A model-based pel-recursive motion estimation algorithm

A model-based approach to pel-recursive motion estimation is presented. The derivation of the algorithm is similar to the Wiener-based pel-recursive motion-estimation algorithm. However, the proposed algorithm utilizes the spatio-temporal correlations in an image sequence by considering an autoregressive (AR) model for the motion-compensated frames. Therefore, depending on the support of the AR model, the estimation is based on two or more consecutive frames. Pel-recursive motion-estimation algorithms which appear in literature are special cases of this algorithm. Various implementation issues such as adaptive regularization and modeling of the motion field are considered. Based on experiments with typical videoconferencing scenes, the conclusion is that the proposed algorithm performs better than the two-frame Wiener-based pel-recursive algorithm with respect to accuracy, robustness, and smoothness of the velocity field.