International cooperation and collaboration

4.1 Collaboration with research institutes of European public broadcasters

In February 2007, STRL entered into a research and development agreement with research institutions of European public broadcasters, including the BBC (UK), RAI (France), IRT (Germany), and the EBU (European Broadcasting Union). Under terms of the agreement, STRL will collaborate on research and development of Super Hi-Vision coding and satellite transmission technology. In 2009, we conducted new collaborative research with the BBC on high-capacity MIMO transmission technology as part of this development agreement. We invited research staff from BBC R&D to STRL and together we studied a MIMO transmission method proposed by the BBC and applied our computational optimization technology to it.

We also sent researchers from STRL to BBC R&D to conduct research on technology for interactive broadcasting services. In 2009, we prototyped a receiver implementing an IP network based synchronization service which is able to display subtitles in multiple languages and synchronize them with the corresponding broadcast content. We also conducted studies of broadcasting technologies for the disabled and elderly in cooperation with RAI and IRT. With RAI, we studied the possibility of applying STRL's speech-rate conversion technology to the Italian language. With IRT, we exchanged information on sign-language display technology, concerning IRT's SAVANT (signing video receiver-mix) system and computer graphic display systems from STRL.

The 2009 STRL Open House exhibited results from some of these collaborations, including the receiver for the IP synchronization service and the speech-rate conversion technology. At STRL, we look forward to more collaborative studies on global issues such as broadcasting technology for the disabled and elderly.

4.2 Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU)

Topics addressed by the ABU technical committee include the transition to digital broadcasting, the introduction of HDTV, studio production, archiving, emergency broadcasting, future broadcasting beyond the level of HDTV (Super Hi-Vision), human-resource development and bandwidth allocation. NHK reports on these topics to the ABU Technical Operations Committee and the ABU Technical Committee. Since 2000, STRL has invited researchers from broadcasting stations within the ABU to conduct research at its facilities. This fiscal year, we invited Feng Jingfeng from the Academy of Broadcast Planning (ABP) in the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) of the People's Republic of China (PRC). During his six month stay starting in October, 2009, he conducted research comparing the characteristics of 16PSK and 16APSK for satellite transmissions. At a digital broadcasting symposium hosted by the ABU in March 2009, NHK staff gave three presentations on the spread of digital broadcasting and HDTV program production in Japan, on rights-protection technology and the latest trends in distribution of content to IPTV, and on high-speed broadcast satellite digital broadcasting. At the October 2009 meeting of the ABU Technical Committee in Ulan Bator, NHK staff submitted six articles and gave presentations. NHK staff also submitted twelve reports to the ABU technical committee, on topics such as Super Hi-Vision and HDTV. In the ABU technical committee meeting, recommendations for the technical parameters of the Asiavision (AVN) file transfer system and decisions regarding content protection were approved, and there was lively discussion on ABU initiatives against global warming, information exchange regarding the digitization of broadcast stations, and other issues. NHK was also presented with a prize for our paper entitled "New technology development at the NHK Science and Technology Research Laboratories".

4.3 Digital terrestrial broadcasting

Brazil adopted ISDB-T digital terrestrial television broadcasting system in June 2006 and started services in December 2007. This decision prompted other South America countries to consider ISDB-T. Since 2006, the Japanese government has worked together with manufacturers and broadcasters to promote the spread of ISDB-T throughout South America, and we have held seminars and demonstrations and conducted comparison field tests . As a result of this effort, five countries have officially adopted the Japan-Brazil DTTB system, including Peru in April 2009, Argentina in August, Chile in September, Venezuela in October, and Ecuador in March, 2010.

The major details of this collaboration are summarized in Table 1. We presented exhibits and seminars at the NAB show to representatives of many countries.

Table 1. Details of major collaborations with DiBEG in FY2009

Date Description April 2009 The NHK Booth at the 2009 NAB Show in Las Vegas exhibited a variety of ISDB-T receivers and prototype receivers for emergency earthquake warnings. July 2009 Presentation and exhibition of ISDB-T at a digital terrestrial broadcasting seminar held in Bolivia. September 2009 Participated in the Sixth Japan-Brazil Working Group at an ISDB-T international forum held in Peru. To promote the use of ISDB-T internationally, we exhibited various ISDB-T receivers at working group meetings and confirmed the details of the agreement on digital broadcasting in Brazil. November 2009 Attended a digital broadcasting seminar held in Mozambique, and gave a presentation on the features of ISDB-T used in Japan. January 2010 Attended a comparative test by major commercial broadcasters in the Philippines to ensure a fair evaluation of ISDB-T.