Patent ID: 8009188

Claim:
A picture reproducing apparatus comprising: first means for reproducing three-dimensional video data having divided units each representing pictures and each including contents biological influence level information and depth information which have been compressed by run length encoding, wherein specified units among the divided units are assigned to a same playback timing, and the contents biological influence level information in each divided unit indicates an estimated level of influence of video contents in said divided unit on a biological body and the depth information in each divided unit determines an actual degree of influence of a depth in the pictures represented by said divided unit on a viewer; second means for detecting the contents biological influence level information in each divided unit; third means for obtaining an estimated degree of influence of the depth in the pictures represented by each divided unit on the viewer from the contents biological influence level information detected by the second means; fourth means for setting an allowable range with respect to the estimated influence degree obtained by the third means; fifth means for deciding whether the estimated influence degree obtained by the third means is within or outside the allowable range set by the fourth means; and sixth means for controlling the depth information in a divided unit to reduce the actual degree of influence of the depth in the pictures represented by said divided unit on the viewer when the fifth means decides that the estimated influence degree is outside the allowable range for said divided unit.