Hierarchical spatial resolution building processes to fill holes in an interpolated image

摘要

The invention finds application in image interpolation processes to generate new images within an existing image sequence. Motion vectors from the existing images are used to generate an interpolated new image. However, in the case of a diverging motion vector field for example, there may be 'holes' in the new image. As an improvement on prior art techniques of filling these holes the invention performs picture building processes at a plurality of spatial resolutions. The output of the lowest spatial resolution process may be up-sampled and is input to the next highest resolution picture building process thereby combining the two picture building processes. This is repeated until the highest resolution picture building process generates the final pixel output value. The lowest spatial resolution process will fill the holes but the lower resolution in the holes would be visible as an artefact in an otherwise higher resolution image. The hierarchical filling of the holes in this manner of the invention reduces the visibility of the lower resolution in the holes.