Adaptive motion estimation

A computer-readable medium storing a computer program which when executed by at least one processor searches in a first image for a first set of image values that matches a second set of image values in a second image, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

• a) estimating a location in the first image without searching for the first set of image values in the first image;
• b) determining whether a third set of image values at the estimated location in the first image sufficiently matches the second set of image values;
• c) specifying a first value for a parameter for searching the first image when the third set of image values at the estimated location sufficiently matches the second set of image values;
• d) specifying a second value for the parameter for searching the first image when the third set of image values at the estimated location does not sufficiently match the second set of image values;
• and
• e) based on the specified value for the parameter, searching the first image for the first set of image values.

A computer-readable medium storing a computer program which when executed by at least one processor performs a hierarchical search for a first set of image values of a first image in a second image, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

• a) identifying an estimated location of the first set of image values in the second image;
• b) using the estimated location to obtain a second set of image values in the second image;
• c) quantifying a difference between the first set of image values and the second set of image values;
• d) specifying a first starting resolution value in the hierarchical search when the quantified difference falls within a range;
• e) specifying a second staffing resolution value in the hierarchical search when the quantified difference is not within the range, wherein the second staffing resolution value is different from the first starting resolution value;
• and
• f) based on the specified staffing resolution value, performing the hierarchical search for the first set of image values in the second image.

A method of searching in a first image for a first set of image values that matches a second set of image values in a second image, the method comprising:

• a) estimating a location in the first image without searching for the first set of image values in the first image;
• b) determining whether a third set of image values at the estimated location in the first image sufficiently matches the second set of image values;
• c) specifying a first size of a window in the first image to search when the third set of image values at the estimated location does not sufficiently match the second set of image values;
• d) specifying a second size of a window in the first image to search when the third set of image values at the estimated location sufficiently matches the second set of image values, said second value specifying a size of a window that is smaller than the first value;
• and
• e) based on the specified size of the window, searching the first image for the first set of image values.