Parallel multiplication-free algorithm and architecture for affine-based motion compensation

Abstract

Affine transformation is widely used in image processing. Re- cently, it has been recommended by MPEG-4 for video motion compen- sation. We present a novel low-power parallel architecture for texture warping using affine transformation (AT). The architecture uses a novel multiplication-free algorithm that employs the algebraic properties of the affine transformation. Low power has been achieved at different levels of the design. At the algorithmic level, replacing multiplication operations with bit shifting saves the power and delay of using a multiplier. At the architecture level, low power is achieved by using parallel computational units. At the circuit level, using low-power cells contributes to the power savings. The proposed architecture is used as a computational kernel in video object coders. It is compatible with MPEG-4 and virtual reality modeling language (VRML) standards. The architecture has been proto- typed in 0.6-mm CMOS technology with three layers of metal. The per- formance of the proposed architecture shows that it can be used in mo- bile and handheld applications. © 2003 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation