exhibition highlights · 2016-08-30 · exhibition highlights broadcast technology no.34,...

E x h i b i t i o n H i g h l i g h t s

Broadcast Technology No.34, Spring-Summer 2008 NHK STRLC 5

The Science & Technical Research Laboratories hasbeen pioneering new broadcasting media for

many decades, and its achievements range fromsatellite broadcasting and Hi-Vision (HDTV) todigital broadcasting. For the next generation ofbroadcasting, STRL is now developing the Super Hi-Vision (SHV) ultrahigh-definition television system.

Frontiers of Broadcasting

Some of STRL's research is aimed at inspiring newmedia through the construction of what may be

the ultimate in video and audio reproduction: three-dimensional TV and sound.

"Enhanced Reality" Spatial Reproduction

STRL is developing an easy-to-operate, convenienttelevision system that can be tailored to the

individual viewer's needs and preferences. Theexhibit displayed element technologies and showedan image of what the service will be like.

Useful and Universal Services

This exhibit showed viewers an advanced contentproduction environment for next-generation

program production. Various component systemswere exhibited, such as robot cameras that canperform collaborative shooting, a millimeter-waveTV camera that uses radio-waves to capture imagesof objects that are obscured by fog or smoke, and anultrahigh-speedcamera system.

Environment for Producing Advanced Content

Many of the technologies that were created bySTRL researchers are being used in non-

broadcasting fields. Some are even being used forspace and deep-sea exploration. The exhibits in thiszone featured these versatile technologies.

Utilization and Deployment of Broadcasting Technology

Visitors with expertise in many fields related tobroadcasting could view in-depth explanations

of our latest research results presented in posterform.

Poster Exhibit

6 Broadcast Technology No.34, Spring-Summer 2008 NHK STRLC

Frontiers of Broadcasting

The Super Hi-Vision (SHV) system willrequire advances in equipment and signalprocessing and in-depth examinations froma human sciences perspective. For this study,the most essential is to obtain SHV videodata of thee elementary colors (red, blue andgreen) with a resolution of 7680(horizontal) 4320 (vertical) pixels. Wefabricated a new prototype that can captureimages with this level of resolution.

33M-pixel Image Technology

Shooting experiment Shot imagePrototype imagingsystem

The current Super Hi-Vision cameraseparates incident light into the three

primary colors (red, green, and blue) by using a prism. Thesecolors are converted for color video reproduction intoelectrical signals by using three imaging devices. Althoughthis three-chip color imaging device has good light-usageefficiency and enables high-quality color video reproduction,the prism and three imaging devices are bulky. To make acompact, lightweight SHV camera, we are developing a newsingle-chip color imaging device that uses organic films. This"organic" imaging device contains layers of organicphotoconversion film that are each sensitive to one of thethree primary colors. This device can separate light into thethree primary colors and read out signals that correspond tored, green, and blue. We believe that a single-plate imagingscheme can yield imaging characteristics that are equivalentto those of a three-plate scheme.

In Development

Super Hi-Vision's heightened sensation ofpresence and immersion is made possible

through its 7680 4320-pixel ultrahigh-definition video and22.2 channel three-dimensional sound. Its video and audiosignals have a bit rate approximately 24 Gbps, so video andaudio data compression is required to provide SHV servicesover a limited broadcasting bandwidth. We constructed an SHV codec system that uses theAVC/H.264 scheme for video compression and the AACscheme for sound compression. This system can reduce theoverall video and audio signal bit rate to approximately 126Mbps, which is within the feasible range specified by theprovisional scheme for the advanced digital satellitebroadcasting system. We are planning an experiment usinga broadcasting satellite to transmit coded video and sound.The results of the experiment will determine the feasibility ofsuch coding for SHV. After that, we will improve the picturequality offered by the coding system.

In DevelopmentOur studies continue

on ultrahigh-compression coding forSHV broadcasting. Weexhibited a codec systemthat can compress the24-Gbps SHV signal toapproximately 118 Mbpsfor video andapproximately 2 Mbpsfor sound. Thecompression level is suitable for MPEG-2 TS output at 126Mbps, which is part of the provisional advanced digitalsatellite broadcasting standard for Japan.

