Robust block-matching motion-estimation technique for noisy sources

Video coding standards use the block-matching algorithm (BMA) and motion-compensated prediction to reduce temporal redundancies present in image sequences. Block matching is used since it is computationally efficient and produces a minimal representation of the motion field that is transmitted as side information. In order to build a robust coder the motion-estimation technique must be able to track motion in a noisy source. The approach presented in this paper uses spatio-temporal motion prediction, providing an accurate motion estimate even in the presence of noise. With this approach, noisy sources can be compressed efficiently and robustly in standard video coders (e.g., MPEG-1, MPEG-2, H.261, and H.263) with little increase in complexity