Patent ID: 7471725
Filing Date: 2008-12-30
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a first circuit configured to generate a plurality of first motion vectors and first error scores in response to a search of each n×n macroblock of an image, wherein said plurality of first motion vectors comprises motion vectors for (i) each n×n macroblock of said image, (ii) two n×n/2 blocks of each n×n macroblock of said image, (iii) two n/2×n blocks of each n×n macroblock of said image and (iv) four n/2×n/2 blocks of each n×n macroblock of said image; a second circuit configured to select a plurality of second motion vectors and generate a plurality of second error scores for a plurality of sub-blocks of each n/2×n/2 block of each n×n macroblock of said image in response to a set of discrete candidate motion vectors selected for each n/2×n/2 block from said plurality of first motion vectors, wherein (i) said plurality of sub-blocks comprises two n/2×n/4 sub-blocks, two n/4×n/2 sub-blocks and four n/4×n/4 sub-blocks, and (ii) said set of discrete candidate motion vectors comprises motion vectors for nine n/2×n/2 blocks adjacent to the n/2×n/2 block containing said plurality of sub-blocks and (iii) one of said discrete candidate motion vectors is selected for each sub-block of said plurality of sub-blocks without performing a search for each sub-block of said plurality of sub-blocks; and a third circuit configured to segment each n×n macroblock in response to (i) said plurality of first motion vectors and first error scores and (ii) said plurality of second motion vectors and second error scores.