Image reproducing apparatus and image reproducing method

Abstract

An image reproducing device and an image reproducing method that can control a brightness and/or a contrast of a sub image according to a brightness and/or a contrast of a main image and minimize eyestrain of users are provided. The image reproducing device comprises an image signal inputting part for receiving input of a first image signal; a sub image signal generating part for generating a sub image signal from information on a sub image extracted from the above-mentioned first image signal; a main image signal decoding part for extracting a main image signal from the above-mentioned first image signal and decoding the above-mentioned main image signal; a brightness detecting part for detecting a brightness of the above-mentioned main image signal and calculating a brightness average value; a brightness adjusting part for adjusting a brightness of the above-mentioned sub image signal based on the above-mentioned brightness average value; an image signal composing part for synchronizing the above-mentioned main image signal and the above-mentioned sub image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted, composing them and generating a second image signal; and an image signal outputting part for outputting the above-mentioned second image signal.

1 . An image reproducing device comprising: 
 an image signal inputting part for receiving input of a first image signal;    a sub image signal generating part for generating a sub image signal from information on a sub image extracted from said first image signal;    a main image signal decoding part for extracting a main image signal from said first image signal and decoding said main image signal;    a brightness detecting part for detecting a brightness of said main image signal and calculating a brightness average value;    a brightness adjusting part for adjusting a brightness of said sub image signal based on said brightness average value;    an image signal composing part for composing said main image signal and said sub image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted, and generating a second image signal; and    an image signal outputting part for outputting said second image signal.    
     
     
         2 . An image reproducing device as stated in  claim 1  further comprising a contrast adjusting part for adjusting a contrast of said sub image signal based on said brightness average value, wherein 
 said image signal composing part composes said main image signal and said sub image signal, the brightness and the contrast of which are adjusted, and generates a second image signal.    
     
     
         3 . An image reproducing device as stated in  claim 1  further comprising a contrast detecting part for detecting a contrast of said main image signal, wherein 
 said brightness adjusting part adjusts the brightness of the sub image signal based on said brightness average value and said contrast.    
     
     
         4 . An image reproducing device as stated in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a contrast detecting part for detecting the contrast of said main image signal; and    a contrast adjusting part for adjusting the contrast of said sub image signal based on said contrast or said brightness average value and said contrast, wherein    said image signal composing part composes said main image signal and said sub image signal, the brightness and the contrast of which are adjusted, and generates a second image signal.    
     
     
         5 . An image reproducing device as stated in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an external brightness detecting part for detecting an external brightness as a brightness of a space where said second image signal is displayed; and    a main image brightness adjusting part for adjusting the brightness of said main image signal based on said external brightness, wherein    said brightness detecting part detects the brightness of said main image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted, and calculates a brightness average value, and    said image signal composing part composes said main image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted, and said sub image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted or the brightness and the contrast of which are adjusted, and generates a second image signal.    
     
     
         6 . An image reproducing device as stated in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an external brightness detecting part for detecting an external brightness as a brightness of a space where said second image signal is displayed; and    a main image brightness adjusting part for adjusting the brightness of said main image signal based on said external brightness, wherein    said brightness adjusting part adjusts the brightness of the sub image signal based on said external brightness and the brightness of said main image signal, the brightness of which is not adjusted, and    said image signal composing part composes said main image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted, and said sub image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted, and generates a second image signal.    
     
     
         7 . An image reproducing device as stated in  claim 2  further comprising: 
 an external brightness detecting part for detecting an external brightness as a brightness of a space where said second image signal is displayed; and    a main image brightness adjusting part for adjusting the brightness of said main image signal based on said external brightness, wherein    said contrast adjusting part adjusts the contrast of said sub image signal based on said external brightness and the brightness of the main image signal, the brightness of which is not adjusted, and    said image signal composing part composes said main image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted, and said sub image signal, the brightness and the contrast of which are adjusted, and generates a second image signal.    
     
     
         8 . An image reproducing device as stated in  claim 1  further comprising a storing part for storing said main image signal and outputting said main image signal with a delay, wherein 
 said image signal composing part composes said main image signal, the brightness average value of which is calculated, output from said storing part with a delay and said sub image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted based on said brightness average value.    
     
     
         9 . An image reproducing device as stated in  claim 1 , wherein 
 when a difference between the brightness average value of said main image signal of a preceding picture and the brightness average value of said main image signal of a present picture is not greater than a predetermined threshold, or when a difference between the brightness value of said sub image signal of the preceding picture and the brightness value of said sub image signal corresponding to the brightness average value of said main image signal of the present picture is not greater than a predetermined threshold, said brightness adjusting part adjusts the brightness of said sub image signal to be a value corresponding to the brightness average value of said main image signal of the present picture at a predetermined time constant, and    when a difference between the brightness average value of said main image signal of a preceding picture and the brightness average value of said main image signal of a present picture is greater than a predetermined threshold, or when a difference between the brightness value of said sub image signal of the preceding picture and the brightness value of said sub image signal corresponding to the brightness average value of said main image signal of the present picture is greater than a predetermined threshold, said brightness adjusting part adjusts the brightness of said sub image signal to be a value corresponding to the brightness average value of said main image signal of the present picture instantly.    
     
