Key Technology Research Towards FPGA-based Smart Camera Networks

In this paper we present the next generation of smart camera network systemwhich based on FPGA. This real-world application system will be used to examinethe operational result of the advanced self-awareness and self-expression novelcomputer network developed in the EPiCS（Engineering Propriception in Computingsystems） project. The Smart camera network system is an Ethernet system whichutilises smart cameras as network nodes. The smartness of the cameras in the systemis obtained by the appropriate designation of the connecting the FPGA modules andthe communication between systems is achieved by Ethernet.This thesis aimed at developing the smart camera network system, the overallstructure and key techniques of the system, as well as the corresponding solutionsare designed and analyzed. The performance of the system is tested, analyzed andameliorated to meet the requirements of the new computer network. Since the FPGAbased system provides characteristics such as low price, low energy, favorableexpansibility, high processing and storage ability, this work is conducive to theresearch of the next generation of video surveillance systems.The key technologys of the smart camera system consist of several parts asfollows: first, designing the image capture and processing module which consistingof video codec blocks, image color space conversion blocks, image compressionblocks and image storage blocks in the FPGA; second, designing and developing the Ethernet communication control modules and establishing related communicationchannels among all the different nodes of the smart camera network system; finally,designing the user interface to ensure that users could obtain timely work state of thesmart camera system, feedback informations and control the system to some extent.After realizing the mentioned key technology of the smart camera networksystem, the author sets up measurements for testing the achieved funtions andstability of the system, analyzing the unstability of the system causing by the packetsloss phenomenon, updating and optimizing the design for eliminating the packetsloss, thus providing a more stable testing platform for novel computer network.This thesis is constructed as follows. Firstly, the research background andvalues were introduced, the current research status as well as the ameliorationrequirements were proposed. Secondly, the designing scheme for smart cameralnetworks specially on the design and implementation of the image collecting andprocessing units as well as the communication modules were proposed. Furthermore,a real test for smart cameral system was experimented and an amelioration schemewas proposed. Finally, the work we have done was concluded and the futureresearch was forested.