Super Hi-Vision Codec System

Decoding systemCoding system

Decoded video/audio

Research is progressing onan advanced imaging devicethat may eventually beincorporated in a compactSHV camera. A recentexperiment on this organicimage sensor demonstratedcolor video imaging for thefirst time from such a device.The open house showedimages shot with this device.

Image Sensor Using Organic Compounds

Prototype organic image sensor

Exhibit of video images shotwith the device

Color image

Satoshi Aihara, Materials Science & Advanced Devices

Kazuhisa Iguchi, Human & Information Science


The advanced digital satellite broadcasting system is aproposal for a versatile, large-capacity transmissionsystem that will utilize satellite broadcasting channels thatwill become available after 2011. This exhibit displayedsome of the element technologies of this system andshowed how it can be used to deliver SHV and downloadservices.

Advanced Digital Transmission System for Satellite Broadcasting

Visitors to this exhibit experienced what viewingSHV in the home may be like in the future. Thehome theatre had a large display composed of four56-inch LC display panels and a compact 22.2multi-channel loudspeaker sound system.

Super Hi-Vision Home Theater System

Multi-path interference from delayed waves arriving after theguard interval length occur on the transmission path of digitalterrestrial broadcasting. The exhibited channel equalizationtechnology can correct this distortion.

Channel Equalization for Echoes Outside the GuardInterval of OFDM Signals

Application example

Modulator/demodulator and dummy satellite transponder

Dirac is a video coding scheme that was developed at the BBC's technology laboratoryin the United Kingdom. NHK is working together with the BBC on using Dirac videocoding for SHV. The exhibit presented SHV video coded with this software.

Dirac: The New Coding Technology

Reproduction of decoded video.

Constellation for before equalization (left)and after equalization (right)

Multi-path equalizer

Digital satellite broadcasting in Japan usesthe ISDB-S standard to provide

broadcasting services such as digital HDTV.Currently, the Telecommunications Counciland the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB)are examining the technological requirements for newbroadcasting schemes on the four channels that will becomeavailable for use after 2011. (The parties to the WorldRadiocommunication Conference 2000 allocated these fourchannels to Japan.)

NHK submitted the following proposals in response toARIB's call: 1) a channel coding scheme to expand thetransmission capacity beyond that of the current digitalsatellite broadcasting, 2) a high compression efficiency videocoding scheme, 3) a high-definition video format exceedingthe quality level and sense of presence offered by HDTV, 4)multichannel audio to reproduce a sound field thatcorresponds to the sensation of quality and presence conveyed

by an ultrahigh-definition video presentation, 5) coding formore versatile data broadcasting, and 6) a variable lengthpacket multiplexing scheme for a storage type broadcastingservice. These proposals were reflected in ARIB's draft of theprovisional system that was submitted to theTelecommunications Council in January 2008, and they werethe topic of deliberations involving broadcasters andmanufacturers. The provisional scheme reflects a potentialcapability to increase the number of HDTV programstransmittable on a single transponder by combining a high-compression efficiency video coding and expanded capacitychannel coding.

This year's open house demonstrated the multiplexedtransmission of four HDTV programs and the transmission ofSHV using hardware based on the draft-compliant channelcoding, video coding and audio coding.

ARIB is planning further experiments to verify the feasibilityof the provisional scheme. NHK will take the initiative in thisprocess.

Shoji Tanaka, Broadcasting Systems

Special Presentation


We developed a technology thatautomatically activates standbyreceivers in case of disasters andinstantly delivers emergencyinformation to the public. Onetechnology automatically activatesOne-Seg receivers so that they canreceive emergency warning system(EWS) messages, and the other onewakes up receivers in response toearthquake earlywarnings sent byJapan MeteorologicalAgency.

