Patent ID: 8548058

Claim:
An image coding apparatus which converts first coded data coded in a first coding scheme into second coded data coded in a second coding scheme, said image coding apparatus comprising: a decoding unit configured to decode the first coded data to generate a decoded picture and to generate decoding information containing motion vectors; a coding unit; a decoding information holding unit configured to hold the decoding information generated by said decoding unit; a coding information holding unit configured to hold coding information generated by said coding unit, the coding information containing motion vectors; and a basic motion information generating unit configured to generate basic motion information by comparing (i) information based on the motion vectors contained in the decoding information generated by said decoding unit when generating a currently decoded picture, and (ii) information based on motion vectors used for coding a previously decoded picture previously decoded by said decoding unit prior to said coding unit coding the currently decoded picture which is a current picture to be coded, wherein said coding unit is configured to set a search range for searching for motion vectors based on the generated basic motion information, and to code the currently decoded picture which is the current picture to be coded using motion vectors estimated to be within the set search range to generate the second coded data.