Patent ID: 7558466
Filing Date: 2009-07-07
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A moving image playback apparatus for playing moving image data encoded in units of a pixel block representing a plurality of pixels, said apparatus comprising: a decoding unit configured to decode encoded pixel blocks at designated positions in the entire region of a frame of the encoded moving image data and to output image data represented by decoded pixel blocks as a playback frame of interest; a display output unit configured to output to a display a moving image obtained by said decoding unit; a setting unit configured to set a playback speed of the encoded moving image data; and a decoding control unit configured to (a) if the playback speed set by said setting unit is a normal playback speed, (i) determine all pixel blocks in a frame as being decoded and (ii) set positions of all pixel blocks to said decoding unit so as to decode all pixel blocks in the frame so that said display output unit outputs to the display an image of a whole frame decoded by said decoding unit as a playback frame, and (b) if the playback speed set by said setting unit is a predetermined playback speed higher than the normal speed, (i) determine a number of pixel blocks as being decoded to be fewer than a number of pixel blocks when the normal speed is set as so as to shorten a decode time per one frame and (ii) set the positions of the determined pixel blocks to said decoding unit so that said display output unit outputs to the display a partial image within the frame as a playback frame, wherein, when said setting unit sets the predetermined playback speed higher than the normal playback speed, said decoding control unit determines the number of pixel blocks to be decoded corresponding to the predetermined playback speed and sets the positions of the determined pixel blocks so that said decoding unit generates the partial image positioned in the center of the frame as a default.