Patent ID: 7200174
Filing Date: 2007-04-03
Classification: G06T,H04N

Abstract:
1. An encoder for performing motion compensated encoding of a sequence of video frames having picture elements, the encoder comprising: a memory for storing a reference frame; a motion field estimation block arranged to refine a set of prediction motion coefficients, previously estimated for an at least one first picture element of a current frame, by using a series of motion estimation methods of varying complexity to generate a first candidate set of motion coefficients for a second picture element of the current frame, and arranged to select either a set of initial motion coefficients or motion coefficients estimated using the reference frame as a selected set of motion coefficients, and to refine the set of selected motion coefficients by using a series of motion estimation methods of varying complexity to generate a second candidate set of motion coefficients for the at least one second picture element of the current frame; and a motion field coding block for comparing the first candidate set of motion coefficients and the second candidate set of motion coefficients in order to choose one set of motion coefficients to be used to represent motion of the second picture element.