Patent ID: 7881376
Filing Date: 2011-02-01
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A motion compensation apparatus that performs motion compensation for a target picture, on a block-by-block basis, between the target picture and a reference picture which make up a moving picture, the apparatus comprising: a local memory configured to store reference pixel data of a partial area of the reference picture transmitted from a picture memory, the local memory being independent of the picture memory storing the reference picture; an area identifier configured to identify, from within the reference picture stored in the picture memory, a transmission area as the partial area, the transmission area including a reference area required in motion compensation of a block or plural blocks included in the target picture; a reference pixel transmitter configured to transmit, from the picture memory to the local memory, the reference pixel data of the transmission area identified by the area identifier from within the reference picture stored in the picture memory; and a motion compensator configured to perform motion compensation on the plural blocks, using the reference pixel data of the reference area included in the transmission area stored in the local memory, wherein the reference pixel transmitter is configured to (i) transmit all at once the reference pixel data of the transmission area including the reference area required in motion compensation of the plural blocks in a case where the number of pixels in the transmission area does not exceed a predetermined threshold value, and (ii) transmit, individually for each of the plural blocks, the reference pixel data of the transmission area including the reference area referred to in the motion compensation of each of the plural blocks in a case where the number of pixels in the transmission area exceeds the predetermined threshold value.