Patent ID: 8385421

Claim:
A method for selecting a motion vector for a first image block of an image of an image sequence from a number of test vectors, wherein at least one of these test vectors is a motion vector of a further image block that is arranged temporally and/or spatially adjacent to the first image block, or a vector formed by modification of this motion vector, the method comprising the steps of: determining a distance measurement for each test vector, determining a vector length of the test vectors and determining the test vector with the shortest vector length or a first subgroup of test vectors with the shortest vector lengths compared to the other test vectors, determining a modified distance measurement to the shortest test vector or to the test vectors of the subgroup depending on the distance measurement determined to the respective test vector and depending on a length measurement, comparing the modified distance measurement of the shortest motion vector or the modified distance measurements of the test vectors of the first subgroup to the distance measurements of the other test vectors and selecting one of the test vectors depending on this comparison; wherein a significance measurement is respectively assigned to the test vectors further comprising the steps of: determining the modified distance measurement of the shortest test vector or the first subgroup depending on the significance measurement assigned to this test vector or on the significance measurements assigned to these test vectors and determining modified distance measurements for the other test vectors, which are dependent on the significance measurements respectively assigned to these test vectors; selecting one of the test vectors as a motion vector depending on the modified distance measurements; determining a new significance measurement of the test vector selected as motion vector depending on whether the selected motion vector meets at least one significance criterion, and assigning this new significance measurement as significance measurement to the motion vector for the selection of a motion vector for a third image block, wherein the motion vector of the first image block or a vector formed by modification of this motion vector is selected as test vector.