US 6,289,050 B1Granted

Device and method for motion vector detection

AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

InventorsAkihiko Ohtani, Katsuji Aoki, Toshiyuki Araki

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Abstract

According to the invention, a motion vector can be accurately and efficiently detected with regard to any type of images having a variety of characteristics. A motion vector detection unit detects a motion vector with regard to a coding target block on the basis of correlation with a candidate block within a search range. A search range storing memory stores pixel data of an original search range, and supplies, to the motion vector detection unit, pixel data of a search range in accordance with a memory address. A control unit sets the size and the position of the search range on the basis of the motion vector and the correlation evaluation value supplied from the motion vector detection unit, and generates pixel widths in the horizontal and vertical directions of the search range and an offset value corresponding to the relative position to the original search range. An address generation unit generates the memory address to be supplied to the search range storing memory on the basis of the pixel widths and the offset value of the search range generated by the control unit.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A motion vector detecting device comprising:

motion vector detecting means for calculating a correlation evaluation value indicating correlation between a coding target block in a target frame and a candidate block within a search range of a search frame and for detecting a motion vector with regard to said coding target block on the basis of said correlation evaluation values;
original search range storing means for storing pixel data of an original search range and for supplying pixel data read in accordance with a given memory address to said motion vector detecting means;
control means for generating, a first search width that is a pixel width in the horizontal direction of said search range, a second search width that is a pixel width in the vertical direction of said search range and an offset value indicating a relative position of said search range to said original search range;
and
address generating means for generating said memory address supplied to said original search range storing means on the basis of said first and second search widths and said offset value generated by said control means,
wherein said address generating means includes:
a first counter for counting a clock;
a comparator for comparing said first search width with a count value of said first counter and, when said first search width accords with the count value, resetting the count value of said first counter and outputting a count-up signal;
a second counter for counting said count-up signal;
and
a memory address convertor for generating said memory address supplied to said original search range storing means in accordance with a predetermined formula on the basis of said offset value and the count values of said first and second counters.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.