Image playback device and method and electronic camera with image playback function

Abstract

An image playback device, which may be part of an electronic camera, reads out recorded information that has been recorded on a recording medium. A time period discriminator receives the recorded information read out by the image playback device and discriminates periods of time during which recorded information agrees with certain pre-set conditions. Moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information is played back and displayed in accordance with results of the discrimination.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An image playback device comprising: 
 a medium playback means which reads out recorded information that has been recorded on a recording medium;    a time period discriminating means which receives the recorded information read out by the image playback means and discriminates periods of time during which the recorded information agrees with at least one pre-set condition; and    a playback display means which plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information in accordance with the results of the discrimination performed by the time period discriminating means.    
     
     
         2 . An image playback device according to  claim 1 , wherein the time period discriminating means includes: 
 a sound quantity detection means which receives audio information from the recorded information read out by the medium playback means, and detects a quantity of sound of this audio information; and    a silence discriminating means which discriminates silent periods in which the quantity of sound detected by the sound quantity detection means drops below a predetermined sound quantity; and    the playback display means plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information only during time periods other than the silent periods discriminated by the silence discriminating means.    
     
     
         3 . An image playback device according to  claim 1 , wherein the time period discriminating means includes: 
 a speaker characteristic feature extracting means which receives audio information from the recorded information read out by the medium playback means, and detects at least one characteristic feature parameter specifying long-term spectrum averages or mean pitch frequencies for the audio information; and    a speaker discriminating means which discriminates time periods during which the at least one characteristic feature parameter detected by the speaker characteristic feature extracting means agrees with at least one pre-registered characteristic feature parameter within a permissible range;    and wherein the playback display means plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information only during time periods discriminated by the speaker discriminating means.    
     
     
         4 . An image playback device according to  claim 1 , wherein the time period discriminating means includes: 
 a brightness difference detection means which receives moving-picture image information from the recorded information read out by the medium playback means, and detects differences in brightness level between central and peripheral portions of an image screen; and    a backlighting discriminating means which discriminates periods of backlighting based on the brightness level differences detected by the brightness difference detection means;    and wherein the playback display means plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information only during time periods other than the periods of backlighting discriminated by the backlighting discriminating means.    
     
     
         5 . An image playback device according to  claim 1 , wherein the time period discriminating means includes: 
 a movement detection means which receives moving-picture image information from the recorded information read out by the medium playback means, and detects movement vectors between moving-picture frames; and    a panning discriminating means which discriminates panning periods from the movement vectors detected by the movement detection means;    and wherein the playback display means acquires the panning periods discriminated by the panning discriminating means, and plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information only during the panning periods or during time periods other than the panning periods.    
     
     
         6 . An image playback device according to  claim 1 , wherein the time period discriminating means includes: 
 a contrast detection means which receives moving-picture image information from the recorded information read out by the medium playback means, and detects contrast of this moving-picture image information; and    a low-contrast discriminating means which discriminates low-contrast periods in which the contrast detected by the contrast detection means drops below a predetermined threshold value;    and wherein the playback display means plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information only during time periods other than the low-contrast periods discriminated by the low-contrast discriminating means.    
     
     
         7 . An image playback device according to  claim 1 , wherein the time period discriminating means includes: 
 a flesh tone detection means which receives moving-picture image information from the recorded information read out by the medium playback means, and detects flesh tone regions within an image screen; and    an absence-of-persons discriminating means which discriminates periods of absence of persons in which the flesh tone regions detected by the flesh tone detection means drop below a prescribed area;    and wherein the playback display means acquires the periods of absence of persons discriminated by the absence-of-persons discriminating means, and plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information only during time periods of absence of persons or during time periods other than time periods of absence of persons.    
     
     
         8 . An electronic camera comprising: 
 an imaging means which produces moving-picture image information by imaging an object via an imaging optical system;    an imaging parameter detection means which detects at least one imaging parameter of the imaging optical system;    a medium recording means which receives moving-picture image information produced by the imaging means and at least one imaging parameter detected by the imaging parameter detection means, and records such moving-picture image information and imaging parameter on a recording medium as recorded information;    a medium playback means which reads out recorded information from the recording medium;    a time period discriminating means which receives at least one imaging parameter from the recorded information read out by the medium playback means, and discriminates time periods during which the received at least one imaging parameter agrees with at least one pre-set condition; and    a playback display means which plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information in accordance with results of the discrimination performed by the time period discriminating means.    
     
