| Date: | May ‘96 |
| Author: | E. Persoon , D. de Lang (Philips); R. Lagendijk (University of Delft) |
| Title: | The future needs for digital storage at home: how the SMASH-project will solve them |
| Event: | ECMAST 96, Louvain |
| Published: | paper submitted but not selected |
| Abstract: | This paper focuses on the rationale behind the SMASH project and is meant to enhance the awareness of the audience on Local Storage in the Home. Furthermore it addresses some important issues on storage organisation and provides an overview of possible applications for the SMASH Combo. |
| Full Paper: | view-htm, PDF-file (62Kb) |
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| Date: | May ‘96 |
| Author: | A. Hanjalic, R. Lagendijk, J. Biemond (University of Delft) |
| Title: | Achievements and Challenges in Visual Search of Video |
| Event: | 17th Symposium on Information Theory in the Benelux, Enschede, May '96 |
| Published: | Proceedings pp 159-165 |
| Abstract: | This paper reflects on the state-of-the-art and attempts to point out some challenges for further research towards more efficient methods for searching and accessing of stored visual information. The emphasis will be put on investigating the applicability of current approaches for search through stored video data in case of digital video libraries, and especially the so-called home - digital libraries. The development of such interactive home environments is continuously growing and becoming a very important application area with many new requirements, especially concerning the available storage space and improved user-interaction. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF-file (47Kb) |
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| Date: | May '96 |
| Author: | G. Langelaar, J. van der Lubbe, J. Biemond (University of Delft) |
| Title: | Copy Protection for Multimedia Data based on Labelling Techniques |
| Event: | 17th Symposium on Information Theory in the Benelux, Enschede, May '96 |
| Published: | Proceedings pp 33-39 |
| Abstract: | Service providers are reluctant to distribute their
multimedia data in digital form because of their fears for unrestricted duplication and
dissemination. Therefore robust methods must be developed to protect the proprietary
rights of the multimedia data owners and to realize a copy protection mechanism. In this paper the existing methods for labeling multimedia data are discussed and evaluated. A possibility is given to extend these methods towards a robust copy protection system for new mass storage devices. Some methods suitable for a copy protection method are selected and weak points are discussed. One of these methods is extended to embed a bit sequence instead of one bit in an image and to make it more resistant to lossy compression techniques. Using this method some true color images (size about 500 x 500) were labeled with about 200 bits. The label turned out to be resistant to JPEG compression, with quality parameter set up to 40% (compression rate >1:20). |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF-version (160Kb), view in htm |
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| Date: | Aug ‘96 |
| Author: | A. Hanjalic, R. Lagendijk, J. Biemond (University of Delft) |
| Title: | A New Method for Key Frame based Video Content Representation |
| Event: | First International Workshop on Image Databases and Multimedia Search, Aug 96, Amsterdam |
| Published: | Proceedings pp 67-74 |
| Abstract: | Compact video representation is an important step when developing tools for search through large video data bases. It has been shown in many publications that the usage of representative video frames (key frames) for this purpose is indeed an appropriate way of preserving the entire temporal information flow of the sequence in a considerably smaller amount of data - if the key frame set is obtained properly. In this paper we describe a novel method for key frame based video representation. The main advantage of this approach is that the resulting set of key frames, as opposed to recent methods from literature, is not dependent on subjective thresholds or any other manually given parameters. It gives a key frame set based on "objective" model for the video information flow. Another advantage is that this key frame set contains not more than the maximal number of frames, which is set beforehand for the entire sequence. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF-version (188Kb) |
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| Date: | Aug ‘96 |
| Author: | V. Braun (University of Essen) |
| Title: | Impulse Response Measurement of a Magnetic Recording Channel Using Golay Sequences |
| Event: | 6th Benelux-Japan Workshop on Coding and Information Theory, Essen |
| Published: | Proceedings 16.1, ISBN 90-74249-10-8 |
| Abstract: | We will apply Golay complementary sequences for measuring the impulse response and the amplitude and phase transfer functions of a linear magnetic tape recording channel. Our experimental channel suffers from nonlinear distortion caused by a magnetoresistive sensor. The measured characteristics, in particular the amplitude transfer function, show better performance than the same characteristics obtained with the de facto standard impulse response measurement technique using feedback shift register sequences. Based on a practical nonlinear Volterra model of our experimental tape recording channel, we will analyze the artefacts due to second and third order nonlinear distortion which can occur in the Golay impulse responses and transfer functions. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (171Kb) |
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| Date: | Sep ‘96 |
| Author: | R. Lagendijk, A. Hanjalic (University of Delft); M. Ceccarelli, M. Soletic, E. Persoon (Philips) |
| Title: | Visual Search in a SMASH system |