     
         10 . An image reproducing method comprising: 
 an image signal inputting step of receiving input of a first image signal;    a sub image signal generating step of generating a sub image signal from information on a sub image extracted from said first image signal;    a main image signal decoding step of extracting a main image signal from said first image signal and decoding said main image signal;    a brightness detecting step of detecting a brightness of said main image signal and calculating a brightness average value;    a brightness adjusting step of adjusting a brightness of said sub image signal based on said brightness average value;    an image signal composing step of composing said main image signal and said sub image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted, and generating a second image signal; and    an image signal outputting step of outputting said second image signal.    
     
     
         11 . An image reproducing method as stated in  claim 10  further comprising a contrast adjusting step of adjusting a contrast of said sub image signal based on said brightness average value, wherein 
 said image signal composing step composes said main image signal and said sub image signal, the brightness and the contrast of which are adjusted, and generates a second image signal.    
     
     
         12 . An image reproducing method as stated in  claim 10  further comprising a contrast detecting step of detecting a contrast of said main image signal, wherein 
 said brightness adjusting step adjusts the brightness of the sub image signal based on said brightness average value and said contrast.    
     
     
         13 . An image reproducing method as stated in  claim 10  further comprising: 
 a contrast detecting step of detecting the contrast of said main image signal; and    a contrast adjusting step of adjusting the contrast of said sub image signal based on said contrast or said brightness average value and said contrast, wherein    said image signal composing step composes said main image signal and said sub image signal, the brightness and the contrast of which are adjusted, and generates a second image signal.    
     
     
         14 . An image reproducing method as stated in  claim 10  further comprising: 
 an external brightness detecting step of detecting an external brightness as a brightness of a space where said second image signal is displayed; and    a main image brightness adjusting step of adjusting the brightness of said main image signal based on said external brightness, wherein    said brightness detecting step detects the brightness of said main image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted, and calculates a brightness average value, and    said image signal composing step composes said main image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted, and said sub image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted or the brightness and the contrast of which are adjusted, and generates a second image signal.    
     
     
         15 . An image reproducing method as stated in  claim 10  further comprising: 
 an external brightness detecting step of detecting an external brightness as a brightness of a space where said second image signal is displayed; and    a main image brightness adjusting step of adjusting the brightness of said main image signal based on said external brightness, wherein    said brightness adjusting step adjusts the brightness of the sub image signal based on said external brightness and the brightness of said main image signal, the brightness of which is not adjusted, and    said image signal composing step composes said main image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted, and said sub image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted, and generates a second image signal.    
     
     
         16 . An image reproducing method as stated in  claim 11  further comprising: 
 an external brightness detecting step of detecting an external brightness as a brightness of a space where said second image signal is displayed; and    a main image brightness adjusting step of adjusting the brightness of said main image signal based on said external brightness, wherein    said contrast adjusting step adjusts the contrast of said sub image signal based on said external brightness and the brightness of the main image signal, the brightness of which is not adjusted, and    said image signal composing step composes said main image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted, and said sub image signal, the brightness and the contrast of which are adjusted, and generates a second image signal.    
     
     
         17 . An image reproducing method as stated in  claim 10  further comprising a delaying step of storing said main image signal and outputting said main image signal with a delay, wherein 
 said image signal composing step composes said main image signal, the brightness average value of which is calculated and which is output with a delay by said delaying step, and said sub image signal, the brightness of which is adjusted based on the brightness average value.    
     
     
         18 . An image reproducing method as stated in  claim 10 , wherein 
 when a difference between the brightness average value of said main image signal of a preceding picture and the brightness average value of said main image signal of a present picture is not greater than a predetermined threshold, or when a difference between the brightness value of said sub image signal of the preceding picture and the brightness value of said sub image signal corresponding to the brightness average value of said main image signal of the present picture is not greater than a predetermined threshold, said brightness adjusting step adjusts the brightness of said sub image signal to be a value corresponding to the brightness average value of said main image signal of the present picture at a predetermined time constant, and    when a difference between the brightness average value of said main image signal of a preceding picture and the brightness average value of said main image signal of a present picture is greater than a predetermined threshold, or when a difference between the brightness value of said sub image signal of the preceding picture and the brightness value of said sub image signal corresponding to the brightness average value of said main image signal of the present picture is greater than a predetermined threshold, said brightness adjusting step adjusts the brightness of said sub image signal to be a value corresponding to the brightness average value of said main image signal of the present picture instantly.