Automatic Activation of One-Seg Receiversfor Emergency Broadcasting

We developed a re-transmission system todeliver One-Segservices to areas wheredirect reception isimpossible, such as inunderground shoppingarcades or in buildingshadows. The exhibit showed a retransmission system thatcombines the One-Seg signals from multiple broadcastersinto a single channel for re-transmission.

One-Seg Combined Retransmission System

Mobile reception of digital terrestrial broadcasting isdifficult while in transit on a train or in an automobiletraveling at high speed. This exhibition introduced asystem that enables stable digital terrestrial broadcastingreception even when the receiver is traveling at 300 km/h.

High-speed Mobile Reception for HDTVDigital Terrestrial Broadcasting

The next generationof terrestrialbroadcasting will offerl a r g e - c a p a c i t yservices, includingSuper Hi-Vision(SHV). We startedR&D on multi-levelOFDM modulation/d e m o d u l a t i o ntechnology for newterrestrial digitalbroadcasting schemes.

Multi-level OFDM Technology

Alarm clock equipped withautomatic warning function

Activation flag foremergency warningbroadcast receiver

A maximum of 13 One-Seg signals can betransmitted

One-Seg combined retransmissionsystem that is 1/3 the size of the

previous model.

Modulator/demodulator

Comparison of current digitalterrestrial broadcasting schemes

Stable reception even at 300 km/h

beam pattern control systembased on adaptive arrayantennas

Super Hi-Vision (SHV) is a future television system consisting of ultrahigh-definition video with four times the vertical and horizontal resolution of HDTVand 22.2 multi-channel sound. We screened amazing video content that showedthe unparalleled attraction of the SHV format.

Super Hi-Vision Theater

STRL's international collaborative activities include itscontributions to standardization, exchanges of researchers withoverseas research institution, promotion of Japan's ISDB-Tstandard, and cooperation in presenting exhibitions abroad.

International Collaboration

The various international collaboration activities being carried out by STRL researchers and colleagues around the world.

Presentation of SHV program shot in Hokkaido.


"Enhanced Reality" Spatial Reproduction

A three-dimensional TV that uses spatial imagereproduction would be able to produce natural 3D imagesthat could be viewed without special glasses. Our exhibit atthis year's open house displayed an integral 3D televisionthat uses ultrahigh-definition Super Hi-Vision (SHV) videotechnology and a depth positioning control technique tomake striking three-dimensional reproductions.

Integral Three-dimensional Television

We are researching an ultra-thinloudspeaker based on an elastomermaterial for Super Hi-Vision (SHV)home displays and a world first uni-directional ultrawide-rangemicrophone system.

Audio Devices for the Ultimate in SoundReproduction

We are interested indeveloping media conveyinga sensation of presencebeyond what peopleexperience from today'stelevision. To make such anadvance, we are developingnew evaluation techniquesthat take into considerationpsychological effects as wellas the physical characteristics of sound.

Psychological Evaluation of Sound Conveyinga Heightened Sensation of Presence

This exhibit included an ultrahigh-definition PDP with a0.3-mm pixel pitch, which is the finest pitch ever achieved.The unit is capable of presenting moving pictures. Theexhibit also showed how power consumption could bereduced by increasing the panel's luminous efficiency.

Power Saving Technology for Super Hi-Vision Plasma Displays

One of our researchgoals is to create aprojector capable ofdisplaying Super Hi-Vision video. This year,we succeeded infabricating a projectorthat can display full-resolution SHV video(7680 4320 pixels) forthe first time. This videoprojector has highresolution and anextremely wide dynamicrange.

Wide Dynamic Range Projector with33-million-pixel Panel

Integral 3D TV videoProjection using an SHVprojector

Thin loudspeakerusing elastomer

Uni-directional ultrawide-range microphone

7-inch-diagonal ultrahigh-definition PDP

Assembly processimprovements

We are progressing with R&D onhow to deliver Super Hi-Visionbroadcasting channels to homes.The 21-GHz band will allowwideband channel engineering forsatellite broadcasting. To use thisband, we are developing a phasedarray antenna that radiatesintensified radio-waves to receptionareas where signals suffer fromsignificant rain attenuation.