| Event: | ICIP'96, International Conference on Image Processing, Lausanne (CH), September 1996 |
| Published: | Proc. IEEE, pp 671-674 |
| Abstract: | Key frame extraction is an important preprocessing step for visual searching tools in image and video information. We describe two novel components of a key frame extraction system. Assuming that shot detection has taken place and that a frame-to-frame action measure is given, we propose a global key frame allocation method, which needs as input the user defined key frame rate, and an estimate for the average cumulative action. After assigning a number of key frames to a shot, an algorithm is proposed that distributes the key frames over the shot such that an optimal L1 approximation of the cumulative action function is obtained. |
| Full Paper: | - a draft version available: draft in word (251Kb) - |
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| Date: | Sep ‘96 |
| Author: | M. Ceccarelli (Philips); A. Hanjalic, R. Lagendijk (University of Delft) |
| Title: | A Sequence Analysis System for Video Databases |
| Event: | 5th Workshop on Time-Varying Image Processing and Moving Object Recognition, Florence (IT), Sep '96 |
| Published: | Proceedings pp 63-66, Elsevier 1997 |
| Abstract: | The proliferation of digital transmissions and video services will lead to a demand for efficient and flexible local storage devices for time-shifting, personal archival and fast access to downloaded material. Visual search tools must be provided for easily locating specific information within huge volumes of video data. In this paper we will consider advanced methods for automated analysis of compressed video sequences, extraction of representative information and its organization in a video database for efficient browsing and retrieval. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (52Kb) |
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| Date: | Oct ‘96 |
| Author: | R. Lagendijk, A. Hanjalic, G. Langelaar, J. van der Lubbe (University of Delft) |
| Title: | Methods for Browsing and Copy Protection in Multimedia Storage Systems |
| Event: | ICOMT'96: International Conference On Multimedia Technology and Digital Telecommunication Services, Budapest (H), 28-30 Oct. 1996 |
| Published: | Key note (oral) presentation |
| Abstract: | With the development of mass storage devices
also comes the need for (i) efficient management and (ii) copy protection of the locally
stored multimedia information. In this presentation methods are discussed that allow for
browsing and copy protection of visual information in multimedia storage systems. There is a growing worldwide interest in the development of browsing methodologies and tools tailored to the storage system and applications that accommodate for easily locating specific pieces of information in huge volumes of information. Existing navigation systems are all based on prior annotation of the information or search processes on textual information. It is widely recognized that there is a need for intelligent management and search methods in particular for the visual information in multimedia documents and in digital video and image libraries. The problems at hand are firstly that textual annotation can usually not be made beforehand because of the subjectivity and complexity of this task, and secondly that visual information will be transmitted and stored in a compressed format complicating even the most simple image analysis operations. This presentation will present techniques and recent developments for the extraction of key information from compressed video sequences such that browsing of this information becomes possible. The success of multimedia storage systems not only depends on the technological advances, but also the existence of adequate copy protection methods. Service providers will be willing to offer services in digital form without copy protection mechanism that limits duplication of the digital multimedia data. Copy protection systems exist in which the protection signals are stored separately from the data. Since these protection signals can easily be removed without affecting the data quality, this system is insufficiently strong. More recent approaches embed the protection signals into the data, which is called labeling or watermarking. The presentation will consider various existing and new techniques for data labeling against the background of multimedia storage systems in a domestic environment. |
| Full Paper: | -contact Lagendijk- |
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| Date: | Nov ‘96 |
| Author: | V. Braun (University of Essen) |
| Title: | On Impulse Response Measurement Techniques for Linear Tape Recording Channels |
| Event: | 1996 IEEE Global Communications Conference (Globecom'96), 18-22 November 1996, London |
| Published: | Proceedings pp. 963-967 |
| Abstract: | We will apply Golay complementary sequences for measuring the impulse response and the amplitude and phase transfer functions of a linear magnetic tape recording channel. Our experimental channel suffers from nonlinear distortion caused by a magnetoresistive sensor. The measured characteristics, in particular the amplitude transfer function, show better performance than the same characteristics obtained with the de facto standard impulse response measurement technique using feedback shift register sequences. Based on a practical nonlinear Volterra model of our experimental tape recording channel, we will analyze the artefacts due to second and third order nonlinear distortion which can occur in the Golay impulse responses and transfer functions. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (180Kb) |
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| Date: | Dec '96 |
| Author: | E. Persoon (Philips) |
| Title: | Set Top Unit with (SMASH) Storage |
| Event: | invited presentation on UNITEL meeting, 4 December 1996 |
