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ACTi camera technology blueprint. Confidential. Agenda. Camera block diagram Video processing conditions Sensor overview Sensor + Camera ISP overview Codec overview ACTi 1.3MP Product matrix ACTi multi-megapixel Product matrix. IP surveillance System overview. IP Cam. NVR. Capture.
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ACTi camera technology blueprint Confidential
Agenda • Camera block diagram • Video processing conditions • Sensor overview • Sensor + Camera ISP overview • Codec overview • ACTi 1.3MP Product matrix • ACTi multi-megapixel Product matrix
IP surveillance System overview IP Cam NVR Capture Encoding Streaming Decoding Display Video Video Recording
Camera block diagram Camera ISP Codec Sensor Video enhancer Sensor: An image is formed on the sensor, and digital video data is sent to the Camera ISP Camera ISP:Video processing functions such as BLC, AGC etc. Video enhancer: Further additional video processing such as WDR, DNR, skin tone enhancement, 3D de-interlacing Codec: Compress the video data into smaller file format and send to the network
Sensor overview • ACTi multi megapixel trend 2 ~ 10MP • High megapixel camera applications
Multi megapixel 2 Megapixel 1920 x 1080 3 Megapixel 2048 x 1536 10 Megapixel 3856 x 2764
Camera ISP overview • 2.0 MP with full camera technologies • Support Special functions of high megapixel cameras • - ePTZ • - video cropping
Video enhancement overview Existing technologies IR illumination 2009 New technologies Mechanical IR cut filter 3D De-interlacing Digital Noise Reduction Sense up Digital Slow Shutter Wide Dynamic Range IRIS Control for CMOS
Day & Night Solution • IR LED and Mechanical IR Cut Filter See clearer in the dark
Wide Dynamic Range Processing See clearer in strong background lighting
Digital Noise Reduction Reduced noise speckles in low light conditions
Low Light Image Enhancement 7 Lux Color Mode See clearer in dim background lighting 1 Lux B/W Mode
Night: Without low light enhancement Night: With low light enhancement Night: With low light enhancement & IR LED • ACTi real camera demo Day: Without low light enhancement Day: With low light enhancement
High megapixel - Wide FOV Panorama/Cylindrical Application Video is digitally wrapped (flattened) on edges due to curvature effect from lens Cylindrical FOV: 170Deg
Megapixel with zoom Better clarity and detail when zooming in on objects Megapixel zoom VGA zoom
Video cropping with independent streaming Video cropping is used for indoor application – shopping store => 1 camera replacing 4 cameras For scenery that is close, it is effective. For scenery that is far, the object appears to be smaller and hence not so effective under cropping
Electronic PTZ • Beneficial with Wide FOV/High megapixel cameras: • Do digital pan, tilt, zoom without moving mechanical parts • 2. Wide FOV + ePTZ => A large field of view is constantly present, but for example when MD in one regions happens the view can auto ePTZ to the MD region, while the other camera view is still being monitored and recorded
FAQ • Why is optical zoom only available up to 3MP? • Ans: • 3 A’s are the key to good video: Auto white balance, Auto focus & Auto exposure. All three A’s require frame to frame comparison for video algorithm to take place. Having 30fps for video image processing is a key factor. • When >3MP, the frame rate is reduced and therefore the amount of data required for video processing will not be enough, or time taken will be too long to achieve a good picture that meets the 3 A’s. • For higher megapixel cameras beyond 3MP, the pixel count is high enough so digital zoom is considered instead. • ACTi is not chasing a multi megapixel resolution only, rather ACTi is focusing to adopt full camera technologies in addition to just higher resolution.
FAQ • Why is Day & Night only available up to 3MP? • Ans: Under such a large picture, the ability to do D&N correctly is a challenge. Focus shift, noise levels at night mode vary within the larger picture. • Another reason is because peripheral components such as lens, IR cut filter etc will need to be able to support >3MP resolutions as well, and there is a technical barrier. Of course if these barriers at the peripheral components can be resolved, then ACTi will adopt D&N into >3MP cameras. • Why is WDR/DNR only available up to 2MP? • Ans: The main reason is because the video data beyond 2MP is too much for the ISP processing engine to handle calculations intended for WDR & DNR. Another reason is the reduced frame rates at >2MP means that the frame to frame comparison is not highly efficient. • Why is ePTZ only available at 5/10MP? • Ans: This is because the FOV is wide enough to allow significant space/movement for ePTZ. • Why is video cropping with 4 streams only available at 5/10MP? • Ans: This is because the overall picture size is large enough to allow significant use of video cropping at 4 different regions within this picture. If the picture size is small, then transmitting the entire picture rather than 4 separate pictures makes more sense.
Codec overview H.264 compression schemes
Codec structure: SoC vs. DSP • SoC (System on Chip) has dedicated performance for IP camera applications • - ACTi adoption • - To achieve multi megapixel, the algorithms are highly complicated so a dedicated processor with full computing power is necessary • DSP (Digital signal processor) are based for multi purpose applications, not necessarily for IP surveillance • - H.264 baseline profile at most • Key performance differentiators: • Maintaining good video quality under compression • Able to achieve high frame rates at high megapixel resolution • Network streaming with low latency and jitter • Overall firmware stability in varied working environments
Codec & Camera ISP integration? Camera ISP Sensor Codec Video enhancer • The camera ISP is in charge of video processing, while Codec for video compression • - They are doing completely different functions, putting them into one chip may limit overall performance and stability • Each technology to be developed separately • - Separate development will allow greater technology improvement in their specific fields • - ACTi is following a separate development trend until both technologies are mature
FAQ • Why type of H.264 compression is ACTi using and why? • Ans: ACTi is adopting baseline for initial product phase with VGA ~ 2.0MP, and will move to high profile (skip main profile) for second phase from 2.0MP ~ 10.0MP. High profile includes more intelligent encoding with added features, so it means that less information decoding (as compared to baseline) is required by the NVR system, hence less CPU resources are required by the NVR server. • Can ACTi achieve multiple streaming? • Ans: Yes, dual streaming can be achieved at all video resolutions. For example, it can be two H.264 streams, or one H.264 stream + one MJPEG stream. • At 5/10MP cameras, up to 4 independent video streams can be outputted from 4 different regions within the picture.
End to end integration • Long term commitment to focused technologies related to IP surveillance • Streamline advanced camera technologies to our high stability NVR • => Total end to end solution leading to mutual business profit !