Half-pixel motion estimation in motion video signal encoding

A method for implementing half-pixel motion estimation in encoding a motion video signal, the method comprising:

• determining a first cost-benefit quantity as a function of a first signal quality associated with a vector from a first pixel block of a first frame of the motion video signal to a whole pixel block of a second frame of the motion video signal and of a first weighted processing burden associated with deriving the whole pixel block of the second frame;
• determining a second cost-benefit quantity as a function of a second signal quality associated with a vector from the first pixel block to a half-pixel block of the second frame and of a second weighted processing burden associated with deriving the half-pixel block of the second frame;
• and
• selectively encoding the first pixel block as a motion vector to one of the half-pixel block and the whole pixel block as a function of the first and second cost-benefit quantities.

A computer-readable medium useful in association with a computer that includes a processor and a memory, the computer-readable medium including computer executable instructions that are configured to cause the computer to implement half-pixel motion estimation in encoding a motion video signal by:

• quantifying a first signal. quality associated with a vector from a first pixel block of a first frame of the motion video signal to a whole pixel block of a second frame of the motion video signal;
• quantifying a first processing burden associated with deriving the whole pixel block of the second frame;
• applying a weighting factor to the first processing burden to generate a first weighted processing burden;
• quantifying a second signal quality associated with a vector from the first pixel block to a half-pixel block of the second frame;
• quantifying a second processing burden associated with deriving the half-pixel block of the second frame;
• applying the weighting factor to the second processing burden to generate a second weighted processing burden;
• and
• selectively encoding the first pixel block as a motion vector to one of the half-pixel block and the whole pixel block as a function of the first and second signal qualities and of the first and second weighted processing burdens.

A computer-readable medium useful in association with a computer that includes a processor and a memory, the computer-readable medium including computer executable instructions that are configured to cause the computer to implement half-pixel motion estimation in encoding a motion video signal by:

• determining a first cost-benefit quantity as a function of a first signal quality associated with a vector from a first pixel block of a first frame of the motion video signal to a whole pixel block of a second frame of the motion video signal and of a first weighted processing burden associated with deriving the whole pixel block of the second frame;
• determining a second cost-benefit quantity as a function of a second signal quality associated with a vector from the first pixel block to a half-pixel block of the second frame and of a second weighted processing burden associated with deriving the half-pixel block of the second frame;
• and
• selectively encoding the first pixel block as a motion vector to one of the half-pixel block and the whole pixel block as a function of the first and second cost-benefit quantities.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory operatively coupled to the processor;
• and
• a motion video signal encoder that executes in the processor from the memory and that, when executed by the processor, implements half-pixel motion estimation in encoding a video signal by
• quantifying a first signal quality associated with a vector from a first pixel block of a first frame of the motion video signal to a whole pixel block of a second frame of the motion video signal,
• quantifying a first processing burden associated with deriving the whole pixel block of the second frame,
• applying a weighting factor to the first processing burden to generate a first weighted processing burden,
• quantifying a second signal quality associated with a vector from the first pixel block to a half-pixel block of the second frame,
• quantifying a second processing burden associated with deriving the half-pixel block of the second frame,
• applying the weighting factor to the second processing burden to generate a second weighted processing burden, and
• selectively encoding the first pixel block as a motion vector to one of the half-pixel block and the whole pixel block as a function of the first and second signal qualities and of the first and second weighted processing burdens.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory operatively coupled to the processor;
• and
• a motion video signal encoder that executes in the processor from the memory and that, when executed by the processor, implements half-pixel motion estimation in encoding a video signal by
• determining a first cost-benefit quantity as a function of a first signal quality associated with a vector from a first pixel block of a first frame of the motion video signal to a whole pixel block of a second frame of the motion video signal and of a first weighted processing burden associated with deriving the whole pixel block of the second frame,
• determining a second cost-benefit quantity as a function of a second signal quality associated with a vector from the first pixel block to a half-pixel block of the second frame and of a second weighted processing burden associated with deriving the half-pixel block of the second frame, and
• selectively encoding the first pixel block as a motion vector to one of the half-pixel block and the whole pixel block as a function of the first and second cost-benefit quantities.