Patent ID: 7782951

Claim:
A method of full pixel motion search for temporal predictive coding in a search window having a search center within a range of the search window, comprising: performing a configurable number of pattern searches around and starting with the search center, wherein search center of each of the configurable number of pattern searches is progressively updated with a first location with least error signal energy among at least M locations around the search center; when error signal energy of one of at least M number of locations around the search center is less than that of the search center after the configurable number of pattern searches, identifying a second location with least error signal energy among the at least M number of locations around the search center; and computing effective step-size X and effective step-size Y as a respective function of distances of the second location from horizontal axis and vertical axis within the range; performing a 9-point logarithmic step-size search around a center of the search window, wherein 8 search locations are located in each direction around the center of the search window with a step-size, and wherein the step-size is a function of the range; when error signal energy of one of the 8 search locations is less than that of the center of the search window, identifying a location with least error signal energy among the 8 search locations and setting the identified location as a center location; when error signal energy of one of the 8 search locations is greater than or equal to that of the center of the search window, setting the center of the search location as a center location; setting a new step-size to half the step-size in each direction around the new center location; determining whether the new step-size in the horizontal direction is less than or equal to effective step-size X , new the step-size in the vertical direction is less than or equal to effective step-size Y , and error signal energy of the second location is less than that of the center location; setting a new search center as the second location when the new step-size in the horizontal direction is less than or equal to effective step-size X , the new step-size in the vertical direction is less than or equal to effective step-size Y , and error signal energy of the second location is less than that of the new center location; and setting the new center location as a new search center when otherwise; and repeating performing 9-point logarithmic step-size search around the new search center with the step size, setting the new center location, setting the new step size, determining, and setting the new search center until the step size of 1 is reached to identify full pixel motion.