Patent Publication Number: US-2007115366-A1

Title: Moving image generating apparatus, moving image generating method and program therefore

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      The present application relates to and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2005-334373 filed in Japan on Nov. 18, 2005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purpose.  
     BACKGROUND  
      1. Field of the invention  
      The present invention relates to a moving image generating apparatus, a moving image generating method and a program therefore. Particularly, the present invention relates to a moving image generating apparatus and a moving image generating method for generating a moving image from a still image, and a program for the moving image generating apparatus.  
      2. Related art  
      Generally, a system has been known, which generates moving data from plural pieces of still data provided from a customer and records the same. In the system, difference data indicative of transition of still images is added to still image data, so that moving data in which the still images are transferred is generated as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-259303. The technology causes users to easily view photographic images by home moving image reproducing apparatus such as a DVD player and a computer terminal such as a PC.  
      However, any specific technology has not been disclosed in the above-described related art which efficiently generates a moving image indicative of transition of images. For example, any specific technology for efficiently generating moving data indicative of the transition of still images such as movement, enlargement, reduction, rotation and change of color tone of an object on the still image, fade-in and fade-out of the still image and a mosaic display for the still image.  
     SUMMARY  
      Thus, an advantage of some aspects of the present invention to provide a moving image generating apparatus, a moving image generating method and a program therefore which are capable of solving the problem accompanying the conventional art. The above and other advantages can be achieved by combining the features recited in independent claims. Then, dependent claims define further effective specific example of the present invention.  
      In order to solve the above described problems, a first aspect of the present invention provides a moving image generating apparatus for generating a moving image in which a plurality of still images are transferred. The moving image generating apparatus includes: a transition data acquiring section for acquiring transition data indicating how are the plurality of still images are transferred in the moving image; and a moving image generating section for generating a plurality of moving image components compressed into each partial region from the plurality of still images and for generating a compressed moving image including the plurality of generated moving image components. The moving image generating section generates a plurality of moving image components from the plurality of still images by defining a partial region included in a moving image component as the minimum unit of transition of still images in the moving image and generates a compressed moving image including the plurality of generated moving image components.  
      The transition data acquiring section may acquire transition data indicating how does at least a part of transition region of the still images transfer in the moving image. The moving age gene-rig section may generate a plurality of moving image components in which the transition region is transferred by an width for an integral number of partial regions among continuous moving image components included in the moving image.  
      The moving image generating section may include a transition data converting section for converting the transition data indicative of transition of the transition region acquired by the transition data acquiring section to transition data indicative of transition by an-width for an integral number of partial regions and a moving image component generating section for generating a plurality of moving image components based on the transition data converted by the transition data converting section.  
      The transition data converting section may convert the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section to transition data of which transition path is more approximate to that of the transition data acquired by the transition data among the transition data indicative of transition by an width for an integral number of partial regions.  
      The moving image generating section may include a motion vector calculating section for calculating a motion vector in a transition region indicative of the difference between a position of the transition region in one moving image component and a position of the transition region in the other moving image component, and a moving image component generating section for generating an image content in the partial region included in the transition region among the plurality of moving image components in which the transition region is transferred by an width for an integral number of partial regions by representing the image contents is the same as the transfer region in the other moving image component based on the motion vector calculated by the motion vector calculating section.  
      The transition data acquiring section may acquire transition data indicating how does at least a part of change region in the still images change in the moving image. The moving image generating section may generate a plurality of moving image components in which the change region is changes every an integral number of the partial regions.  
      The moving image generating section may include a transition data converting section for converting the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section, which indicates the change of the change region to transition data indicative of the change for each of the integral number of partial regions, and a moving image component generating section for generating a plurality of moving image components based on the transition data converted by the transition data converting section.  
      The moving image generating section may include an identical partial region specifying section for specifying whether there is the partial region having the image content the same as each partial region other than the partial region which is transferring included in one moving image component in the other moving image components based on the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section, and a motion vector calculating section for calculating a motion vector indicative of the difference between a partial region specified by the identical partial region specifying section that there is the partial region having the same image content and a partial region included in the other moving image component having the image content the same as that of the former partial region. The moving image generating section may generate a moving image component including the moving vector calculated by the moving vector calculating section.  
      The moving image generating section may generate a plurality of moving image components compressed into each of the macroblocks from a plurality of still images by defining a macroblock included in a moving image component as the minimum unit of transition of still images in the moving image based on the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section and generate a compressed moving image including the plurality of generated moving image components, which is encoded by MPEG.  
