Reproduction device, reproduction method, reproduction program, and recording medium

• US 20050254363A1
• Filed: 04/22/2004
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kato, Motoki, Hamada, Toshiya
• Granted Patent: US 7,565,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/47.100
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/216 Rewritable discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2541 Blu-ray discs; Blue laser DVR discs
• 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 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• 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 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

For a large capacity recording medium, a user interface having high flexibility and enriched representation is accomplished. A flag that represents whether a play item has a multiple angle structure of which the play item is reproduced with a plurality of angles is described. In addition, a flag that represents whether the beginning of each decode unit is an angle switchable point is described. In a seamless multiple angle structure, the current angle can be switched without need to increase the number of interleave units. In a nonseamless multiple angle structure, with the flag, in a predetermined region on the rear end side of each angle, the current angle is prohibited from being switched. Thus, when a play item exits from the multiple angle, discontinuity in the reproduction can be prevented. In addition, with a flag that represents whether a sub play item should be reproduced not in synchronization with a main path, the sub play item of only audio data can be used as a BGM.

Claims

1. A reproducing apparatus for reproducing content data recorded on a disc shaped recording medium, the reproducing apparatus comprising:

reading means for reading from the recording medium a video stream, a first flag described for each reproduction unit of the video stream, the number of angles that the reproduction unit contains, and position information that represents the positions of the angles on the video stream, the first flag representing whether or not the reproduction unit can be reproduced with a plurality of angles; and

reproducing means for controlling the reading means so that the video stream that composes the angles is read in accordance with the position information.

2. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the reproducing means is configured to change the reproduction position of the video stream in accordance with the position information so as to allow the current angle to be switched when the flag represents that the reproduction unit can be reproduced with the plurality of angles.

3. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 2,

wherein the video stream has been encoded in the unit of one or a plurality of frames and recorded on the recording medium,

wherein the reading means is configured to read a second flag described in the encode unit from the recording medium, the second flag representing whether or not the current angle can be switched at the beginning of the encode unit, and

wherein the reproducing means is configured to change the reproduction position of the video stream at a position in accordance with the second flag.

4. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 3,

wherein the second flag is described in a predetermined region on the rear end side of each of the angles.

5. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 4,

wherein the reproducing means is configured to not change the reproduction position when a command that causes the reproduction position to be changed in the predetermined region is issued.

6. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 4,

wherein the reproducing means is configured to return to a position immediately preceding the predetermined region of a switched angle and reproduce the angle when a command that causes the reproduction position to be changed in the predetermined region is issued.

7. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 4,

wherein the size of the predetermined region is based on the maximum access time of the reading means from a first region to a second region on the recording medium and the difference between the read speed and the reproduction speed for the video stream of the reading means from the reproducing means.

8. A reproducing method for reproducing content data recorded on a disc shaped recording medium, the reproducing method comprising the steps of:

reading from the recording medium a video stream, a first flag described for each reproduction unit of the video stream, the number of angles that the reproduction unit contains, and position information that represents the positions of the angles on the video stream, the first flag representing whether or not the reproduction unit can be reproduced with a plurality of angles; and

controlling the reading step so that the video stream that composes the angles is read in accordance with the position information.

9. A reproducing program that causes a computer device to execute a reproducing method for reproducing content data recorded on a disc shaped recording medium, the reproducing method comprising the steps of:

reading from the recording medium a video stream, a first flag described for each reproduction unit of the video stream, the number of angles that the reproduction unit contains, and position information that represents the positions of the angles on the video stream, the first flag representing whether or not the reproduction unit can be reproduced with a plurality of angles; and

controlling the reading step so that the video stream that composes the angles is read in accordance with the position information.

10. A disc shaped recording medium on which a reproducing program that can be read by a computer device has been recorded, the reproducing program causing the computer device to execute a reproducing method for reproducing content data recorded on the recording medium, the reproducing method comprising the steps of:

reading from the recording medium a video stream, a first flag described for each reproduction unit of the video stream, the number of angles that the reproduction unit contains, and position information that represents the positions of the angles on the video stream, the first flag representing whether or not the reproduction unit can be reproduced with a plurality of angles; and

controlling the reading step so that the video stream that composes the angles is read in accordance with the position information.

11. A disc shaped recording medium on which content data has been recorded,

wherein a video stream, a first flag described for each reproduction unit of the video stream, the number of angles that the reproduction unit contains, and position information that represents the positions of the angles on the video stream have been recorded on the recording medium, the first flag representing whether or not the reproduction unit can be reproduced with a plurality of angles, and

wherein the video stream that composes the angles is read in accordance with the position information.

12. The recording medium as set forth in claim 11,

wherein the reproduction position of the video stream can be changed in accordance with the position information when the flag represents that the reproduction unit can be reproduced with the plurality of angles.

13. The recording medium as set forth in claim 12,

wherein the video stream has been encoded in the unit of one or a plurality of frames and recorded on the recording medium, and

wherein a second flag has been recorded in the encode unit, the second flag representing whether or not the current angle can be switched at the beginning of the encode unit.

14. The recording medium as set forth in claim 13,

wherein the second flag is described in a predetermined region on the rear end side of each of the angles.

15. The recording medium as set forth in claim 14,

wherein when a command that causes the reproduction position to be changed in the predetermined region is issued, the reproduction position is not changed.

