Parser description-based bitstream parser generation for MPEG RMC framework

Abstract

In this paper, we present a bitstream syntax description scheme that enables the automatic generation of a bitstream parser in the reconfigurable media coding (RMC) framework. In the RMC framework, a standard video decoder can be defined with a set of functional units (FUs) pre-defined in a tool library and a decoder description containing the interconnections between the FUs and the bitstream parser description. The FUs in the tool library are codec-independent in that any FU can be reused. In contrast, the decoder description is codec-specific. In particular, the bitstream parser description is required for the generation of the bitstream parser FU in the RMC framework. There have been several works on bitstream parser description and parser FU generation; however, conventional methods have mainly focused on built-in parser generation during the design time, rather than on the automatic generation of the parser FU in the run-time from the description. As a response to this problem, we propose a bitstream parser description format and a run-time parser generation mechanism based on a generic parser FU. The proposed language aims to support run-time parser FU generation by describing three types of information: control flow, external functions, and parser interfaces. The control flow description is described based on the finite state machine concept, making the translation of the BSD in run-time easy. Throughout the paper, we show how the proposed scheme is better suited for the MPEG RMC framework than the existing description formats. We also discuss the implementation of the generic parser FU (GPFU) to show that the run-time parser generation can be done efficiently with the proposed description format. A simulation result using the generic parser FU based on the existing MPEG standards (MPEG-4 SP and SC3DMC) is provided as an existential proof.