IMAGE ENCODING METHOD, IMAGE ENCODING APPARATUS, IMAGE DECODING METHOD, IMAGE DECODING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE ENCODING/DECODING APPARATUS

摘要

An image coding method bitstream includes: determining a maximum number of a merging candidate which is a combination of a prediction direction, a motion vector, and a reference picture index for use in coding of a current block (S201); deriving a first merging candidate (S202); determining whether or not a total number of the first merging candidate is smaller than the maximum number (S204); deriving a second merging candidate when it is determined that the total number of the first merging candidate is smaller than the maximum number (S205); selecting a merging candidate for use in the coding of the current block from the first merging candidate and the second merging candidate (S206); and coding, using the maximum number, an index for identifying the selected merging candidate, and attaching the coded index to the bitstream (S207).