Satellite Broadcasting in the 21-GHz Band

New evaluation index of theemotional effect of sound

The projector canreproduce a very dark black

Projector

Feed array model

21-element feed array withdetection device

Besides assessments made using physicalindices, such as frequency, sound media

are assessed with psychological evaluations that ask listenersto describe impressions in words such as "bright" or"powerful." While psychological evaluations using such termsare good for categorizing sounds with similar characteristics,they do not necessary gauge the quality of the sound,because individual subjects can evaluate sounds withcompletely different characteristics as good. As a first steptoward compiling an evaluation index for "good" sound, weused questionnaires and conducted a psychologicalexperiment on keywords that people tend to use to expresspositive emotional impressions, or "kandou" in Japanese. Weregard such words to be ones describing the variousrequirements for a sound to be perceived as "good." We areprogressing with research on advanced sound media thatcan meet the needs of a diverse group of listeners.

In DevelopmentSatoshi Oode, Human & Information Science


AdapTV will be used in a broadcasting service that adapts to the preferences and viewing environment of individual usersby converting broadcasting content at the receiver side into the desired form of display.

AdapTV: A Context-aware Broadcasting Service

Useful and Universal Services

Data broadcast display thatadapts to the reception

characteristics

Digest news is generatedaccording to the user's

preferences

Trimming content to fit the viewingterminal

CurioView automatically retrieves information andscenes from a program in accordance with the viewer'sinterests. The user retrieves video by using CurioView'ssimple remote control instead of a more complicated PCoperation.

CurioView: A New Viewing Style UtilizingInformation Retrieval

CurioView automatically retrieves andrecommends related programs andinformation by referring to metadata

accompanying content.

Research continues on the TV4U system that will allowanyone to produce and upload TV programs to the Web.This year's open house explained TV4U features thatenable multiple users to collaborate in producing andviewing programs, including ones for introducing otherpeople's programs and commenting on programs thatothers have produced.

TV4U (TV for You)

This exhibition featured security technology forconvenient, yet secure video-on-demand service, inwhich a broadcaster delivers programs directly toviewers, and peer-to-peer service, in which programsare exchanged among receivers without theinvolvement of broadcasters.

Secure Broadcasting for ContentDistribution via Communications

Video-on-demand application

Peer-to-peer service application

Inter-program hyperlink technology wasintroduced


We improved the speech recognition accuracy of liveclosed captioning by incorporating measured variationsbetween individual speakers and between different acousticenvironments. We constructed a closed-caption productionsystem for news programs that needs only one or twooperators.

New Closed-captioning System UsingSpeech Recognition

The interactive tactile displayincorporates a touch-panel toenable users with visualimpairments to benefit from databroadcasting and operate anInternet graphical user interface(GUI). Users can get a "grasp" ofvisual data such as diagrams andcharts.

Interactive Tactile Display

Research continues onlightweight flexible displaysthat can be rolled up for easytransport. Our latest active-driving display based on anorganic TFT array can showcolor moving pictures.

Flexible Displays

STRL is examining a new databroadcasting scheme and receiverplatform that will enable devicesconnected to a home network towork together to display databroadcast programs. This systemis intended for interactive databroadcasting of the advanceddigital satellite broadcastingsystem.

Advanced Receiver Platform for InteractiveServices

Telecommunications technology is beginning to be usedto link home information appliances into a home

network. The addition of a data broadcasting receiver tosuch appliances will enable unconventional services and newforms of program presentation. We are studying a digitalbroadcasting platform that can work together with otherhome devices. We are also studying a data broadcastingscheme based on Java data broadcasts: Java that "executes" adata broadcast program on a receiver. Our goal is to use theadvanced digital satellite broadcasting that is scheduled tobegin sometime after 2011 to provide a wide range of databroadcasting applications through a home network system.

In Development

Akitsugu Baba, Broadcasting Systems

Working with the gamecontroller of a home

networkMulti-view data broadcast

New tactile display Braille display system

Closed-caption production in whichoperators restate speech and

correct errors.