| Published: | -minutes- |
| Abstract: | discussion on Set Top Unit with embedded storage |
| Full Paper: | view sheets in HTM, Adobe-PDF (330Kb) |
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| Date: | Feb '97 |
| Author: | A. Hanjalic, R. Lagendijk, J. Biemond (University of Delft); M. Ceccarelli (Philips) |
| Title: | Automation of Systems Enabling Search on Stored Video Data |
| Event: | SPIE/IS&T ELECTRONIC IMAGING '97, Storage and Retrieval for Image and Video Databases V, San Jose, February 1997 |
| Published: | SPIE Vol. 3022: Proceedings pp.427-438 |
| Abstract: | In the European project SMASH mass-market storage
systems for domestic use are under study. Besides the storage technology that is developed
in this project, the related objective of user-friendly browsing/query of video data is
studied as well. Key issues in developing a user-friendly system are (1) minimizing the
user-intervention in preparatory steps (extraction and storage of representative
information needed for browsing/query), (2) providing an acceptable representation of the
stored video content in view of a higher automation level, (3) the possibility for
performing these steps directly on the incoming stream at storage time, and (4)
parameter-robustness of algorithms used for these steps. This paper proposes and validate novel approaches for automation of mentioned preparatory phases. A detection method for abrupt shot changes is proposed, using locally computed threshold based on a statistical model for frame-to-frame differences. For the extraction of representative frames (key frames) an approach is presented which distributes a given number of key frames over the sequence depending on content changes in a temporal segment of the sequence. A multimedia database is introduced, able to automatically store all bibliographic information about a recorded video as well as a visual representation of the content without any manual intervention from the user. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (300Kb) |
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| Date: | Feb '97 |
| Author: | G. Langelaar, J. v.d. Lubbe, R. Lagendijk (University of Delft) |
| Title: | Robust Labeling Methods for Copy Protection of Images |
| Event: | SPIE/IS&T ELECTRONIC IMAGING '97, Multimedia Data Security, San Jose, February 1997 |
| Published: | SPIE Vol. 3022: Proceedings pp.298-309 |
| Abstract: | In the European project
SMASH a mass multimedia storage device for home usage is being developed. The success of
such a storage system depends not only on technical advances, but also on the existence of
an adequate copy protection method. Copy protection for visual data requires fast and
robust labeling techniques. In this paper, two new labeling techniques are proposed. The
first method extends an existing spatial labeling technique. This technique divides the
image into blocks and searches an optimal label-embedding level for each block instead of
using a fixed embedding-level for the complete image. The embedding-level for each block
is dependent on a lower quality JPEG compressed version of the labeled block. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (280Kb) |
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| Date: | Feb '97 |
| Author: | V. Braun (University of Essen) |
| Title: | On Modulation, Coding and Signal Processing for Optical and Magnetic Recording Systems |
| Event: | Thesis, Essen |
| Published: | Fortschritt Berichte VDI Reihe 10, Informatik/Kommunikationstechnik, nr. 504 (VDI Verlag GmbH, Düsseldorf) |
| Abstract: | Different problems of modulation, coding and signal processing for optical and magnetic recording systems are considered. We investigate relevant statistical properties of combined DC-free runlength-limited (DCRLL) modulation codes. Such codes are widely applied in optical recording systems, for example, in the CD player. In particular, we focus on the basic trade-offs between the rate of DCRLL codes and the amount of suppression of low-frequency components. Further we analyze advanced detection algorithms for use in the DCC system, where a DC-free modulation code is applied. Appropriate detection algorithms are developed and their error rate performances are evaluated using computer simulations and experimental data. Finally, we consider the application of Golay complementary sequences for measuring the transfer characteristics of the magnetic recording channel. Our experimental channel suffers from nonlinear distortion introduced by a magnetoresistive sensor. Using a nonlinear Volterra channel model, we derive an improved technique which allows to measure the channel response without artefacts caused by even order nonlinear distortion. |
| Full Paper: | only in printed book version: contact Volker Braun |
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| Date: | Apr '97 |
| Author: | R. Lagendijk, A. Hanjalic (University of Delft) |
| Title: | (The SMASH project's) Perspective on Browsing of Consumer Video Archives |
| Event: | MPEG-7 Bristol Seminar Presentation |
| Published: | Proceedings |
| Abstract: | Browsing Consumer Video Archives |
| Full Paper: | view in htm (low resolution), Adobe-PDF-file (705Kb) |
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| Date: | May '97 |
| Author: | G. Langelaar, R. Lagendijk, J. Biemond (University of Delft) |
| Title: | Real-time Labelling Methods for Compressed Video |
| Event: | 18th Symposium on Information Theory in the Benelux, Veldhoven, 15-16 May 97 |
| Published: | Proceedings pp.25-32 |
| Abstract: | The objective of the
SMASH-project, sponsored by the European Union, is to develop a mass multimedia storage
device for home usage. Service providers are reluctant to offer video services in digital
form because of their fears for unrestricted duplication and dissemination. Therefore a
