Patent ID: 8861592

Claim:
An image coding method for performing prediction coding of moving pictures, the image coding method comprising: generating first information indicating whether or not a motion vector predictor can be selected from among one or more motion vector predictor candidates; generating second information indicating whether or not a motion vector predictor is selected, in skip mode, from among the one or more motion vector predictor candidates for coding a current block to be coded, when the first information indicates that a motion vector predictor can be selected; generating a coded signal in which the first information and the second information are included in header information, when the first information indicates that a motion vector predictor can be selected; including, in the coded signal, index information indicating a motion vector predictor to be selected from among the one or more motion vector predictor candidates, when both (a) the first information indicates that a motion vector predictor can be selected and (b) the second information indicates that a motion vector predictor is selected, in the skip mode, for the coding of the current block; and coding the current block using the motion vector predictor selected based on the index information, wherein the coded signal does not include the second information when the first information does not indicate that the motion vector predictor can be selected, and the coded signal does not include the index information when one of (a) the first information does not indicate that the motion vector predictor can be selected and (b) the second information does not indicate that the motion vector predictor is selected.