Objective - To design a framework for image communication.- The Image Communication Open Architecture (ICOA), related to international standards.- To develop software tools for ICOA.- To develop hardware support for ICOA.- To demonstrate the benefits of the ICOA.The main objectives of the research were:to establish an image communication platform for advanced multimedia services;to design a framework for image communication open architecture (ICOA) according to international standardization activities;to develop software tools for ICOA;to consider hardware support for ICOA;to demonstrate an ICOA.The project approach involved:elaborating technical requirements from emerging multimedia applications, systems, and services, especially for imaging services and service components;describing and establishing an advanced communication environment based on broadband technology, narrowband integrated services digital network (ISDN) and/or local area network (LAN) transmission;specifying, developing and integrating software components for high level image communication services;adapting appropriate algorithms for image conversion, compression, and transcoding and implementing them in a software package, with additional regard to very large scale integration (VLSI) realization.In its first year existing image standards the derivation of a mathematical model for images, an image format reference model and a generic image data model (ICOA data model). Conversion problems and generic services components were identified. Furthermore a demonstrator has been selected and hardware and input output specifications of a digital image processor (DIP) chip established.In the second year the conceptual building blocks for an ICOA were identified and development of the software tools begun. The development of the hardware support has been justified and following completion of the final design the first chip is available. The technical environment of the demonstrator and the functional specification have been defined.The project will provide an underlying framework to relate to the current forms of digital image communication and to elucidate the concepts connecting them. It will form the basis for the development of future forms of digital image communication paving the way for more compatible image communication and avoiding the emergence of unnecessary divergence.Technical Approach The project proceeds by: - Elaborating technical requirements from emerging multimedia applications, systems, and services, especially regarding the establishment of services and service components for the handling of digital image.- Describing and establishing an advanced image communication environment, based on broadband technology, narrow band ISDN and/or LAN transmission. Having captured new requirements and achieved a stable definition of the communication platform, the current area of project work is to: - Specify, develop and integrate software components for high level image communication services.- Adapt appropriate algorithms for image conversion, compression, and transcoding and realise the algorithms in software especially considering enhanced VLSI realisations. The project is also designing, implementing and evaluating a final demonstrator that validates the concepts and trials within a multimedia environment. Key Issues Development of generic image services and service components for open multimedia image communication. Expected Impact The project will provide an underlying framework to relate to the current forms of digital image communication and to elucidate the concepts connecting them. It will form the basis for the development of future forms of digital image communication paving the way for more compatible image communication and avoiding the emergence of unnecessary divergence. Fields of science social sciencesmedia and communicationsgraphic designnatural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwarenatural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsmathematical model Programme(s) FP3-RACE 2 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of communication technologies, 1990-1994 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Data not available Coordinator Telenorma GmbH Bosch Telecom EU contribution No data Address Mainzer Landstraße 128-146 60327 Frankfurt am Main Germany See on map Total cost No data Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung eV (FhG) Germany EU contribution No data Address Wilhelminenstraße 7 64283 Darmstadt See on map Total cost No data Gesellschaft für Mathematik und Datenverarbeitung mbH Germany EU contribution No data Address Hardenbergplatz 2 10623 Berlin See on map Total cost No data RIIT-SPL Finland EU contribution No data Address 33101 TAMPERE See on map Total cost No data Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Chilton OX11 0QX Didcot See on map Total cost No data University of Sheffield United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Mappin Street S1 3JD Sheffield See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data