     
         9 . An electronic camera according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the imaging parameter detection means detects focal point adjustment conditions of the imaging optical system as the at least one imaging parameter;    the time period discriminating means receives the focal point adjustment conditions from the recorded information read out by the medium playback means, and discriminates out-of-focus periods in which the focal point adjustment conditions represent an out-of-focus state; and    the playback display means plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information only during time periods other than the out-of-focus periods detected by the time period discriminating means.    
     
     
         10 . An electronic camera according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the imaging parameter detection means detects a lens position of the imaging optical system as the at least one imaging parameter;    the time period discriminating means receives the lens position from the recorded information read out by the medium playback means, and discriminates point-blank periods in which the lens position is at a point-blank end; and    the playback display means plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information only during time periods other than the point-blank periods discriminated by the time period discriminating means.    
     
     
         11 . An electronic camera according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the imaging parameter detection means detects a lens position of the imaging optical system as the at least one imaging parameter;    the time period discriminating means receives the lens position from the recorded information read out by the medium playback means, and discriminates periods of infinite distance in which the lens position is at an infinite distance end; and    the playback display means plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information only during the periods of infinite distance discriminated by the time period discriminating means or during time periods other than the periods of infinite distance.    
     
     
         12 . An electronic camera comprising: 
 an imaging means which produces moving-picture image information by imaging an object via an imaging optical system;    an environmental parameter detection means which detects at least one environmental parameter indicative of a surrounding environment at the time of imaging;    a medium recording means which receives moving-picture image information produced by the imaging means and at least one environmental parameter detected by the environmental parameter detection means, and records such moving-picture image information and the at least one environmental parameter on a recording medium as recorded information;    a medium playback means which reads out the recorded information from the recording medium;    a time period discriminating means which receives the at least one environmental parameter from the recorded information read out by the medium playback means, and discriminates time periods during which the received at least one environmental parameter agrees with at least one pre-set condition; and    a playback display means which plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information in accordance with results of the discrimination performed by the time period discriminating means.    
     
     
         13 . An electronic camera according to  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the environmental parameter detection means includes: 
 an infrared radiation detection means which detects infrared radiation from an imaged object field; and  
 a temperature detection means which detects temperature of an object in accordance with the infrared radiation detected by the infrared radiation detection means, and uses this temperature of the object as an environmental parameter;  
 the time period discriminating means receives the temperature of the object from the recorded information read out by the medium playback means, and discriminates periods in which the temperature of the object is within a predetermined temperature range;  
 and wherein the playback display means plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the above-mentioned recorded information only during the periods discriminated by the time period discriminating means or during time periods other than the periods discriminated by the time period discriminating means.  
   
     
     
         14 . An image playback method comprising: 
 reading out recorded information that has been recorded on a recording medium;    discriminating time periods during which the read out recorded information agrees with at least one pre-set condition; and    playing back and displaying moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information in accordance with the results of the discriminating.    
     
     
         15 . An image playback method according to  claim 14 , wherein the time period discriminating includes: 
 receiving audio information from the recorded information read out and detecting a quantity of sound of this audio information; and    discriminating silent periods in which the quantity of detected sound drops below a predetermined sound quantity;    and wherein moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information is played back and displayed only during time periods other than the discriminated silent periods.    
     
     
         16 . An image playback method according to  claim 14 , wherein the time period discriminating includes: 
 receiving audio information from the recorded information read out, and detecting at least one characteristic feature parameter specifying long-term spectrum averages or mean pitch frequencies for the audio information; and    discriminating time periods during which the detected at least one characteristic feature parameter agrees with at least one pre-registered characteristic feature parameter within a permissible range;    and wherein moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information is played back and displayed only during discriminated time periods.    
     
