US 2026/0156290 A1 · SCALABLE MULTISTAGE FULL PIXEL SEARCH FOR VIDEO ENCODING

Abstract

Various embodiments include techniques for encoding media frames using a multistage search without the processing overhead of pyramidal motion estimation techniques. The first stage of the multistage search generates many motion vectors, where each motion vector is based on a small range full pixel search of a pixel group in the media frame. The video encoder selects a full pixel best motion (FBM) vector for all pixel groups from the motion vectors generated during the first stage. The second and subsequent phases of the multistage search is based on the FBM vector from the prior stage as a starting point, where the search range for each subsequent phase is larger than the search range of the prior stage. The multistage search can be performed over a fixed number of stages. Alternatively, the multistage search can be terminated when the cost value for the current stage is below a threshold value.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method for encoding a current media frame included in a video stream, the method comprising:

selecting, for a first group of pixels included in the current media frame, a first motion vector from a plurality of motion vectors corresponding to a first search area included in a plurality of search areas based on a first cost included in a plurality of costs;
generating a second motion vector for the first group of pixels corresponding to a second search area that is not included in the plurality of search areas, wherein a first endpoint of the first motion vector and a second endpoint of the second motion vector are both located within the second search area;
generating a second cost associated with the second motion vector;
determining a first best motion vector by selecting between the first motion vector and the second motion vector based on the first cost and the second cost;
and
encoding the current media frame based at least in part on the first best motion vector.

3 more elements

A system comprising:

a memory including pixel data for a current media frame;
and
a video encoder coupled to the memory that:
selects, for a first group of pixels included in the current media frame, a first motion vector from a plurality of motion vectors corresponding to a first search area included in a plurality of search areas based on a first cost included in a plurality of costs;
generates a second motion vector for the first group of pixels corresponding to a second search area that is not included in the plurality of search areas, wherein a first endpoint of the first motion vector and a second endpoint of the second motion vector are both located within the second search area;
generates a second cost associated with the second motion vector;
determines a first best motion vector by selecting between the first motion vector and the second motion vector based on the first cost and the second cost;
and
encodes the current media frame based at least in part on the first best motion vector.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Scalable multistage full pixel search for video encoding

Life of this patent

Scalable multistage full pixel search for video encoding

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20