Motion compensating inter-frame predictive picture coding apparatus

A motion picture coding apparatus for coding pictures of an input motion picture signal as inter-frame predictive pictures of an intra-coded picture and a predictive coded picture, comprising:

• input picture rearranging means for changing an order of picture frames of said input motion picture signal based on inter-frame prediction;
• a first storage circuit for storing intra-coded pictures and decoded pictures of said intra-coded pictures;
• first motion vector detecting means for detecting motion vectors in units of even numbered picture elements from correlations between picture elements sampled in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction from the motion picture signal rearranged by said input picture rearranging means and picture elements sampled in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction from said input motion picture signal;
• a second storage circuit for storing intra-coded pictures and predictive coded pictures of the motion picture signal rearranged by said input picture rearranging means;
• second motion vector detecting means for interpolating 0.5 picture elements in said input motion picture signal and detecting motion vectors within an accuracy of 0.5 picture elements from correlations of the picture elements into which the 0.5 picture elements have been interpolated to the intra-coded pictures and the predictive coded pictures stored in said second storage circuit;
• address generating means for controlling inputting and outputting operations of said first and second storage circuits in response to an output of said first motion vector detecting means;
• predictive signal generating means for generating an inter-frame predictive signal from decoded pictures outputted from said first storage circuit and an output of said second motion vector detecting means and outputting a prediction difference signal representative of a difference between said inter-frame predictive signal and an output of said input picture rearranging means;
• quantizing means for quantizing said prediction difference signal;
• variable length coding means for variable length coding an output of said quantizing means;
• and
• local decoding means for receiving an output of said quantizing means and said inter-frame predictive signal and producing decoded pictures of the intra-coded pictures and the predictive coded pictures.