IMAGE DECODING METHOD AND IMAGE DECODING APPARATUS USING CANDIDATE MOTION VECTORS
IMAGE DECODING METHOD AND IMAGE DECODING APPARATUS USING CANDIDATE MOTION VECTORS
An image coding method includes: determining a maximum number of merging candidates; deriving first merging candidates based on blocks spatially or temporally neighboring a current block; determining whether or not a total number of the first merging candidates is smaller than the maximum number; deriving, by making a combination out of the derived first merging candidates, a second merging candidate for bi-directional prediction when it is determined that the total number of the first merging candidates is smaller than the maximum number; selecting a merging candidate to be used for the coding of the current block from the first merging candidates and the second merging candidate; and coding, using the determined maximum number, an index for identifying the selected merging candidate, and attaching the coded index to the bitstream.