GPRS Videophone

Student: Elliot Roy Hill

Supervisor: Dr. Vaughan Clarkson

Category: Computer Systems Engineering Thesis Project

As the mobile communications sector of the telecommunications industry rapidly advances, mobile technology users are expecting more functionality from their mobile phones. Videoconferencing is now being placed in the forefront of mobile communication technologies, and has numerous applications such as telemedicine, improved distance learning, remote interviewing, and telemarketing. However, most videoconferencing technologies are either PC-based, or require specialist hardware for devices such as the Palm Pilot, which require LANs to operate, and then communicate data over the internet. What is currently lacking is an affordable and reliable hardware device that, coupled with a specialised video and audio compression system, will provide the ability to videoconference by simply connecting it to a mobile phone currently running on the modern GPRS network.

The aim of this thesis is to develop a real-time hardware solution to the above problem.

This thesis uses the TMS320C6701 Digital Signal Processor (Evaluation Module) to retrieve video and audio data from an NTSC/PAL video decoder and Voice Band Audio Processor respectively, and then process this data using specialised codecs. A VHDL-programmed CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device) is used for interfacing the video decoder to the DSP, whereas the audio processor and serial link to the GPRS phone (or serial cable) are interfaced using the Multichannel Buffered Serial Port peripherals on the DSP. The DSP control is coded in C, and uses DMA for quick data transfer (required in this real time system). Video output for this system can be shown on a PC monitor, via the Evaluation Module.

Thesis Document (PDF)