Abstract: A data reading method for motion estimation in a video processing chipset is provided. The video processing chipset is coupled to an external memory device, wherein a first frame is stored in the external memory device. In the data reading method, a second frame is first divided into M×N sub frame sets, wherein each of the sub frame sets includes O×P sub frames. Then, each of the sub frame sets is selected in a calculation sequence, wherein the selected sub frame set is stored into an internal memory. Next, a predicted search path of each sub frame in the selected sub frame set is calculated. Thereafter, a predicted reading range is determined, wherein the predicted reading range includes the predicted search paths of the sub frames. Finally, a comparison data is read from the first frame according to the predicted reading range.

Abstract: A method for performing motion estimation is provided. The method includes the following steps: selecting a current block in a current frame; obtaining motion vectors and residual data of a plurality of neighboring blocks adjacent to the current block; setting a predetermined threshold value according to the residual data of the plurality of neighboring blocks; comparing the current block with an initial reference block in a reference frame to obtain an initial comparison result, and comparing the predetermined threshold value with the initial comparison result; determining a predicted motion vector of the current block according to the motion vectors of the plurality of neighboring blocks if the initial comparison result is larger than the predetermined threshold value; and performing a block-matching operation in a search window corresponding to the predicted motion vector to determine a corresponding reference block which best matches the current block.

Abstract: A method for performing motion estimation is provided. The method includes the following steps: selecting a current block in a current frame; comparing the current block with an initial reference block in a reference frame to obtain an initial comparison parameter, wherein position of the initial reference block in the reference frame is corresponding to position of the current block in the current frame; determining a predicted search window corresponding to the current block based on the initial comparison parameter; and comparing the current block with reference blocks in the predicted search window to obtain comparison parameters respectively, whereby a best-match reference block in the predicted search window is determined.

Abstract: A method of an efficient adaptive mode selection for H.264/AVC-coded video delivery in burst-packet-loss networks to generate the image data of the missing macroblocks in the decoded current frame by using the information related to the spatial redundancy in the same frame and the temporal redundancy in the inter frames is disclosed. The method first employs the Intra High-Speed Spatial Error Concealment (SEC) method for the initial frame. For the succeeding inter frames, the Temporal Error Concealment (TEC) method is used when the Adjacent External Boundary Matching Error (AEBME) of the surrounding macroblocks is not more than the dynamic threshold (DT?). The Intra High-Speed SEC is used when AEBME is more than (DT?) and the surrounding macroblocks are all coded intra-method, otherwise the task proceeds by employing Normal SEC.

Abstract: A method of fast motion estimation in VLSI architecture with low-power and high-throughput for multimedia System-on-Chip design is disclosed. The method uses the data prediction and data reuse technique to find out the best matching block within the search range of the reference frame for the target block in the current frame in order to obtain the respective motion vector. The external memory bandwidth and the internal memory size in the video coding system are significantly reduced so as to speed up the process of motion estimation and most of the power consumption for the motion estimation process is further saved in the embedded video coding systems.

Abstract: A high-performance block-matching VLSI architecture with low memory bandwidth for power-efficient multimedia devices is disclosed. The architecture uses several current blocks with the same spatial address in different current frames to search the best matched blocks in the search window of the reference frame based on the best matching algorithm (BMA) to implement the process of motion estimation in video coding. The scheme of the architecture using several current blocks for one search window greatly increases data reuse, accelerates the process of motion estimation, and reduces the data bandwidth and the power consumption.

Abstract: A spatial error concealment (SEC) method for concealing a spatial image error of an encoded image frame caused by a damaged macroblock (MB) is provided. The SEC method selects a proper SEC algorithm by adaptively classifying a plurality of correct MBs adjacent to the damaged MB, so as to execute interpolation pixel compensation or matching block copying, thus obtaining image data of the damaged MB. In such a way, the damaged MB is processed to apply the least affection to the entire image frame. The SEC algorithm is selected from bilinear interpolation (BI) method, directional interpolation (DI) method, multi-directional interpolation (MDI) method, and best neighborhood matching (BNM) method. The SEC method further includes a fast determination calculation, which utilizes image directional data related to the damaged MB in coding data of the original frame to execute a direct SEC process, for saving time on determination calculation, thus accelerating the processing speed.

Abstract: A method of temporal error concealment for generating the image data of the missing macro-blocks in the current frame by using the previous frame and the correct data of the current frame is disclosed. The method includes the steps: first using Optimal Regression Plane to estimate the space motion vectors for each block in the missing macro-blocks; selecting appropriate motion vectors from the estimated space motion vectors and the correct temporal motion vectors in the pervious frame as the candidate motion vectors; dividing the missing macro-block into sub-blocks with optimal size; fine tuning the candidate motion vectors as the predicted motion vectors; and using the predicted motion vectors to generate the predicted image data for the missing macro-block and further concealing the effect of the missing macro-blocks upon the image quality of the current frame. The method reduces the computation time, speeds up the process, and improves the image quality.