Motion vector detector employing image subregions and median values

DETAILED DESCRIPTION This invention is intended to solve the foregoing prior art problems, and its object is to provide an image motion vector detection apparatus which effectively reduces influences of errors of false vectors arising at a certain probability and suppresses the occurrence of time lags, and an image fluctuation stabilizer which produces a highly stabilized image without causing unnatural visual feelings to viewers.
The image motion vector detection apparatus of this invention comprises means for detecting motion vectors in a plurality of motion vector detection regions in the whole or part of a field or frame, and signal processing means which, with a detection of a number of motion vectors judged to be reliable in the detection regions more than or equal to a specified number, produces a representative value of such reliable motion vectors as a motion vector of the whole or part of the field.
In other words, the term "reliable vector" as used throughout the present text denominates a motion vector of the whole frame image not affected by partial motions of the image.
A basic object of the present invention is to provide a technique of comparing image signals between two fields and detecting an image motion vector of an entire display vectors, there may be occasionally detected image motion vectors (error vectors) which are different from a vector representative of motion of the entire display image.
Such error vectors may result due to influences of noise or moving objects having motion different from that of the entire image.
The possibility or frequency of occurrence of detection of such error vectors can be estimated by checking parameters detected in the detection process.
The present disclosure denominates as "reliable vectors" those vectors determined to have low probabilities of being error vectors among the detected motion vectors.
The disclosure also denominates as a "reliability judgment means" a means for estimating the probability of detecting motion vectors as error vectors, thereby judging or determining if the vectors are reliable