US 5,489,949 A · Method and apparatus for motion estimation

Abstract

A method for motion estimation includes steps for comparing image signals of image blocks within a previous frame corresponding to a motion vector detected among error values used for detecting the motion vector of a pixel unit and surrounding image blocks which are generated by moving the reference image block in every direction by one pixel, respectively, with the image signal of image blocks within a present frame for which the motion estimation is performed, and then generating error values according to the comparison results. By vertically comparing the generated error values, a vertical component of the motion vector in half-pixel units is detected. By horizontally comparing the generated error values, a horizontal component of the motion vector in half-pixel units is detected. It will be appreciated that the method leads to greater efficiency in motion estimation by reducing the amount of data required to be processed during detection of the motion vector in half-pixel units. An apparatus for determining motion vector in half-pixel units and adapted to perform the corresponding method, is also described.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A method for comparing an image signal between adjacent frames of an image and estimating a respective motion of the image, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) constructing a first image block having a respective image signal of a present frame and a second image block having a respective image signal of a previous frame;
(b) comparing the image signals of a plurality of image blocks which are present within said second image block, each having a block size similar to said first image block with the respective image signal within said first image block, and generating a number of error values;
(c) detecting a first motion vector in pixel units using the generated error values;
(d) of all said error values generated in step (b), outputting the error value with respect to the reference image block of the previous frame corresponding to said first motion vector and error values with respect to each of surrounding image blocks which are generated by moving the reference image block in every direction by one pixel, respectively;
(e) generating a second motion vector of half-pixel units using said output error values;
and
(f) summing said first motion vector and said second motion vector.

4 more elements

An apparatus for comparing an image signal between adjacent frames of an image and estimating respective motion of the image, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving the respective image signal of a present frame and constructing a first image block;
means for receiving the respective image signal of a previous frame and constructing a second image block;
search means for receiving the respective image signals output from said first image block constructor and said second image block constructor, detecting a first motion vector in pixel units, and outputting the respective error value corresponding to the reference image block of the previous frame corresponding to said first motion vector and the respective error values corresponding to surrounding image blocks of the location where the reference image block within the previous frame corresponding to said first motion vector is moved in every direction by one pixel, among a plurality of error values used for detecting the motion vector;
half-pixel control means for receiving the error values output from said search means and generating a second motion vector in half-pixel units;
and
means for receiving said first and second motion vectors, and adding and outputting them.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for motion estimation

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Method and apparatus for motion estimation

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Abstract

Claims6