Method of and device for estimating motion in a video signal

摘要

The method described enables a high accuracy of motion measurement to be achieved with simple circuitry and overcomes some of the most important sources of error introduced in other systems. Many of the previous techniques may be extended by using a hierarchical technique to improve the accuracy or resolution of a simple estimator e.g. hierarchical block matching or successive approximate gradient systems. The invention described in this patent introduces novel techniques of weighted-sample area matching, effectively giving soft boundaries to the picture areas used to assess motion within a picture, and/or with a technique of adjusting the picture resolution between successive stages of motion measurement. The combination of these techniques reduces many of the limitations of previous techniques.