the same time, LCD panels with higher pixel counts and resolutions are being used in mobile phones, enabling still larger amounts of data to be displayed.
As a result, mobile phones equipped with a full browsing function have recently been released that allow users to view not only content created for mobile phones but also Web site content created for PCs. However, most content for PCs is created based on the VC-1 standard, and a built-in VC-1 compatible decode function is essential in order to view such content on a mobile phone. With the abundance of VC-1 content, a growing market demand for a built-in VC-1 support function can be expected in the mobile phone field.
Features
Against this background, Renesas Technology has developed an IP with an added VC-1 decode function for its current VPU4 hardware IP.
Features of the newly developed IP are as follows.
| 1 | New VC-1 decoding function support |
| | The added VC-1 support function is a VC-1 standard Simple Profile decode function, enabling 30 fps (frame per second) processing for a 720 horizontal pixel x 480 vertical line screen at an IP operating frequency of 66 MHz.
This enables VC-1 compressed content on a Web site to be decoded and played back as smoothly as a normal TV picture.
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| 2 | Minimal increase in circuit scale, plus low-power operation |
| | In adding the VC-1 decode function, processing common to the MPEG-4 and H.264 compression standards shares the same circuitry. Moreover, the VC-1 decoding function shares existing internal memory, minimizing the increase in circuit scale.
In addition, special circuit operation techniques have been employed. The clock supply is halted to circuit blocks whose operation is not required for particular content, helping to reduce power consumption. Minimizing the increase in circuit scale and supplying a clock only to circuits whose operation is necessary have made it possible to achieve low-power operation.
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With three compression standards − MPEG-4, H.264, and VC-1 − supported by this new IP, use of an LSI incorporating this IP allows the development of applications supporting various kinds of content.
Renesas Technology will move ahead with the development of product applications for this IP, and plans to offer commercial applications in the second half of 2007.
| Notes: | 1. | VC-1 is a video compression standard established by SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers). |
| 2. | MPEG-4 is a low-bit-rate video compression standard established by ISO/IEC. |
| 3. | H.264/MPEG-4 AVC is a video compression standard established jointly by ITU-T and ISO/IEC, whose adoption has been decided upon for terrestrial digital broadcasting in Japan and digital broadcasting overseas. |
| 4. | SH-Mobile (SuperH™ Mobile Application Processor): An original Renesas Technology processor for mobile phone systems that is connected to a baseband LSI and performs dedicated processing of audio, video, and similar multimedia applications
SuperH is a trademark of Renesas Technology Corp.
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* Other product names, company names, or brands mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
Specifications
| Item | Specifications |
| Supported standards | MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile CODEC
H.264/AVC Baseline Profile CODEC (ASO/FMO/RS * not supported)
VC-1 Simple Profile Decode |
| Operating frequency | 66 MHz |
* ASO (Arbitrary Slice Order), FMO (Flexible Macroblock Order), and RS (Redundant Slice) are methods for improving error tolerance, comprising an H.264 standard tool set.
