JP2000090651A - Data reproduction system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To select reproduction units in cueing operation by instructing data skip when successively reading data from a storage medium based on management information and setting skip units in skipping by the hierarchy. SOLUTION: A program chain information table is composed of a plurality of pieces of PGC(program chain) information, and each PGC information defines system stream reproduction control information (reproduction order) in a title set. A cueing operation execution unit that can be set by a menu for setting operation mode determines the execution unit of cueing operation in cueing reproduction. A program, a PGC, a title, or the like that is the unit of hierarchy structure can be set as the cueing execution unit. In this manner, each operation mode of a reproduction device being set appropriately by a user is retained by an operation mode information retention means and is appropriately referred to in various operations of a reproducing device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a data reproducing system for data recorded on a recording medium such as an optical disk such as a DVD.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a DVD (Digital Video Disc) has been proposed as a compact and high-capacity recording medium. D
The VD achieves an information capacity of 5 GB on one side (10 GB on both sides) on a 12 cm disk having the same diameter as a CD, and can record high-quality moving image data using the MPEG2 system.
In addition, it is possible to record multimedia data that handles multiple moving image data, multiple graphics data, and multiple audio data in an integrated manner by taking advantage of the large storage capacity. Demonstrate its true value. Note that such an application is hereinafter generally referred to as an interactive application.

[0003] In the development of DVDs, it is expected that interactive applications that require a lot of moving picture materials will be fully developed on the market. These moving image-centric interactive applications include, for example, guides for overseas travel and the like having individual moving images. Such interactive applications do not have a sequential playback order as in the case of conventional movie applications, and generally have a playback path structure composed of a hierarchy including many branches. In the DVD, titles, titles,
A hierarchical reproduction path such as PTT, PGC, program, and cell is defined.

[0004]

In the case of sequential playback as in the case of a conventional movie application, the beginning of a video is determined by an integer number (chapter number) or the like sequentially arranged in the playback order. This is usually performed using the reproduction unit of. However, the DV mentioned above
In the D application, if an operation such as cueing using a uniquely determined playback unit is performed, the cueing operation to the destination intended by the user cannot be performed because the hierarchical structure of the playback path differs depending on the application There is a problem.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a data reproducing apparatus capable of selecting a reproduction unit at the time of a cueing operation.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the reproducing system of the present invention has the following features.
An invention according to claim 1 is a playback system for playing back a recording medium having a hierarchically formatted data structure and recording management information for linking trees in each hierarchy in a branching order, based on the management information. Data reading means for sequentially reading data from the recording medium, skip instruction means for instructing data skipping at the time of the data reading, and skip unit setting means for setting a skip unit at the time of the skip in the layer unit. It is characterized by having.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the reproducing system for reproducing a recording medium having a hierarchically formatted data structure and recording management information for linking the trees of each hierarchy in a branch order, Designating means for designating a predetermined hierarchy from among the hierarchy, and reading data from the recording medium in order according to a reproduction path of a tree lower than the hierarchy designated by the designating device among the trees defined by the management information. It is characterized by.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First, the logical structure of an application recorded on a DVD optical disk will be described. In DVD, a unit for each application is called a title. Here, each title is composed of a program and a reproduction path of the program. Note that a title set that defines a plurality of titles that share moving image information with each other is set as a general concept of titles.

A program is a logical reproduction unit of video information and audio information, and is constituted by an MPEG system stream called a cell. The reason that the program is set as a logical playback unit is to share cells on different playback paths, and the playback order of the cells in the system stream is defined by the system stream playback control information. Here, the system stream reproduction control information is referred to as a program chain. Such a program chain is logically connected to each other by a link from a program including a branch, thereby constructing a reproduction path including the branch.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, based on the logical structure of the application described above. FIG. 1 shows a file configuration of recording information recorded on a DVD. As shown, the recording information is roughly divided into a disc information file and a plurality of video files.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the structure of a disk information file. The disc information file includes a file management table indicating the internal structure of the disc information file, disc configuration information for managing information such as the name, storage location, and title name of the video file, and a user selecting a title set when starting playback of the disc. Menu information and menu configuration information used for selecting a subtitle or audio language in each title set are stored.

