The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 19, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 16, 1997
Masayuki Mizuno, Tokyo, JP;
Yasushi Ooi, Tokyo, JP;
NEC Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In a motion vector estimating apparatus, a current picture storage unit stores image data of a current picture, and a reference picture storage unit stores image data of a reference picture. A search window determining unit determines estimation history from previously estimated motion vectors, and determines a search window based on the estimation history. At least one of a shape, size and position of the search window is determined based on the estimation history. The search window is composed of rectangular reference regions. A block matching circuit for performing a block matching process to a current block and each of reference blocks of the search window to determine a motion vector. The search window may be limited in units of pixels, or a load of the apparatus, a power supply voltage or a temperature of the block matching circuit.