MPEG-4 video verification model: A video encoding/decoding algorithm based on content representation

MPEG-4 video aims at providing standardized core technologies allowing efficient storage, transmission and manipulation of video data in multimedia environments. This is a challenging task given the broad spectrum of requirements and applications in multimedia. In order to achieve this broad goal, rather than a solution for a narrow set of applications, functionalities common to clusters of applications are under consideration. Therefore, video group activities in MPEG-4 aim at providing solutions in the form of tools and algorithms enabling functionalities such as efficient compression, object scalability, spatial and temporal scalability, and error resilience. The standardized MPEG-4 video will provide a toolbox containing tools and algorithms bringing solutions to the above-mentioned functionalities and more. The current focus of the MPEG-4 video group is the development of the Video Verification Models. A Verification Model (VM) is a common platform with a precise definition of encoding and decoding algorithms which can be presented as tools addressing specific functionalities. It evolves through time by means of core experiments. New algorithms/tools are added to the VM and old algorithms/tools are replaced in the VM by successful core experiments. Until October 1996, the MPEG-4 video group has focused its efforts on a single VM which has gradually evolved from version 1.0 to version 4.0, and in the process has addressed increasing number of desired functionalities, namely, content based object and temporal scalabilities, spatial scalability, error resilience, and compression efficiency. This paper gives an overview of version 4.0 of the Video VM in MPEG-4. In doing so, issues, algorithms, and majors tools used in the development of this future video standard are discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.