      The image generating section includes: an I picture generating section for generating an I picture being a moving image component from at least one of still images based on the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section; a P picture generating section for generating a P picture being a moving image component based on the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section and the I picture generated by the I picture generating section; an identical partial region specifying section for specifying whether there is the partial region having the image content the same as that of each of the macroblocks other than the macroblock included in one P picture, which is transferring in the I picture generated by the I picture generating section or the p picture generated by the P picture generating section, which is reproduced at a timing before the P picture is reproduced based on the transition data generated by the transition data generating section; and a motion vector calculating section for calculating a motion vector indicative of the difference between a position of the macroblock specified by the identical partial region specifying section that there is the partial region having the same image content and a position of the partial region included in the I picture generated by the I picture generating section or the P picture generated by the P picture generating section of which image content is the same as that of the specified macroblock The P picture generating section may generate a P picture including the motion vector calculated by the motion vector calculating section, which represents the macroblock specified by the identical partial region specifying section that there is the partial region having the image content the same as that of the I picture or the P picture reproduced at the previous timing.  
      The moving image generating section may further include a B picture generating section for generating a B picture being a moving image component based on the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section, the I picture generated by the I picture generating section and the P picture generated by the P picture generating section. The identical partial region specifying section may specify whether there is the partial region having the image content the same as that of each of the macroblocks other than the macro blocks included in one B picture, which is transferring in the I picture generated by the I picture generating section or the P picture generated by the P picture generating section, which is reproduced at a timing before or after the toning at which the one B picture is reproduced. The motion vector calculating section calculates a motion vector indicative of the difference between the position of the macroblock specified by the identical partial region specifying section that there is the partial region having the same image content and the position of the partial region included in the I picture generated by the I picture generating section or the P picture generated by the P picture generating section which has the image content the same as that of the specified macroblock. The B picture generating section may generate a B picture including the motion vector calculated by the motion vector calculating section, which represents the macroblock specified by the identical partial region specifying section that there is the partial region having the image content same as that of the I picture or the P picture reproduced at a timing before or after the B picture is generated.  
      A second aspect of the present invention provides a moving image generating method for generating a moving image in which a plurality of still images are transferred. The moving image generating method includes the steps of: acquiring transition data indicating how are the plurality of images transferred in the moving image; and generating a plurality of moving image components compressed into each partial region from the plurality of sill images based on the transition data acquired in the transition data acquiring step and generating a compressed moving image including the plurality of generated moving image components. The moving image generating step includes generating the plurality of moving image components from the plurality of still images by defining a macroblock included in a moving image component as the minimum unit of transition of still images in the moving image and generating the compressed moving image including the plurality of generated moving image components.  
      The third aspect of the present invention provides a program for the moving image generating apparatus for generating a moving image in which a plurality of still images are transferred. The program causes the moving image generating apparatus to function as: a transition data acquiring section for acquiring transition data indicating how are the plurality of still images are transferred in the moving image; and a moving image generating section for generating a plurality of moving image components compressed into each partial region from the plurality of still images and for generating a compressed moving image including the plurality of generated moving image components. The program causes the moving image generating section to generate a plurality of moving image components from the plurality of still images by defining a partial region included in a moving image component as the minimum unit of transition of still images in the moving image and generate a compressed moving image including the plurality of generated moving image components.  
      Here, all necessary features of the present invention are not listed in the summary of the invention. The sub-combinations of the features may become the invention.  
      According to the present invention, a moving image generating apparatus for efficiently generating a moving image which represents transition of still images can be provided. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  shows an example of environment for the usage of a moving image generating apparatus  100 ;  
       FIG. 2  shows an example of block configuration of the moving image generating apparatus  100 ;  
       FIG. 3  shows an example of converting transition data;  
       FIG. 4  shows another example of moving data generated by a moving image generating section  214 ;  
       FIG. 5  shows an example of generating a moving image in which an object is transferred by a transition width smaller than the width of a macroblock; and  
       FIG. 6  shows an example of hardware configuration of the moving image generating section  100 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
      Hereinafter, the present invention will now be described through preferred embodiments. The embodiments do not limit the invention according to claims and all combinations of the features described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to means for solving the problems of the invention.  
       FIG. 1  shows an example of environment for the usage of a moving image generating apparatus  100  according to an embodiment. The moving image generating apparatus  100  receives still images  120 ,  121 ,  122 ,  123  . . . which are captured using an image capturing device  110  by a user  190  and generates a moving data  130  encoded by MPEG such as a slide show. At this time, the moving image generating section  100  processes the still images according to transition data in which transition of the still images such as motion of the still image are defined to generate a plurality of pictures encoded by MPEG, which is one fame image to be reproduced between the still images. In an example of  FIG. 1 , the moving image generating section  100  generates an moving image in which the still image  121  is firstly presented and the still image  122  is gradually presented from one end of the still image  121 . In this case, the moving image generating apparatus  100  generates I pictures from each of the still image  121  and the still image  122 , respectively.  
