Patent Document ID: 8571105
Application ID: 11511484
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A motion estimation method comprising: determining whether a global motion type of a previous frame based on motion vectors of the previous frame exists; if it is determined that the global motion type exists, setting a search area, and then setting a preferential area for preferentially searching for a motion vector for a motion block included in a current frame in the search area based on the global motion type; if it is determined that the global motion type does not exist, determining a representative direction of motion vectors obtained through full search of a partial area of the current frame, and determining a preferential area for another area among the current frame in accordance with the representative direction of the motion vectors obtained through full search of the partial area of the current frame; determining whether the preferential area exists in the motion block; if it is determined that the preferential area exists in the motion block, searching for the motion vector within the preferential area, and if the motion vector is not found in the preferential area, searching for the motion vector in another area in the search area; and if it is determined that the preferential area does no exist in the motion block, searching for the motion vector in an entire area of the search area.