Patent ID: 8891626

Claim:
A method for encoding a video signal having a plurality of frames including blocks each having pixels, comprising: determining, using a processor, at least a first motion field and a second motion field in a first frame, each of the first motion field and the second motion field including at least two blocks having a same direction of movement as each other, the first motion field having a first field center of motion, at least one dimension defining a shape of the first motion field and a first field motion vector, and the second motion field having a second field center of motion, at least one dimension defining a shape of the second motion field and a second field motion vector, the determining including: determining a motion vector for each block of a plurality of blocks of the first frame; assigning each block of the plurality of blocks of the first frame into one of a plurality of groups based on a proximity of the block to others having the same motion vector, such that each block assigned to a first group of the plurality of groups is adjacent to another block assigned to the first group, and that each block assigned to a second group of the plurality of groups is adjacent to another block in the second group; calculating the first field center of motion and the at least one dimension defining the shape of the first motion field using dimensions of the plurality of blocks forming the first group of the plurality of groups, the first field motion vector being a motion vector of the first group of blocks; and calculating the second field center of motion and the at least one dimension defining the shape of the second motion field using dimensions of the plurality of blocks forming the second group of the plurality of groups, the second field motion vector being a motion vector of the second group of the plurality of groups; wherein the first motion field and the second motion field overlap such that at least a portion of at least one block of the first frame is encompassed within both the first motion field and the second field, each such block defining an overlapping block; encoding the first motion field into a bitstream by encoding the first field center of motion, the at least one dimension defining the shape of the first motion field and the first field motion vector into the bitstream; encoding the second motion field into the bitstream by encoding the second field center of motion, the at least one dimension defining the shape of the second motion field and the first field motion vector into the bitstream; associating a first overlapping block of the first frame with one of the first motion field or the second motion field; encoding each block associated with the first motion field into the bitstream without a separate motion vector; and encoding each block associated with the second motion field into the bitstream without a separate motion vector.