Combining video material and data

• US 20020164149A1
• Filed: 05/02/2002
• Published: 11/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Europe (Amsterdam) BV (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wilkinson, James Hedley
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23602 Multiplexing isochronously with the video sync, e.g. according to bit-parallel or bit-serial interface formats, as SDI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4342 Demultiplexing isochronously with video sync, e.g. according to bit-parallel or bit-serial interface formats, as SDI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

A method of combining data with other material comprises the step of repetitively distributing the data in the other material. The data is for example metadata associated with the other material. The other material may be one or more of video, audio and data material preferably in a defined file format e.g. MXF. The material and data from the file are preferably mapped to one of several signal interfaces such as SDI, SDTI and AES3, where the file metadata is repetitively distributed through the stream signal interface by one of several multiplexing methods.

Claims

1. A method of combining digital data with other digital material comprising the steps of:

structuring the said digital data into a predetermined data structure;

creating a digital bitstream having a predetermined repetitive format compatible with a data recorder each repetition of the format including at least one data space for the said other material and a data space for other data; and

repetitively including the data structure over a plurality of repetitions of the format, the said data structure being included in the said other data space or in part of the data space of the said other material.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the said digital data is metadata associated with the other material.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the said other material comprises video material.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the said at least one data space for the other material includes a video data space.

5. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the said other material comprises audio material.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the said at least one data space for the other material includes an audio data space.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the said digital data is included in the audio data space.

8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the said digital data is included in the said other data space.

9. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the said other data space is an ancillary data space.

10. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the said data structure comprises a value field containing the said data, a key field and a length field indicating the amount of data in the value field.

11. A method according to any preceding claim wherein the said format is repeated in frames, and each repetition of the said digital data structure begins on a frame containing no data of a previous occurrence of the said data structure.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein each occurrence of the said data structures is distributed over an integer number of frames.

13. A method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the said data structure comprises packets of data, and each repetition thereof starts in a packet containing no data of a previous occurrence of the data structure.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the packets are ordinally numbered and each repetition of the data structure begins in a packet having a predetermined number.

15. A method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein each frame contains a set of packets of the data structure, each set consisting of an integer number of complete packets.

16. A method according to claim 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, wherein the said repetitive format is that of a Serial Digital Interface (SDI) bitstream.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the said data structure is repetitively included in audio frames operating in non-audio mode.

18. A method according to claim 17, when dependent on claim 12 or 13, wherein each set of packets is contained in a window within an audio frame, the window being spaced from the boundaries of the frame by guard bands.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein the said data structure is included in a Vertical Ancillary data space (VANC) of the SDI bitstream.

20. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 19, comprising the further step of creating an Serial Data Transport Interface (SDTI) bitstream from the content of the SDI bitstream.

21. A method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the audio frames are contained in an SDTI data structure.

22. A method according to claim 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, wherein the said other material comprises at least video material, and the said repetitive format is that of an SDTI bitstream having at least an audio item and a picture item.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein the said data structure is repetitively included in audio frames operating in non-audio mode in the said audio item.

24. A method according to claim 22 when dependent on claim 12 or 13, wherein each set of packets is contained in a window within an audio frame, the window being spaced from the boundaries of the frame by guard bands.

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein the said data structure is included in a Vertical Ancillary data space (VANC) within the picture item of the SDTI bitstream.

26. A method according to claim 21 when dependent on claim 12 or 13, wherein one set of packets is contained in one line of the Vertical Ancillary data space.

27. A method according to claim 21, wherein the SDTI bitstream comprises a system item and the said data structure is included in the system item.

28. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein a plurality of different data structures having respective identifiers are repetitively distributed in the said format.

29. A method according to any preceding claim comprising the step of mapping the combined data and other material from the said repetitive format into a file in which the said data structure is contained in one part of the file and the other material is contained in another part of the file.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the file comprises a file header, a file body containing the said other material and a file footer.

31. A method according to claim 29 or 30, wherein the file is an MXF file and the data is Header Metadata thereof.

32. A method according to claim 29, 30 or 31, comprising the further step of mapping the data structure and the other material from the file into digital bitstream having a predetermined repetitive format compatible with a data recorder each repetition of the format including at least one data space for the said other material and a data space for other data;

and

repetitively including the data structure over a plurality of repetitions of the format, the said data structure being included in the said other data space or in part of the data space of the said other material.

35. A method according to any preceding claim and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13 of the accompanying drawings.

36. Signal processing apparatus arranged to carry out the method of any preceding claim.

37. A computer program product arranged to carry out the method of any one of claims 1 to 35 when run on a signal processor.

39. A bitstream according to claim 38, and produced by the method of any one of claims 1 to 35.

33. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a digital bitstream including digital data in a predetermined data structure and other digital material, the bitstream having a predetermined repetitive format compatible with a data recorder each repetition of the format including at least one data space for the said other material and a data space for other data and repetitively including the data structure over a plurality of repetitions of the format, the said data structure being included in the said other data space or in part of the data space of the said other material; and

separating the said data structure from the other material.

34. A method according to claim 33 comprising the further steps of deriving the said signal from a file, into which the said data structure and other material is mapped and wherein the said data structure is contained in one part of the file and the other material is contained in another part of the file, by inverse mapping the said data structure and the other material from the file into the said signal.

40. A bitstream according to claim 39 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference the accompanying drawings.

38. A digital bitstream including digital data in a predetermined data structure and other digital material, the bitstream having a predetermined repetitive format compatible with a data recorder each repetition of the format including at least one data space for the said other material and a data space for other data;

and

repetitively including the data structure over a plurality of repetitions of the format, the said data structure being included in the said other data space or in part of the data space of the said other material.