US 5,687,097 A · Method and apparatus for efficiently determining a frame motion vector in a video encoder

Abstract

A method of implementing a fast video encoder by approximating a frame motion vector is introduced. MPEG-2 encoding uses both field and frame vectors in the encoding process. To implement an encoder in an efficient manner, an approximated motion vector created from two field motion vectors is used. The frame motion vector may be determined using the two field motion vectors alone, or by using the two field motion vectors in conjunction with their respective absolute error values. By using the disclosed methods, a motion estimation part for generating frame motion vector is not necessary. Only two field motion estimation parts are required to determine the field motion vectors, the frame motion vector is then approximated using the two field motion vectors. The cost and complexity of a digital video encoder system is thereby reduced.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A computer implemented method for generating a frame motion vector, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting a field1 motion vector from a current field1 and a reference field1 using motion estimation, said field1 motion vector having an MVx.sub.-- field1 component and an MVy.sub.-- field1 component;
selecting a field2 motion vector from a current field2 and a reference field2 using motion estimation, said field2 motion vector having an MVx.sub.-- field2 component and an MVy.sub.-- field2 component;
determining a frame motion vector using a combination of said field1 motion vector and said field2 motion vector, said frame motion vector having an MVx.sub.-- frame component and an MVy.sub.-- frame component.

An apparatus for generating a motion vector for a frame, said apparatus comprising the elements of:

a field1 motion estimation circuit, said field1 motion estimation circuit determining a field1 motion vector from a current field1 and a reference field1 using motion estimation, said field1 motion vector having an MVx.sub.-- field1 component and an MVy.sub.-- field1 component, said field1 motion vector having a corresponding absolute error value AE.sub.-- field1;
a field2 motion estimation circuit, said field2 motion estimation circuit determining a field2 motion vector from a current field2 and a reference field2 using motion estimation, said field2 motion vector having an MVx.sub.-- field2 component and an MVy.sub.-- field2 component, said field2 motion vector having a corresponding absolute error value AE.sub.-- field2;
and
a frame motion estimation circuit, said frame motion estimation circuit coupled to said field1 motion estimation circuit and to said field2 motion estimation circuit, said frame motion estimation circuit generating a frame motion vector using a combination of said field1 motion vector and said field2 motion vector, said frame motion vector having an MVx.sub.-- frame component and an MVy.sub.-- frame component.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for efficiently determining a frame motion vector in a video encoder

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for efficiently determining a frame motion vector in a video encoder

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16