Motion vector coding method and motion vector decoding method

1. A motion vector coding method for coding a motion vector of a current block in a moving picture, said method comprising:

specifying a neighboring block which is located in a neighborhood of the current block and is already coded;

judging whether or not the neighboring block has been coded using a motion vector of another block;

deriving a predictive motion vector of the current block using a motion vector of the neighboring block; and

coding the motion vector of the current block using the predictive motion vector;

wherein, in said deriving of the predictive motion vector of the current block, said deriving is performed in such a manner that, if the neighboring block is coded using the motion vector of the another block, a different motion vector, which is obtained using the motion vector of the another block and which is used in performing a coding process for the neighboring block, is used as the motion vector of the neighboring block, and

in said deriving of the predictive motion vector of the current block, said deriving is performed in such a manner that, if the neighboring block is not coded using the motion vector of the another block, a different motion vector, which is detected for the neighboring block and which is used in performing the coding process for the neighboring block, is used as the motion vector of the neighboring block.

2. The motion vector coding method according to claim 1 , wherein the another block is located temporally at a forward or backward position relative to the neighboring block.

3. The motion vector coding method according to claim 1 , wherein the neighboring block is a block which is located in a same picture with the current block.

4. The motion vector coding method according to claim 3 , wherein the another block is located temporally at a forward or backward position relative to the neighboring block.

5. A motion vector coding apparatus for coding a motion vector of a current block in a moving picture, comprising:

a neighboring block specification unit operable to specify a neighboring block which is located in a neighborhood of the current block and is already coded;

a judging unit operable to judge whether or not the neighboring block has been coded using a motion vector of another block;

a deriving unit operable to derive a predictive motion vector of the current block using a motion vector of the neighboring block; and

a coding unit operable to code the motion vector of the current block using the predictive motion vector;

wherein said deriving unit is operable to derive the predictive motion vector of the current block in such a manner that, if the neighboring block is coded using a the motion vector of the another block, a different motion vector, which is obtained using the motion vector of the another block and which is used in performing a coding process for the neighboring block, is used as the motion vector of the neighboring block, and

said deriving unit is operable to perform in such a manner that, if the neighboring block is not coded using the motion vector of the another block, a different motion vector, which detected for the neighboring block and which is used in performing the coding process for the neighboring block, is used as the motion vector of the neighboring block.

6. The motion vector coding apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

said neighborhood block specification unit is operable such that the neighboring block specified is located in a same picture with the current block.

7. A storage medium for storing a program that causes a computer to execute said specifying, said judging said deriving and said coding included in the motion vector coding method according to claim 1 .