      The moving image generating apparatus  100  acquires transition data which defines a transition speed of a border line  161  between the still image  121  and the still image  122  in order to generate the moving image data  130  in which the still image  121  is transferred to the still image  122 . Then, the moving image generating apparatus  100  calculates the position of the border line  161  in each of pictures  131 ,  132 ,  133  . . . from the acquired transition data and adjusts the calculated position of the border line  161  so as to locate the border line  161  on the border line of macroblocks. Thus, the moving image generating apparatus  100  adjusts the position of the border line  161  to the border line of the macroblockes to identify the image content of each of the macroblocks included in the right region or the left region bounded by the border line  161  with any macroblock included in the still image  121  or the still image  122 . For example, the macroblock in a partial region  143  of the moving image component  133  of which image content is the same as that of the macroblock in the partial region  141  of the still image  121 .  
      Then, the moving image generating apparatus  100  represents the image content of the macro block in the region  143  by a motion vector to the macroblock in the region  141 . In the example of  FIG. 1 , the moving vector obtained by transferring the still image  121  is a moving vector in the moving image generating apparatus  100 . Here, the moving image generating apparatus  100  generates the pictures  131 ,  132 ,  133  . . . which are reproduced between an interval of I pictures as P pictures or B pictures. Additionally, the moving image generating apparatus  100  may generate all of the pictures  131 ,  132 ,  133  . . . as P pictures or B pictures, or any one of the pictures  131 ,  132 ,  133  . . . as P pictures or B pictures.  
      As described above, the moving image generating apparatus  100  can represent by the motion vector the image contents of all of the macroblocks for pictures reproduced between an interval of continuous I pictures, so that the amount of moving image data can be significantly reduced. Additionally, the moving image generating apparatus  100  can directly calculate the motion vector from transition data without complicated processing such as calculating the motion vector by block matching after generating all pixel data for each of the frame images in the moving image. Therefore, the image data encoded by MPEG can be generated at a high speed.  
      Here, the moving image generating apparatus  100  may acquire an instruction from the designer who creates the moving image and the user  190  as transition data. Also the moving image generating apparatus  100  may acquire template data for generating a moving image which indicates effect on still images such as the movement of an object as the transition data The moving image generating apparatus  100  may provide the generated moving image by recording the same on a photorecording medium such as a DVD  150 , and also may provide the generated moving image to the user  190  through a communication line such as Internet. Additionally, the moving image generating apparatus  100  may receive still images from the image capturing device  110  through a communication line such as Internet, and also may receive the still images recorded on a recording medium such as a semiconductor memory by the image capturing device  10 . Here, a moving image generated by the moving image generating apparatus  100  may be a captured image and, other than the captured image, image data generated by using such as an image processing software. The moving image generating apparatus  100  may be a terminal for generating a moving image, which is provided on a digital photo shop  170 , and also may be a terminal such as a personal computer provided on a user&#39;s house.  
      As described above, the moving image generating apparatus  100  according to the present embodiment can represent the macroblock for each of the pictures reproduced between an interval of the I pictures by the motion vector. Therefore, the moving image generating apparatus  100  can generate a moving image more speedily hand the case that firstly pixel data for each frame included in the moving image is generated and then the moving image is encoded by MPEG.  
       FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of block configuration of the moving image generating apparatus  100 . The moving image generating apparatus  100  includes an instruction input section  200 , an image output section  205 , an image storage section  210 , a transition data acquiring section  212  and a moving image generating apparatus  214 . The moving image generating section  214  includes a transition data converting section  220 , an identical partial region specifying section  240 , a motion vector calculating section  250 , a moving image component generating section  280 , a DCT performing section  290 , a DCT coefficient quantizing section  292  and an encoding section  294 . The moving image component generating section  280  includes an I picture generating section  282 , a P picture generating section  284  and a B picture generating section  286 .  
      The image storage section  210  stores a plurality of still images. Transition data acquiring section  212  acquires transition data indicating how are the plurality of still images transferred in the moving image. Specifically, the transition data acquiring section  212  acquires an instruction inputted to the instruction input section  200  by the user  190 , which instructs how are the still images transferred. Then, the moving image generating section  214  generates a plurality of moving image components compressed into each partial region from the plurality of still images based on the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section  212  and generates a compressed moving image including the plurality of generated moving image components. Here, the partial regions may be macroblocks for encoding by MPEG.  
