HK1113449A - Apparatus for reproducing storage medium having interactive graphic stream - Google Patents

Description

Apparatus for reproducing storage medium having interactive graphic stream

This application is a divisional application of the patent application entitled "storage medium with interactive graphics stream and apparatus for reproducing the same", filed on 13/1/2005, application No. 200580002255.0.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to reproduction of multimedia data, and more particularly, to a storage medium including an interactive graphic stream that provides menus using various conversion effects regardless of a reproduction mode of multimedia data. The invention also relates to an apparatus for reproducing multimedia data.

Background

To reproduce multimedia data, AV data, navigation data for controlling reproduction of the AV data, and system data are recorded in a storage medium. The system data includes introduction information of a title of AV data to be first reproduced when the storage medium is inserted into the reproducing apparatus. In addition to the data, additional data may be included in the storage medium. Specifically, various information required for reproducing video, audio, subtitles, and menus is multiplexed into one main stream and recorded in AV data.

Fig. 1 is a structure of AV data in which various elementary streams are multiplexed. Referring to fig. 1, a video stream 102, an audio stream 104, a presentation graphic stream 106 for providing subtitles, and an interactive graphic stream 108 for providing a menu screen for interaction with a user are multiplexed into one main stream and recorded in a storage medium having multimedia data recorded therein. Hereinafter, the multiplexed main stream is referred to as AV data 110.

In particular, the interactive graphic stream 108 for providing a menu screen allowing interaction with a user includes a plurality of segments. Fig. 2 is a structure of an interactive graphics stream 108 from the elementary streams shown in fig. 1.

Referring to fig. 2, the interactive graphic stream 108 includes a plurality of segments. The unit displayed on one screen from the Interactive Composition Segment (ICS) to the end segment is called a display setup. One display setting includes, but is not limited to, the following:

1) an ICS for recording composition information of the interactive graphics;

2) a Palette Definition Segment (PDS) for defining palette information for color and/or definition applied to the interactive graphic;

3) a plurality of Object Definition Segments (ODSs) for defining object data including image information such as buttons to be displayed on a screen;

4) an end segment indicating the end of the display setting.

Specifically, the ICS includes output termination time information of the relevant display setting, button composition information, and operation information of the reproduction apparatus according to the user operation. ICS can be implemented using ICS data structures.

Each segment included in one display setting is recorded in a Packetized Elementary Stream (PES) that is a packet unit of an MPEG-2 Transport Stream (TS). The relevant display settings start to be decoded at a Decoding Time Stamp (DTS) included in the PES and start to be output to the display screen at a Presentation Time Stamp (PTS).

Further, the output termination time of the relevant display setting is determined by the value of the composition _ time _ out _ pts field recorded in the ICS. The composition _ time _ out _ pts field will be described later. Accordingly, the interactive graphic stream 108 is output to the screen at a designated time (PTS), receives a user operation, performs a corresponding operation, and disappears from the screen at a determined output termination time (composition _ time _ out _ PTS).

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

Since the data structure is as described above, the ICS has the following disadvantages. First, in the case of providing a multi-page menu, since movement of a preceding menu page and a subsequent menu page is only possible by a user operation according to general menu characteristics, a PTS defined in a PES packet including an ICS is meaningful only in a first menu page, and a PTS in a subsequent page does not have any meaning. Therefore, in order to construct the multi-page menu, the application type of the main stream should be set as a browsable slide show. That is, in the case where the main stream is a movie application, the multi-page menu cannot be implemented. Second, a conversion effect between menu pages in the multi-page menu cannot be provided.

Technical solution

The present invention provides a storage medium having recorded thereon an interactive graphics stream providing a multi-page menu even in the case where a main stream is a movie application, and an apparatus for reproducing the same.

The present invention also provides a storage medium having recorded thereon an interactive graphics stream through which various conversion effects can be applied when performing conversion between multiple pages, and an apparatus for reproducing the same.

Advantageous effects

Accordingly, a plurality of menu pages can be provided regardless of the mainstream application type. In addition, when a conversion between menu pages is performed, various conversion effects may be applied.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a structure of AV data in which various elementary streams are multiplexed;

fig. 2 is a structure of an interactive graphic stream of the elementary streams shown in fig. 1;

fig. 3 is a structure of an interactive composition segment providing a plurality of menu pages according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4 is a block diagram of an apparatus for reproducing AV data according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an interactive graphics decoder as a part of the reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 4, which processes an interactive graphics stream, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 6 is an example of an interactive composition segment providing a plurality of menu pages according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A through 7D are definitions of data for illustrating fields of an interaction composition segment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 8 illustrates an example in which animation effects are applied to button objects in the same menu page according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 9 illustrates an example of a screen transition effect between different menus using a plurality of screen transition objects according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of an interaction composition segment for applying a screen conversion effect in units of pages according to another embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 11 illustrates a screen transition effect in units of pages shown in fig. 10 on a time axis;

fig. 12 is an example of an interaction composition segment including an operation of specifying a point in time at which a menu page disappears from a screen when no user operation occurs for a predetermined duration, according to another embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 13 is an example of a status register included in a reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 illustrates a page selection model when processing an interactive graphics stream;

FIG. 15 illustrates the initialization process shown in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 shows a processing procedure due to a change in the reproduction state shown in FIG. 14; and

fig. l7 shows a processing procedure due to generation of the page conversion request shown in fig. 14.

