METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MOTION ESTIMATION IN DIGITAL IMAGING APPLICATIONS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of processing image data, the method comprising:
- generating motion vectors based on detected Notion of feature blocks from a first frame to a second frame;
determining a confidence level associated with each motion vector; and
estimating global motion based on the vectors and respective confidence levels.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for estimating global motion in digital imaging applications with confidence level filtering. Motion search yields a plurality of vectors describing the movement of feature blocks from one frame to another. A confidence level is assigned to each motion vector. Based on the confidence levels, vectors are given more or less weight when estimating global motion. High-confidence vectors are given more weight than low-confidence vectors. Embodiments for estimating both the magnitude of global motion and the magnitude and direction of global motion are disclosed.
-
Citations
35 Claims
-
1. A method of processing image data, the method comprising:
-
generating motion vectors based on detected Notion of feature blocks from a first frame to a second frame; determining a confidence level associated with each motion vector; and estimating global motion based on the vectors and respective confidence levels. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
2. The method of claim i, wherein the determining step comprises;
-
comparing a best motion vector that most accurately describes the detected motion with a second best motion vector that second most accurately describes the detected motion; comparing the best and second best !notion vectors; and assigning a confidence level based on a result of the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 29)
-
-
11. A method of estimating global motion magnitude in digital video frames, the method comprising:
-
identifying for each of a plurality of features in the digital video frames a best motion vector among a plurality of candidate motion vectors that most closely corresponds to the motion of the feature between and first frame and a second frame and a second best motion vector that second most closely corresponds to the motion of the feature between the first frame and the second frame; assigning a confidence level to each best vector based on a comparison of the best motion vector with a respective second best motion vector; calculating a magnitude of each best motion vector; determining an average motion magnitude based on the magnitude and confidence level of the best motion vectors; and estimating the global motion magnitude based on the magnitude and confidence level of best motion vectors within a window surrounding the average motion magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method of estimating a global motion vector in digital video flames, the method comprising:
-
identifying for each of a plurality of feature blocks a first motion vector that most closely corresponds to the, motion of the feature block between and first frame and a second frame and a second motion vector that second most closely corresponds to the motion of the feature block between the first frame and the second frame; assigning a confidence level to each first motion vector based on a difference between the first motion vector and a respective second motion vector; assigning a weight to each first motion vector based on the location of the first motion vector within the first or second frame; calculating a weighted distance of each first motion vector; selecting a subset of the first motion vectors having lowest weighted distances among the first motion vectors; and estimating the global motion vector based on the subset of first motion vectors and the confidence level assigned to each first motion vector in the subset. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. An imager, comprising
a pixel array configured to output pixel values comprising first and second images; a processor configured to determine global motion between the first and second images by; identifying a plurality of motion vectors corresponding to the translation of respective pixel blocks from the first image to the second image; assigning a confidence level to each motion vector based on a comparison of a best motion vector that most closely corresponds to the translation of a respective pixel block from the first image to the second image with a second best motion vector that second most closely corresponds to the translation of the respective pixel block; and estimating global motion based on the motion vectors and respective confidence levels. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32)
-
33. A processor system, comprising:
-
an input device configured to receive frames of digital video; a processor configured to; generate motion vectors corresponding to the motion of objects from a first frame of the digital video to a second frame of the digital video; associate a confidence level with each vector; and estimate global motion between the first and seconds frames based on the vectors and the confidence level associated with each vector. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
-
Specification