      Specifically, the transition data acquiring section  212  acquires transition data indicating how are at least a part of transition region of the still images transferred in the moving image. Then, the transition data converting section  220  converts the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section  212 , which indicates that the transition region has been transferred to transition data indicative of transition by an width for an integer number of partial regions. Then, the moving image component generating section  280  generates a plurality of moving image components based on the transition data converted by the transition data converting section  220 .  
      Thus, the moving image generating section  214  generates a plurality of moving image components of which transition region is transferred by a width for an integral number of partial regions in the continuous moving image components included in the moving image. Accordingly, generating a moving image encoded by MPEG, the moving image generating apparatus  100  can transfer the transition region having a plurality of macroblocks by the width of a macroblock in each picture to match the macroblocks for each picture with the transition region. Therefore, the moving image generating apparatus  100  can represent the image content of the macroblocks for each picture by the motion vector indicative of the movement of the transition region by a macroblock and difference image data “0”.  
      Here, the transition data converting section  220  may convert the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section  212  to transition data of which transition path is more approximate to that of the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section  212  among the transition data indicative of the transition by the width for an integer number of partial regions. For example, the transition data converting section  220  calculates the position of the borderline of the transition region for each picture from the transition data in which a transition speed of the transition region is defined and converts the same to transition data in which the calculated border line of transition region is corresponded to the border line of the adjacent macroblock. The macroblocks included in the transition region are represented by the motion vectors, so that moving image components can be efficiently generated. Additionally, the moving image generating section  100  can approximate the transition of the transition region over the moving image components to the transition instructed by the user  190 , so that the user  190  can view the moving image without feeling uncomfortable.  
      The motion vector calculating section  250  calculate the motion vector of the transition region indicative of the difference between the position of the transition region in one moving image component and the position of the transition region in the other moving image component based on the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section  212 , which indicates that the transition region has been transferred. Then, the moving image component generating section  280  generates the image content of the partial region included in the transition region in the plurality of moving image components in which the transition region is transferred by the width for an integer number of partial regions by representing that the image content of the partial region included in the transition region in the plurality of moving image components is the same as the transition region in the other moving image components by the motion vector calculated by the motion vector calculating section  250 .  
      The transition data acquiring section  212  may acquire transition data indicating how are at least a part of change regions of the still images changed in the moving image. At this time, the transition data convert section  220  converts the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section  212 , which indicates the change of the change region to transition data indicative of the change for each of the integer number of partial regions. Then, the moving image component generating section  280  generates a plurality of moving image components based on the transition data converted by the transition data converting section  220 . Thus, the moving image generating section  214  generates the plurality of moving image components in which the change region is changed for each of the integer number of partial regions.  
      In this case, the identical partial region specifying section  240  specifies whether there is any partial region having the image content the same as that of each partial region other than the partial region included in one moving image component, which is transferring in the other moving image components based on the transition data acquired by the Position data acquiring section  212 . Then, the moving vector calculating section  250  calculates a moving vector indicative of the difference between the position of the partial region specified by the identical partial region specifying section  240  that there is the partial region having the same image content therein and the position of the partial region included in the other moving image component, of which image content is the same as the former partial region. Then, the moving image generating section  214  generates a moving image component including the motion vector calculated by the motion vector calculating section  250 .  
      Here, generating a moving image encoded by MPEG, the moving image generating section  214  may generate a plurality of moving image components compressed into each macroblock from a plurality of still images by defining a macroblock included in a moving image component as the minimum unit of transition of still images in the moving image based on the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section  212 , and generate a compressed moving image encoded by MPEG, which includes the plurality of generated moving image components. In this case, the I picture generating section  282  generates an I picture being a moving image component from at least a still image based on the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section  212 . The P picture generating section  284  generates a P picture being a moving image component based on the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section  212  and the I picture generated by the I picture generating section  282 .  
      The identical partial region specifying section  240  specifies whether there is any partial region having the image content the same as that of each macroblock other than the macroblock included in one P picture, which is transferring in the I picture generated by the I picture generating section  282  or the P picture generated by the P picture generating section which is generated at a timing before the P picture is reproduced. Then, the motion vector calculating section  250  calculates a motion vector indicative of the difference between the position of the macroblock specified by the identical partial region specifying section  240  that there is the partial region having the same image content therein and the position of the partial region included in the I picture generated by the I picture generating section  282  or the P picture generated by the P picture generating section  284 , of which image content is the same as that of the specified macroblock. Then, the P picture generating section  284  generates a P picture including the motion vector calculated by the motion vector calculating section  250 , which represents the macroblock specified by the identical partial region specifying section  240  that there is the partial region having the image content the same as that of the I picture or the P picture reproduced at the previous timing. Therefore, the motion vector of the macroblock can be directly calculated from the transition data, so that the moving image generating apparatus  100  can efficiently generate a moving image encoded by MPEG.  
