Patent ID: 6249550
Filing Date: 2001-06-19
Classification: G06T,H04N

Abstract:
A motion vector estimating apparatus comprising:a current picture storage unit which stores image data of a current picture;a reference picture storage unit which stores image data of a reference picture;a search window determining unit which determines estimation history from previously estimated motion vectors obtained from a plurality of prior blocks of the current picture received by the current picture storage unit previous in time to the receiving of a current block of the current picture, and determines a search window based on said estimation history wherein said search window is composed of rectangular reference regions;a block matching circuit for performing a block matching process to the current block and each of reference blocks of said search window to determine a motion vector; anda control circuit which reads out the image data of said current block from said current picture storage unit to supply said block matching circuit, which reads out the image data of each of said reference blocks of said search window from said reference picture storage unit to supply to said block matching circuit, and which controls said block matching circuit such that said block matching process is performed to said current block and said each reference block of said search window,wherein said search window determining unit determines whether a number of previously estimated motion vectors exceeds a predetermined number, and neglects the previously estimated motion vectors to determine said size and shape of said search window, when it is determined that the number of previously estimated motion vectors is less than the predetermined number but greater than zero.