Patent ID: 7444026
Filing Date: 2008-10-28
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image processing apparatus for detecting motion vectors in an image composed of moving picture data and constituted by at least one first pixel block that is constituted by more than one sub pixel blocks, comprising: reduced-image generating means for generating a reduced image constituted by at least one second pixel block, wherein the second pixel block is generated by reducing the first pixel block with a predetermined factor; first detecting means for detecting first motion vectors of the second pixel blocks in the reduced image as common motion vectors; setting means for setting, by extending the common motion vectors by the predetermined factor, a plurality of possible motion vectors of said first pixel blocks; extracting means for extracting, for a sub pixel block, second motion vectors already detected by a second detecting means for adjacent sub pixel blocks and possible motion vectors for adjacent sub pixel blocks in the same picture; selecting means for selecting a base vector from the second motion vectors or possible motion vectors extracted by said extracting means; and second detecting means for detecting, in a predetermined search range around the base vector selected by said selecting means, second motion vectors for the sub pixel blocks of interest in the image, wherein the size of the predetermined search range when the selected base vector is a second motion vector is different from the predetermined search range when the selected base vector is a possible motion vector.