      Now, it will be described about the operation of the moving image generating apparatus  100  to generate a B picture for encoding by MPEG. Here, the B picture generating section  286  generates a B picture being a moving image component based on the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section  212 , the I picture generated by the I picture generating section  282  and the P picture generated by the P picture generating section  284 . Specifically, the identical partial region specifying section  240  specifies whether there is any partial region having the image content the same as that of each macroblock other than the macroblock included in one B picture, which is transferring in the I picture generated by the I picture generating section  282  or the P picture generated by the P picture generating section  284 , which is reproduced at a timing before or after the one B picture is reproduced based on the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section  212 . Then, the motion vector calculating section  250  calculates a motion vector indicative of the difference between the position of the macroblock specified by the identical partial region specifying section  240  that there is any partial region having the same image content and the position of the partial region included in the I picture generated by the I picture generated section  282  and the P picture generated by the P picture generating section  284 , of which image content is the same as that of the specified macroblock. Then, the B picture generating section  286  generates a B picture including the motion vector calculated by the motion vector calculating section  250 , which represents the macroblock specified by the identical partial region specifying section  240  that there is the partial region having the image content the same as that of the I picture or the P picture reproduced at a timing before or after the B picture is generated.  
      The DCT performing section  290  performs a discrete cosine transform on the moving image components generated by the moving image component generating section  280  as the I picture, the P picture and the B picture to calculate a DCT coefficient. Here, the DCT performing section  290  calculates the DCT coefficient for any macroblock requiring the DCT in the moving image components, such as the macroblock from which the pixel data is generated by the moving image component generating section  280 , of course. The DCT coefficient quantizing section  292  quantizes the DCT coefficient calculated by the DCT performing section  290  to generate a moving image components of which amount of data is compressed. The encoding section  294  encodes the moving image components generated by the DCT coefficient quantizing section  292  to generate a moving image including the moving image components of which amount of data is compressed. Specifically, the encoding section  294  may perform run-length coding and Huffman coding on the moving image components The image output section  205  outputs the moving image including the moving image components generated by the encoding section  294  to the outside of the moving image generating section  100 . For example, the image output section  205  outputs the moving image on a recording medium such as a DVD.  
      Thus, the moving image generating section  100  changes the image content for each macroblock in each picture to represent the macroblocks included in the P picture or the B picture other than the I picture by the motion vector of the I picture or the P picture which is reproduced at the previous or the following timing. As described above, in the moving image generating apparatus  100  according to the present embodiment, the moving image generating section  214  generates a plurality of moving image components from the plurality of still images by defining a partial region included in a moving image component as the minimum unit of transition of the still images in the moving image and generates a compressed moving image including the plurality of generated moving image components. Accordingly, the moving image generating apparatus  100  can efficiently generate a moving image from the still images. Here, the still images according to the present embodiment may be images including animation, and also may be partial images in one image including the animation. The moving image generating apparatus  100  may generate animation by the plurality of still image. In this case, the moving image generating section  100  can generate animation more speedily than the case that firstly generates pixel data for the images constituting animation and then encodes the image by MPEG, of course.  
       FIG. 3  shows an example of converting transition data by the transition data converting section  220 . In the example of  FIG. 3 , the moving image generating section  214  generates a moving image indicative of transition of images. The summary of the operation to generate a moving image in  FIG. 3  is as follows. The transition data acquiring section  212  acquires transition data as the transition data indicative of transition of still images that a still image  400  transfers to the leftmost of the display region while a still image  401  is transferred from the rightmost at a speed the same as that of the still image  400 . Specifically, the transition data acquiring section  212  acquires transition data which defines a transition speed V 440  at the displayed border line between the still image  400  and the still image  401 . Additionally, the moving image generating section  214  generates an I picture  410  and an I picture  420  using the still image  400  and the still image  401  in  FIG. 3 .  
