Patent ID: 8699778
Filing Date: 2014-04-15
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image coding method of coding pictures, the method comprising: coding a current picture included in pictures; determining whether a picture next to the current picture is to be coded in frame coding or field coding, depending on motion information that is information for indicating a motion in the current picture; and coding the next picture in frame coding when it is determined that the next picture is to be coded in frame coding, and coding the next picture in field coding when it is determined that the next picture is to be coded in field coding, wherein in the determining, a still block count is obtained from one or more blocks included in the current picture, and it is determined that the next picture is to be coded in frame coding when the still block count is more than or equal to a first predefined threshold, and determined that the next picture is to be coded in field coding when the still block count is less than the first predefined threshold, the still block count being the number of blocks to which a ColZeroFlag is set, the ColZeroFlag being defined in a video coding standard as a flag indicating no motion or being still.