Motion Detection and Projection Based Block Motion Estimation Using the Radon Transform for Video Coding

Problem statement: Motion estimation and compensation is the most computationally complex module of video coder. In this study, an innovative algorithm was proposed for a further complexity reduction of the Motion Estimation (ME) module of video coder by employing motion detection prior to motion compensation. Approach: A Motion Detection (MD) module can be added to the video coder in order to decide whether the current block contains motion or is with zero motion. This study propounded a MD module that depends on motion activity. Generally, the correlation of the two consecutive frames is a good criterion to measure motion activity. We applied the correlation as a threshold to detect the motion activity. To assure the correct motion vector and thus better video quality, to calculate motion vector of motion blocks this study also proposed a new block matching motion estimation criterion based on the Radon transform using projection-matching method. However, computationally complex, the method had the ability to be implemented in real time by using pipeline architecture. Results: A comparative result showed that the MD module reduced the number of search points for motion estimation and compared with some well-known algorithm that uses minimum absolute difference criterion, the new criterion can provide much higher performance. Conclusion: The result showed that this proposed scheme can simplify the encoder complexity maintaining good video quality.