     
         17 . An image playback method according to  claim 14 , wherein the time period discriminating includes: 
 receiving moving-picture image information from the recorded information read out, and detecting differences in brightness level between central and peripheral portions of an image screen; and    discriminating periods of backlighting based on the detected brightness level differences;    and wherein moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information is played back and displayed only during time periods other than the discriminated periods of backlighting.    
     
     
         18 . An image playback method according to  claim 14 , wherein the time period discriminating includes: 
 receiving moving-picture image information from the recorded information read out, and detecting movement vectors between moving-picture frames; and    discriminating panning periods from the detected movement vectors;    and wherein moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information is played back and displayed only during discriminated panning periods or during time periods other than discriminated panning periods.    
     
     
         19 . An image playback method according to  claim 14 , wherein the time period discriminating includes: 
 receiving moving-picture image information from the recorded information read out, and detecting contrast of this moving-picture image information; and    discriminating low-contrast periods in which the detected contrast drops below a predetermined threshold value;    and wherein moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information is played back and displayed only during time periods other than the discriminated low-contrast periods.    
     
     
         20 . An image playback method according to  claim 14 , wherein the time period discriminating includes: 
 receiving moving-picture image information from the recorded information read out, and detecting flesh tone regions within an image screen; and    discriminating periods of absence of persons in which the detected flesh tone regions drop below a prescribed area;    and wherein moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information is played back and displayed only during discriminated periods of absence of persons or during periods other than discriminated periods of absence of persons.    
     
     
         21 . An electronic camera operating method comprising: 
 producing moving-picture image information by imaging an object via an imaging optical system;    detecting at least one imaging parameter of the imaging optical system;    receiving moving-picture image information produced by the imaging and at least one detected imaging parameter, and recording such moving-picture image information and imaging parameter on a recording medium as recorded information;    reading out recorded information from the recording medium;    receiving at least one imaging parameter from the recorded information read out, and discriminating time periods during which the received at least one imaging parameter agrees with at least one pre-set condition; and    playing back and displaying moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information in accordance with results of the time period discriminating.    
     
     
         22 . An electronic camera operating method according to  claim 21 , wherein: 
 the imaging parameter detecting detects focal point adjustment conditions of the imaging optical system as the at least one imaging parameter;    the time period discriminating discriminates out-of-focus periods in which the focal point adjustment conditions represent an out-of-focus state; and    the playing back and displaying plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information only during time periods other than discriminated out-of-focus periods.    
     
     
         23 . An electronic camera operating method according to  claim 21 , wherein: 
 the imaging parameter detecting detects a lens position of the imaging optical system as the at least one imaging parameter;    the time period discriminating discriminates point-blank periods in which the lens position is at a point-blank end; and    the playing back and displaying plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information only during time periods other than the discriminated point-blank periods.    
     
     
         24 . An electronic camera operating method according to  claim 21 , wherein: 
 the imaging parameter detecting detects a lens position of the imaging optical system as the at least one imaging parameter;    the time period discriminating discriminates periods of infinite distance in which the lens position is at an infinite distance end; and    the playing back and displaying plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information only during discriminated periods of infinite distance or during time periods other than discriminated periods of infinite distance.    
     
     
         25 . An electronic camera operating method comprising: 
 producing moving-picture image information by imaging an object via an imaging optical system;    detecting at least one environmental parameter indicative of a surrounding environment at the time of imaging;    receiving produced moving-picture image information and at least one detected environmental parameter, and recording such moving-picture image information and at least one environmental parameter on a recording medium as recorded information;    reading out the recorded information from the recording medium;    receiving the at least one environmental parameter from the recorded information read out, and discriminating time periods during which the received at least one environmental parameter agrees with at least one pre-set condition; and    playing back and displaying moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information in accordance with results of the time period discriminating.    
     
     
         26 . An electronic camera operating method according to  claim 25 , wherein: 
 the environmental parameter detecting includes: 
 detecting infrared radiation from an imaged object field; and  
 detecting temperature of an object in accordance with the detected infrared radiation as an environmental parameter;  
 wherein the time period discriminating discriminates periods in which the temperature of the object is within a predetermined temperature range; and  
 the playing back and displaying plays back and displays moving-picture image information contained in the recorded information only during discriminated periods or during time periods other than the discriminated periods.