Fundamental Motion Estimation Algorithms

The core concept of motion estimation involves partitioning each frame of an image sequence into non-overlapping macroblocks, assuming uniform pixel displacement within each macroblock. For every macroblock, the algorithm searches within a specified range in the reference frame to identify the most similar block (matching block) based on predefined matching criteria. The relative displacement between the matching block and current block defines the motion vector. During video compression, storing only motion vectors and residual data enables complete reconstruction of the current block.