      Hereinafter, the operation of the transition data converting section  220  will be described in detail by taking as an example the detailed data conversion on a B picture  413 . The transition data converting section  220  calculates the position of the border line X 433  of the B picture  413  by integrating in terms of time the speed at the border line from at which the I picture  400  is reproduced to at which each picture is reproduced. Then, the transition data converting section  220  specifies the position X 443  of the border line of the macroblock proximate to the calculated position of border line and generates transition data in which the position of border line is adjusted to the specified position. Here, the meaning of that the position of the border line is adjusted to the specified position is that the position of border line is determined such that the pixel column adjacent to the position X 433  in the B picture  413  is corresponded to the pixel column of the rightmost of the still image  400 , and the pixel column adjacent to the right side of the pixel column in the B picture  413  is corresponded to the pixel column of the leftmost of the still image  401 .  
      Thus, the transition data converting section  220  converts transition data such that the transition of the border line in each picture is approximate to the transition of the border line indicated by the transition data while the position of the border line is transferred by the width for an integer number of partial regions in continuous pictures.  
      Then, the motion vector calculating section  250  calculates the motion vector of the border line e.g. TV 423  in the B picture  413  from the transition data converted by the transition data converting section  220 . For example, the motion vector calculating section  250  calculates a motion vector for referring the macroblock  420  which represents the image content of a macroblock  423   a  and a motion vector for referring the macroblock  430  which represents the image content of a macroblock  423   b  using a motion vector TV 423  of the border line from the I picture  410 . Here, the difference image data for each of the macroblocks in the B picture  413  is 0.  
      For another example of transition of images in  FIG. 3 , the moving image generating section  214  generates a moving image in which the display is transferred from the still image  400  to the still image  401  and in which a region for displaying the image content of the still image  401  is extended from the bottom right to the upper left. Specifically, the moving image generating section  214  generates an I picture  450  from the still image  400  and generates an I picture  460  which is reproduced next to the I picture  450  from the still image  401 . Specifically, the transition data acquiring section  212  acquires transition data indicative of a transition speed Vx 490  and a transition speed Vy 490  for each of the displayed border lines in the X direction and the Y direction, respectively.  
      Then, the transition data converting section  220  converts the transition data such that X coordinate and Y coordinate of the displayed border line calculated based on the Vx 490  and the Vy 490  is adjusted to the position of the border line of the macroblocks. The detailed operation to adjust the X coordinate and the Y coordinate of the displayed border line to the position of the border line of macroblocks is the same as the operation to adjust the position of the border line of the moving image component  413  to the position of the border line of macroblocks as described above, so that the description is omitted.  
      Therefore, all of the macroblocks included in the B pictures  451 ,  452  and  453  do not include any displayed border line, so that the image contents of all macroblocks are included in the previous and next I pictures. Accordingly, the image contents of all macroblocks for the B pictures  451 ,  452  and  453  can be represented by the motion vector component “0” and the difference image signal “0”.  
      As described above, the moving image generating apparatus  100  can directly obtain the motion vector and the difference image signal for all macroblocks by adjusting the position of the border line. Therefore, the moving image generating apparatus  100  can significantly reduce the time for generating a moving image in comparison with the case that pixel data for moving image components is firstly generated and then the moving image is encoded by MPEG. Here, in  FIG. 3 , it has been described about the case that an I picture in the moving image is generated from one still image for ease of explanation. However, an image obtained by combining a plurality of still images may be generated as the I picture, of course. In this case, the transition data acquiring section  212  may acquire transition data indicating that an image obtained by combining the plurality of still image is generated as the I picture.  
       FIG. 4  shows another example of moving data generated by the moving image generating section  214 . In  FIG. 4 , the moving image generating apparatus  100  generates moving data indicative of transition of an object showing the sun against a background of a still image  300 . The transition data acquiring section  212  acquires as transition data the difference among the coordinates of the object showing the sun (vectors ΔTV 301 ,  302 ,  303  and  304 ) in the pictures continuously reproduced. Additionally, the transition data includes the initial potion of the object. The moving image generating section  214  superimposes the image of the object on the initial position of the object indicated by the transition data of the still image  300  to generate an I picture  331 .  
      Here, the moving image generating section  214  converts the image of the object to an image including one or more macroblocks. Specifically, the moving image generating section  214  converts an outline  310  of the object before being converted so as to adjust to a pixel column  311  of the border line of the macroblocks.  
      Hereinafter it will be specifically described about an operation to generate a P picture  334 . The transition data converting section  220  calculates a vector  314  indicative of transition of the object by sequentially adding vector ΔTV 301 ,  302  and  303  for each I picture  331 ,  332 ,  333  and  334  and calculates the position of the object in a P picture  334  based on the calculated vector V 314  and the initial position of the object. At this time, the transition data converting section  220  adjusts the position of the object such that the converted outline of the image of the object is corresponded to the outline of the macroblocks based on the calculated position of the object, the converted image of the object including one or more macroblocks and the position of the macroblocks in the P picture  334 . At this time, the transition data converting section  220  determines the transition direction and the amount of transition of the position of the object such that the amount of transition from the calculated position of the object such as the transition distance of the centroid of the object is minimized. Thus, the transition data converting section  220  approximates the transition path of the object to the transition path indicated by the transition data.  
