Hardware Software Co-Design for JPEG Encoder Test Bench

Abstract

This paper presents a hardware/software (HW/SW) co-design approach using System On a Programmable Chip (SOPC) technique to achieve Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) algorithm. It firstly introduces JPEG image compression technology and the system architecture. Then the hardware/software design process of JPEG encoder test bench is introduced. It focuses on using the characteristics of Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) structure to achieve JPEG algorithm including the improved Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), and Nios II embedded processor of customizable characteristics, translating image acquisition, JPEG image compression and Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD) controller into user-defined modules according to Altera Avalon bus requirements with the SOPC Builder, where the user-defined module can be added to the system under the control of soft-core Nios II Embedded. Finally, the whole system is verified on a single FPGA chip. The experimental results shows the advantages of JPEG algorithm as a FPGA hardware module includes low power consumption, high image quality, low production costs and stable performance. There’s a very great practical significance to reduce costs and improve image processing speed.