Patent ID: 8073053
Filing Date: 2011-12-06
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image encoding device that performs encoding processing that is for compressing one or more moving pictures and includes motion estimation processing, comprising: a moving picture count acquisition unit operable to acquire a moving picture count that indicates how many moving pictures are an encoding target; a moving picture acquisition unit operable to acquire one or plural moving pictures that are the encoding target; a motion estimation processing method designation unit operable to designate, in accordance with the acquired moving picture count, a motion estimation processing method that affects a computation amount in the motion estimation processing, such that the greater the moving picture count, the smaller the computation amount; and an encoding unit operable to perform encoding processing with respect to the acquired one or plural moving pictures, and in a case that the plural moving pictures are acquired, perform the encoding processing by time division, wherein the encoding unit includes a motion estimation sub-unit operable to perform, as part of the encoding processing, motion estimation processing using the designated motion estimation processing method, and wherein the motion estimation processing designation unit (a) includes a storage sub-unit operable to store in advance a table that associates a plurality of moving picture count values and parameters for designating the motion estimation processing method, the moving picture count values and the parameters being associated so as to have a relationship whereby the greater the moving picture count, the less the computation amount of the motion estimation processing, and (b) designates the motion estimation processing method by transferring, to the motion estimation sub-unit, a parameter that, among the parameters in the table, corresponds to the acquired moving picture count, and the motion estimation sub-unit performs the motion estimation processing using the designated motion estimation processing method, based on the parameter transferred from the motion estimation processing method designation unit.