Gain/cost controlled displacement-estimation for image sequence coding

A new criterion for displacement-estimation in image sequence coding is proposed. Its derivation is based on a model of the a posteriori probability for the vector field to correspond to the true physical motion of the scene. The model considers statistics of the prediction error image as well as statistical interdependencies between vectors within one vector field. The resulting criterion can be interpreted as a gain/cost criterion since it trades small prediction error against short codestring for the vector field. Experimental results confirm that the presented criterion supplies vector fields close to the physical motion of the scene. Strong statistical bindings between vectors exist within those vector fields. This allows transmitting vector fields with increased spatial resolution and decreased displaced frame difference (DFD) when compared with a full search estimator which minimizes the DFD for each vector at the same data rate