Screenshot converted fortactile presentation

Flexible organic TFT-drivenorganic EL display

Flexible organic TFT-drivenliquid crystal film display

Polycrystal silicon TFT-drivenliquid crystal film display

Thin, lightweight flexible displays will enable viewers towatch video anytime, anywhere. Such displays will

require a thin-film transistor (TFT) material that is flexibleenough to be bent over a thin plastic substrate. The flexiblestructure and low-temperature manufacturability of organicTFT make this material compatible with flexible displays.High picture quality can be achieved by developing organicTFTs with larger pixel counts on a plastic substrate anddriving technologies for them.

In Development

Yoshihide Fujisaki, Material Science & Advanced Devices

New Java databroadcast receiver


Environment for Producing Advanced Content

The exhibited systems included a collaborative robot shooting system, in which multiple robot cameras work together tofollow the movements of studio cast members or CG, and a real-time video composition technology that can accuratelycompose actual shots and CGs without the need for a studio set of a particular color.

Advanced Studio Production Technology

A TV camera equipped with a millimeter-wave signal transmitter can beused in more diverse camerawork than would be possible with normalcameras whose movement is restricted by signal cables. The exhibitpresented technologies for size reduction of the camera that improve itsmobility and technologies to prevent signal interruptions.

TV Camera Equipped with Millimeter-wave SignalTransmitter

Hard disk storage is rapidly replacingtape, and we are working on a tapelessprogram production system thathandles programs as video and audiofiles. The system will incorporate ameans of high-speed file replacementthat rewrites only the edited part of afile to enable production staff to edit"footage" immediately before broadcast.

New File System forTransferring Program Files

Demonstration Linked robots shoot collaborativelyVideo composition using an IRmatte that imposes no color

restrictions on a subject.

Receiver selection system

Freer cameraworkMuch shorter file replacement time

Radio waves can pass through fog and smoke.We exploited this characteristic to make a TVcamera that can capture images of subjects obscuredby fog or smoke. The camera transmits millimeterwaves toward the subject and receives the reflectedwaves that reach its antennas. The camera's framerate is four times higher than last year's model.

Millimeter-wave TV Camera

Captured image

Shooting a subject in fog


Our goal is to develop advanced recording mediafor archiving that is suitable for next generation videosystem. Currently, we are studying a thin, flexibleoptical disk with high-speed rotation and recordingcapability. To speed up recording and lower the errorrate, we increased the recording sensitivity andplanar uniformity of the disk and improved theoptical beam control algorithm.

Thin Optical Disk

Research is progressing on a "thin optical disk" to replacemagnetic tape as a program storage medium at

broadcasting stations. The risk of damaging conventionaloptical disks during high-speed rotation makes it difficult toachieve a high enough bit rate for recording. We developeda thin optical disk with a paper-thin substrate that can rotateat up to 15,000 rpm and an accurate optical headpositioning mechanism. The new medium has a recordingand reproduction capability equivalent to that of HDTV VCRscurrently used in broadcasting stations. It will allow archivingof the NHK's priceless store of program data, totaling over600,000 rolls. This thin optical disk could also be developedas a Super Hi-Vision recording medium.

In Development

Daiichi Koide, Materials Science and Advanced Devices

Operation at arate of 250 Mbpsthat is equivalentto professionalHDTV VCR usedfor broadcasting.

Demonstration of HDTVvideo recording andreproduction at 100 Mbps

This high-sensitivity camera has a maximumspeed of one million frames per second. It cancapture images of fast-moving phenomena thatcannot be perceived with the naked eye orordinary cameras. This year, we doubled therecording time of our previous prototype.

High-sensitivity Color CameraOperating at 1,000,000 fps

The multi-view HDTV system generates impressivevideo effects for sports scenes and other applications byseamlessly switching between HDTV cameras placed atvarious viewing points.

Multi-view HDTV System

Video capturing the moment that awater balloon bursts Ultra-slow motion video

Smooth image switching by image processing tomatch the directions and angles of view of

cameras


Sometimes shots have to be made innarrow or confined spaces. We fabricated amulti-joint manipulator mounting anHDTV video camera that can maintain itsposition when pointed in any direction.The manipulator and camera can fit inplaces too small for an ordinary camera tofit.

