Patent ID: 8275046

Claim:
A method of video encoding selecting between encoding in a progressive frame mode structure and an interlaced field mode structure comprising the steps of: calculating a sum of absolute difference between respective upper and lower macroblocks and an average pixel value of the macroblocks in a frame mode; calculating a sum of absolute difference between respective upper and lower macroblocks and an average pixel value of the macroblocks in a field mode; determining if a difference between the sum of absolute difference in a frame mode structure and the sum of absolute difference in a field mode structure is greater than a first predetermined constant; selecting field mode structure for encoding the macroblock if the difference between the sum of absolute difference in the frame mode structure and the sum of absolute difference in the field mode structure is greater than the first predetermined constant; determining if a difference between the sum of absolute difference in the field mode structure and the sum of absolute difference in the frame mode structure is greater than a second predetermined constant; selecting frame mode structure for encoding the macroblock if the difference between the sum of absolute difference in the field mode structure and the sum of absolute difference in the frame mode structure is greater than the second predetermined constant; and encoding the macroblock using the field mode structure if the field mode structure is selected and using the frame mode structure if the frame mode structure is selected.