Patent ID: 8542985

Claim:
A moving image playback apparatus comprising: a storage device configured to beforehand store coded image data with a GOP (Group of Pictures) structure containing an I-picture being an intra-coded picture, a P-picture being a predictive coded picture produced based on the I-picture, and a B-picture produced based on the P-picture; a first decoder configured to decode the coded image data read from the storage device, and to output the decoded image data; a second decoder configured to decode the coded image data, and to output the decoded image data; a first output buffer configured to store and output the image data outputted from the first decoder; a second output buffer configured to store and output the image data outputted from the second decoder; a selector configured to selectively output the output from the first output buffer and the output from the second output buffer; and a controller configured to control a read process performed by the storage device, decode processes performed by the first decoder and the second decoder, and a switch process performed by the selector, wherein (a) under a standby state, with the I-picture of a specified GOP used as a reference, the controller causes the storage device to perform reading in which first coded image data of pictures in a first GOP immediately preceding the specified GOP and pictures up to the I-picture in the specified GOP following the first GOP are sequentially read from the storage device, and causes the first decoder to decode the first coded image data, and while the first decoder is decoding the first coded image data, the controller causes the storage device to perform reading in which second coded image data of pictures in the specified GOP and pictures up to the I-picture in a second GOP following the specified GOP are sequentially read from the storage device, and causes the second decoder to decode the second coded image data; and (b) upon start of any one of forward playback and reverse playback, the controller causes any one of the first output buffer and the second output buffer to output the corresponding image data.