Patent ID: 8184706
Filing Date: 2012-05-22
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A moving picture coding apparatus which codes a current picture, on a predetermined block-to-block basis, out of a set of input pictures, said moving picture coding apparatus comprising: an eliminating unit configured to eliminate a predetermined picture from the set of input pictures; an overall motion vector estimating unit configured to (i) estimate a motion vector for the entirety of a picture between pictures included in the set of input pictures after the elimination and (ii) set the estimated motion vector as an overall motion vector; a correction motion vector calculating unit configured to calculate a correction motion vector representing a motion vector for the entirety of the current picture, the correction motion vector being calculated based on the estimated overall motion vector and a ratio between (i) a first time interval representing a time interval between the pictures used for estimating the overall motion vector and (ii) a second time interval representing a time interval between the current picture and a reference picture corresponding to the current picture; a search range determining unit configured to determine a search range, to be searched, in which a motion vector of the current block is to be estimated, the search range being determined based on the calculated correction motion vector and a predetermined coding condition; and a coding unit configured to estimate the a motion vector of the current block by searching the determined search range, and to code the current block with use of the estimated motion vector of the current block.