Best mode for carrying out the invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium having multimedia information recorded therein, the storage medium including: video data; and graphic data for providing a menu screen superimposed on the image based on the video data, wherein the graphic data provides a plurality of menu pages.

The graphic data may include composition information and object information of the menu.

The graphic data may further include color information of the menu screen.

The composition information of the menu may include information of a plurality of menu pages.

The information of the plurality of menu pages may be identified by a unique Identifier (ID) for each page.

The information of the plurality of menu pages may further include information of a conversion effect applied when a conversion between the plurality of menu pages is performed.

The information of the conversion effect may be assigned to each button included in the plurality of menu pages, each menu page included in the plurality of menu pages, or each group of some buttons included in the plurality of menu pages.

The information of the plurality of menu pages may further include duration information for specifying that a predetermined menu page automatically disappears from the display screen when a user operation does not occur for a predetermined duration after the predetermined menu page is displayed.

The information of the conversion effect may include at least one of a menu page conversion effect, a button conversion effect, and a button animation effect.

The composition information of the menu may be a composition segment of a display setting of the MPEG-2 transport stream.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multimedia reproducing apparatus, the apparatus including: a decoder which decodes the video data; and a graphic decoder decoding graphic data to provide a menu screen superimposed on an image based on the video data, wherein the graphic decoder provides a plurality of menu pages.

The apparatus may further include: and a memory storing a unique ID of a menu page currently being reproduced.

The graphic decoder may provide a page conversion effect by setting the memory to a unique ID of a menu page to be changed.

Additional and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

Modes for carrying out the invention

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.

Fig. 3 is an example of an Interaction Composition Segment (ICS) shown in fig. 2. More specifically, fig. 3 shows the structure of an ICS 300 for providing a plurality of menu pages according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 3, ICS 300 includes a plurality of menu pages 310. Each menu page 310 includes a set of a plurality of buttons constituting one menu screen, and is identified by a page Identifier (ID) page ID 312. That is, a plurality of menu pages 310 are included in one ICS 300, and conversion effect information 314 applied when another page is converted to the relevant page is included in one menu page 310.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of an apparatus for reproducing AV data 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 4, the reproducing apparatus includes a reading unit 410, a demultiplexer 420, a plurality of decoders 430 to 460, and a mixer 470.

In detail, the reading unit 410 reads the multiplexed AV data 110 from the storage medium 400 and transmits the read AV data 110 to the demultiplexer 420. The demultiplexer 420 divides the transmitted AV data 110 into a video stream 102, an audio stream 104, a presentation graphic stream 106, and an interactive graphic stream 108 according to data types, and transmits the divided streams 102 to 108 to the corresponding decoders 430 to 460, respectively. Each stream transmitted to the corresponding decoder is decoded according to its data type and waits to be output to a screen at a designated time. The decoded video stream 102, the presentation graphic stream 106, and/or the interactive graphic stream 108 are superimposed as one image through the mixer 470. The selected image is output to the screen based on the output state set by the user. For example, the output state of the reproducing apparatus may be controlled on the basis of user selection such as on/off of subtitles and silence.

Specifically, the interactive graphic decoder 450 receives the interactive graphic stream 108 from the storage medium 400, decodes the received interactive graphic stream 108, and outputs a menu screen including buttons on a screen at a designated time. The user selection may be input by a user selecting a particular button in the output menu screen. That is, user interaction may be provided.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram of an interactive graphics decoder 450 as a part of the reproducing apparatus shown in fig. 4, which processes the interactive graphics stream 108, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 5, among AV data read from a storage medium 400, only an interactive graphic stream 108 is selectively transmitted to a transmission buffer 504 through a Packet Identifier (PID) filter 502 and decoded through an interactive graphic decoder 450.

