Motion estimation unit and method of estimating a motion vector

摘要

A motion estimation unit for estimating a motion vector for a group of pixels of an image of a series of images, comprises: generating means for generating a set of motion vector candidates for the group of pixels; matching means for calculating match errors for the respective motion vector candidates of the set; selecting means for selecting a first one of the motion vector candidates as the motion vector for the group of pixels, on basis of the match errors; and testing means for testing whether the group of pixels has to be split into sub-groups of pixels for which respective further motion vectors have to be estimated, similar to the motion vector being estimated for the group of pixels, the testing based on a measure related to a particular motion vector.