Multi-joint Manipulator Equipped withExtremely Small HD Camera

We exhibited a compact shoulder-held camera stabilizer. To reducewobble, this device uses a sensor to detect camera vibration and activatesan actuator in the opposite direction to the vibration.

New Camera Stabilizer

Image demonstration of shooting in a den, Operating terminal(right) and shot image (left)

The stabilizing effect is in the roll and pitchdirections.


Utilization and Deployment of Broadcasting Technology

The ultrahigh-sensitivity HARP camera can capture vivid imageseven in faint light. This ability makes the camera ideal for nighttimeemergency reporting and shooting certain topics in science programs.The camera is also being used in various fields besides broadcasting,such as deep-sea exploration, biological research, and medicine.

Ultrahigh-sensitivity HARP Camera

This digital watermarking technology allowselectronically embedded information to bedetected even from images taken by shooting a TVor movie screen with a video camera.

Watermarking that Survives after Re-shooting a Screen

Television research at NHK began in 1930, the yearwhen STRL was founded. This section of the open housefocused on STRL's first decade. It featured equipmentfrom the Broadcasting Museum and the history of TVresearch and development at STRL.

Broadcasting Museum

NHK Engineering Services, Inc. is working to return the results of NHK's R&Dto society by licensing NHK's patented technology and devices.

Patents and Technical Know-how of NHK

Comparison of HARP camera with CCD camera

HARP film and HARP cameratube

Re-shot image detected with embedded data

Broadcasting equipment of STRL

This special section explained methods for receivingdigital broadcasting in individual homes and apartmentbuildings. It also had a digital receiver operation guideand an explanation of data broadcasting/interactiveservices. We also outlined our efforts to enhance safetyinformation broadcasting during a major disaster.

Digital Broadcasting Information Corner


Poster Exhibit

This was our second poster exhibit to be held at an openhouse. The exhibit gave researchers a chance to present in-depth information about their research and answer thequestion of visitors.

Super Hi-Vision (SHV) and 3D video require high-speedrecording devices with ultra-large capacities to store

massive amounts of data. One potential technology is aholographic recording medium that can record data even inthe depth direction. Its parallel data handling capability isalso advantageous for high-speed recording. However, therealization of such technology will necessitate an inputdevice, an ultrahigh-definition high-speed spatial opticalmodulator. We are developing an optical modulation devicefor a new driving scheme. This device controls themagnetization orientation by injecting an electric currentwith a uniform electron spin into a magnetic body (spin-injection magnetization reversal) and by exploiting aphenomenon in which the polarization surface changeswhen light hits the magnetic body (a magneto-opticaleffect). This new scheme has significantly better definitionand speed compared with the conventional one. Ourresearch on this technology is advancing toward therealization of an ultrahigh-definition, high-speed spatialoptical modulator.

In Development

Ken-ichi Aoshima, Materials Science & Advanced Devices

New Director General

On 16 June, NHK appointed Dr. Keiichi Kubota to Director General of Science andTechnical Research Laboratories. Kubota joined NHK in 1976. Since 1980, he hadbeen with the Science and Technical Research Laboratories, working in the areas ofsatellite and terrestrial transmission systems of HDTV, signal processing for HDTV,and subjective assessment of HDTV picture quality. After 1989, he was consecutivelyin charge of the posts such as Senior Scientist at NHK's New York Office, SeniorResearch Scientist of STRL, Senior Associate Director of Planning Division ofEngineering Administration Department, Director of Planning and CoordinationDivision of STRL, Deputy Director of STRL, Engineering Controller of EngineeringAdministration Department, Director-General of Corporate Planning Bureau of NHK.He has been a SMPTE fellow since 1993, and an IEEE fellow since 2008.

Keiichi Kubota

exhibition highlights · 2016-08-30 · exhibition highlights broadcast technology no.34,...

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