Motion estimation

1. A method of efficiently reducing complexity of sub pixel motion estimation in video compression for limiting degradation, comprising:

determining, in one or more reference frames of a video picture, a best full-pixel motion vector F for a block in a current frame of the video picture;

determining a best half-pixel motion vector H from a set of half-pixel motion vectors based on the best full-pixel motion vector;

determining a best quarter-pixel motion vector Q from a set of quarter-pixel motion vectors based on the best full-pixel motion vector and the best half-pixel motion vector;

determining the best motion vector for the block as BMV=F+H+Q; and

determining full-pixel motion estimation based on the best motion vector.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the best half-pixel motion vector H comprises:

selecting all of the set of half-pixel motion vectors as a set of best half-pixel motion vector candidates responsive to the best full-pixel motion vector F being a zero vector;

selecting the set of best half-pixel motion vector candidates comprising half-pixel motion vectors in a same and opposite directions of the best full-pixel motion vector, responsive to the best full-pixel motion vector being a non-zero vector along either an x or y axis;

selecting the set of best half-pixel motion vector candidates comprising half-pixel motion vectors in a same and opposite trend directions of the best full-pixel motion vector, responsive to the best full-pixel motion vector being a non-zero vector in a direction not along either an x or y axis; and

selecting the best half-pixel motion vector from the set of best half-pixel motion vector candidates.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the best half-pixel motion vector H comprises:

determining the half-pixel motion vector whose corresponding block best matches the block in the current frame.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the best quarter-pixel motion vector Q comprises:

determining which of the block corresponding to the best full-pixel motion vector and the block corresponding to the best half-pixel motion vector better matches the block in the current frame.

5. The method of claim 4 ,

wherein determining which of the block corresponding to the best full-pixel motion vector and the block corresponding to the best half-pixel motion vector better matches the block in the current frame comprises:

selecting the quarter-pixel motion vector in the opposite direction of the best half-pixel motion vector responsive to the block corresponding to the best full-pixel motion vector better matching the block in the current frame and responsive to the best full-pixel motion vector being a zero vector, and

wherein selecting the best quarter-pixel motion vector candidates comprises:

selecting all of the set of quarter-pixel motion vectors as the best quarter-pixel motion vector candidates responsive to a determination that the block corresponding to the best full-pixel motion vector better matches the block in the current frame and the best full-pixel motion vector is a non-zero vector; and

selecting the quarter-pixel motion vectors in the same trend direction of the best half-pixel motion vector, as the best quarter-pixel motion vector candidates, wherein each of the best quarter-pixel motion vector candidates belongs to the set of quarter-pixel motion vectors, responsive to a determination that the block corresponding to the best half-pixel motion vector better matches the block in the current frame.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the best quarter-pixel motion vector comprises:

determining which of the set of quarter-pixel motion vectors has a corresponding block that best matches the block in the current frame.

7. A system of efficiently reducing complexity of sub pixel motion estimation for limiting degradation, comprising:

a first determination module adapted for determining, in one or more reference frames of the video picture, a best full-pixel motion vector F for a block in a current frame of a video picture;

a second determination module adapted for determining a best half-pixel motion vector H from a set of half-pixel motion vectors based on the best full-pixel motion vector;

a third determination module adapted for determining a best quarter-pixel motion vector Q from a set of quarter-pixel motion vectors based on the best full-pixel motion vector and the best half-pixel motion vector;

a fourth determination module adapted for determining the best motion vector for the block as BMV=F+H+Q; and

a usage module adapted for determining full-pixel motion estimation based on the best motion vector.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein determining the best half-pixel motion vector H comprises:

selecting all of the set of half-pixel motion vectors as a set of best half-pixel motion vector candidates responsive to the best full-pixel motion vector F being a zero vector;

selecting the set of best half-pixel motion vector candidates comprising half-pixel motion vectors in a same and opposite directions of the best full-pixel motion vector, responsive to the best full-pixel motion vector being a non-zero vector along either an x or y axis;

selecting the set of best half-pixel motion vector candidates comprising half-pixel motion vectors in a same and opposite trend directions of the best full-pixel motion vector, responsive to the best full-pixel motion vector being a non-zero vector in a direction not along either an x or y axis; and

selecting the best half-pixel motion vector from the set of best half-pixel motion vector candidates.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein determining the best half-pixel motion vector H comprises:

determining the half-pixel motion vector whose corresponding block best matches the block in the current frame.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein determining the best quarter-pixel motion vector Q comprises:

determining which of the block corresponding to the best full-pixel motion vector and the block corresponding to the best half-pixel motion vector better matches the block in the current frame.