[0012] Each title set is stored in the video file, and is composed of video file management information and video file data. FIG. 3 shows the data structure of such a video file. Here, the video file data contains all of the title set
The MPEG system stream is stored. This MPEG system stream is composed of a series of cells as described above. The cell has a configuration in which moving image information, audio information, and management information are interleaved as a pack of 2 KB blocks. Among them, the moving picture information is composed of inter-frame moving picture data compression / decompression units called GOPs (Group of pictures). The management information is interleaved for each GOP as a management pack prior to this GOP.

In the video file shown in FIG. 3, the video file management information is composed of a video file management table, title management information, and a program chain information table. Here, the video file management table is header information of this file, and stores a pointer to a program chain information table and title management information.

FIG. 4 shows a data structure of the program chain information table. As shown, the program chain information table includes a plurality of PGC (Program Chain) information. Here, each piece of PGC information defines system stream playback control information (playback order) in the title set. The PGC information includes the total number of programs stored in the PGC, the total playback time of the PGC, the total number of cells stored in the PGC, and PGC control information.

Here, the program is generally called a chapter in a movie application and an index in a music application, and one PGC usually contains a plurality of programs. The number of such programs is defined as the number of stored programs in FIG. Further, the ascending / descending order of each program is stored as PGC control information described later. That is, the cell number of the first cell in each program is stored in the PGC control information in order, and the entry number of this cell number corresponds to the program number of each program.

Further, the PGC control information includes one PGC
Defines the cells to be stream-reproduced and their reproduction order. Specifically, the PGC control information is composed of entries of a plurality of storage cell information, and the storage cell information is a reproduction time for a cell to be reproduced, an offset to a cell data entity stored in video file data, Stores the number of logical blocks occupied by cell data. In addition, the reproduction order of the cells is specified by the entry order of the stored cell information.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a data structure of the title management information of FIG. The title management information is information for managing a plurality of titles constituting the title set, and includes a leading PGC information table that defines a program chain (PGC) corresponding to a leading position of each title.
The leading PGC information table includes the number of titles in a title set and title leading PGC pointer information.
Here, the title PGC pointer information includes the corresponding P
The offset from the beginning of the file to the GC information is stored in the number of logical blocks.

In the above data structure, when a program chain is specified, the program chain number in the program chain information table is referred to, and when a program is specified, a cell in the PGC control information is specified. Is referred to. Next, a reproducing apparatus for reproducing the DVD optical disk described above will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the playback device according to the present embodiment.

In the figure, x1 is an optical disk (DVD) in which record information is stored in the above-described data structure, x2 is a motor for driving the optical disk x1, x3 is an optical head for reading signals recorded on the optical disk x1, and x4 is an optical head. Data reading means for performing signal processing such as amplification, demodulation, and error correction on a signal read from the head x3 to read data, and x5 for AV decoding means for converting the read data to an original video signal or audio signal. , X6 is an input means comprising a remote control, a remote control signal receiving section and a remote control signal interpreting section, x7 is a playback control information holding means which is constituted by a buffer memory and appropriately holds input PGC information, and x8 is also constituted by a buffer memory The operation mode information holding means for holding the operation mode information to be displayed.x9 performs operation mode setting menu display and operation mode setting control. Operation mode setting control means, x10 is a control means is a system controller that controls the control or reproducing apparatus of the mechanical system. Such control means includes an operation mode setting control means x9.

The operation of the reproducing apparatus having the above configuration will be described. First, the operation of setting the operation mode of the playback device by the user will be described. (Operation mode setting operation of the playback device) When the user depresses the operation mode setting key of the remote control, the remote control signal receiving section of the input means x6 receives a signal transmitted by infrared rays from the remote control, and converts it into a control command by the remote control signal interpretation section. Then, the control command is output to the control means x10. Control means x10
When it is determined that the input control command indicates the operation mode setting, the control command is output to the operation mode setting control means x9.

