A novel fast binary pyramid motion estimation (FBPME) algorithm is presented in this paper. The proposed FBPME scheme is based on binary multiresolution layers, exclusive-or (XOR) Boolean block matching, and a N-scale tiling search scheme. Each video frame is converted into a pyramid structure of K-1 binary layers with resolution decimation, plus one integer layer at the lowest resolution. At the lowest resolution layer, the N-scale tiling search is performed to select initial motion vector candidates. Motion vector fields are gradually refined with the XOR Boolean block-matching criterion and the N-scale tiling search schemes in higher binary layers. FBPME performs several thousands times faster than the conventional full-search block-matching scheme at the same PSNR performance and visual quality. It also dramatically reduces the bus bandwidth and on-chip memory requirement. Moreover, hardware complexity is low due to its binary nature. Fully functional software MPEG-2 MP@ML encoders and Advanced Television Standard Committee high definition television encoders based on the FBPME algorithm have been implemented. FBPME hardware architecture has been developed and is being incorporated into single-chip MPEG encoders. A wide range of video sequences at various resolutions has been tested. The proposed algorithm is also applicable to other digital video compression standards such as H.261, H.263, and MPEG4.

This paper presents a fast hierarchical feature matching-motion estimation scheme (HFM-ME) that can be used in H.263, H.261, MPEG 1, MPEG 2, and HDTV applications. In the HFM-ME scheme, the sign truncated feature (STF) is defined and used for block template matching, as opposed to the pixel intensity values used in conventional block matching methods. The STF extraction process can be considered as a zero-crossing phase detection with the mean as the bias and binary sign pattern as the phase deviation. Using the STF definition, a data block can be represented by a mean and a set of binary features with a much reduced data set. The block matching motion estimation is then divided into mean matching and binary phase matching. The proposed technique enables a significant reduction in computational complexity compared with the conventional full-search block matching ME because binary phase matching only involves Boolean logic operations. This feature also significantly reduces the data transfer time between the frame buffer and motion estimator. The proposed HFM-ME algorithm is implemented and compared with the conventional full-search block matching schemes. Our test results using three full-motion MPEG sequences indicate that the performance of the HFM-ME is comparable with the full-search block matching under the same search ranges, however, HFM-ME can be implemented about 64 times faster than the conventional full-search schemes. The proposed scheme can be combined with other fast algorithms to further reduce the computational complexity, at the expense of picture quality.

A new technique to recover the information loss in a block-based image coding system is developed in this paper. The proposed scheme is based on fuzzy logic reasoning and can be divided into three main steps: (1) hierarchical compass interpolation/extrapolation (HCIE) in the spatial domain for initial recovery of lost blocks that mainly contain low-frequency information such as smooth background (2) coarse spectra interpretation by fuzzy logic reasoning for recovery of lost blocks that contain high-frequency information such as complex textures and fine features (3) sliding window iteration (SWI), which is performed in both spatial and spectral domains to efficiently integrate the results obtained in steps (1) and (2) such that the optimal result can be achieved in terms of surface continuity on block boundaries and a set of fuzzy inference rules. The proposed method, which is suitable for recovering both isolated and contiguous block losses, provides a new approach for error concealment of block-based image coding systems such as the JPEG coding standard and vector quantization-based coding algorithms. The principle of the proposed scheme can also be applied to block-based video compression schemes such as the H.261, MPEG, and HDTV standards. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

A new technique to recover the information loss in a block-based image coding system is developed in this paper. The proposed scheme is based on the fuzzy logic reasoning and can be divided into three main steps: (1) hierarchical compass interpolation/extrapolation in the spatial domain for initial recovery of lost blocks that mainly contain low-frequency information such as smooth background; (2) coarse spectra interpretation by fuzzy logic reasoning for recovery of lost blocks that contain high-frequency information such as complex textures and fine features; (3) sliding window iteration in both spatial and spectral domains to efficiently integrate the results obtained in step (1) and (2) such that optimal results can be achieved in terms of surface continuities on block boundaries and the established inference rules. The proposed method, suitable for recovering both isolated and contiguous block losses, provides a new approach for error concealment of block-based image coding systems such as the JPEG coding standard and vector quantization based coding algorithms. The principle of the proposed scheme can also be applied to block-based video compression schemes such as the H.261, MPEG, and HDTV standards. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

MPEG is emerging as a major international standard for applications in compressed video storage, transmission, and interactive communications. MPEG will be used in applications which involve imperfect channel conditions or storage defects. This work studies the effects of different types of errors on the compressed MPEG bit streams and possible approaches to minimize such effects. The use of forward error correction, block interleaving, error concealment, and their inter-relationship and applicability to MPEG bit streams, were investigated.