Moving image data generation device, moving image display device, moving image data generation method, moving image displaying method, and data structure of moving image file

A moving image display device comprising:

• a moving image data storage unit configured to store hierarchical moving data configured by hierarchizing in order of resolutions a plurality of series of images that are representations of image frames constituting one moving image in different resolutions;
• an input information acquisition unit configured to acquire a signal requesting to move a display area in a moving image being displayed;
• a display image processing unit configured to generate a display image according to the signal requesting to move for each image frame, while switching a layer to be used to another layer, the layers included in the hierarchical moving image data, in accordance with a required resolution determined by the signal requesting to move acquired by the input information acquisition unit,
• wherein image data of at least one layer among layers constituting the hierarchical moving image data includes data on a difference image representing a subtraction from an enlarged image of an image on a different layer, the image being a representation of a same image frame with a resolution lower than that of the one layer, and
• wherein the display image processing unit restores an image by enlarging and adding the image on the different layer, if data to be used for displaying is data on a difference image.

A moving image data generation method generating hierarchical moving data configured by hierarchizing in order of resolutions a plurality of series of images that are representations of image frames constituting one moving image in different resolutions in order to generate a display image while switching a layer to be used to another layer in accordance with a resolution required in an image processing device that displays an image, comprising:

• reading moving image data comprising a series of image frames depicted with one resolution from a storage device;
• generating image data of respective layers for each image frame by reducing each image frame into a plurality of sizes;
• including, in image data of at least one layer, data on a difference image representing a subtraction from an enlarged image of an image on a different layer, the image being a representation of a same image frame with a resolution lower than that of the one layer, so as to generate hierarchical moving image data;
• and
• compressing and encoding the hierarchical moving image data and storing the compressed encoded hierarchical moving image data in the storage device.

A moving image displaying method comprising:

• reading from a storage device at least a portion of hierarchical moving data configured by hierarchizing in order of resolutions a plurality of series of images that are representations of image frames constituting one moving image in different resolutions, and starting to display a moving image on a display device by using the at least a portion of hierarchical moving data;
• acquiring a signal requesting to move a display area in a moving image being displayed;
• generating a display image according to the signal requesting to move for each image frame, while switching a layer to be used to another layer, the layers included in the hierarchical moving image data, in accordance with a required resolution determined by the signal requesting to move;
• and
• displaying the generated display image on the display device,
• wherein image data of at least one layer among layers constituting the hierarchical moving image data includes data on a difference image representing a subtraction from an enlarged image of an image on a different layer, the image being a representation of a same image frame with a resolution lower than that of the one layer, and
• wherein the generating a display image includes restoring an image by enlarging and adding the image on the different layer, if data to be used for displaying is data on a difference image.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium embodying a computer program, allowing a computer to implement a function of generating hierarchical moving data configured by hierarchizing in order of resolutions a plurality of series of images that are representations of image frames constituting one moving image in different resolutions in order to generate a display image while switching a layer to be used to another layer in accordance with a resolution required in an image processing device that displays an image, the computer program comprising:

• a module configured to read moving image data comprising a series of image frames depicted with one resolution from a storage device;
• a module configured to generate image data of respective layers for each image frame by reducing each image frame into a plurality of sizes;
• a module configured to include, in image data of at least one layer, data on a difference image representing a subtraction from an enlarged image of an image on a different layer, the image being a representation of a same image frame with a resolution lower than that of the one layer, so as to generate hierarchical moving image data;
• and
• a module configured to compress and encode the hierarchical moving image data and configured to store the compressed and encoded hierarchical moving image data in the storage device.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium embodying a computer program, the computer program comprising:

• a module configured to read from a storage device at least a portion of hierarchical moving data configured by hierarchizing in order of resolutions a plurality of series of images that are representations of image frames constituting one moving image in different resolutions, and starting to display a moving image on a display device by using the at least a portion of hierarchical moving data;
• a module configured to acquire a signal requesting to move a display area in a moving image being displayed;
• a module configured to generate a display image according to the signal requesting to move for each image frame, while switching a layer to be used to another layer, the layers included in the hierarchical moving image data, in accordance with a required resolution determined by the signal requesting to move;
• and
• a module configured to display the generated display image on the display device,
• wherein image data of at least one layer among layers constituting the hierarchical moving image data includes data on a difference image representing a subtraction from an enlarged image of an image on a different layer, the image being a representation of a same image frame with a resolution lower than that of the one layer, and
• wherein the module configured to generate a display image includes a module configured to restore an image by enlarging and adding the image on the different layer, if data to be used for displaying is data on a difference image.

A data structure of a moving image file to be displayed on a display device, wherein

• a) a range of resolutions determined by an operation input by a user regarding a display area;
• and
• b) hierarchical moving data, which is generated by hierarchizing in order of resolutions a plurality of series of images that are representations of image frames constituting one moving image in different resolutions, and which is used by switching layers in accordance with the range of resolutions, wherein image data of at least one layer includes data on a difference image representing a subtraction from an enlarged image of an image on a different layer, the image being a representation of a same image frame with a resolution lower than that of the one layer, and wherein the image on the different layer is enlarged and added so as to restore an image when displaying an image,
• are associated with each other.