Abstract: A motion vector derivation unit includes a comparison unit for comparing a parameter TR1 for a reference vector with a predetermined value to determine whether it exceeds the predetermined value or not; a switching unit for switching selection between the maximum value of a pre-stored parameter TR and the parameter TR1 according to the comparison result by the comparison unit; a multiplier parameter table (for multipliers); and a multiplier parameter table (for divisors) for associating the parameter TR1 with a value approximate to the inverse value (1/TR1) of this parameter TR1.

Abstract: In a picture coding method for generating a coded signal corresponding to each picture by coding a plurality of coded signals, a switching picture which is capable of switching a plurality of coded signals and subsequent pictures of the switching picture can refer to only a group of pictures of the same time in the coded signals. More specifically, the case where picture numbers of an adjacent picture of an S picture and the S picture are not continuous is not considered as an error.

Abstract: In a picture coding method for generating a coded signal corresponding to each picture by coding a plurality of coded signals, a switching picture which is capable of switching a plurality of coded signals and subsequent pictures of the switching picture can refer to only a group of pictures of the same time in the coded signals. More specifically, the case where picture numbers of an adjacent picture of an S picture and the S picture are not continuous is not considered as an error.

Abstract: In a picture coding method for generating a coded signal corresponding to each picture by coding a plurality of coded signals, a switching picture which is capable of switching a plurality of coded signals and subsequent pictures of the switching picture can refer to only a group of pictures of the same time in the coded signals. More specifically, the case where picture numbers of an adjacent picture of an S picture and the S picture are not continuous is not considered as an error.

Abstract: A motion vector derivation unit includes a comparison unit for comparing a parameter TR1 for a reference vector with a predetermined value to determine whether it exceeds the predetermined value or not; a switching unit for switching selection between the maximum value of a pre-stored parameter TR and the parameter TR1 according to the comparison result by the comparison unit; a multiplier parameter table (for multipliers); and a multiplier parameter table (for divisors) for associating the parameter TR1 with a value approximate to the inverse value (1/TR1) of this parameter TR1.

Abstract: A motion vector derivation unit includes a comparison unit for comparing a parameter TR1 for a reference vector with a predetermined value to determine whether it exceeds the predetermined value or not; a switching unit for switching selection between the maximum value of a pre-stored parameter TR and the parameter TR1 according to the comparison result by the comparison unit; a multiplier parameter table (for multipliers); and a multiplier parameter table (for divisors) for associating the parameter TR1 with a value approximate to the inverse value (1/TR1) of this parameter TR1.

Abstract: A motion vector derivation unit includes a comparison unit for comparing a parameter TR1 for a reference vector with a predetermined value to determine whether it exceeds the predetermined value or not; a switching unit for switching selection between the maximum value of a pre-stored parameter TR and the parameter TR1 according to the comparison result by the comparison unit; a multiplier parameter table (for multipliers); and a multiplier parameter table (for divisors) for associating the parameter TR1 with a value approximate to the inverse value (1/TR1) of this parameter TR1.

Abstract: In a picture coding method for generating a coded signal corresponding to each picture by coding a plurality of coded signals, a switching picture which is capable of switching a plurality of coded signals and subsequent pictures of the switching picture can refer to only a group of pictures of the same time in the coded signals. More specifically, the case where picture numbers of an adjacent picture of an S picture and the S picture are not continuous is not considered as an error.

Abstract: The present invention is a variable length coding method for coding coefficients in each block which are obtained by performing frequency transformation on picture data of a moving picture per block having a predetermined size, and comprises: a coefficient scanning step of scanning the coefficients in the block in a predetermined order; and a coding step of coding the coefficients scanned in the coefficient scanning step into variable length codes in a predetermined order by switching a plurality of tables to be used for coding. Here, a direction of switching between the tables may be one-directional. Also, the coding may be non-arithmetic coding.

Abstract: In a picture coding method for generating a coded signal corresponding to each picture by coding a plurality of coded signals, a switching picture which is capable of switching a plurality of coded signals and subsequent pictures of the switching picture can refer to only a group of pictures of the same time in the coded signals. More specifically, the case where picture numbers of an adjacent picture of an S picture and the S picture are not continuous is not considered as an error.

