A Fast Search Algorithm with Multi-Block Mode and Multi-Reference Frame

A new fast search algorithm was brought up based on research of motion estimation characteristics of H.264 multiblock mode multi-reference frame. By judging whether motion estimation block is skip mode, and according to relationships between different motion search mode cost functions, motion vector is obtained through the block mode search algorithm and effective reference frame used for the search was determined. Experimental results showed that application of the fast search algorithm in motion estimation reduced computation and improved coding speed of H.264 effectively with image quality and bit stream almost unchanged.