copy protection system based on labeling techniques is proposed for this digital storage
device. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (250Kb) |
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| Date: | June '97 |
| Author: | A. Hanjalic, R. Lagendijk, J. Biemond (University of Delft) |
| Title: | A Novel Video Parsing Method with Improved Thresholding |
| Event: | 3rd Annual Conference of the Advanced School for Computing & Imaging, Heijen (NL), 1997 |
| Published: | Proceedings pp. 3-8 |
| Abstract: | Video parsing is one of the steps needed for indexing large volumes of video in digital multimedia libraries. This paper starts with the discussion about some important problems when applying the existing video parsing methods in the practice. These problems are especially related to the user-friendliness of home mass storage systems developed for individual consumers. In an attempt to solve these problems a novel detection method for abrupt shot changes is proposed in the second part of the paper. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (100Kb) |
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| Date: | Jun '97 |
| Author: | A. Hanjalic, R. Lagendijk, J. Biemond (University of Delft) |
| Title: | Detection of Global Story Units in Full-length Movies |
| Event: | IEEE Workshop on Content-based Access of Image and Video Libraries, Puerto Rico, June 1997 |
| Abstract: | One of the main steps in development of new
user-friendly search concepts is finding a suitable way of organizing large amounts of
stored video material before presenting it to the user for browsing purposes. Also,
algorithms are needed to perform such video content organization automatically. Most approaches proposed so far, organize video material on the base of individual video shots. However, since human understanding of a video content is far more event-based, rather than being in terms of single shots, event-based video abstraction for browsing is required. Such abstraction should, especially in case of long video sequences, result in a transparent event cluster tree, having single events as fundamental retrieval units on its lowest level and more complex story units as event collections on higher tree levels. In this paper we propose a way of automatically obtaining highest levels of such a tree for a full-length movie, by detecting its global story units. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (130Kb) |
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| Date: | Sep '97 |
| Author: | E. Persoon (Philips) |
| Title: | Information Delivery to the Home |
| Event: | ERK'97, 26 Sept 97, Portoroz, Slovenia (see also: ERK'98) |
| Published: | By Video-conference from Eindhoven, not recorded :-( |
| Abstract: | This presentation is about effective ways to deliver bulk information to the home and how to store it. |
| Full Paper: | view in htm |
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| Date: | Sep '97 |
| Author: | M. Leban, A. Leonardis, J.F. Tasic (University of Ljubljana) |
| Title: | Structure of a remote education application using a local mass storage device |
| Event: | ERK'97, 26 Sept 97, Portoroz, Slovenia (see also: ERK'98) |
| Published: | Proc. ERK'97, pp. 401-404 |
| Abstract: | Remote education is usually based on the World Wide Web (WWW) and supported by multimedia. It can be performed on the server side from the student's computer over the network. The problem is, however, that most students usually do not have highbandwidth network connections at their homes or at the campus. Another problem is the cost of telephone lines used by modems for connections to the network. A possible solution is usage of a local mass storage device to store almost all multimedia data and only small amount of material is accessed remotely over the network. The purpose of this article is to present the basic concept of the interaction between a remote education application and a local mass device based on a linear tape. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (328Kb) |
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| Date: | Sep '97 |
| Author: | R. Tol (Philips) |
| Title: | The Usage of JAVA in Smash |
| Event: | ACTS Concertation meeting #7, 30 Sept 97, Brussels |
| Published: | presentation, published on the WEB |
| Abstract: | Usage of JAVA in SMASH, focused on DVB-application |
| Full Paper: | view used sheets in htm , Adobe-PDF (327Kb) |
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| Date: | Oct '97 |
| Author: | J.F. Tasic, M. Leban (University of Ljubljana) |
| Title: | The multimedia supported remote education application |
| Event: | invited paper on Workshop on IDL Systems, 1997, Split, Croatia |
| Published: | Proceedings pp. 15-21 |
| Abstract: | This paper presents a distance learning application which is in a development phase at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. The basic idea of the application is to join materials on various topics in a digital library of courseware. Our application is based on the WWW and Java programming language and it is supported by a mass storage unit, which should be useful in the case of a narrow-bandwidth network connection. The problem is, however, that most students usually do not have high bandwidth network connections at their homes or at the campus. A possible solution to this problem arose from the co-operation of the University of Ljubljana in the ACTS AC-018 SMASH (Storage for Multimedia Applications Systems in the Home) project. The goal of this project is to develop a mass storage device for home usage, that can hold 13 GB (or even more) of data. This means that the whole digital library could be stored on a single tape and students could use the application locally or remotely depends on their needs and their network connection. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (67Kb) |
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| Date: | Oct '97 |
