Patent ID: 7286749

Claim:
A moving image playback apparatus which enables play back of moving image information at a high speed, comprising: voice period determination means for determining a first voice period which represents a human utterance period, and a second voice period other than the first voice period, on the basis of sub-information or an audio signal contained in the moving image information; and quick preview playback means for making high-speed moving image playback with playback voice of the first voice period at a predetermined speed at which a user can recognize playback contents, while making at least high-speed moving image playback of the second voice period at a speed higher than the predetermined speed, wherein said voice period determination means comprises correction means for making correction by integrating a plurality of neighboring first voice periods on a time axis upon determining the first voice period on the basis of the audio signal, and wherein said correction means detects scene change points contained in the moving image information, and when a time interval between a neighboring scene change point, which is earlier than a start point of the first voice period of interest and is closest to the start point, of the detected scene change points, and that start point is not more than a predetermined threshold value, said correction means makes correction by replacing the start point of the first voice period of interest by information corresponding to the neighboring scene change point.