      In this case, the motion vector calculating section  250  calculates the difference between the position of the object included in the P picture  334  after being adjusted and the position of the object included in the I picture  331  of which image content is the same as the adjusted object. Then, the P picture generating section  284  represents the image content of the macroblocks included in the object in the P picture  334  by the calculated motion vector “0” and the difference image signal. Additionally, the identical partial region specifying section  240  specifies the macroblocks in which the object is not included in the I picture  331  over the range constituting each macroblock among the macroblocks which do not include the object in the P picture  334 . Then, the motion vector calculating section  250  calculates the motion vector of the specified macroblock as 0. Then, the P picture generating section  284  represents the image content of the specified macroblock by the difference image signal “0” and the motion vector “0” which is calculated by the motion vector calculating section  250  to generate a P picture  334 .  
      Thus, the moving image generating apparatus  100  can easily calculate the motion vector and the difference image signal based on the transition data without block matching. Here, it has been described that the difference between the coordinate for each object of the picture continuously reproduced is stored as transition data, for example. However, transition data acquiring section  212  may acquire as the transition data the time-dependent data for the speed of the object In this case, the time-dependent data for the speed of the object is integrated in terms of time from the I picture to calculate the object transition vector to which the object is transferred.  
      As described above, the moving image generating apparatus  100  can generate moving data compressed by MPEG from the transition data more speedily than the case that the moving image is generated by generating pixel data for each picture once and block matching between the pixel data and the I picture or P picture. Here, it has been described about the operation of the moving image generating section  214  by taking the transition of the object as a specific example. The transition data may be the transition of a region included in the still image (I picture). In this case, the moving image generating apparatus  100  also can speedily generate a moving image by converting transition data through the procedure the same as the operation described with reference to  FIG. 4 . Additionally, the moving image generating apparatus  100  can acquire the transition data indicative of the combination of transition of the displayed border line with reference to the above-described two examples in  FIG. 3  and the transition of the object described with reference to  FIG. 4 , of course. In this case, the moving image generating apparatus  100  also can convert the display border line, the outline of the object and the position of the object for each macroblock by the combination of the operations described with reference to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 .  
       FIG. 5  shows an example of generating a moving image in which an object is transferred by a transition width smaller than the width for a macroblock. In  FIG. 5 , the object moves by the width half as long as a macroblock. Here,  FIG. 4  shows an example of a moving image including an object which transfers against the background. Then, the image content for each macroblock included in the background around the movement path through which the object transfers is the same. Here, the meaning that the image content is the same includes the case that the background is formed by the macroblocks with the same pattern and also includes the case that the background such as a background with only black and only white is formed by macroblocks with single color and no pattern, of course.  
      In  FIG. 5 , macroblocks  501 ,  502 ,  503  and  504  included in a picture  550  reproduced at one timing include the outline of the object and also include the image of the object and the image of the background. Then, a picture  551  reproduced at the next timing includes an image in which the object is transferred by the distance half as long as the width of a macroblock in the X direction. Macroblocks  511 ,  512 ,  513  and  514  include the image of the object and the image of the background.  
      Then, a picture  552  reproduced at the timing next to the timing at which the picture  551  is reproduced includes an image in which the object is further transferred by the distance half as long as the width of a macroblock in the X direction. Macroblocks  521 ,  522 ,  523  and  524  include the image of the object and the image of the background. Here, the image content for each of the macroblocks included in the background around the object is the same, so that the image content for each of the macroblocks  521 ,  522 ,  523  and  524  is the same as the image content for each of the macroblocks  501 ,  502 ,  503  and  504 . Accordingly, the image content for each of the macroblocks  521 ,  522 ,  523  and  524  can be represented by the motion vector having the width for one macroblock in the X direction and the difference image signal “0” with reference to the macroblocks  501 ,  502 ,  503  and  504 , respectively. Accordingly, generating the picture  550  as an I picture or P picture and generating the picture  552  as such as a P picture or B picture, the moving mage generating apparatus  100  can represent also the image content of the macroblock including the border line between the object and the background by the motion vector and the difference image signal “0” 
      Additionally, it has been described that the object is Transferred by the distance half as long as the width of a macroblock, for example. However, the object can be transferred by the distance as long as one integers of the width of a macroblock. For example, when the object is transferred by the distance as long as one third of the width of a macroblock, the image content of the macroblock of the picture subsequently generated can be represented by the motion vector for referring the macroblock in the picture from which pixel data is generated by generating the image data of the macroblocks in at least two pictures. Here, the object may be transferred in the Y direction, the X direction and the Y direction, of course.  
