System for fast angle changing in video playback devices

• US 20050201725A1
• Filed: 08/23/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TP-Link USA Corporation
• Original Assignee: MX Entertainment, Inc.
• Inventors: Braun, Jeffrey, Lutjens, Ole, Vella, Zane, Rice, Joe, Tohara, Tomonari
• Granted Patent: US 8,837,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/344
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide faster user-selected scene switching during playback of a video production. In one embodiment, several channels of video (e.g., several video streams each depicting a different camera angle) are read from interleaved data on a DVD disc. Each channel'"'"'s data is maintained in a channel buffer that is input to a video decoder via a selector. When a signal from a user input device indicates that a user has selected a new channel, the selector can immediately provide the selected channel'"'"'s data from the channel buffer to the video decoder, thus providing an increase in switching speed.

Claims

1. A method for providing fast scene switching in a video playback device, wherein the video playback device includes one or more buffers coupled to a decoder via a selector, the method comprising

obtaining two or more encoded video streams;

storing the two or more encoded video streams into the one or more buffers;

accepting a signal from a user input device to select a video stream; and

using the selector to direct the selected video stream to the decoder.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the video streams include different angles.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the video streams include different scenes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein audio is provided from the one or more buffers in association with a video stream.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein subpicture information is provided from the one or more buffers in association with a video stream.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a video stream is obtained from an optical medium.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the optical medium includes a DVD.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the optical medium includes a CD.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a video stream is obtained from a magnetic medium.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the magnetic medium includes a hard disk.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a video stream is obtained at least in part from a cable network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a video stream is obtained at least in part from a satellite network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a video stream is obtained at least in part from the Internet.

14. An apparatus for providing fast scene switching, the apparatus comprising

a video playback device, wherein the video playback device includes one or more buffers coupled to a decoder via a selector;

an input for obtaining two or more encoded video streams;

one or more instructions stored in a machine readable medium for storing the two or more encoded video streams into the one or more buffers;

an input for receiving a signal from a user input device; and

one or more instructions stored in a machine readable medium for using the selector to direct a selected video stream to the decoder, wherein the selected video stream is selected by the signal from the user input device to the decoder.

15. A method for providing fast scene switching in a video playback device, wherein the video playback device includes a buffer coupled to a decoder, the method comprising

reading information from two or more interleaved video streams;

determining which of the two or more interleaved video streams is a current stream;

storing information for the determined stream into the buffer; and

using the selector to direct the selected video stream information to the decoder.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the video streams include different angles.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the video streams include different scenes.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein audio is provided from the one or more buffers in association with a video stream.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein subpicture information is provided from the one or more buffers in association with a video stream.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein a video stream is obtained from an optical medium.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the optical medium includes a DVD.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the optical medium includes a CD.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein a video stream is obtained from a magnetic medium.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the magnetic medium includes a hard disk.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein a video stream is obtained at least in part from a cable network.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein a video stream is obtained at least in part from a satellite network.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein a video stream is obtained at least in part from the Internet.

28. An apparatus for providing fast scene switching, the apparatus comprising

a video playback device, wherein the video playback device includes a buffer coupled to a decoder;

an input for obtaining information from two or more interleaved video streams;

one or more instructions stored in a machine readable medium for determining which of the two or more interleaved video streams is a current stream;

one or more instructions stored in a machine readable medium for storing information for the determined stream into the buffer; and

one or more instructions stored in a machine readable medium for using the selector to direct the selected video stream information to the decoder.