Methods and systems for encoding pictures associated with video data

A system, comprising:

• one or more processing circuits configured to:
• divide a largest coding unit (LCU) of a picture into a plurality of motion estimation regions (MERs), a size of each of the MERs being equal to or less than a predetermined size;
• perform, for one or more MERs from among the plurality of MERs, a number of first motion searches so as to determine one or more first quad-trees, a first plurality of prediction units (PUs) being associated with each of the one or more MERs, each of the one or more first quad-trees being determined based on a first cost function associated with the first plurality of PUs;
• perform, for the LCU, a number of second motion searches so as to determine a second quad-tree, a second plurality of PUs being associated with the LCU, and the second quad-tree being determined based on a second cost function associated with a second plurality of PUs;
• select the first quad-tree or the second quad-tree so as to implement an encoding device to encode the picture based on a comparison of a first cost of the first quad-tree with a second cost of the second quad-tree, the first cost and the second cost being determined based on the first and second cost functions;
• and
• a memory module communicatively coupled to the one or more processing circuits and configured to store a first candidate list generated based on the number of first motion searches and a second candidate list generated based on the number of second motion searches.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

• divide a largest coding unit (LCU) of a picture into a plurality of motion estimation regions (MERs), a size of each of the MERs being equal to or less than a predetermined size;
• perform, for one or more MERs from among the plurality of MERs, a number of first motion searches so as to determine one or more first quad-trees, a first plurality of prediction units (PUs) being associated with each of the one or more MERs, each of the one or more first quad-trees being determined based on a first cost function associated with the first plurality of PUs;
• perform, for the LCU, a number of second motion searches so as to determine a second quad-tree, a second plurality of PUs being associated with the LCU, and the second quad-tree being determined based on a second cost function associated with a second plurality of PUs;
• and
• select the first quad-tree or the second quad-tree so as to implement an encoding device to encode the picture based on a comparison of the one or more first quad-trees with a second cost of the second quad-tree, the first cost and the second cost being determined based on the first and second cost functions.