Fast multiple reference frame selection methods for H.264/AVC

This paper proposes three efficient frame selection schemes to reduce the computation complexity for the multi-reference and variable block size motion estimation (ME). The proposed reference selection pass scheme can minimize the overhead of frame selection. The modified frame selection scheme can reduce the number of search points about 18% compared with existing schemes. In addition, the two pass reference frame selection scheme is proposed to minimize the frame selection operation for the variable block size ME in H.264/AVC. The simulation results show the proposed schemes can save up to 50% of the ME computation without degradation of image quality. Because the proposed schemes can be separated from the block matching process, they can be used with any existing single reference fast search algorithms.