Direct mode module with motion flag precoding and methods for use therewith

1. A video encoder that encodes, into a processed video signal, a video input signal including a sequence of pictures, the video encoder comprising:

a processor comprising a direct mode module, the direct mode module comprising:

a motion flag generation module that generates a motion flag for at least one of a plurality of macroblocks of a first picture of the sequence of pictures based on a corresponding macroblock of a plurality of macroblocks of a second picture of the sequence of pictures, wherein the second picture is subsequent to the first picture in the sequence of pictures, and wherein the motion flag has a first value that indicates motion and a second value that indicates substantially no motion; and

a direct mode motion vector module that evaluates a direct mode motion vector for the corresponding macroblock of the second picture, based on the motion flag for the at least one of the plurality of macroblocks of the first picture, wherein the direct mode motion vector module disqualifies a skip mode condition when the motion flag indicates motion and qualifies the skip mode condition for the second picture when the motion flag indicates substantially no motion.

2. The video encoder of claim 1 wherein the motion flag is a single bit flag.

3. The video encoder of claim 1 wherein the motion flag is stored in conjunction with processing by the direct mode motion vector module of the first picture for retrieval when processing by the direct mode motion vector module of the second picture.

4. The video encoder of claim 1 wherein the first picture and the second picture are each one of, a field of the video input signal and a frame of the video input signal.

5. The video encoder of claim 1 wherein the second picture corresponds to a B picture of the processed video signal.

6. The video encoder of claim 1 wherein the video encoder operates in accordance with at least one of, an Advanced Video Coding (AVC) format and a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format.

7. A video encoder that encodes, into a processed video signal, a video input signal including a sequence of pictures, the video encoder comprising:

a processor comprising a direct mode module, the direct mode module comprising:

a motion flag generation module that generates a motion flag for at least one of the plurality of macroblocks of a first picture of the sequence of pictures based on a corresponding macroblock of a plurality of macroblocks of a second picture of the sequence of pictures, wherein the second picture is subsequent to the first picture in the sequence of pictures; and

a direct mode motion vector module that evaluates a direct mode motion vector for the corresponding macroblock of the second picture, based on the motion flag for the at least one of the plurality of macroblocks of the first picture, wherein the direct mode motion vector module disqualifies a skip mode condition when the motion flag indicates motion and qualifies the skip mode condition for the second picture when the motion flag indicates substantially no motion.

8. The video encoder of claim 7 wherein the motion flag is a single bit flag.

9. The video encoder of claim 7 wherein the motion flag is stored in conjunction with processing by the direct mode motion vector module of the first picture for retrieval when processing by the direct mode motion vector module of the second picture.

10. The video encoder of claim 7 wherein the first picture and the second picture are each one of, a field of the video input signal and a frame of the video input signal.

11. The video encoder of claim 7 wherein the second picture corresponds to a B picture of the processed video signal.

12. The video encoder of claim 7 wherein the video encoder operates in accordance with at least one of, an Advanced Video Coding (AVC) format and a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format.

13. A method for use in a video encoder that encodes, into a processed video signal, a video input signal including a sequence of pictures, the method comprising:

generating, using a motion flag generation module, a motion flag for at least one of a plurality of macroblocks of a first picture of the sequence of pictures based on a corresponding macroblock of a plurality of macroblocks of a second picture of the sequence of pictures, wherein the second picture is subsequent to the first picture in the sequence of pictures, and wherein the motion flag has a first value that indicates motion and a second value that indicates substantially no motion; and

determining, using a direct mode motion vector module, a direct mode motion vector for the corresponding macroblock of the second picture, based on the motion flag for the at least one of the plurality of macroblocks of the first picture by disqualifying a skip mode condition when the motion flag indicates motion and qualifies the skip mode condition for the second picture when the motion flag indicates substantially no motion.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the motion flag is a single bit flag.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of generating the motion flag includes storing the motion flag and the step of evaluating the direct mode motion vector includes retrieving the motion flag.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the second picture corresponds to a B picture of the processed video signal.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the processed video signal is in accordance with at least one of, an Advanced Video Coding (AVC) format and a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format.