Method and apparatus for encoding pictures including a moving object
First Claim
1. A method of encoding a series of two dimensional pictures frames representing a scene including a moving three dimensional object, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) generating a video signal representing the series of two dimensional pictures frames;
b) forming an initial outline of the moving object in an initial frame of the series;
c) tracking the movement of the moving object over the series of two dimensional picture frames, said tracking step comprising the steps of;
1) forming an initial template in the initial frame of the series, the initial template including the moving object;
2) dividing the initial template into a plurality of sub-templates which are not associated with specific features of the moving object;
3) searching a subsequent frame of the series to locate a first region of the subsequent frame which matches the initial template and determining a first displacement in position between the initial template and the first region of the subsequent frame;
4) searching the subsequent frame of the series to locate respective sub-regions of the subsequent frame of the series which match respective sub-templates of the initial template and determining respective additional displacements in position between each sub-template and its respective matched sub-region of the subsequent frame;
5) determining from the first displacement and the additional displacements, respective relative displacements in position between the first region of the subsequent frame and the respective sub-regions of the subsequent frames;
6) using said relative displacements to determine coefficients for a bivariate transform capable of mapping said first and additional displacements in position; and
7) performing said bivariate transform to produce an updated initial outline and an updated initial template; and
e) encoding the video signal at a higher resolution when representing portions of the picture within the outline than when representing portions of the picture outside the outline.
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Abstract
A method of encoding a sequence of images including a moving object, comprises forming an initial template, extracting a mask outlining the object, dividing the template into a plurality (for example sixteen) sub-templates, searching the next frame to find a match with the template, searching the next frame to find a match with each of the sub-templates, determining the displacements of each of the sub-templates with respect to the template, using the displacements to determine affine transform coefficients and performing an affine transform to produce an updated template and updated mask. Encoding is performed at a higher resolution for portions within the outline than for portions outside the outline.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of encoding a series of two dimensional pictures frames representing a scene including a moving three dimensional object, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) generating a video signal representing the series of two dimensional pictures frames; b) forming an initial outline of the moving object in an initial frame of the series; c) tracking the movement of the moving object over the series of two dimensional picture frames, said tracking step comprising the steps of; 1) forming an initial template in the initial frame of the series, the initial template including the moving object; 2) dividing the initial template into a plurality of sub-templates which are not associated with specific features of the moving object; 3) searching a subsequent frame of the series to locate a first region of the subsequent frame which matches the initial template and determining a first displacement in position between the initial template and the first region of the subsequent frame; 4) searching the subsequent frame of the series to locate respective sub-regions of the subsequent frame of the series which match respective sub-templates of the initial template and determining respective additional displacements in position between each sub-template and its respective matched sub-region of the subsequent frame; 5) determining from the first displacement and the additional displacements, respective relative displacements in position between the first region of the subsequent frame and the respective sub-regions of the subsequent frames; 6) using said relative displacements to determine coefficients for a bivariate transform capable of mapping said first and additional displacements in position; and 7) performing said bivariate transform to produce an updated initial outline and an updated initial template; and e) encoding the video signal at a higher resolution when representing portions of the picture within the outline than when representing portions of the picture outside the outline. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for encoding a series of two dimensional picture frames representing a scene including a moving three dimensional object, the apparatus comprising:
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a) means for generating a video signal representing the series of two dimensional picture frames; b) means for forming an outline of the moving object in an initial frame of the series; c) means for tracking the movement of the moving object over the series of two dimensional picture frames, said tracking means comprising; 1) means for forming an initial template in the initial frame of the series, the initial template including the moving object; 2) means for dividing the initial template into a plurality of sub-templates which are not associated with specific features of the moving object; 3) means for searching a subsequent frame of the series to locate a first region of the subsequent frame which matches the initial template and determining a first displacement in position between the initial template and the first region of the subsequent frame; 4) means for searching the subsequent frame of the series to locate respective sub-regions of the subsequent frame of the series which match respective sub-templates of the initial template and determining respective additional displacements in position between each sub-template and its respective matched sub-region of the subsequent frame; 5) means for determining from the first displacement and the additional displacements, respective relative displacement in position between the first region of the subsequent frame and the respective sub-regions of the subsequent frames; 6) means for determining coefficients for a bivariate transform capable of mapping said first and additional displacements in position using said relative displacements; and 7) means for performing said bivariate transform to produce an updated initial outline and an updated initial template; and d) means for encoding the video signal such that areas within the outline are encoded with a higher resolution than those outside the outline. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification