Patent ID: 7362809

Claim:
A method for motion estimation comprising the steps of: (A) determining whether a cost of encoding a one or more prediction parameters for a current search position is less than a current best cost; (B) when said cost of encoding said one or more prediction parameters for said current search position is greater than or equal to said current best cost, determining whether said current best cost is less than a lower bound on future values of a cost for encoding one or more prediction parameters for one or more remaining search positions; and (C) ending said search when said current best cost is less than said lower bound on future values of said cost for encoding said one or more prediction parameters for said one or more remaining search positions, wherein ending said search reduces an amount of computation performed for motion estimation by avoiding evaluation of one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of (i) the cost for encoding the one or more prediction parameters for the one or more remaining search positions and (ii) a measurement of distortion between blocks at the one or more remaining search positions and corresponding reference blocks.