Dataflow-based mapping of computer vision algorithms onto FPGAs

We develop a design methodology for mapping computer vision algorithms onto an FPGA through the use of coarse-grain reconfigurable dataflow graphs as a representation to guide the designer. We first describe a new dataflow modeling technique called homogeneous parameterized dataflow (HPDF), which effectively captures the structure of an important class of computer vision applications. This form of dynamic dataflow takes advantage of the property that in a large number of image processing applications, data production and consumption rates can vary, but are equal across dataflow graph edges for any particular application iteration. After motivating and defining the HPDF model of computation, we develop an HPDF-based design methodology that offers useful properties in terms of verifying correctness and exposing performance-enhancing transformations, we discuss and address various challenges in efficiently mapping an HPDF-based application representation into target-specific HDL code, and we present experimental results pertaining to the mapping of a gesture recognition application onto the Xilinx Virtex II FPGA

Prospectus, September 28, 1973

OVERWHELMING RESPONSE TO ACTIVITIES WEEK; Four File Petitions For Senator; Variety Talent Needed For October Show; David Stanley Named To Head Parkland Prospectus Staff; Reactions To New Drinking Law; Toy For Kids And War; Guest Editorial; Prospectus In Perspective: Student President\u27s Report; Boycott Non-Union Lettuce; Roving Counselors New Addition To FSM Centers; Lake: \u27Energy...Essence of Art\u27; Walker Defends Positions On Schools, Lakes; Board Approves Operating Budget; New Faculty Members; Counselors\u27 Schedule For FSM; Prospectus Plan Presented To Board Members; Want To Sing, Swing, Play?; Students Find Voice In College Government; Candidates Draft Platforms, Elections On Oct. 10-11; Black Art/Poetry; Dental Services Free To Students; Audubon Society Opens Season; Monday\u27s Coach; Hustler Is Hustled As King Wins Crown; Outreach Program To Bridge Gap; \u27A Quarter\u27s Worth\u27 Selects Editor; Mailer To Lecture At River Forest; Mike Scruggs Wins Football Contest; Road Rally & Sports Car Club; Earle Grabs Successive Cross Country Titles; Linksmen Seventh In Golf Opener; Touch Football Gets Underway, Intramurals In Full Swing; Trucker\u27s Lead Bowling League; Fast Freddy\u27s Football Forecast; Carlin Social Parody Blows Mind; Mutt and Mortie; Board Discusses Student Rep; Dear Mr. Secretary; Explicit Needs Fulfilled By Black Groups; The Short Circuit; Letters From Our Readers; Debate Competition Opens Against Western Illinois; Classified Ads; Faculty Wives Outline Programs; Program List For 1973-74; LRC Ready For Students; Rosh Hashanah Signals Start Of Jewish Holidays; Callboard; I. E. Team Plans Intercollegiate Competition; Krannert Art Center Schedule; Staff Requests News Releaseshttps://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1973/1005/thumbnail.jp

Prospectus, October 12, 1973

AGNEW RESIGNS VICE-PRESIDENCY; Small Turnout For Election; Prospectus Editors Announced; Walk Attracts Over 600; All Amendments Pass; Prospectus In Perspective: Excellent Bike Path Choice, Letters From Our Readers, New Magazine Coming, At this point in time.....; The Short Circuit; Drama Department Introduces New Lounge Theatre; United Way Campaign Begins; Announces $19,290 Bog Award; Ieardi Headlines Talent Program; Road Rally Club; New Breed of Businessman: Young College Graduate; Student Appointed As Board Member; New Concept For P/C Typing Classes; New Name, Faces For Magazine; Parkland Team To Debate At Bradley Oct. 20; Parkland Instructor Hospitalized at Mercy; PCA Appoints Student Affairs Committee Members; C-U Politics To Be Discussed At Forum; Walk For Mankind; Parkland Announces Bike Rules; Student Senate Reviews Charters, Future Plans; Gayle Wright Chosen To Advise Capstone; Vet\u27s Outreach Aids Readjustment; Prospectus Gains Two Campus Cartoonists; Seminar Planned On \u27Volunteering\u27; P/C Biologists At IACCB Convention; \u27Siege\u27 Shocking, Relevant Film; Faculty Members To Hold Offices; Winter Registration Information; Parkland Student Wins Santa Fe Scholarship; Birthday Wishes; Pre-Registration Benefits All; Target Program To Sponsor Open House; Women Voters Begin Sale Of ERA Bracelet; Ferlinghetti Sues San Francisco Police; Applications Must Be Filed; A Column By And For Women: Born To Be A Woman, The Way It Used To Be, The Lib, I Am Woman; Mutt and Mortie; Fast Freddy\u27s Football Forecast; Fall Intramural; Bowling Bulletin Board; Football Results; Dennis Bailen Wins Fast Freddy; Monday\u27s Coach; Rugby Play Not Football; Harriers Slump To Third, Fourth; Hiser Receives Babe Ruth Award; Graduation; TARGET Sets Sights On Juveniles; Classified Ads; Johnson Calls For Truth, Integrity; Gammon: \u27Everyone Born With Ability\u27; Student President\u27s Report; Lives Changed By Jesus Christ; Cruisin\u27 \u2773; Candidates Learn Voting Procedure; Speleunkers Travel Virgin Paths; Krannert Art Center Schedule; Illini Student Union Movies; Lab Develops Self-Study Habits; Callboard; Race To Fund Town With Doctor; Council Member Proposes Later Bar Hourshttps://spark.parkland.edu/prospectus_1973/1004/thumbnail.jp