| Author: | M. Leban, J.F. Tasic (University of Ljubljana) |
| Title: | Multimedia distance education using a local mass storage device |
| Event: | International Conference on Multimedia Technology and Digital 1997 (ICOMT'97), Budapest, Hungary (see also: ICOMT'98) |
| Published: | proceedings ICOMT'97 pp.148-156 |
| Abstract: | Development of computer technology, like multimedia and the Internet, enables new possibilities for distance education. Lessons are prepared from different type of materials to give learners a better insight into the topic and to enable them to be more creative in the educational process. This means that learners have possibilities to study from their home or their jobs without loosing the quality of the education. Distance learning is usually based on the World Wide Web (WWW) to be platform independent and available to the most learners. Remote education can be performed on the server side from the learner's computer over the network. The problem is, however, that most learners usually do not have high bandwidth network connections at their homes or at the campus. Another problem is the cost of telephone lines used by modems for connections to the network. A possible solution is usage of a local mass storage device to store almost all multimedia data locally and only a small amount of material is accessed remotely over the network. The purpose of this article is to present the basic idea and the concept of the distance education, where a local mass storage device is used to store all multimedia data locally. A COMBO which combines a linear tape and a hard disk into one storage system, is used as a local mass storage device. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (66Kb) |
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| Date: | Oct '97 (request for publication) |
| Author: | G. Langelaar (University of Delft) |
| Title: | Overview of Protection Methods in Existing TV and Storage Devices |
| Event: | Journal Publication: Wireless Communication, The Interactive Multimedia CD-ROM |
| Published: | expected in next release of the CD-ROM http://www.baltzer.nl/wirelesscd |
| Abstract: | Today, television and computer devices are
everywhere. In the future digital TV broadcasting will be introduced world-wide. However,
digital data can easily be replicated without quality loss. It can also easily be
retransmitted and modified. The service providers are therefore naturally concerned about
digital storage devices, because of illegal copying. A mass storage device must be able to record data from several sources: digital data can come from the cable (through the Set Top Box) or from other digital home equipment (computer, audio-set, camcorder, etc.). Protection mechanisms must take care that service providers can keep control over their stored data, copyrights are not violated and consumers can protect their own private data against others. In order to develop a protection system for a mass storage device it is useful to first take a look at existing systems that provide input for the storage system (STB's, computers, digital video and audio sources, etc.) and at comparable storage systems. This can give an understanding of the incoming signals and make the requirements of the service providers clear. This also gives an overview of existing protection methods, which can maybe be applied to the new mass storage device. Since these methods are already used in the past, an estimation of the strength or weakness can be made and implementation errors can be examined. Several systems will be studied, some of them have been in operation for several years and have been progressively enhanced to fit the market requirements and discourage hackers. In chapter 2 a general description is given of a Pay TV system and some existing broadcasting systems are described together with the known hacks on these systems. The involved hardware and the attacks on this hardware by hackers are also discussed. Finally, the storage devices, which can be connected to such systems are discussed together with the copy and copyright protection methods. In chapter 3 an overview is given of existing and new techniques for copy and copyright protection systems in storage devices and in data distribution systems. In chapter 4 conclusions are drawn. |
| Full Paper: | view earlier concept in htm |
| ---------- | |
| Date: | Nov '97 |
| Author: | M. Marolt, M. Privosnik (University of Ljubljana) |
| Title: | A distance learning application based on a digital library of courseware |
| Event: | IFIP 97, 3.3 & 3.6 Joint Conference, The Virtual Campus, 27-29 November 1997, Madrid, Spain |
| Published: | Chapman & Hall |
| Abstract: | This paper presents a distance learning application currently under development at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. The basic idea of the application is to join learning materials on various topics and written by many teachers in a digital library of courseware. Such digital library provides a basis for creating courses on specific topics. Our application is based on WWW and Java programming language and can be readily used over a high bandwidth network connection. The problem is, however, that most students usually do not have high bandwidth network connections to their homes. A possible solution to this problem arose from University of Ljubljana’s co-operation in the ACTS AC-018 SMASH (Storage for Multimedia Applications Systems in the Home) project. The goal of this project is to develop a mass storage device for home usage, that can hold 13 GB (or even more) of data. It uses a linear tape drive coupled with a hard disk used for caching data from tape. If the digital library would be stored on such a tape, tapes could be distributed to students, and students could use the application at their homes without the need of a network connection. We are developing an interface towards the mass storage device to make this possible. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (115Kb) |
