A New Fast Full Search Motion Estimation Algorithm for H.264/AVC

In this study, a new fast full search (FFS) motion estimation (ME) algorithm for H. 264/AVC is proposed. First, a modified data reusing (MDR) technique is proposed to speed up the average processing time by reducing sum of absolute difference (SAD) computations. In the proposed MDR technique, both unnecessary and repeated ME computations will be reduced. Second, the revisited search order (RSO) technique is proposed to speed up the average processing time by reducing MV_COST computations. If a suitable search order can be found such that the distribution of MV_COST values is linearly related with the search order, MV_COST computations will he greatly reduced. The two proposed techniques, namely, MDR and RSO, are employed together in the proposed mixed algorithm. Based on the simulation results obtained in this study, the performance (the average processing time) of the proposed mixed algorithm are better than that of seven comparison algorithms. The proposed mixed algorithm (MDR+RSO) usually has the best performance in most simulation cases