Pulse or digital communications – Bandwidth reduction or expansion – Television or motion video signal
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-28
2001-09-04
Britton, Howard (Department: 2613)
Pulse or digital communications
Bandwidth reduction or expansion
Television or motion video signal
C348S699000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06285712
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image processing apparatuses, image processing methods, and recording media therefor, and more particularly, to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a recording medium therefor, in which motion can be estimated in units of pixels from images continuous in time.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method for estimating a parameter which indicates an image motion (hereinafter called motion estimation) from a motion picture, there has been known a method using a minimum predictive residual rule, for example, a block matching method. In the motion-estimation method using the minimum predictive residual rule, since an image is divided into blocks formed of a plurality of pixels and motion estimation is performed in units of blocks, the spatial resolution of motion estimation is low and motion estimation can be performed only for a rigid body whose constituent parts move in parallel. As a result, motion estimation cannot be performed using this method for a nonrigid body having uneven motion distribution.
In the motion-estimation method using the minimum predictive residual rule, for example, with the block matching method, when an actual movement is out of a search range, motion estimation has a large error, and a low robustness appears. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method, apparatus and computer program for increasing spatial resolution in motion estimation of an image and to ensure robustness. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above conditions.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to increase the spatial resolution of motion estimation and to ensure robustness by a non-decision-theory method with the use of unbiased estimate.
It is a feature of the present invention to perform motion estimation in units of pixels by the use of unbiased estimation, thereby increasing the spatial resolution of motion estimation and robustness.
It is an advantage of the present invention to increase spatial resolution in the motion estimation of an image.
According to one aspect of the invention, a method for estimating motion of a motion picture, the motion picture comprising a plurality of images includes the steps of estimating from a k-th image and a (k+1)-th image a motion parameter corresponding to each pixel of the k-th image to generate a first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the k-th image, the first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the k-th image represented by the motion parameters corresponding to the pixels of the k-th image; estimating from at least the (k+1)-th image a motion parameter corresponding to each pixel of the (k+1)-th image to generate a first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image, the first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image represented by the motion parameters corresponding to the pixels of the (k+1)-th image; updating the first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image to generate a second-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image; predicting, from the image second-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image, a third-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+2)-th image; and interpolating the third-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+2)-th image to generate a fourth-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+2)-th image, where k is an integer, and wherein the step of updating updates the first-order motion image distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image using a higher than first-order motion distribution image generated from the k-th image.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for estimating motion of a motion picture, the motion picture comprising a plurality of images includes means for estimating from a k-th image and a (k+1)-th image a motion parameter corresponding to each pixel of the k-th image to generate a first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the k-th image, the first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the k-th image represented by the motion parameters corresponding to the pixels of the k-th image; means for estimating from at least the (k+1)-th image a motion parameter corresponding to each pixel of the (k+1)-th image to generate a first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image, the first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image represented by the motion parameters corresponding to the pixels of the (k+1)th image; means for updating the first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image to generate a second-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image; means for predicting, from the image second-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image, a third-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+2)-th image; and means for interpolating the third-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+2)-th image to generate a fourth-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+2)-th image, where k is an integer, and wherein the means for updating updates the first-order motion image distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image using a higher than first-order motion distribution image generated from the k-th image.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for estimating motion of a motion picture, where the motion picture comprising a plurality of images, includes a circuit for estimating from a k-th image and a (k+1)-th image a motion parameter corresponding to each pixel of the k-th image to generate a first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the k-th image, the first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the k-th image represented by the motion parameters corresponding to the pixels of the k-th image; a circuit for estimating from at least the (k+1)-th image a motion parameter corresponding to each pixel of the (k+1)-th image to generate a first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image, the first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image represented by the motion parameters corresponding to the pixels of the (k+1)-th image; a circuit for updating the first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image to generate a second-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image; a circuit for predicting, from the image second-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image, a third-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+2)-th image; and a circuit for interpolating the third-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+2)-th image to generate a fourth-order motion distribution image corresponding to the (k+2)-th image, where k is an integer, and wherein the circuit for updating updates the first-order motion image distribution image corresponding to the (k+1)-th image using a higher than first-order motion distribution image generated from the k-th image.
According to yet a further aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for estimating motion of a motion picture, the motion picture comprising a plurality of images, includes a first estimator for estimating from a k-th image and a (k+1)-th image a motion parameter corresponding to each pixel of the k-th image to generate a first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the k-th image, the first-order motion distribution image corresponding to the k-th image represented by the motion parameters corresponding to the pixels of the k-th image; a second estimator for estimating from at least
Kondo Tetsujiro
Nakaya Hideo
Tanaka Kenji
Bell Boyd & Lloyd LLC
Britton Howard
Diep Nhon T.
Sony Corporation
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