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| Date: | Dec '97 |
| Author: | A. Kosir (University of Ljubljana) |
| Title: | JAVA in SMASH: Remote Education Application |
| Event: | ACTS Concertation meeting #8, 9 Dec 97, Brussels |
| Published: | presentation, published on the WEB |
| Abstract: | Usage of JAVA in SMASH, focused on REA |
| Full Paper: | view used sheets in htm , Adobe-PDF (135Kb) |
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| Date: | Jan '98 |
| Author: | V. Braun (University of Essen) |
| Title: | Dipulse-Response Measurement of a Magnetic Recording Channel Using Golay Complementary Sequences |
| Event: | Journal publication |
| Published: | IEEE Trans. Magn., vol.34, no.1, pp.309-316, Jan 1998 |
| Abstract: | We apply Golay complementary sequences for measuring the dipulse response and transfer functions of a digital magnetic saturation recording channel. Our experimental channel suffers from nonlinear distortion caused by a magnetoresistive sensor. The measured channel characteristics are compared with the same characteristics obtained with the dipulse response measurement technique using feedback shift register sequences. Based on a practical nonlinear Volterra model of a digital magnetic saturation recording channel, we analyze the artifacts due to second and third order nonlinear distortion which can occur in the Golay dipulse responses and transfer functions. We show that with either of the considered dipulse response measurement techniques the artifacts due to even order nonlinear distortion which occur in the measured channel characteristics can easily be removed. The measured channel characteristics thus obtained show excellent performance for either of the considered excitation sequences. |
| Full Paper: | LaTeX-file (45Kb) |
| ---------- | |
| Date: | Feb '98 |
| Author: | M. Ceccarelli (Philips) |
| Title: | Meta-data for Broadcasting |
| Event: | MPEG7 Workshop, ACM9, 16 February 1998, Brussels |
| Published: | minutes |
| Abstract: | The transition from analog to digital video is about to bring the expected convergence of television, computer and communication, with many possibilities for delivery of multimedia interactive services. However, current broadcast services only feature an EPG where interaction is limited to getting title of current and next program, if available. Metadata can be defined as control and descriptive elements associated to media content. In order to allow searches on programs, more structured metadata are needed in the broadcast streams. One of the goals of the STORit project is to provide low-cost solutions for enriching the service offered to consumers by the addition of metadata on the broadcast streams. This will allow more interactivity with the receiving system, without needing a return channel, and when a home storage device is available, more attractive features can be offered to consumers. Unfortunately there is no adequate standard to be used for metadata describing audio-visual content. MPEG7, formally called "Multimedia Content Description Interface", wishes to address this problem by providing a complete and yet flexible standard for the generation of metadata in all fields of multimedia content production and distribution. |
| Full Paper: | view in htm, Adobe-PDF (80Kb) |
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| Date: | March '98 |
| Author: | E. Persoon (Philips) |
| Title: | SMASH: a concept for advanced use of storage in the home |
| Event: | IMAGINA'98, March 4-6, 1998, Monaco |
| Published: | proceedings |
| Abstract: | SMASH stands for Storage for Multimedia Applications and Systems in the Home. It is the subject of a European research program as part of the ACTS initiative. The main goal of the project is to explore the future possibilities offered on the one hand by the massive amount of new digital services that enter the consumers home and on the other hand the impressive progress of storage technologies that are suitable for home usage. In this paper we will describe our views on how home storage can be of benefit to future consumers. Although the described ideas could be used in more environments than only the home setting, we have limited ourselves to this environment since it offers many challenges and it is the most demanding setting regarding the variety of users that must be satisfied. The paper describes first the user needs for local storage and the available digital sources that provide the information to be stored. Then the current status of available and expected digital storage technologies for home use are explained. This is followed by the overall architecture of the SMASH system we have realized so far and a description of its basic operations. Finally we end with a chapter that describes on how content and service providers may enhance the usage of local storage at home. |
| Full Paper: | view in htm , Adobe-PDF (65Kb) |
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| Date: | March '98 |
| Author: | R.L. Lagendijk & G.C. Langelaar (TU-Delft) |
| Title: | Watermark Signal Processing Techniques for Video Copy Protection |
| Event: | IEEE Signal Processing Symposium in the Benelux (SPS98), 26--27 March 1998, Leuven, Belgium |
| Published: | Proc. Signal Proc. Symp. |
| Abstract: | (key note presentation) -contact authors- |
| Full Paper: | view in htm |
| ---------- | |
| Date: | March '98 |
| Author: | A. Kosir, M. Leban, J. Tasic (University of Lubljana) |
| Title: | Software Architecture of Mass Local Storage Supported Remote Education Application |
| Event: | ECMAST'98, May 98, Berlin |
| Published: | submitted but not selected |
