Patent ID: 8605790

Claim:
A frame interpolation apparatus that interpolates a plurality of frames including an n th frame and an (n−1) th frame located adjacent to the n th frame to generate an interpolation frame, the frame interpolation apparatus comprising: a static object separation unit that is configured to compare an n th frame macroblock (MB) of a plurality of n th frame MBs with an (n−1) th frame MB of a plurality of (n−1) th frame MBs to separate the n th frame MB into a static object and a moving object; a motion vector (MV) estimation unit that is configured to search the (n−1) th frame for an MB that matches the n th frame MB that is determined to be the moving object to estimate-MVs; and an interpolation frame generation unit that is configured to generate the interpolation frame using the estimated MVs, the n th frame, and the (n−1) th frame, wherein the motion vector estimation unit searches in at least three search ranges of the (n−1)th frame and estimates at least three estimated MVs, and the interpolation frame generation unit selects a median value of the at least three estimated MVs for generating the interpolation frame and wherein the at least three search ranges includes a first search range, a second search range and a third search range, and the first search range includes the (n−1) th frame MB that corresponds to the matching n th frame MB and the (n−1) th frame MBs that are adjacent the corresponding (n−1) th frame MB and the second search range includes the (n−1) th frame MB that corresponds to the matching n th frame MB and (n−1) th frame MBs that are adjacent the corresponding (n−1) th frame MB and that corresponds to the n th frame MBs determined to be moving objects, wherein the MV estimation unit comprises: a search range processing unit that is configured to search in a first search range of the (n−1) th frame for the MB that matches with the n th frame MB to estimate a first MV; a modified search range processing unit that is configured to search in a second search range of the (n−1) th frame for the MB that matches with the n th frame MB to estimate a second MV; and a current MB processing unit that is configured to match n th frame MB with an (n−1) th frame MB of the plurality of (n−1) th frame MBs, which corresponds to the n th frame MB to estimate a third MV, wherein the first search range includes MBs of the (n−1) th frame and the second search range includes the (n−1) th frame MBs that correspond to n th frame MBs that are determined to be the moving object, and wherein the modified search range processing unit is configured to calculate a sum of absolute differences (SAD) for matching MBs and to estimate the second MV between an (n−1) th frame MB that has a minimum SAD, and the n th frame MB.