      As described above, the moving image generating section  214  may generate a plurality of pictures in which the transition region is transferred by the width as long as one integers of the width of the partial region in the moving image. Additionally, the transition data converting section  220  may concert the transition data acquired by the transition data acquiring section  212  to transition data indicative of transition by the width as long as one integers of the width of the partial region.  
       FIG. 6  shows an example of the hardware configuration of the moving image generating apparatus  100 . The moving image generating apparatus  100  includes a CPU periphery having a CPU  1505 , a RAM  1520 , a graphic controller  1575  and a display  1580  which are connected through a host controller  1582  each other, an input/output unit having a communication interface  1530 , a hard disk drive  1540  and a CD-ROM drive  1560  which are connected to the host controller  1582  through an input/output controller  1584  and a legacy input/output unit having a ROM  1510 , a flexible disk drive  1550  and an input/output chip  1570  which are connected to the input/output controller  1584 .  
      The host controller  1582  connects the RAM  1520  to the CPU  1505  and the graphic controller  1575  which access the RAM  1520  with a high transfer rate. The CPU  1505  operates according to the programs stored in the ROM  1510  and the RAM  1520  to control each unit. The graphic controller  1575  obtains image data generated on a frame buffer provided in the RAM  1520  by the CPU  1505  and displays the same on the display  1580 . Alternatively, the graphic controller  1575  may include therein a frame buffer for storing image data generated by the CPU  1505 .  
      The input/output controller  1584  connects the host controller  1582  to the hard disk drive  1540 , the communication interface  1530  and the CD-ROM drive  1560  which are relatively high-speed input/output units. The lard disk drive  1540  stores the program and data used by the CPU  1505 . The communication interface  1530  is connected to a network communication device  1598  to transmit/receive the data or program. The CD-ROM drive  1560  reads the program or data from the CD-ROM  1595  and provides the same to the hard disk drive  1540  through the RAM  1520 .  
      The ROM  1510 , and the flexible disk drive  1550  and input/output chip  1570  which are relatively low-speed input/output units are connected to the input/output controller  1584 . The ROM  1510  stores a boot program executed by the moving image generating apparatus  100  at activating and a program depending on the hardware of the moving image generating apparatus  100 . The flexible disk drive  1550  reads the program or data from a flexible disk  1590  and provides the same to the hard disk drive  1540  and the communication interface  1530  through the RAM  1520 . The input/output chip  1570  connects various input/output units through the flexible disk drive  1550  and such as a parallel port, a serial port, a keyboard port and a mouse port  
      The program executed by the CPU is stored in a recording medium, such as the flexible disk  1590 , the CD-ROM  1595 , or an IC card and provided by the user. The program stored on the recording medium may be compressed and not compressed. The program is installed from the recording medium to the hard disk drive  1540 , read in the RAM  1520  and executed by the CPU  1505 .  
      The program executed by the CPU  1505  causes the moving image generating apparatus  100  to function as the induction input section  200 , the image output section  205 , the image storage section  210 , the transition data acquiring section  212  and the moving image generating section  214  described with reference to  FIG. 1 - FIG. 5 . Additionally, the program causes the image generating section  214  to function as the section data converting section  220 , the identical partial region specifying section  240 , the motion vector calculating section  250 , the moving image component generating section  280 , the DCT performing section  290 , the DCT coefficient quantizing section  292  and encoding section  294 . Further, the program causes the moving image component generating section  280  to function as the I picture generating section  282 , the P picture generating section  284  and the B picture generating section  286 .  
      The above-described program may be stored in au external storage medium. The recording medium may be, in addition to the flexible disk  1590  and the CD-ROM  1595 , an optical storage medium such as a DVD and a PD, a magneto-optical recording medium such as a MD, a tape medium and a semiconductor memory such as an IC card. Additionally, a storage media such as a hard disk or a RAM which is provided in the server system connected to a private communication network or Internet is used as the recording medium to provide the program to the moving image generating apparatus  100  through the network.  
      While the present invention have been described with the embodiment, the technical scope of the invention not limited to the above described embodiment. It is apparent to persons skilled in the art that various alternations and improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiment added such altercation or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the invention.