The interactive graphic stream 108 is temporarily stored in the coded data buffer 512 in the interactive graphic decoder 450, and then transmitted to the stream graphic processor 514. After the transmitted interactive graphic stream 108 is decoded by the stream processor 514, object data for defining button images is transmitted to the object buffer 516, and composition information of the buttons is transmitted to the composition buffer 518. Graphics controller 520 constructs an output image by referring to composition information corresponding to each transmitted image data stored in composition buffer 518, and graphics controller 520 transmits the constructed image to graphics memory area (graphics plane) 530. That is, at the PTS that is the output start time of the interactive graphics stream 108, an image to be output on the current screen is determined under the control of the graphics controller 520, and the determined image is transmitted from the object buffer 516 to the graphics memory region 530. The transmitted image is output by referring to a color lookup table (CLUP)532 according to color information included in the related composition information of the transmitted image. In addition, the graphic controller 520 changes a button state according to a movement and selection of a button by receiving a User Operation (UOP). Then, the graphic controller 520 reflects the changed result on the screen output.

Specifically, ICS 300 shown in FIG. 3 is decoded and stored in composition buffer 518. The graphic controller 520 controls the output of the graphic image stored in the object buffer 516 by referring to the decoded ICS information stored in the composition buffer 518.

Fig. 6 is an example of an ICS providing a plurality of menu pages according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 6, there is shown an example of a syntax structure of an ICS according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ICS includes a plurality of menu pages 610, and each menu page includes a plurality of buttons 612.

Fig. 7A to 7D are definitions of data for illustrating fields of an ICS according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 6 and fig. 7A to 7D, the semantic structure of each field of the ICS will now be described in detail.

1) segment _ type: this is a field for indicating ICS.

2) segment _ length: this is a field for indicating the number of bytes of the ICS.

3) composition _ number: this is a field for indicating a unique value of the ICS in the interactive graphics stream. When the ICS is changed or updated, the value sequentially increases from 0.

4) composition _ state: this is a field for indicating the type of display setting included in the ICS.

In detail, fig. 7A shows types of display settings included in the ICS. Referring to fig. 7A, in consideration of the operation mode of the above-described interactive graphics decoder 450, an interactive graphics stream includes a plurality of units, each of which is referred to as an epoch (epoch). All the interactive graphic objects included in one stamp are decoded by the interactive graphic decoder 450 and consecutively stored in the object buffer 516 included in the interactive graphic decoder 450, and the contents are equally preserved unless the next stamp data is input. Accordingly, in one stamp, the interactive graphic object that has been decoded and stored in the object buffer 516 can be reused without decoding the interactive graphic object each time. However, when one stamp ends and the subsequent stamp starts, all buffers in the interactive graphic decoder 450 are reset and all stored data disappears. In addition, the time at which the buffer in the interactive graphic decoder 450 is reset may be defined as a predetermined time in one stamp.

As shown in fig. 3, display settings are defined as output units of the interactive graphic object. The display setting refers to a setting of an interactive graphic object output onto one screen, and one stamp may include at least one display setting. There are three types of display settings. First, the display setting in a stamp start (ES) state indicates the start of the stamp, and includes all data for outputting an interactive graphic, such as interactive graphic composition information required to construct the interactive graphic and object data for constructing a button image. Second, display settings in an Acquisition Point (AP) state may exist after ES display settings, and the AP display settings include all information for constructing an interactive graphic for a user random search case. Third, the display setting in the Normal Case (NC) includes only data to be changed from the interactive graphic constructed by the previous display setting, i.e., includes only data to be updated. As shown in fig. 7A, a plurality of display settings may be included in one stamp. The stamp begins with the ES display setting, and the AP or NC display setting may follow the ES display setting. The ES display setting must be included in one stamp, and the AP or NC display setting may be selectively included in one stamp.

With reference to fig. 6, description will now be continued for each field of the ICS.

5) composition _ update _ flag: this is a field indicating the correlation of the button commands between the previous ICS and the current ICS.

In detail, FIG. 7B shows the definition of the composition _ update _ flag value. Referring to FIG. 7B, when the composition _ update _ flag value is '0B', the button commands of the previous ICS and the current ICS are all the same, and when the composition _ update _ flag value is '1B', the button command is changed.

6) composition _ time _ out _ pts: this is a field indicating the termination time of the interactive display. At the termination time, the ICS is no longer valid and is no longer displayed on the screen. The PTS refers to a PTS of the main video.

7) UO _ mark _ table: this is a field indicating whether or not the user operation is allowed for all interactive display durations defined in the ICS.

8) animation _ frame _ rate _ code: this is a field for specifying a frame rate applied to the button conversion effect and/or the motion button.

9) default _ selected _ page _ id: this is a field indicating the page ID of the page that is substantially displayed when ICS reproduction starts.

The basic definition part of the ICS has been described, and a page structure indicating a plurality of pages is included in the ICS. The construction of a page structure indicating a plurality of pages will now be described.

10) page _ id: this is a field indicating a unique ID of each page in the multiple page structure 610 in the ICS. In the embodiment of the present invention, the reproducing apparatus stores the ID of the page currently displayed on the screen among the plurality of pages in the ICS in the system register. The configuration of the system register will be described later with reference to fig. 13.

