Automatic VOP production scheme for very low bit rate video coding

New video coding technologies using VOP (Video Object Plane) are discussed in MPEG-4 video standardization. These new technologies can provide object-based video transmission, which can achieve content scalablity and high coding efficiency. In this paper, an automatic VOP production scheme is proposed, and video coding efficiency using a static sprite and moving objects is examined. The automatic VOP production scheme consists of a sprite production scheme and a moving object extraction scheme. The key technology of these schemes is global motion estimation (GME). This paper describes a new algorithm for GME, which is robust against outliers. This paper also describes a new approach for pixel-based object extraction. A VOP production and video coding experiment was also done. Coding efficiency of static sprites was 3-4 times higher than local motion estimation coding.