Gao Wen spoke at the 2020 National Science and Technology Award Preliminary Evaluation Pass Project Site Inspection Meeting. Photo courtesy of Peking University
China News Network Beijing, November 3 Title: From following to leading, how has China's ultra-high-definition video codec technology gone through 20 years?
Author Xie Yanbing Guo Chaokai
"If you want to move a large fish tank home intact, the most convenient thing is to leave the least amount of water first, transport it to your home, and then fill it with water."
On November 3, the 2020 National Science and Technology Awards Conference was held in Beijing. "Key Technology of Ultra-HIGH-definition Video Polymorphic Primitive Codec" won the first prize of the 2020 National Technology Invention Award. Gao Wen, the first person to complete the project, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at Peking University, explained the technology so vividly in an interview with the media.
In simple terms, the technology is to compress and encode the ultra-high-definition video data, transmit it to the user terminal through the network, and then decode and restore the clarity. Therefore, video codec is the core supporting technology of the ultra-high-definition video industry.
For nearly 20 years, as the leader of the Working Group on Digital Audio and Video Codec Technology Standards (AVS), Gao Wen's name has always been connected to the three letters of "AVS". Behind these three simple letters, it is a long road of 20 years that the independent intellectual property rights of Chinese audio and video codec technology standards have gradually been recognized.
At the turn of the century, the curtain opened, and China's DVD industry was experiencing a ferocious whirlpool. In early 2002, DVDs exported by China to EU member states were seized by local customs on a large scale because of the lack of intellectual property rights certificates such as audio and video codec technology standards. The companies holding the patents joined forces with EU Customs to impose a $20 patent fee on each DVD.
The "big stick" of patent fees is waved, and the high cost is unbearable for Chinese companies. In desperation, a large number of domestic DVDs were buried in the sea. The sea is turbulent, the controversy is rife, and the "darkest hour" of the DVD industry is coming.
In fact, behind the overseas market's difficulties on domestic DVDs, there is a congenital deficiency of China's lack of independent intellectual property rights. How can China break through the "siege" of patents? Where should the audio and video codec technology standards go?
The haze lingered on the top of Gao Wen's head, lingering. In March 2002, at the Xiangshan Science Conference, more than 60 experts held two days of heated discussions on this issue. "If it just follows foreign standards, China will continue to be passive." Gawain said.
"Make a set of international standards with China's independent intellectual property rights!" Experts agreed that it is necessary to formulate standards for mastering independent intellectual property rights in order to save huge patent fees and promote the development of the digital audio and video industry.
After the pain was painful, the AVS working group led by Peking University came into being. As the first Chinese face to represent China in MPEG international standards, Gao Wen served as the leader of the working group.
The problem is that China's AVS is about to start, and the international standard system has been established for more than ten years and has been widely used. It's easy to catch up.
You can't stretch the time, just use the time thickly. In order to break this deadlock as soon as possible, for 20 years, the technical exchange meetings every three months have not been moved, and the all-night situation is even more common. In order to be optimal, the research scheme is one minor key for three days and one major key for five days.
"The more argumentative the clearer" is gaowen's key word to describe the technical exchange conference. Experts often quarrel until the middle of the night because of the discussion of technical issues, and even some people have a heart attack, "sent to the hospital, and then returned the next day to continue the discussion."
The steps are firm and the pace is hurried. Over the years, Gao Wen and the team have only one belief - to strive to be the best in the world. "No matter what difficulties we encounter, no matter what the outside world says, we will do our own thing anyway." Gawain said.
AVS2 ultra-high-definition video real-time encoder, supporting the launch of China's first ultra-high-definition channel. Photo courtesy of Peking University
With an open and inclusive mechanism and an attitude of excellence, under his leadership, the AVS of "crossing the river by feeling the stones" has progressed rapidly.
In 2006, AVS became a national standard in China and was officially implemented; in 2009, AVS was considered to be one of the three most important advanced video coding standards in the world; in 2018, the AVS2 standard was adopted by the Global Ultra HD Alliance; in 2020, the "CCTV Spring Festival Gala" that adopted the AVS3 standard was broadcast through the 8K Ultra HD TV Experimental Channel.
From AVS to AVS2 and AVS3, China's independent innovation achievements have continuously made breakthroughs. Technology, patents, standards, products, applications of the five links are connected, a healthy and independent industrial chain is taking shape.
From far behind international standards, to AVS3 is one year ahead of similar international standards, taking the lead in industrialization layout; from following to leading, China's audio and video codec technology standards have achieved "breakthrough" and are developing by leaps and bounds.
Nowadays, digital TVs and set-top boxes almost all have AVS decoding built-in. AVS has entered thousands of homes in a unique way and blossomed everywhere.
When it comes to the future, Gao Wen is looking forward to it. He said that the combination of ultra-high-definition video and 5G technology supported by audio and video codec technology standards will trigger industrial changes such as smart medical care, intelligent transportation, and aerospace exploration. Virtual reality will become increasingly "virtual", and what you see is what you get.
100 days later, the Beijing Winter Olympics, ultra-high-definition TV live, AVS will usher in a bigger stage. (End)
Source: China News Network