Motion estimation methods and systems in video encoding for battery-powered appliances

• US 20060256864A1
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Ju, Chi-Cheng
• Application Number:
  US11/129,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20060256864A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.120
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/102 characterised by the element, parameter or selection affected or controlled by the adaptive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/156 Availability of hardware or computational resources, e.g. encoding based on power-saving criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/172 the region being a picture, frame or field
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/43 Hardware specially adapted for motion estimation or compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/53 Multi-resolution motion estimation; Hierarchical motion estimation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/533 Motion estimation using multistep search, e.g. 2D-log search or one-at-a-time search [OTS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding

Abstract

Methods and systems for motion estimation in video encoding. A power level within a battery is detected. One motion estimation process among multiple motion estimation processes is determined for an array of pixels contingent upon the power level detected within the battery. The determined motion estimation process is performed on the pixel array.

Claims

1. A method of motion estimation in video encoding for a battery-powered appliance, comprising:

detecting a power level within a battery;

determining one motion estimation process among a plurality of motion estimation processes for an array of pixels contingent upon the power level detected within the battery; and

performing the determined motion estimation process on the array of pixels.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the motion estimation processes comprise hierarchical search and full search block-matching processes.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining the one motion estimation process comprises selecting the full search block-matching process when the power level detected within the battery is greater than a threshold.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising determining a search range for the full search block-matching process in accordance with the power level detected within the battery.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein determining the one motion estimation process further comprises selecting the hierarchical search process when the power level detected within the battery is lower than or equal to the threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining a total number of levels and a search range of each level for the hierarchical search process in accordance with the power level detected within the battery.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a criterion for block matching in accordance with the power level detected within the battery.

8. A method of motion estimation in video encoding for a battery-powered appliance, comprising:

detecting a power level within a battery;

determining the number of levels of a hierarchical search process for an array of pixels contingent upon the power level detected within the battery; and

performing motion estimation on the array of pixels using the hierarchical search process with the determined number of levels.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein determining the number of levels further comprises determining fewer levels for the hierarchical search process when a higher power level is detected in the battery.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining a plurality of search ranges respectively for levels of the hierarchical search process contingent upon the power level detected within the battery.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the performing motion estimation uses the search ranges at the levels of the hierarchical search process, respectively.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining a criterion for block matching in accordance with the power level detected within the battery.

13. A system capable of encoding video data, comprising:

a battery;

a detection unit coupled to the battery and detecting a power level within the battery; and

an encoder coupled to the detection unit, determining one motion estimation process among a plurality of motion estimation processes for an array of pixels contingent upon the power level detected within the battery, and performing the determined motion estimation process on the array of pixels.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the motion estimation processes comprise hierarchical search and full search block-matching processes.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the encoder further selects the full search block-matching process when the power level detected within the battery is greater than a threshold.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the encoder further determines a search range for the full search block-matching process in accordance with the power level detected within the battery.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the encoder further selects the hierarchical search process when the power level detected within the battery is lower than or equal to the threshold.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the encoder further determines a total number of levels and a search range of each level for the hierarchical search process in accordance with the power level detected within the battery.

19. The system of claim 13 the encoder further determines a criterion for block matching in accordance with the power level detected within the battery.

20. A system capable of encoding video data, comprising:

a battery;

a detection unit coupled to the battery and detecting a power level within the battery; and

an encoder coupled to the detection unit, determining the number of levels of a hierarchical search process for an array of pixels contingent upon the power level detected within the battery, and performing motion estimation on the array of pixels using the hierarchical search process with the determined number of levels.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the encoder determines fewer levels for the hierarchical search process when a higher power level is detected in the battery.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the encoder determines a plurality of search ranges respectively for the levels of the hierarchical search process contingent upon the power level detected within the battery.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the encoder performs motion estimation further using the search ranges at the levels of the hierarchical search process, respectively.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein the encoder further determines a criterion for block matching in accordance with the power level detected within the battery.