Patent ID: 8199805
Filing Date: 2012-06-12
Classification: G06T,H04N

Abstract:
1. An image processing apparatus for calculating a motion vector between two screen images including a target screen image and a reference screen image, comprising: base face motion vector calculation means for detecting a maximum correlation base face reference block having a high correlation with a target block of a predetermined size which is set at a predetermined position on the target screen image from among a plurality of reference blocks which individually have a size same as that of the target block and which are set in a first search range set on the reference screen image and calculating a base face motion vector based on a position displacement amount of the detected maximum correlation base face reference block on the reference screen image with respect to the target block; high-accuracy base face motion vector calculation means for carrying out an interpolation process using a correlation value of the maximum correlation base face reference block and correlation values of the plural reference blocks positioned at neighboring positions with the maximum correlation base face reference block to detect a position of a high-accuracy maximum correlation base face reference block and calculating a high-accuracy base face motion vector based on a position displacement amount of the high-accuracy maximum correlation base face reference block on the reference screen image with respect to the target block; reduction face motion vector calculation means for reducing the target screen image and the reference screen image by a predetermined reduction ratio to produce a reduction target screen image and a reduction reference screen image, detecting a maximum correlation reduction face reference block having a high correlation with a reduction face target block which has a predetermined size and is set at a predetermined position on the reduction target screen image from among a plurality of reduction face reference blocks which individually have a size same as that of the reduction face target block and which are set in a second search range set on the reduction reference screen image and calculating a reduction face motion vector based on a position displacement amount of the detected maximum correlation reduction face reference block on the reduction reference screen image with respect to the reduction face target block; high-accuracy reduction face motion vector calculation means for carrying out an interpolation process using the correlation value of the maximum correlation reduction face reference block and the correlation values of the plural reduction face reference blocks positioned at the neighboring positions with the maximum correlation reduction face reference block to detect a position of a high-accuracy maximum correlation reduction face reference block and calculating a high-accuracy reduction face motion vector based on a position displacement amount of the high-accuracy maximum correlation reduction face reference block on the reduction reference screen image with respect to the reduction face target block; first base face search range determination means for determining the first search range based on the reduction face motion vector calculated by said reduction face motion vector calculation means; second base face search range determination means for determining the second search range based on the high-accuracy reduction face motion vector calculated by said high-accuracy reduction face motion vector calculation means; and selection means for selecting a calculation means to be used from among said base face motion vector calculation means, high-accuracy base face motion vector calculation means, reduction face motion vector calculation means and high-accuracy reduction face motion vector calculation means and selecting whether or not said first or second base face search range determination means should be used and then selecting, where use of any of the determination means is determined, a determination means to be used from between said first and second base face search range determination means.