11) selection _ time _ out _ duration: this is a field for specifying the effective duration of a period during which a button can be selected after a page associated with the button is displayed on the screen. If the user does not select the button before the time specified by the selection _ time _ out _ duration field expires, the button specified by the default activated button number field, which will be described later, is activated. Here, the button specified by the default _ activated _ button _ number field is activated only when the button specified by the default _ activated _ button _ number field is valid.

12) default _ selected _ button _ number: this is a field for specifying the number of buttons to be substantially selected when a menu page associated with the buttons is displayed on the screen.

13) default _ activated _ button _ number: this is a field indicating the number of buttons to be automatically activated in the case where the user does not select a button from the time a menu page associated with the button is displayed on the screen to the time specified by the selection _ time _ out _ duration field expires. If the value of the default _ activated _ button _ number field is designated as '0 xFF', the currently selected button is activated after the expiration of the time designated by the selection _ time _ out _ duration field, whereas if the value of the default activated button _ number field is designated as '0 x 00', no button is activated.

A definition part indicating a page structure of a plurality of pages has been described, and a button structure indicating a plurality of buttons included in each menu page is included in each page structure. The configuration of the button structure indicating a plurality of pages will now be described.

14) button _ number: this is a field indicating a unique ID of each button in a plurality of button structures in a menu page. Further, this field can be used when selecting an associated button by using a number. Values from 1 to 99 may be used.

15) numerically _ selectable _ flag: this is a field indicating whether the associated button can be directly selected by using the button _ number field of the button.

In detail, FIG. 7C shows whether the button can be directly selected by using the button _ number field of the button. Referring to FIG. 7C, if the value of the numeric _ selectable _ flag field is '0 b', the button cannot be directly selected by using the button _ number field of the button, and if the value of the numeric _ selectable _ flag field is '1 b', the button can be directly selected by using the button _ number field of the button.

16) auto _ action _ flag: this is a field for specifying the operation mode of the relevant button.

In detail, fig. 7D shows an operation mode of the button. Referring to fig. 7D, if the value of the auto _ action _ flag field is '0 b', the operation mode of the button is changed to the selected _ state mode when the button is selected, and if the value of the auto _ action _ flag field is '1 b', the operation mode of the button is changed to the activated _ state mode without displaying the button image. The operation mode is defined in the lower part of fig. 6.

17) button _ horizontal _ position: this is a field for specifying the horizontal position of the upper left pixel of the relevant button.

18) button _ vertical _ position: this is a field for specifying the vertical position of the upper left pixel of the relevant button.

19) upper (lower/left/right) _ button _ number: this is a field for specifying the button _ number field of the button selected by UOP using the move _ up (down/left/right) selected _ button field when the button is selected by moving the arrow in the up/down/left/right direction.

20) page _ change _ start _ object _ id _ normal (selected): this is a field for specifying the ID object _ ID of the first button object of the button displaying normal (selected) _ state with a conversion effect when a menu page is displayed on the screen at the first time or when a menu page is converted to another menu page.

21) Page _ change _ end _ object _ id _ normal (selected): this is a field for specifying the ID object _ ID of the last button object of the button displaying normal (selected) _ state with a conversion effect when a menu page is displayed on the screen at the first time or when a menu page is converted to another menu page.

22) start _ object _ id _ normal (selected): this is a field for specifying the IDobject _ id of the first button object which should be displayed on the screen after the display of the button object specified by the page _ change _ end _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field is completed.

23) end _ object _ id _ normal (selected): this is a field for specifying the ID object _ ID of the last button object of the button displaying normal (selected) _ state on the screen.

24) repeat _ normal (selected) _ flag: this is a field for specifying whether to continuously repeat the animation of normal (selected) _ state. The repeat _ normal (selected) flag field has a value of '0 x 00' if the value of the start _ object _ normal (selected) field is equal to the value of the end _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field.

25) start _ object _ id _ activated: this is a field for specifying the ID object _ ID of the first button object of the button displaying the actioned state on the screen.

26) end _ object _ id _ activated: this is a field for specifying the ID object _ ID of the last button object of the button displaying the actioned state on the screen.

27) number _ of _ button _ command: this is a field for indicating the number of commands related to the associated button. If the value of the number _ of _ button _ command field is set to 0, the button is used only as a simple graphic image without a command.

As described above, according to the example of ICS 300 according to the embodiment of the present invention, when a specific menu page is displayed on a screen, the following fields are specified,

1) a field 614 for giving a screen conversion effect of each button included in the menu page, and

2) a field 616 for giving an animation effect of each button after the screen transition effect.

