Patent ID: 6907074
Filing Date: 2005-06-14
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for performing motion estimation, the apparatus comprising: a first memory for storing current image data as a reference block having a predetermined size; a second memory for storing previous image data as a search region for searching motion vectors; a motion compensator for obtaining the median value of the motion vectors of the previous image data, performing the motion compensation, and obtaining the maximum value of the SAD values; a skip determiner for comparing the motion compensation result with the maximum value of the SAD values to determine whether or not the motion estimation is skipped; a motion estimation unit for receiving the current image data and the previous image data from the first and second memories to perform motion estimation for the current image data; a comparator for outputting the minimum value of estimation results output from the motion estimation unit as a final motion estimation result; a multiplexer for selecting and outputting any one of the compensation result generated from the motion compensator and the final estimation result generated from the comparator based on the determination result of the skip determiner; an address generator for outputting addresses related to the motion estimation and the motion compensation to the first and second memories; and a controller for controlling the operation of the motion compensator and the skip determiner and the operation of generating the addresses in the address generator based on the determination of the skip determiner.