Method and apparatus for motion vector processing

• US 6,208,760 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1997
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: De Haan, Gerard, Lo Muzio, Pierluigi, Schutten, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Couso, Jose L.
• Application Number:
  US08/863,704
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 382/232, 382/235, 382/236, 382/238, 382/239, 382/240, 348/699, 348/415, 348/416, 348/420, 348/401
• US Class Current: 382/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/51 Motion estimation or motion compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/523 with sub-pixel accuracy
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/56 Motion estimation with initialisation of the vector search, e.g. estimating a good candidate to initiate a search
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/014 involving the use of motion vectors motion estimation and compensation in video coding H04N19/51

Abstract

In a method of furnishing output motion vectors (MV′), motion vectors (MV) are retrieved (DEC) from an encoded image signal (MPEG), and the retrieved motion vectors (MV) are post-processed to obtain the output motion vectors (MV′). The post-processing includes generating (CVG) candidate motion vectors, and selecting (CVS) the output motion vectors (MV′) in dependence upon the candidate motion vectors and the retrieved motion vectors (MV).

Claims

1. A method of furnishing output motion vectors, the method comprising the steps:

retrieving motion vectors and a separate video signal from an input signal comprising an encoded image signal; and

post-processing the retrieved motion vectors to form the output motion vectors,

wherein the post-processing step includes the steps;

generating candidate motion vectors independent of said retrieved motion vectors; and

selecting said output motion vectors in dependence upon said candidate motion vectors and said retrieved motion vectors.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the post-processing step includes the step:

subjecting said retrieved motion vectors to a smoothing operation to form smoothed vectors, and wherein in said selecting step, said output motion vectors are selected from said candidate motion vectors and said smoothed vectors.

3. A method of furnishing output motion vectors, the method comprising the steps:

retrieving motion vectors and a separate video signal from an input signal comprising an encoded image signal; and

post-processing the retrieved motion vectors to form the output motion vectors, wherein the post-processing step includes the steps;

generating candidate motion vectors;

extracting motion parameters from said retrieved motion vectors;

calculating parametric motion vectors in dependence upon said motion parameters; and

selecting said output motion vectors from said candidate motion vectors and said parametric motion vectors.

4. A device for furnishing output motion vectors, the device comprising:

an input for receiving an input signal comprising an encoded image signal;

means for retrieving motion vectors and a separate video signal from said input signal; and

means for post-processing the retrieved motion vectors to form the output motion vectors,

wherein the post-processing means comprises;

means for generating candidate motion vectors independent of said retrieved motion vectors; and

means for selecting said output motion vectors in dependence upon said candidate motion vectors and said retrieved motion vectors.

5. An image signal processing apparatus, comprising:

an output motion vector furnishing device as claimed in claim 4;

means for providing a decoded image signal in response to said encoded image signal; and

means for post-processing said decoded image signal in dependence upon said output motion vectors, to form a post-processed image signal.

6. An image display apparatus, comprising:

an image signal processing apparatus as claimed in claim 5; and

means for displaying said post-processed image signal.