Accordingly, a manufacturer should make a plurality of button objects to display a desired screen transition effect, and should make a plurality of button objects for animation effects of buttons, which should be continuously displayed on a page after the screen transition effect. As a result of these methods, the manufacturer can provide screen conversion effects of various methods.

Basically, in order to provide a more dynamic screen transition effect in units of buttons, it is not important whether the number of button objects included between the page _ change _ start _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field and the page _ change _ end _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field for each button is the same. However, in the case where the same conversion effect (such as a fade-in/out effect) is applied to the entire page, in order to provide a smooth screen conversion effect, in the embodiment of the present invention, all buttons included in the page have the same number of button objects as button objects included between the page _ change _ start _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field and the page _ change _ end _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field. In the case where the screen conversion effect is unnecessary, in the embodiment of the present invention, the values of the two fields are equal to the value of the start _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field.

An example in which a field 614 for giving a screen transition effect of each button included in a menu page and a field 616 for giving an animation effect of each button after the screen transition effect are used will be described in detail. That is, an example in which a manufacturer makes a plurality of screen transition button objects and applies a screen transition effect between different pages will be described. In which two pages having the same composition _ number field value are included in the ICS, a first menu page having a page _ id of 1 is shown in fig. 8, and a second menu page having a page _ id of 2 is shown in fig. 9.

Fig. 8 illustrates an example in which animation effects are applied to button objects in the same menu page according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 8, one button having a button _ number ═ 1 is displayed in the first menu page. For animation effects, the button includes five different button objects, i.e., object _ id 1 to object _ id 5. Each button object is changed and displayed according to the frame rate specified in the animation _ frame _ rate _ code field of each button object. Thus, a button animation effect can be achieved.

Fig. 9 illustrates an example of a screen transition effect between different menus using a plurality of screen transition objects according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 9, a second menu page having a page _ id of 2 is displayed. For example, the user may change a first menu page having a page _ id of 1 to a second menu page having a page _ id of 2 by activating a button _ number of 1 of the first menu page. Here, an effect of displaying buttons, which are buttons _ number ═ 1, 2, and 3 included in the second menu page of page _ id ═ 2, one by one from left to right and from top to bottom as indicated by an arrow 902 will be described. In order to provide the screen transition effect, a plurality of button objects are displayed according to the values of the page _ change _ start _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field and the page _ change _ end _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field. In detail, in the present embodiment, in the case of the button of button _ number 1, since there is no difference in visual sense from the button included in the first menu page of page _ id 1, a button object for a screen conversion effect is not additionally included.

Therefore, the values of the page _ change _ start _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field and the page _ change _ end _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field specify the same object _ id 1 as the value of the start _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field. Accordingly, if the first menu page is converted to the second menu page, the basic animation effect is repeatedly displayed as shown in fig. 8. Here, the commands included in the buttons may be changed according to the manufacturer's purpose.

In the case of the buttons of button _ number 2 and button _ 3, in order to provide the screen transition effect, the buttons include a plurality of button objects, respectively, object _ id 6 to object _ id 9 and object _ id 15 to object _ id 22. Thus, a screen transition effect is displayed as indicated by arrow 902. For each button of button _ number 2 and button 3, after the button object corresponding to the page _ change _ end _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field of each button is displayed, a plurality of button objects for animation effect existing between the button object indicated by the start _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field and the button object indicated by the end _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field are repeatedly displayed on the screen. Thus, the animation effect can be expressed together with the screen transition effect.

Fig. 10 illustrates an example of an interactive composition segment for applying a screen conversion effect in units of pages according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 10, unlike the method of performing screen transition in units of buttons as shown in fig. 8 and 9, a method of applying a screen transition effect for each button group defined in a specific page or applying a screen transition effect in units of pages is shown.

To perform screen conversion in units of pages, a page _ change _ start _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field and a page _ change _ end _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field for giving a screen conversion effect in units of buttons in the example of the syntax structure of the ICS 300 shown in fig. 6 may be removed, and a field for applying a screen conversion effect to the entire menu page may be added.

Referring to fig. 10, an example of adding a transition _ effect field 802 in a page structure in order to apply a screen transition effect in units of pages is shown. That is, after a predetermined screen conversion effect that can be supported by all reproducing apparatuses is predefined, the predetermined screen conversion effect can be expressed by assigning an attribute value to the predefined screen conversion effect and assigning an attribute value of the screen conversion effect desired by the manufacturer to the transition _ effect field 802.

Fig. 11 illustrates a screen transition effect in units of pages shown in fig. 10 on a time axis.