An Optimized Message Passing Framework for Parallel Implementation of Signal Processing Applications

Novel reconfigurable computing platforms enable efficient realizations of complex signal processing applications by allowing exploitation of parallelization resulting in high throughput in a cost-efficient way. However, the design of such systems poses various challenges due to the complexities posed by the applications themselves as well as the heterogeneous nature of the targeted platforms. One of the most significant challenges is communication between the various computing elements for parallel implementation. In this paper, we present a communication interface, called the signal passing interface (SPI), that attempts to overcome this challenge by integrating relevant properties of two different yet important paradigms in this context — dataflow and the message passing interface (MPI). SPI is targeted towards signal processing applications and, due to its careful specialization, more performance-efficient for their embedded implementation. It is also more easier and intuitive to use. Earlier, a preliminary version of SPI was presented [12] which was restricted to static dataflow behavior. Here, we present a more complete version of SPI with new features to address both static and dynamic dataflow behavior, and to provide new optimization techniques. We develop a hardware description language (HDL) realization of the SPI library, and demonstrate its functionality on the Xilinx Virtex-4 FPGA. Details of the HDL-based SPI library along with experiments with two signal processing applications on the FPGA are also presented. 1

SCCS: A Scalable Clustered Camera System for Multiple Object Tracking Communicating via Message Passing Interface

We introduce the Scalable Clustered Camera System, a peerto-peer multi-camera system for multi-object tracking, where different CPUs are used to process inputs from distinct cameras. Instead of transferring control of tracking jobs from one camera to another, each camera in our system performs its own tracking and keeps its own tracks for each target object, thus providing fault tolerance. A fast and robust tracking method is proposed to perform tracking on each camera view, while maintaining consistent labeling. In addition, we introduce a new communication protocol, where the decisions about when and with whom to communicate are made such that frequency and size of transmitted messages are minimized. This protocol incorporates variable synchronization capabilities, so as to allow flexibility with accuracy tradeoffs. We discuss our implementation, consisting of a parallel computing cluster, with communication between the cameras performed by MPI. We present experimental results which demonstrate the success of the proposed peer-to-peer multicamera tracking system, with accuracy of 95 % for a high frequency of synchronization, as well as a worst-case of 15 frames of latency in recovering correct labels at low synchronization frequencies. 1

A Scalable Clustered Camera System for Multiple Object Tracking

Reliable and efficient tracking of objects by multiple cameras is an important and challenging problem, which finds wide-ranging application areas. Most existing systems assume that data from multiple cameras is processed on a single processing unit or by a centralized server. However, these approaches are neither scalable nor fault tolerant. We propose multicamera algorithms that operate on peer-to-peer computing systems. Peer-to-peer vision systems require codesign of image processing and distributed computing algorithms as well as sophisticated communication protocols, which should be carefully designed and verified to avoid deadlocks and other problems. This paper introduces the scalable clustered camera system, which is a peer-to-peer multicamera system for multiple object tracking. Instead of transferring control of tracking jobs from one camera to another, each camera in the presented system performs its own tracking, keeping its own trajectories for each target object, which provides fault tolerance. A fast and robust tracking algorithm is proposed to perform tracking on each camera view, while maintaining consistent labeling. In addition, a novel communication protocol is introduced, which can handle the problems caused by communication delays and different processor loads and speeds, and incorporates variable synchronization capabilities, so as to allow flexibility with accuracy tradeoffs. This protocol was exhaustively verified by using the SPIN verification tool. The success of the proposed system is demonstrated on different scenarios captured by multiple cameras placed in different setups. Also, simulation and verification results for the protocol are presented

Dataflow-Based Mapping of Computer Vision Algorithms onto FPGAs

We develop a design methodology for mapping computer vision algorithms onto an FPGA through the use of coarse-grain reconfigurable dataflow graphs as a representation to guide the designer. We first describe a new dataflow modeling technique called homogeneous parameterized dataflow (HPDF), which effectively captures the structure of an important class of computer vision applications. This form of dynamic dataflow takes advantage of the property that in a large number of image processing applications, data production and consumption rates can vary, but are equal across dataflow graph edges for any particular application iteration. After motivating and defining the HPDF model of computation, we develop an HPDF-based design methodology that offers useful properties in terms of verifying correctness and exposing performance-enhancing transformations; we discuss and address various challenges in efficiently mapping an HPDF-based application representation into target-specific HDL code; and we present experimental results pertaining to the mapping of a gesture recognition application onto the Xilinx Virtex II FPGA