11. The system of claim 10 ,

wherein determining which of the block corresponding to the best full-pixel motion vector and the block corresponding to the best half-pixel motion vector better matches the block in the current frame comprises:

selecting the quarter-pixel motion vector in the opposite direction of the best half-pixel motion vector responsive to the block corresponding to the best full-pixel motion vector better matching the block in the current frame and responsive to the best full-pixel motion vector being a zero vector, and

wherein selecting the best quarter-pixel motion vector candidates comprises:

selecting all of the set of quarter-pixel motion vectors as the best quarter-pixel motion vector candidates responsive to a determination that the block corresponding to the best full-pixel motion vector better matches the block in the current frame and the best full-pixel motion vector is a non-zero vector; and

selecting the quarter-pixel motion vectors in the same trend direction of the best half-pixel motion vector, as the best quarter-pixel motion vector candidates, wherein each of the best quarter-pixel motion vector candidates belongs to the set of quarter-pixel motion vectors, responsive to a determination that the block corresponding to the best half-pixel motion vector better matches the block in the current frame.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein determining the best quarter-pixel motion vector comprises:

determining which of the set of quarter-pixel motion vectors has a corresponding block that best matches the block in the current frame.

13. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media on which are stored instructions for efficiently reducing complexity of sub pixel motion estimation, comprising instructions that when executed cause a machine to:

determine, in one or more reference frames of a video picture, a best full-pixel motion vector F for a block in a current frame of the video picture;

determine a best half-pixel motion vector H from a set of half-pixel motion vectors based on the best full-pixel motion vector;

determine a best quarter-pixel motion vector Q from a set of quarter-pixel motion vectors based on the best full-pixel motion vector and the best half-pixel motion vector;

determine the best motion vector for the block as BMV=F+H+Q; and

determine full-pixel motion estimation based on the best motion vector.

14. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the instructions that when executed cause the machine to determine the best half-pixel motion vector H comprise instructions that when executed cause the machine to:

select all of the set of half-pixel motion vectors as a set of best half-pixel motion vector candidates responsive to the best full-pixel motion vector F being a zero vector;

select the set of best half-pixel motion vector candidates comprising half-pixel motion vectors in a same and opposite directions of the best full-pixel motion vector, responsive to the best full-pixel motion vector being a non-zero vector along either an x or y axis;

select a set of best half-pixel motion vector candidates comprising half-pixel motion vectors in a same and opposite trend directions of the best full-pixel motion vector, responsive to the best full-pixel motion vector being a non-zero vector in a direction not along either an x or y axis; and

select the best half-pixel motion vector from the set of best half-pixel motion vector candidates.

15. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the instructions that when executed cause the machine to determine the best half-pixel motion vector H comprise instructions that when executed cause the machine to:

determine the half-pixel motion vector whose corresponding block best matches the block in the current frame.

16. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the instructions that when executed cause the machine to determine the best quarter-pixel motion vector Q comprise instructions that when executed cause the machine to:

determine which of the block corresponding to the best full-pixel motion vector and the block corresponding to the best half-pixel motion vector better matches the block in the current frame.

17. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 16 ,

wherein the instructions that when executed cause the machine to determine which of the block corresponding to the best full-pixel motion vector and the block corresponding to the best half-pixel motion vector better matches the block in the current frame comprise instructions that when executed cause the machine to:

select the quarter-pixel motion vector in the opposite direction of the best half-pixel motion vector responsive to the block corresponding to the best full-pixel motion vector better matching the block in the current frame and responsive to the best full-pixel motion vector being a zero vector, and

wherein the instructions that when executed cause the machine to select the best quarter-pixel motion vector candidates comprise instructions that when executed cause the machine to:

select all of the set of quarter-pixel motion vectors as the best quarter-pixel motion vector candidates responsive to a determination that the block corresponding to the best full-pixel motion vector better matches the block in the current frame and the best full-pixel motion vector is a non-zero vector; and

select the quarter-pixel motion vectors in the same trend direction of the best half-pixel motion vector, as the best quarter-pixel motion vector candidates, wherein each of the best quarter-pixel motion vector candidates belongs to the set of quarter-pixel motion vectors, responsive to a determination that the block corresponding to the best half-pixel motion vector better matches the block in the current frame.

18. The one or more machine-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the instructions that when executed cause the machine to determine the best quarter-pixel motion vector comprise instructions that when executed cause the machine to:

determine which of the set of quarter-pixel motion vectors has a corresponding block that best matches the block in the current frame.