High throughput 2D DCT/IDCT processor for video coding

This paper describes the architecture of an 8×8 2-D DCT/IDCT processor with high throughput, reduced hardware, and a parallel-pipeline scheme. This architecture allows the processing elements and arithmetic units to work in parallel at half the frequency of the data input rate. A fully pipelined row-column decomposition method based on two 1-D DCTs and a transpose buffer based on D-type flip-flops are used. The processor has been implemented in a 0.35-μm CMOS process with a core area of 3mm² and 11.7k gates. It meets the requirements of IEEE Std. 1180-1990. The data input rate frequency is 300 MHz with a latency of 172 cycles for 2-D DCT and 178 cycles for 2-D IDCT. The proposed design is compact and suitable for HDTV applications.