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Method and system for processing data on motion pictures by motion compensation combined with image segmentation

Assignee: NEC Corp
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Filing: 1995-08-22
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Granted: 1999-12-21
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Expires: 2015-08-22
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Abstract

Abstract Measures for a motion compensation are combined with an image segmentation in four modes. In a first mode, a current picture is image-segmented before an estimation of a relative motion between a segmented region of the current picture and a corresponding region of a reference picture. In a second mode, a relative motion is estimated between a minute piece of a current picture and a corresponding minute piece of a reference picture, to be employed as a character parameter for an image segmentation. In a third mode, a relative motion is estimated between a sub-region of an image-segmented region and a corresponding small region, to be employed as a character parameter for a resegmentation. In a fourth mode, a relative motion between minute pieces is estimated to provide an additional character parameter for an image segmentation to be performed on a current picture, before a reestimation of a relative motion between an estimated region and a corresponding region.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yutaka Yokoyama

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 10:19
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N19/00; H04N19/50; H04N19/503; H04N19/51; H04N19/537; H04N19/543; H04N19/60; H04N19/61; H04N11/00; H04N11/04; H04N11/042; H04N11/044; H04N5/00; H04N5/14; H04N5/144; H04N5/145

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 210 words
A method for processing a sequence of motion pictures, each motion picture comprising a plurality of picture elements, said method comprising the steps of: determining picture element information for each picture element in a current picture of said sequence of motion pictures, said picture element information including a plurality of components comprising a signal value of said each picture element, a coordinate position of said each picture element, and a motion estimation vector of said each picture element, said motion estimation vector being determined based on a position of said picture element in said current picture and a position of at least one corresponding picture element in a previous picture to said current picture; image-segmenting said current picture in said sequence of motion pictures into a plurality of first regions, wherein the image-segmenting is dependent on each component of said picture element information for each of said plurality of picture elements of said current picture; determining for each of said plurality of first regions a corresponding second region in said previous picture to said current picture in said sequence of motion pictures; and estimating a relative motion between each of said plurality of first regions and said corresponding second region to determine a motion vector representative of said relative motion.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 210 words
A method for processing a sequence of motion pictures, each motion picture comprising a plurality of picture elements, said method comprising the steps of: determining picture element information for each picture element in a current picture of said sequence of motion pictures, said picture element information including a plurality of components comprising a signal value of said each picture element, a coordinate position of said each picture element, and a motion estimation vector of said each picture element, said motion estimation vector being determined based on a position of said picture element in said current picture and a position of at least one corresponding picture element in a previous picture to said current picture; image-segmenting said current picture in said sequence of motion pictures into a plurality of first regions, wherein the image-segmenting is dependent on each component of said picture element information for each of said plurality of picture elements of said current picture; determining for each of said plurality of first regions a corresponding second region in said previous picture to said current picture in said sequence of motion pictures; and estimating a relative motion between each of said plurality of first regions and said corresponding second region to determine a motion vector representative of said relative motion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 101 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: motion-compensating a local decoded picture of said previous picture in dependence on said motion vector to obtain a predicted picture of said current picture; subtracting said predicted picture from said current picture to obtain a prediction error picture; coding said prediction error picture in a compressing manner into a set of coded data; decoding said set of coded data in a decompressing manner into a local decoded error picture; and adding said local decoded error picture to said predicted picture to obtain a local decoded picture of said current picture.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 44 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said current picture comprises an arbitrary picture in said sequence of motion pictures, and wherein said previous picture comprises a local decoded picture of a picture previous to said arbitrary picture in said sequence of motion pictures.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 1, wherein a shape of each of said plurality of first regions is indeterminate prior to said image-segmenting step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method of claim 1, wherein a shape of each of said plurality of first regions is dependent upon the picture element information for each of the plurality of picture elements in said current picture.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 222 words
A system for processing a sequence of motion pictures, each motion picture comprising a plurality of picture elements, said system comprising: picture element information determining means for determining picture element information for each picture element in a current picture of said sequence of motion pictures, said picture element information including a Plurality of components comprising a signal value of said each picture element, a coordinate position of said each picture element, and a motion estimation vector of said each picture element, said motion estimation vector being determined based on a position of said picture element in said current picture and a position of at least one corresponding picture element in a previous picture to said current picture; image segmenter means for image-segmenting said current picture in said sequence of motion pictures into a plurality of first regions, wherein the image-segmenting is dependent on each component said picture element information for each of said plurality of picture elements of said current picture; and motion estimator means for determining for each of said plurality of first regions a corresponding second region in a previous picture to said current picture in said sequence of motion pictures, and for estimating a relative motion between each of said plurality of first regions and said corresponding second region to determine a motion vector representative of said relative motion.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 222 words
A system for processing a sequence of motion pictures, each motion picture comprising a plurality of picture elements, said system comprising: picture element information determining means for determining picture element information for each picture element in a current picture of said sequence of motion pictures, said picture element information including a Plurality of components comprising a signal value of said each picture element, a coordinate position of said each picture element, and a motion estimation vector of said each picture element, said motion estimation vector being determined based on a position of said picture element in said current picture and a position of at least one corresponding picture element in a previous picture to said current picture; image segmenter means for image-segmenting said current picture in said sequence of motion pictures into a plurality of first regions, wherein the image-segmenting is dependent on each component said picture element information for each of said plurality of picture elements of said current picture; and motion estimator means for determining for each of said plurality of first regions a corresponding second region in a previous picture to said current picture in said sequence of motion pictures, and for estimating a relative motion between each of said plurality of first regions and said corresponding second region to determine a motion vector representative of said relative motion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 120 words
A system according to claim 6, further comprising: a motion compensator means for motion-compensating a local decoded picture of said previous picture in dependence on said motion vector to obtain a predicted picture of said current picture; a subtractor means for subtracting said predicted picture from said current picture to obtain a prediction error picture; a compressing coder means for coding said prediction error picture in a compressing manner into a set of coded data; a decompressing decoder means for decoding said set of coded data in a decompressing manner into a local decoded error picture; and an adder means for adding said restored error picture to said predicted picture to obtain a local decoded picture of said current picture.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 44 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein said current picture comprises an arbitrary picture in said sequence of motion pictures, and wherein said previous picture comprises a local decoded picture of a picture previous to said arbitrary picture in said sequence of motion pictures.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-12-20 2003-06-21 2003-12-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-12-20 2007-06-21 2007-12-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-12-20 2011-06-21 2011-12-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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