Motion detecting apparatus

• US 5,586,202 A
• Filed: 08/05/1994
• Issued: 12/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohki, Mitsuharu, Igarashi, Katsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US08/286,388
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 382/56, 382/1, 382/236, 382/304, 382/294, 382/291, 382/107, 348/401, 348/402, 348/413, 348/416
• US Class Current: 382/236
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/231 using full search
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/51 Motion estimation or motion compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/523 with sub-pixel accuracy

Abstract

A motion detecting apparatus in which when pixels within a search range formed of a predetermined number of pixels and pixels within a reference data block the number of which is smaller than the predetermined number of pixels in the search range, are compared on the basis of the arrangement state thereof, a processing circuit processes sums of difference absolute values of respective pixels within the reference data block and corresponding pixels within the search range formed at every search range, to thereby detect a motion state on the basis of the sums. Respective pixels within the search range are input to the processing circuit at a set time and pixels within the search range are input to the processing circuit at the set time, thereby being sequentially processed with corresponding pixels within the data block.

Claims

1. A motion detecting apparatus in which pixels within a search range formed of a predetermined number of pixels and pixels within a reference data block, the number of which is smaller than said predetermined number of pixels, are compared based on the arrangement thereof, comprising:

processing means for processing absolute values of respective differences between pixels within said search range and pixels within the reference data block;

summing means for summing processed absolute values from said processing means and producing a plurality of output sums;

and comparing means for respectively comparing the output sums from said summing means to determine a minimum value to thereby detect a motion state on the basis of said compared minimum value,

characterized in that said processing means includes switching selector means connected to select a number of pixels equal to the number of pixels in the reference data block from among said pixels within said search range including arbitrary dummy data for pixels outside and adjacent said search range in response to timing signals fed thereto, so that selected pixels within said search range are input to a plurality of absolute value calculating means equal in number to the number of pixels said in reference data block included in said processing means at a set time and over a number of inputs fewer in number than the number of pixels in said reference data block and selected by said selector means, thereby being sequentially processed with corresponding pixels within said reference data block.

2. A motion detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pixels within said search range and the pixels within said reference data block are compared independent of a corresponding state of the pixels and dependent upon an order determined by said timing signals connected to said selector means.

3. A motion detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pixels within said reference data block are pixels of a present field and the pixels within said search range are one field or more preceding the present field.

4. A motion detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pixels within said reference data block are pixels of a present field and the pixels within said search range are one field or more following the present field.

5. A motion detecting apparatus in which pixels within a search range formed of a predetermined number of pixels and pixels within a reference data block, the number of which is smaller than said predetermined number of pixels, are compared on the basis of predetermined order in time, comprising:

processing means for processing sums of absolute values of differences between pixels within said reference data block and corresponding pixels within said search range, said processing means including a switching circuit having inputs fewer in number that the number of pixels in the reference data block connected to data of said pixels within said search range including arbitrary dummy data for pixels outside and adjacent said search range and operable in response to timing signals to output selected pixels within said search range equal in number to the pixels in the reference data block so that each of the selected pixels within said search range is input to said processing means at a predetermined input cycle to thereby sequentially process absolute value differences between corresponding pixels within said reference data block and the selected pixels within said search range,

characterized by means for detecting a motion within said search range and in response thereto comparing a mean value between adjacent pixels and the pixel within said reference data block,

said difference absolute value being obtained at successively different search ranges with respect to the pixels within said reference data block and a common processing between said successively different search ranges is carried out based on a predetermined priority.

6. A motion detecting apparatus comprising:

first processing means for processing sums of absolute values of differences between pixels within a search range and pixels within a first reference data block of a number smaller than a predetermined number of pixels within the search range when pixels within the search range equal in number to the pixels in the first reference data block are compared with the pixels of the first reference data block in an order determined by timing signals fed to a switching selector means included in said first processing means, said selector means having a plurality of inputs fewer in number than the number of pixels in the first reference data block for receiving data of the pixels in said search range and including arbitrary dummy data for pixels adjacent said first search range; and

second processing means for comparing a mean value of adjacent pixels and pixels within a second reference data block in response to detection of a motion of sub-pixel accuracy within said search range to thereby obtain a difference absolute value sum with respect to the pixels within said second reference data block, wherein the number of pixels of said second reference data block is smaller than the number of pixels within said first reference data block.