| Abstract: | Development of computer technology, like multimedia and the Internet, enables new possibilities for remote education. Many professions nowadays require permanent education what is accompanied with travelling. In order to reduce time consumption and to protect environment from pollution an Remote Education Application can be used. Lessons involved are prepared from different type of materials to give learners a better insight into the topic and to enable them to be more creative in the educational process. This means that learners have possibilities to study from their home or their jobs without loosing the quality of the education. Proposed remote education application is based on the World Wide Web (WWW) to be platform independent and available to the most learners. Remote education can be performed on the server side from the learner's computer over the network. The problem is, however, that most learners usually do not have high bandwidth network connections at their homes or at the campus. A possible solution is usage of a local mass storage device to store almost all multimedia data locally and only a small amount of material is accessed remotely over the network. The purpose of this article is to present the basic idea and the concept of the distance education, where a local mass storage device is used to store all multimedia data locally. A COMBO, which combines a linear tape and a hard disk into one storage system, is used as a local mass storage device. |
| Full Paper: | view in htm, Adobe-PDF (93Kb) |
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| Date: | May '98 |
| Author: | M. Marolt, M. Privosnik (University of Ljubljana) |
| Title: | Distance education using a local mass storage device |
| Event: | Melecon '98, Tel Aviv, Israel, 18-20 May 98 |
| Published: | Proc. Melecon'98 |
| Abstract: | This paper presents a distance learning application currently under development at the University of Ljubljana as a part of the ACTS AC-018 SMASH (Storage for Multimedia Applications Systems in the Home) project. The application is based on WWW and Java programming language and serves as a general framework for development of courses on different topics. All the courseware is stored in what could be called a digital library, and is used as a basis for creating courses on specific topics. The application can be readily used over a high bandwidth network connection. The problem is, however, that learners usually do not have high bandwidth network connections to their homes. We are therefore investigating the possibility of using a local mass storage device at the learner’s site. The purpose of this paper is to present the basic idea and the concept of a distance learning application, where such a local mass storage device is used to store all of the courseware data locally at the learner’s machine. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (90Kb) |
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| Date: | May'98 |
| Author: | V. Braun (University of Essen) |
| Title: | Golay Complementary Sequences for Identification of Linear Systems with Weak Nonlinear Distorsion |
| Event: | IEE Proc. Science, Measurement and Technology |
| Published: | Journal IEE Proc.-Sci.,Meas. Technol., vol. 145, no.3, pp. 123-128, May 1998 |
| Abstract: | The design of binary excitation sequences for identifying linear time-invariant systems in the presence of weak nonlinear distortion is considered. A Volterra system model is used and system identification is carried out in the time domain by cross correlating input and output sequences. The measured system characteristic is the pulse response. The basic idea behind the design of the excitation sequences is to exploit the time-invariance of the system under test which allows us to add pulse responses obtained using different excitations. A set of four pairs of Golay complementary sequences is presented which is very suitable for identification of linear systems suffering from mild amounts of second and third order nonlinear distortion. The key element in this study are higher order autocorrelation properties of Golay complementary sequences. Experimental results obtained from a digital magnetic storage system are presented. |
| Full Paper: | LaTex-file (42Kb) |
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| Date: | Jun '98 |
| Author: | G.C. Langelaar, R.L. Lagendijk, J. Biemond (TU-Delft) |
| Title: | Watermark removal based on non-linear filtering |
| Event: | Advanced School for Computing and Imaging (ASCI), 9-11 June 98, Lommel, Belgium |
| Published: | proceedings ASCI'98 |
| Abstract: | Many watermarking methods are based on adding pseudo-random noise in the spatial domain. In general, the robustness of the watermark is determined by measuring the resistance to JPEG-compression, adding Gaussian noise and applying linear filters. Using these processing techniques the quality of the image must be affected significantly before the watermark is removed. In this paper a method is proposed to estimate a pseudo-random spread spectrum watermark only from the watermarked image. If this estimated watermark is subtracted from the watermarked image, the watermark is removed without distorting the image significantly. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (222Kb) |
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| Date: | Aug '98 (submitted Dec '97) |
| Author: | G. Langelaar, R. Lagendijk, J. Biemond (University of Delft) |
| Title: | Real-time Labeling of MPEG-2 Compressed Video |
| Event: | Journal publication: Journal of Visual Communication and Image Representation. Special Issue on "Image Technology for World-Wide-Web Applications" |
| Published: | expected publication date: Aug '98 |
| Abstract: | Digital mass recording devices for video data will
enter the consumer market soon. Service providers are reluctant to offer services in
digital form because of their fears for unrestricted duplication and dissemination.