The operation mode setting control means x9 displays the operation mode setting menu screen of FIG. 7 on the display unit based on the input control command. By referring to this menu screen, the user can specify the output system of the playback device, such as the video output system, the audio output system, the language used when playing back the application, and the unit for performing the cueing operation.
The details such as the video output system, the audio output system, and the language used at the time of reproducing the application have little relevance to the present invention, so that detailed description will be omitted.

The cueing operation execution unit that can be set in the operation mode setting menu determines the execution unit of the cueing operation in cueing reproduction. Here, in the case of the above-mentioned DVD application, programs and PGs which are units of a hierarchical structure are set as cueing execution units that can be set.
C, title, etc. can be set. The operation modes of the reproducing apparatus appropriately set by the user in this manner are as follows.
The information is held in the operation mode information holding means x8, and is appropriately referred to during various operations of the playback device.

Next, a description will be given of a reproduction output operation in which information recorded on an optical disk is read, and audio and video are output. (Reproduction output operation) If the data to be read is determined by a designation from the user or the like, the control means x10 calculates the block address where the data is stored, and instructs the data reading means x4 to read the block data. . In response to such an instruction, the data reading unit x4 reproduces the corresponding block of the optical disc x1, performs predetermined signal processing such as demodulation processing and error processing on the reproduced signal, converts the reproduced signal into a digital data string, and incorporates this. Write to buffer memory.

If the digital data string stored in the buffer memory of the data reading means x4 is management information, the control means x10 continues reproduction control in accordance with the management information. This is forwarded to means x5. The AV decoding means x5 to which the digital data string has been input determines the system stream interleaved by the built-in system decoder for each packet, separates it into a video pack, an audio pack, and a sub-picture pack. The audio pack is processed by the audio decoder, and the sub-picture pack is processed by the sub-picture decoder.

Here, the video decoder decodes and decompresses the MPEG2 video stream and outputs it as a digital video signal. The audio decoder converts the data sequence transferred by a predetermined process into a digital audio signal and outputs the digital audio signal. The digital audio signal is converted into an analog audio signal by a D / A converter, and is output as audio by a speaker device.

The sub-picture decoder decodes and decompresses the run-length compressed image data and outputs it as a digital picture signal. The video synthesizing unit incorporated in the AV decoding means mixes the output of the video decoder and the output of the sub-picture decoder at a ratio specified by the control means x10, converts the output into an analog video signal, and outputs the analog video signal. Thereafter, the analog video signal is output as an image by the display device.

Next, the operation for performing the reproduction control will be described with reference to FIG. (Reproduction control operation) When the user presses down the reproduction start key of the remote control, the remote control signal receiving unit of the input means x6 receives a signal transmitted by infrared rays from the remote control, converts it into a control command by the remote control signal interpretation unit, and Output to x10.

The control means x10 to which the reproduction start control command is input instructs the data reading means x4 to read the disk information file. Here, the disc information file stores menu information for selecting a title as described above. The process of allowing the user to select a title set to be reproduced has little relevance to the present invention, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The menu information for selecting a title set is output as an image, and the menu item is selected, so that the user can determine the title to be reproduced. When the user determines the title to be reproduced, the control unit x10 instructs the data reading unit x4 to reproduce a video file including the determined title. In reproducing a video file, the video file management information shown in FIG. 3 is reproduced first.

The control means x10 refers to the leading PGC information table in the title management information of the video file management information, obtains a program chain of the title to start reproduction, and finds a corresponding program chain from the program chain information table.
It instructs the data reading means x4 to read the PGC information. When the PGC information is reproduced by the data reading means x4, the control means x10 transfers and retains the PGC information to the reproduction control information holding means x7, and initializes the internal program number counter to 1.

If the PGC information is held in the playback control information holding means x7, the control means x10 sequentially plays the cells corresponding to the system stream of the program in accordance with the playback order of the cells indicated by the PGC information while advancing the program number counter. I do. Next, the operation at the time of cueing reproduction will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the cue key of the remote controller is depressed during the reproduction of the application, the remote control signal receiver of the input means x6 receives the signal transmitted by infrared rays from the remote controller, converts the signal into a control command by the remote controller signal interpreter, and x1
Output the control command to 0. The control unit x10 stops the current reproduction, and reads the cueing operation execution unit from the operation mode information holding unit x8.

