Motion vector determining apparatus and method

摘要

A motion vector data storage device (e.g., a memory) for storing motion vector data is newly provided for reducing a quantity of reference picture data to be read from a frame memory when searching a motion vector. A forward motion vector search used for a forward prediction in a vector searching process for coding a B-picture is performed asynchronously with a coding process, and accessing to the frame memory is thereby dispersed. Data for narrowing down a motion vector search range in a P-picture can be obtained at the same time. <IMAGE>