Therefore adequate copy protection systems should be developed, most likely based on
labeling techniques. In this paper we propose two different techniques for the real-time labeling of digital video. Both methods embed the label information directly into an MPEG compressed video bitstream. The first method embeds the label by changing variable length codes in the bitstream. The second method discards some of the high frequency DCT-coefficients of the bitstream to embed the label. The first technique is computationally less expensive than the second one, however, the second one is more robust against attacks to remove the label. We show that the label can still be extracted after MPEG re-encoding at a lower bit-rate. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (224Kb) |
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| Date: | Sep '98 (submitted for review Oct '97) |
| Author: | A. Hanjalic, R. Lagendijk, J. Biemond (University of Delft) |
| Title: | Automated Segmentation of Movies into Logical Story Units |
| Event: | Journal publication: IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology, Special Issue on Image and Video Processing for Emerging Interactive Multimedia Services, Sept 1998 |
| Published: | submitted for review as a full paper to be published in the above journal |
| Abstract: | We present a newly developed strategy for automated movie segmentation into logical story units. Logical story units are approximations of actual movie episodes. The proposed segmentation is the crucial first step towards a concise and comprehensive content-based movie representation. The automation aspect is becoming increasingly important with the rising amount of information to be processed in visual archives of the future. The segmentation process is designed to work on MPEG-DC sequences, taking into account that for performing content-based operations on MPEG compressed video streams at least a partial decoding is required. The proposed technique allows to carry out the segmentation into logical story units in a single pass through a video sequence. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (72Kb) |
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| Date: | Sep '98 |
| Author: | G. Langelaar, R. Lagendijk, J. Biemond (University of Delft) |
| Title: | Removing Spatial Spread Spectrum Watermarks by Non-linear Filtering |
| Event: | European Signal Processing Conference (EUSIPCO'98), special session on "Watermarking Copyright Protection and Access Control for Multimedia Services, 8-11 Sept 1998, Rodes, Greece |
| Published: | Sep '98, proceedings |
| Abstract: | Many watermarking methods are based on adding pseudo-random noise in the spatial domain. In general, the robustness of the watermark is determined by measuring the resistance to JPEG-compression, adding Gaussian noise and applying linear filters. Using these processing techniques the quality of the image must be affected significantly before the watermark is removed. In this paper a method is proposed to estimate a pseudo-random spread spectrum watermark only from the watermarked image. If this estimated watermark is subtracted from the watermarked image, the watermark is removed without distorting the image significantly. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (196Kb) |
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| Date: | Sep '98 |
| Author: | M. Pogacnik, J.F. Tasic (University of Ljubljana) |
| Title: | Kontroler multimedijske pomnilniske enote |
| Event: | ERK'98, 24-26 Sept 1998, Portoroz, Slovenia |
| Published: | Sep '98, proceedings (in Slovenian language only) |
| Abstract: | Remote Education Application (REA) is using big number of large files, which are stored on 16 Gb linear tape. Due to enormous access time of linear tape, special program is used which copies files from tape to disk and in this way access time is drastically reduced. This program is called the controller. In this paper is described REA, functioning and structure of the controller and the approach to copying of files in order to reduce the access time. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (107Kb) |
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| Date: | Oct '98 |
| Author: | A. Hanjalic, R. Lagendijk, J. Biemond (University of Delft) |
| Title: | Template-based Detection of Anchordperson Shots in News Programs |
| Event: | ICIP'98, 5th IEEE International Conference on Image Processing, Chicago (IL, USA), 4-7 Oct '98 |
| Published: | selected for presention. Proceedings, 1998 |
| Abstract: | For easy browsing and retrieval processes in a large news database, stored news programs have to be indexed in a suitable way. One possibility of doing this is to index each news report based on covered topic. However, before the topic recognition and indexing steps can be carried out, each news program has first to be segmented into single reports. The first step in this segmentation process is the classification of all video shots of a news program in different categories, such as anchorperson (news reader) shots, news (report) shots and possible commercial breaks. In this paper we present a new reliable approach for detection of all anchorperson shots in an arbitrary news program. Increase in detection reliability, compared to the referred methods, is achieved by using a sequence-own video shot as the template for detecting all anchorperson shots of that sequence. The template itself is determined in a robust, threshold-free way. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (104Kb) |
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| Date: | Jan '99 |
| Author: | A. Hanjalic, R. Lagendijk, J. Biemond (University of Delft) |
| Title: | Semi-Automatic News Analysis, Indexing and Classification System based on Topics Preselection |
| Event: | SPIE/IS&T ELECTRONIC IMAGING '99, Storage and Retrieval for Image and Video Databases VII, San Jose (Ca, USA), January '99 |
| Published: | proceedings SPIE99 |
| Abstract: | In this paper we present the concept of an efficient semi-automatic system for analysis, classification and indexing of TV news program material and show the feasibility of its practical realization. The only input into the system, other than the news program itself, are the spoken words, serving as keys for topic prespecification. The chosen topics express user’s current professional or private interests and are used for filtering the news material correspondingly. After the basic analysis steps on a news program stream, including the processes of shot change detection and key frame extraction, the system automatically represents the news program as a series of longer higher-level segments. Each of them contains one or more video shots and belongs to one of the coarse categories such as anchorperson (news reader) shots, news shot series, the starting and ending program sequence. The segmentation procedure is performed on the video component of the news program stream and the results are used to define the corresponding segments in the news audio stream. In the next step, the system uses the prespecified audio keys to index the segments and group them into reports, being the actual retrieval units. This step is performed on the segmented news audio stream by applying the wordspotting procedure to each segment. As a result, all the reports on prespecified topics are easily reachable for efficient retrieval. |
| Full Paper: | Adobe-PDF (176Kb) |
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