Abstract: In a picture coding method for generating a coded signal corresponding to each picture by coding a plurality of coded signals, a switching picture which is capable of switching a plurality of coded signals and subsequent pictures of the switching picture can refer to only a group of pictures of the same time in the coded signals. More specifically, the case where picture numbers of an adjacent picture of an S picture and the S picture are not continuous is not considered as an error.

Abstract: A frame coding unit generates individual picture signal information from a moving picture signal, and outputs a frame code value which is a numeric value to be obtained as a result of coding picture signal information of each frame. A variable length coding unit decomposes the frame code value into unit frame code values which are basic units of coding, converts the unit frame code values into frame code words using only a single code table, and constructs a frame stream by combining the converted frame code words. A multiplexing unit multiplexes a header stream which is constructed through a method equivalent to a conventional method and the frame stream, and constructs a picture coded signal.

Abstract: A frame coding unit generates individual picture signal information from a moving picture signal, and outputs a frame code value which is a numeric value to be obtained as a result of coding picture signal information of each frame. A variable length coding unit decomposes the frame code value into unit frame code values which are basic units of coding, converts the unit frame code values into frame code words using only a single code table, and constructs a frame stream by combining the converted frame code words. A multiplexing unit multiplexes a header stream which is constructed through a method equivalent to a conventional method and the frame stream, and constructs a picture coded signal.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus includes a counter unit which counts the number of pictures following an intra coded picture; and a motion estimation unit which compares respectively only reference pictures which are the intra coded picture or the following pictures, selected from among a reference picture Ref1, a reference picture Ref2 and a reference picture Ref3 stored in memories, with a picture signal, and determines the reference picture whose inter picture differential value is smallest.

Abstract: In a picture coding method for generating a coded signal corresponding to each picture by coding a plurality of coded signals, a switching picture which is capable of switching a plurality of coded signals and subsequent pictures of the switching picture can refer to only a group of pictures of the same time in the coded signals. More specifically, the case where picture numbers of an adjacent picture of an S picture and the S picture are not continuous is not considered as an error.

Abstract: A frame coding unit generates individual picture signal information from a moving picture signal, and outputs a frame code value which is a numeric value to be obtained as a result of coding picture signal information of each frame. A variable length coding unit decomposes the frame code value into unit frame code values which are basic units of coding, converts the unit frame code values into frame code words using only a single code table, and constructs a frame stream by combining the converted frame code words. A multiplexing unit multiplexes a header stream which is constructed through a method equivalent to a conventional method and the frame stream, and constructs a picture coded signal.

Abstract: A frame coding unit generates individual picture signal information from a moving picture signal, and outputs a frame code value which is a numeric value to be obtained as a result of coding picture signal information of each frame. A variable length coding unit decomposes the frame code value into unit frame code values which are basic units of coding, converts the unit frame code values into frame code words using only a single code table, and constructs a frame stream by combining the converted frame code words. A multiplexing unit multiplexes a header stream which is constructed through a method equivalent to a conventional method and the frame stream, and constructs a picture coded signal.

Abstract: When a block (MB22) of which motion vector is referred to in the direct mode contains a plurality of motion vectors, 2 motion vectors MV23 and MV24, which are used for inter picture prediction of a current picture (P23) to be coded, are determined by scaling a value obtained from averaging the plurality of motion vectors or selecting one of the plurality of the motion vectors.

Abstract: When a block (MB22) of which motion vector is referred to in the direct mode contains a plurality of motion vectors, 2 motion vectors MV23 and MV24, which are used for inter picture prediction of a current picture (P23) to be coded, are determined by scaling a value obtained from averaging the plurality of motion vectors or selecting one of the plurality of the motion vectors.

Abstract: A motion vector coding unit 117 executes processing including a neighboring block specification step (S100) of specifying a neighboring block which is located in the neighborhood of a current block; a judgment step (Steps S102, S104) of judging whether or not the neighboring block has been coded using a motion vector of another block; a prediction step (S106, S108) of deriving a predictive motion vector of the current block using a motion vector calculated from the motion vector of the other block as a motion vector of the neighboring block; and a coding step (S110) of coding the motion vector of the current block using the predictive motion vector.