When the cueing operation execution unit is a program, the cueing reproduction operation is performed in program units. When the cueing operation execution unit is a cell, cueing reproduction operation is performed in cell units. When the cueing operation execution unit is a title, cueing reproduction operation is performed. In order to perform a cueing reproduction operation in title units, operation control is executed in accordance with each cueing execution unit. A cue reproduction in a movie application will be described below with a specific example. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of cue reproduction in a movie application.

In FIG. 8, a movie is composed of one program chain. The program chain consists of 50 cells, and chapters (programs) are arranged in order from the top
Numbers are assigned from 1 to 5. (Cueing reproduction by program) When reproducing the cell '1' of the chapter (program) number '1', the control means x10 sets the program number to '2' which is a value obtained by adding 1 to the current program number 1. , The cell corresponding to the program number '2' is determined with reference to the current PGC control information. In the case of the present embodiment, cell '3' corresponds to this. Thus, the control means x10
Determines the cell corresponding to the program number, and performs playback according to the procedure in the playback control operation described above.

(Cueing reproduction by cell) When the cell '3' of the chapter (program) number '2' is reproduced, the control means x
Reference numeral 10 designates a cell number of "4" which is a value obtained by adding 1 to the current cell number "3", refers to the current PGC control information, and performs the reproduction according to the procedure in the above-described reproduction control operation. (Cueing playback by title) Title playback in a music application will be described. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of title search reproduction in a music application.

In FIG. 9, the music application is composed of a total of five titles, one music being one title, and title numbers 1 to 5 are assigned in order from the top. When the program chain '3' having the title number '2' is being reproduced, the control means x10 sets the title number to '3' which is a value obtained by adding 1 to the current title number '2', and sets the disc information file, video File, PGC
The program chain '4' corresponding to the title number '3' is determined using the control information. Hereinafter, reproduction is performed in accordance with the procedure in the above-described reproduction control operation.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and it goes without saying that various other modifications are possible. For example, in the present embodiment, a program, a cell, and a title are employed as a cueing execution unit. However, instead of or in addition to this, a PTT (Part of Title)
It is also possible to adopt a program chain.

Further, in the present embodiment, the options of the cueing execution unit used for setting the operation mode of the playback device are defined in advance. However, the control means of the playback device analyzes the structure of the application and can set it. Cueing execution unit An execution unit may be obtained and used for the operation mode setting control. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a DVD is used as the optical disk, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other large-capacity recording media can be adopted.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, the user can arbitrarily set the execution unit of the cueing (skip) operation suitable for the application, and the convenience in reproduction can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a data configuration diagram of recording information according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a data configuration diagram of a disk information file according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a data configuration diagram of video file data according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a data configuration of a program chain information table according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a data configuration diagram of title management information according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a playback device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an operation mode setting menu screen according to the embodiment;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a cue jump according to the embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a cue jump according to the embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a cueing operation according to the embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 x1 optical disk x6 input means x7 playback control information holding means x8 operation mode information holding means x9 operation mode setting control means x10 control means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A reproducing system for reproducing a recording medium having a hierarchically formatted data structure and recording management information for linking trees in each hierarchy in a branching order, wherein the recording is performed based on the management information. Data reading means for sequentially reading data from the medium;
A data reproducing system comprising: a skip instructing unit that instructs skipping of data at the time of reading out the data; and a skip unit setting unit that enables a skip unit at the time of the skip to be set in the layer unit. 2. A reproducing system for reproducing a recording medium having a hierarchically formatted data structure and recording management information for linking the trees of the respective layers in a branching order, wherein the plurality of layers includes a predetermined layer. Data reproducing means for sequentially reading data from the recording medium in accordance with a reproduction path of a tree below a hierarchy specified by the specifying means among trees specified by the management information. system.