Referring to fig. 11, the time axis of the displayed interactive graphic stream is equal to the time axis of the video stream. In the PES packet data including the ICS as shown in fig. 8 and 9, interactive graphics stream data such as the ICS, PDS, and ODS are decoded to conform to a Decoding Time Stamp (DTS), which is decoding time information included in the PES packet data during reproduction of video. After the decoding is completed, the page specified by the default _ selected _ page _ id field is displayed on the screen at the PTS, which is presentation time information. In response to a navigation command of a specific button included in a displayed menu page, a screen transition between pages is performed. Further, since the effective interactive display duration ends at the time specified by the composition _ time _ out _ pts field, the menu page is no longer displayed on the screen.

As described above, among a plurality of menu pages included in one ICS, by defining a start time (PTS) and an end time (composition _ time _ out _ PTS) of an entire interactive display duration, a transition between menu pages can be smoothly performed in response to a navigation command allocated to a specific button of a menu page in a valid interactive display duration.

Fig. 12 is an example of an ICS including an operation of specifying a point in time when a menu page disappears from a screen when no user operation occurs for a predetermined duration, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 12, the ICS of the present embodiment can be used as a popup menu during reproduction of a movie. In this case, if the menu displayed on the screen is continuously displayed until the display end time specified by the composition _ time _ out _ pts as shown in fig. 11, the user may feel inconvenient when the user watches multimedia video such as a high-quality movie. Therefore, as shown in fig. 12, a field for specifying that a menu page currently displayed disappears when a predetermined time elapses may be added.

In the present embodiment, a page _ disparity _ duration field 1202 is defined. That is, a field for specifying how long it takes to wait until the current menu page disappears when UOP does not occur after the current menu page is displayed on the screen is added. In other words, if the manufacturer designates a certain time value to the field, the current menu page is no longer displayed when the time designated to the field elapses in a state where UOP does not occur after the current menu page is displayed. Here, data included in the displayed menu page does not disappear, but is simply not displayed on the screen.

As described above, in case that a plurality of menu pages are included in the ICS, in order to convert to another menu page, one of buttons included in a previous menu page should have a navigation command for converting to another menu page. That is, the navigation command is a command to replace the page _ id value of the currently displayed menu page with the page _ id value of the new menu page to be converted. The reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention displays a new menu page on the screen based on the replaced page _ id value. Accordingly, the reproducing apparatus of the present embodiment includes menu page information in a system register for storing reproduction information of a currently reproduced storage medium. By setting a navigation command of a value of a system register in which menu page information is stored, a page conversion effect can be achieved.

The page conversion process will now be described in detail.

Fig. 13 is an example of a status register included in a reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 13, an example of a system register (player status register: PSR) of a reproducing apparatus for supporting a plurality of menu pages in the same ICS is shown. The PSR 111302 stores page _ id information of a menu page currently reproduced in a specific ICS of an interactive graphics stream. The page conversion can be performed by one of the buttons included in the ICS that reestablishes the PSR 111302 using the navigation command.

FIG. 14 illustrates a page selection model when processing an interactive graphics stream.

Referring to FIG. 14, a process required to display an appropriate page in an ICS when a reproducing apparatus processes an interactive graphics stream is illustrated. The following is shown: two general states 1406 and 1412, each represented as an ellipse; and three temporary states 1404, 1410, and 1416, each represented as a rectangle. Two general states indicate an invalid state 1406 and a valid state 1412. The valid state 1412 indicates a state of reproducing a valid stamp of the current interactive graphic stream. The invalid state 1406 indicates a reproduction stop state or a state in which there is no valid interactive graphics stream even in a state in which the state is a reproduction state. The general state as described above remains the current state unless a transition to another state is made.

By rendering a state change, UOP or navigation command, a transition such as reference 1402, 1408, 1414 or 1418 is generated. If a conversion is generated, a process such as reference numeral 1404, 1410 or 1416 is performed to obtain an appropriate interactive graphic stream and page information. The four transitions are disk insertion 1402, go to active state 1408, page transition 1414, and go to inactive state 1418.

Each conversion process will now be described in detail.

Fig. 15 shows the initialization process 1404 shown in fig. 14. Referring to fig. 14, 13, and 15, when a storage medium is inserted into the reproducing apparatus, the reproducing apparatus enters an initialization state 1404 as a temporary state to obtain an appropriate interactive graphic stream and page information. In the initialization state 1404, a process of setting the PSR is performed as shown in fig. 15. That is, an initial value of 0 is set to the PSR11 storing the page _ id value of the menu page to be displayed first. After the initialization process 1404, the playback device enters an inactive state 1406.

Fig. 16 shows a process 1410 resulting from a change in the reproduction state shown in fig. 14.

