Multi-core Video Analytics Engine (MVE™) is an easily configurable, compact, high-performance processing architecture that can be used to implement complete video analytics solutions in a single FPGA embedded in intelligent surveillance cameras.

With the steadily growing demand for increased processing power at lower costs for video analytics systems, especially intelligent cameras with embedded Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), traditional “software-only” approaches are breaking down under the heavy burden of sheer computational complexity resulting in excessive development costs.

MVE addresses this problem right at the heart, combining an inherently parallel multi-core processing architecture, and embedded complex video analytics algorithms in a configurable building block, reducing hardware design and programming effort resulting in reduced development cost and time to market. Embedded solutions also benefit from low-cost and low-power implementation when embedding the entire MVE into a single FPGA. This initial commercial implementation of MVE is on the Xilinx Spartan-3A DSP 3400A FPGA chip.

MVE is based on Eutecus’ Cellular Multi-core Video Analytics (C-MVA™) processor – containing specialized image processing IP cores – which was developed based on substantial research into cellular architectures that mimics the processing found in human vision.

Eutecus works closely with security camera OEMs to incorporate MVE™ into their product lines, either as a single-chip solution or as a Video Analytics module in high-end cameras where a separate DSP can take care of tasks such as encoding and compression. (Read more below.)

MVE reference implementations with rapid development and prototyping capability are available for the Bi-i V301HD camera from Eutecus, and also for the XtremeDSP Video Starter Kit from Xilinx. These provide a quick and easy way to evaluate the performance, capability and cost of an FPGA-based Video Analytics system.

The MVE Evaluation Kit is an add-on package to the Xilinx XtremeDSP VSK, allowing the testing of video analytics functionality and performance of MVE as embedded completely in an FPGA.

• Easy installation and set up (requires only a CF card provided by Eutecus to boot up VSK), no extra hardware is required
• Jump start by using on-screen menu and default configuration parameters for MVE
• Optional on-line menu using a PC for improved operability
• Image processing and event detection parameters can be saved for later use

Contact Eutecus for more information and ordering.

MVE can be easily integrated into OEM security camera design. OEM development only needs to be concerned with overall camera design and component integration.

• MVE integration via standard FPGA tool chain
• Configuration and programmability with software (enough to handle MVE at software level)
• Reference designs with tools and libraries available to speed up development
• Customization and support available for integrating MVE into new camera platform

OEM camera and FPGA design fit into existing tool chains with minimal software development effort. High-end cameras may run additional video processing algorithms on DSP.

Read more about MVE in Issue 66 (Fourth Quarter 2008, pp28-32) of Xcell Journal.