Abstract: The method for high efficiency video signal compression comprises: a) calculating a first motion vector field (MvI) at a temporal location (t3) of a third video picture (125) by using pixel data of a second video picture (123) and the third video picture; b) calculating a second motion vector field (Mv2) at a temporal location (t2) of the second video picture (123), in which second motion vector field (Mv2) a foreground motion region (rFG2) composed of positions of foreground motion vectors, having a magnitude substantially equal to the motion of a foreground object (101), substantially collocates spatially with positions of pixels of the foreground object (101) and not with pixels of a background object (103, 103?); c) correcting erroneous foreground motion vectors (rERR) in an uncovering region of the first motion vector field (MvI) on the basis of the second motion vector field (Mv2); d) determining in a region (COV) of the first motion vector field corresponding to covering of background object pixels by

Abstract: A method of estimating a particular motion vector (DR(x, n+?)) for a particular pixel, having a particular spatial position and being located at a temporal position (n+?) intermediate a first image and a second image of a sequence of video images, on basis of a first motion vector field (D3(x, n?1)) being estimated for the first image and on basis of a second motion vector field (D3(x, n)) being estimated for the second image is disclosed. The method comprises: creating a set of motion vectors (Dp, Dn, Dc) by selecting a number of motion vectors from the first motion vector field (D3(x, n?1)) and second motion vector field (D3(x, n)), on basis of the particular spatial position of the particular pixel; and establishing the particular motion vector (DR(x,n+?)) by performing an order statistical operation on the set of motion vectors (Dp, Dn, Dc).

Abstract: A method of determining a value for a particular pixel of a particular image being temporarily located intermediate a first image and a second image is disclosed. The method comprises: computing a first motion vector difference on basis of a first (Dp) and second (Dpp) motion vector of a first motion vector field (D3(x, n?1)) corresponding to the first image; computing a second motion vector difference on basis of a third (Dn) and fourth (Dnn) motion vector of a second motion vector field (D3(x, n)) corresponding to the second image; and establishing the value of the particular pixel on basis of a first value of a first pixel of the first image if the first motion vector difference is smaller than the second motion vector difference and establishing the value of the particular pixel on basis of a second value of a second pixel of the second image if the second motion vector difference is smaller than the first motion vector difference.

Abstract: A selector (502) for selecting a background motion vector for a pixel in an occlusion region of an image, from a set of motion vectors being computed for the image, comprises: computing means (510) for computing a model-based motion vector for the pixel on basis of a motion model being determined on basis of a part of (402-436) a motion vector field (400) of the image; comparing means (511) for comparing the model-based motion vector with each of the motion vectors of the set of motion vectors; and selecting means (512) for selecting a particular motion vector of the set of motion vectors on basis of the comparing and for assigning the particular motion vector as the background motion vector.

Abstract: The invention relates to image segmentation using templates and spatial prediction. The templates of neighboring pixels are used for predicting the features of a current pixel. The pixel is assigned to the segments of neighboring pixels according to the deviation of its features from the templates.

Abstract: An image processing unit (100,200,300) for computing a sequence of output images on basis of a sequence of input images, comprises: a motion estimation unit (102) for computing a motion vector field on basis of the input images; a quality measurement unit (104) for computing a value of a quality measure for the motion vector field; an interpolation unit (106) for computing the output images by means of interpolation of pixel values of the input images, on basis of the motion vector field; and control means (108) to control the interpolation unit (106) on basis of the quality measure. The quality measurement unit (104) is arranged to compute the value of the quality measure on basis of a maximum difference between neighboring motion vectors. If the value of the quality measure is lower than a predetermined threshold, then a motion compensated interpolation is performed, else a non-motion compensated interpolation is performed.

Abstract: The motion estimation unit (100) being arranged to estimate a current motion vector for a first group (212) of pixels, comprises: a generating unit (106) for generating a set of candidate motion vectors for the first group (212) of pixels, with the candidate motion vectors being extracted from a set of previously estimated motion vectors; a match error unit (102) for calculating match errors of respective candidate motion vectors; and a selection unit (104) for selecting the current motion vector from the candidate motion vectors. The motion estimation unit (100) is arranged to modulate the match error on basis of a result of segmentation for the first image, into segments of pixels, whereby the result of segmentation is related to a probability that the first group of pixels and a second group of pixels, on basis of which the candidate motion vector is determined, both correspond to the same segment.

Abstract: The motion estimation unit (100) being arranged to estimate a current motion vector for a first group (212) of pixels, comprises: a generating unit (106) for generating a set of candidate motion vectors for the first group (212) of pixels, with the candidate motion vectors being extracted from a set of previously estimated motion vectors; a match error unit (102) for calculating match errors of respective candidate motion vectors; and a selection unit (104) for selecting the current motion vector from the candidate motion vectors. The motion estimation unit (100) is arranged to modulate a predetermined match error threshold on basis of a result of segmentation for the first image. If the match error of a first one of the candidate motion vectors is below the current predetermined match error threshold then the first one of the candidate motion vectors is selected and evaluation of further candidate motion vectors for the first group of pixels is skipped.