Method and system for motion estimation in a video encoder

Abstract

Described herein is a method and system for motion estimation in a video encoder. There are two parts to the motion estimation. Coarse motion estimation generates a set of motion vectors for a current picture and at two or more reference pictures. Fine motion estimation can refine coarse motion estimation results by searching interpolated video data in a region defined by the motion vectors from the coarse motion estimation. Prior to fine motion estimation, the set of motion vectors generated by coarse motion estimation are consolidated in a two level process. In the first level, all motion vectors associated with a particular reference picture are eliminated. For each remaining reference picture in the second level, individual motion vectors are eliminated based on a cost comparison of among motion vectors in a neighborhood.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.