Referring to fig. 16, the invalid state 1406 is continuously maintained until the start of a valid stamp of the interactive graphic stream, and if a transition (as reference numeral 1408) to start reproducing the valid stamp of the interactive graphic stream is generated, the reproducing apparatus enters a reproduction state change state 1410. In the reproduction state change state 1410, the processing procedure shown in fig. 16 is executed. That is, in operation 1602, the default _ selected _ page _ id value is read from the ICS, and if the value is a valid page _ id value, the value is set to the PSR11 in operation 1606, and if the value is invalid, it is checked whether the current PSR11 value is a valid page _ id value. Based on the result of the check, if the current PSR11 has been set to a valid page _ id value, the current PSR11 value is maintained in operation 1608, whereas if the current PSR11 value is invalid, the first page _ id value of the ICS is set to a PSR11 value in operation 1610. Thus, the reproduction device changes from the invalid state 1406 to the valid state 1412.

Fig. 17 shows a process 1416 due to the generation of the page conversion request shown in fig. 14.

Referring to fig. 14 and 17, unless UOP occurs, a specific page of the ICS selected through the process 1410 described in fig. 16 maintains the valid state 1412 until a time specified by the composition _ time _ out _ pts field. However, in the case of receiving UOP (like reference numeral 1414) activating a button to which a navigation command to shift to another page is assigned, since a page shift request is generated, the active state 1412 is shifted to the processing state 1416.

In the processing state 1416 due to the generation of the page transition request, the processing procedure shown in fig. 17 is executed. That is, if the value X of the page _ id is valid for the generated page conversion request, the PSR11 is set to X in operation 1702, and if the value X is invalid, the current page _ id value is maintained in operation 1704. As described above, the active state 1412 is maintained when the process 1416 ends due to the generation of the page transition request.

In the case where the time specified by the composition _ time _ out _ pts field of the currently reproduced ICS has elapsed, or in the case where the interactive graphics stream is changed, the valid state 1412 transitions to the invalid state 1406 because the currently displayed page becomes invalid. That is, if a translation such as reference numeral 1418 is generated, the last page _ id value stored in the PSR11 is retained.

As described above, according to the embodiments of the present invention, an ICS structure of an interactive graphics stream including a plurality of menu pages and a model of selecting an appropriate page in the ICS are provided.

Accordingly, a plurality of menu pages can be provided regardless of the application type of the main stream.

In addition, when a conversion between menu pages is performed, various conversion effects may be applied.

Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.

Industrial applicability

The present invention provides a storage medium having recorded thereon an interactive graphics stream providing a multi-page menu even in the case where a main stream is a movie application, and an apparatus for reproducing the same.

The present invention also provides a storage medium having recorded thereon an interactive graphics stream through which various conversion effects can be applied when performing conversion between multiple pages, and an apparatus for reproducing the same.

Claims (24)

1. A multimedia reproducing apparatus including a storage medium storing multiplexed AV data of an Interactive Composition Segment (ICS), the multimedia reproducing apparatus for reproducing the multiplexed AV data, comprising:

a reading unit for reading the multiplexed AV data from the storage medium;

a demultiplexer for dividing the AV data into at least one video stream, an audio stream, a presentation graphic stream, and an interactive graphic stream;

a plurality of decoders for decoding the video stream, the audio stream, the presentation graphic stream, and the interactive graphic stream; and

a mixer for superimposing the video stream, the presentation graphics stream and/or the interactive graphics stream into one image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of decoders comprise: and an interactive graphic decoder for receiving the interactive graphic stream, decoding the received interactive graphic stream, and outputting a menu screen including buttons at a designated time.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein user interaction is provided by inputting a user selection by a user selecting a specific button in the outputted menu screen.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the interactive graphic decoder comprises:

an encoding buffer for temporarily storing the interactive graphics stream;

a stream graphics processor to which the temporarily stored interactive graphics stream is later transmitted, the stream graphics processor processing the interactive graphics stream;

an object buffer to which an object for defining a button image is transmitted after an interactive graphics stream is decoded by the stream graphics processor;

a composition buffer for storing composition information; and

and a graphic controller which constructs an output image by referring to composition information corresponding to the object data and transmits the constructed image to the graphic memory area.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the constructed image is transmitted at an output start time of the interactive graphic stream.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the transmitted image is output by referring to a color lookup table (CLUP) according to color information included in composition information associated with the transmitted image.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the graphic controller changes a button state according to a movement and selection of a button by receiving a User Operation (UOP) and reflects a result of the change.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ICS comprises:

a segment _ type field for indicating an ICS;

a segment _ length field for indicating the number of bytes of the ICS;

a composition _ number field for indicating a unique value of the ICS in the interactive graphics stream such that the value sequentially increases when the ICS is changed or updated;

a composition _ state field for indicating the type of display setting included in the ICS.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the interactive graphic stream comprises a plurality of units, each unit being a stamp having an interactive graphic object is decoded by the interactive graphic decoder and is consecutively stored in the object buffer.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein in one stamp, the interactive graphic object that has been decoded and stored in the object buffer may be reused without decoding the interactive graphic object except when one stamp ends and a subsequent stamp starts, a buffer in the interactive graphic decoder is reset and all stored data disappears.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein when an interactive graphic object is output, the interactive graphic object defines a display setting indicating a set of output interactive graphic objects.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein one indicia comprises at least one display setting.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the display setting in a stamp start (ES) state indicates the start of the stamp and includes all data required to construct the interactive graphic and object data for constructing the button image.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the display setting in an Acquisition Point (AP) state may exist after an ES display setting, and the AP display setting includes all information of an interactive graphic for constructing a random search case of a user.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the display setting in the Normal Case (NC) includes only data to be changed from the interactive graphic constructed by the previous display setting.

16. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ICS comprises:

a composition _ update _ flag field for indicating a correlation of button commands between the previous ICS and the current ICS;

a composition _ time _ out _ pts field indicating an interactive display termination time when the ICS is no longer effectively displayed;

a UO _ mark _ table field indicating whether user operation is permitted for all interactive display durations defined in the ICS;

an animation _ frame _ rate _ code field for specifying a frame rate applied to a button conversion effect and/or a motion button;

a default _ selected _ page _ ID field for indicating a page ID of a page to be substantially displayed when reproduction of the ICS starts.

17. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ICS comprises:

a page _ ID field for indicating a unique ID of each page in a plurality of page structures in the ICS;

a selection _ time _ out _ duration field for specifying an effective duration during which a button can be selected after a page associated with the button is displayed on a screen;

a default _ selected _ button _ number field for specifying the number of buttons to be substantially selected when a menu page associated with the button is displayed on the screen;

a default _ activated _ button _ number field for specifying the number of buttons to be automatically activated in the case where the user does not select a button from the time when the menu page associated with the button is displayed on the screen to the time specified by the selection _ time _ out _ duration field.

18. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ICS comprises:

a button _ number field for indicating a unique ID of each button in a plurality of button structures in a menu page;

a numerically _ selectable _ flag field for indicating whether the associated button can be directly selected by using the button _ number field of the button.

19. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ICS comprises:

an auto _ action _ flag field for specifying an operation mode of the relevant button;

a button _ horizontal _ position field for specifying the horizontal position of the upper left pixel of the associated button;

a button _ vertical _ position field for specifying the vertical position of the upper left pixel of the associated button;

an upper (lower/left/right) _ button _ number field for specifying a button selected by the UOP using the move _ up (down/left/right) _ selected _ button field when the button is selected by moving the arrow in the up/down/left/right direction;

a page _ change _ start _ object _ ID _ normal (selected) field for specifying an ID object _ ID of a first button object of a button for displaying normal (selected) state with a conversion effect when a menu page is displayed on a screen at a first time or when a menu page is converted to another menu page;

a page _ change _ end _ object _ ID _ normal (selected) field for specifying an ID object _ ID of a last button object of a button for displaying normal (selected) state with a conversion effect when a menu page is displayed on a screen at a first time or when the menu page is converted to another menu page;

a start _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field for specifying an IDobject _ id of a first button object that should be displayed on the screen after completion of display of the button object specified by the page _ change _ end _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field;

an end _ object _ ID _ normal (selected) field for specifying the ID object _ ID of the last button object of the button displaying the normal (selected) state on the screen;

a repeat _ normal (selected) _ flag field for specifying whether or not animation of normal (selected) _ state is continuously repeated;

a start _ object _ ID _ activated field for specifying an ID object _ ID of a first button object of a button displaying the activated _ state on the screen;

an end _ object _ ID _ activated field for specifying an ID object _ ID of the last button object of the button displaying the activated _ state on the screen;

a number _ of _ button _ command field for indicating the number of commands related to the associated button; and

a button command field for storing a navigation command corresponding to a button.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein when a specific menu page is displayed on the screen, a field for giving a screen transition effect of each button included in the menu page and a field for giving an animation effect of each button after the screen transition effect are designated.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein in case that the conversion effect is applied to the entire page, all buttons included in the page have the same number of button objects included between a page _ change _ start _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field and a page _ change _ end _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein values of the page _ change _ start _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field and the page _ change _ end _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field specify the same object _ id 1 as a value of the start _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field, so that if the first menu page is converted to the second menu page, the basic animation effect is repeatedly displayed.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein a page _ change _ start _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field and a page _ change _ end _ object _ id _ normal (selected) field for giving a screen conversion effect in units of buttons in the example of the syntax structure of the ICS may be removed, and a field for applying the screen conversion effect to the entire menu page may be added.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein after a predetermined screen transition effect supportable by all reproducing apparatuses is predefined, the predetermined screen transition effect can be expressed by assigning an attribute value to the predefined screen transition effect and specifying an attribute value of the screen transition effect.