Device for estimating motion by block matching

Abstract

A device for estimating motion between a current image and a previous image by block matching, the images being split into blocks. The device includes a processing circuit for each candidate motion vector and at least one memory. Each processing circuit calculates errors between a block of the current image and the block designated by a respective candidate motion vector in the previous image. The processing circuit successively receives pixels of the current image according to a line scan at a first input and corresponding pixels of the previous image identified by the associated candidate motion vector at a second input. The processing circuit calculates partial sums at the end of line of each block of the current image corresponding to accumulated errors for this block. The processing circuits further include an output for delivering the partial sums and a third input for receiving the partial sums. The output and third input of the processing circuit is coupled to the memory such that, when processing a block and line scanning, partial sums of the block preceding the processed block are transmitted from the output to the memory and partial sums of the block following the processed block are received from the memory at the third input.