Motion estimation for differential encoding using a 3D graphics processor

摘要

A 3D graphics rendering pipeline 10 is used to carry out data comparisons for motion estimation in video data encoding. Video data for the pixel block of the video frame currently being encoded is loaded into the output buffers 17 of the rendering pipeline 10. The video data for the comparison pixel blocks from the reference video frame which is to be compared with the data stored in the output buffers 17 is then stored as texture map values in the texture cache 15 of the rendering pipeline. Once the sets of pixel data for comparison have been stored in this manner, the 3D rendering pipeline 10 is controlled to render a graphics primitive having fragment positions and texture coordinates corresponding to the pixel data values that it is desired to compare. As each fragment is rendered, the stored and rendered fragment data corresponding to the pixel data to be compared is compared by fragment compare unit 18 and the determined differences in the data values are accumulated in an error term register 20.