16. The recording medium as set forth in claim 14,

wherein when a command that causes the reproduction position to be changed in the predetermined region is issued, a position immediately preceding the predetermined region of a switched angle is traced and the switched angle is reproduced from the traced position.

17. The recording medium as set forth in claim 14,

wherein the size of the predetermined region is based on the maximum access time from a first region to a second region and the difference between the read speed and the reproduction speed for the video stream.

18. A reproducing apparatus for reproducing content data recorded on a disc shaped recording medium, the reproducing apparatus comprising:

reading means for reading from the recording medium a main stream mainly reproduced, a sub stream reproduced as a sub of the main stream along therewith, and a flag that represents whether or not the sub stream should be repeatedly reproduced not in synchronization with the main stream; and

reproducing means for controlling the reproduction of the sub stream in accordance with the flag.

19. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 18,

wherein the reproducing means is configured to repeatedly reproduce the sub stream until the reproduction of the main stream is finished when the flag represents that the sub stream should be repeatedly reproduced.

20. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 18,

wherein the sub stream is composed of only audio data.

21. A reproducing method for reproducing content data recorded on a disc shaped recording medium, the reproducing method comprising the steps of:

reading from the recording medium a main stream mainly reproduced, a sub stream reproduced as a sub of the main stream along therewith, and a flag that represents whether or not the sub stream should be repeatedly reproduced not in synchronization with the main stream; and

controlling the reproduction of the sub stream in accordance with the flag.

22. A reproducing program that causes a computer device to execute a reproducing method for reproducing content data recorded on a disc shaped recording medium, the reproducing method comprising the steps of:

reading from the recording medium a main stream mainly reproduced, a sub stream reproduced as a sub of the main stream along therewith, and a flag that represents whether or not the sub stream should be repeatedly reproduced not in synchronization with the main stream; and

controlling the reproduction of the sub stream in accordance with the flag.

23. A recording medium on which a reproducing program that can be read by a computer device has been recorded, the reproducing program that causes the computer device to execute a reproducing method for reproducing content data recorded on a disc shaped recording medium, the reproducing method comprising the steps of:

reading from the recording medium a main stream mainly reproduced, a sub stream reproduced as a sub of the main stream along therewith, and a flag that represents whether or not the sub stream should be repeatedly reproduced not in synchronization with the main stream; and

controlling the reproduction of the sub stream in accordance with the flag.

24. A disc shaped recording medium on which content data has been recorded,

wherein a main stream mainly reproduced, a sub stream reproduced as a sub of the main stream along therewith, and a flag have been recorded on the recording medium, the flag representing whether or not the sub stream should be repeatedly reproduced not in synchronization with the main stream, and

wherein the reproduction of the sub stream is controlled in accordance with the flag.

25. The recording medium as set forth in claim 24,

wherein when the flag represents that the sub stream should be repeatedly reproduced, the sub stream is repeatedly reproduced until the reproduction of the main stream is finished.

26. The recording medium as set forth in claim 24,

wherein the sub stream is composed of only audio data.

27. A reproducing apparatus for reproducing content data recoded on a disc shaped recording medium, the reproducing apparatus comprising:

reading means for reading from the recording medium video data, audio data reproduced in accordance with the video data, and a flag that represents whether the video data and the audio data have been recorded as a multiplexed file or independent files; and

reproducing means for reproducing the video data and the audio data that are read by the reading means in accordance with the flag that is read by the reading means.

28. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 27,

wherein the reproducing means is configured to reproduce the video data in synchronization with the audio data when the flag represents that the video data and the audio data have been recorded as a multiplexed file on the recording medium, and

wherein the reproducing means is configured to reproduce the video data not in synchronization with the audio data when the flag represents that the video data and the audio data have been recorded as independent files on the recording medium.

29. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 27,

wherein the video data is composed of a plurality of still pictures, and

wherein the reproducing means is configured to switch the current still picture of the plurality of still pictures and reproduce the switched still picture.

30. The reproducing apparatus as set forth in claim 27,

wherein image data displayed in association with the video data has been further recorded on the recording medium,

wherein the video data and the image data have been divided into video data packets and image data packets and stored, the video data packets and image data packets each having a predetermined unit, and

wherein the video data packets and the image data packets are successively arranged and recorded on the recording medium.

31. A reproducing method for reproducing content data recoded on a disc shaped recording medium, the reproducing method comprising the steps of:

reading from the recording medium video data, audio data reproduced in accordance with the video data, and a flag that represents whether the video data and the audio data have been recorded as a multiplexed file or independent files; and

reproducing the video data and the audio data that are read at the reading step in accordance with the flag that is read at the reading step.

32. A reproducing program that causes a computer device to execute a reproducing method for reproducing content data recoded on a disc shaped recording medium, the reproducing method comprising the steps of:

reading from the recording medium video data, audio data reproduced in accordance with the video data, and a flag that represents whether the video data and the audio data have been recorded as a multiplexed file or independent files; and

reproducing the video data and the audio data that are read at the reading step in accordance with the flag that is read at the reading step.

33. A recording medium on which a reproducing program that can be read by a computer device has been recorded, the reproducing program causing the computer device to execute a reproducing method for reproducing content data recoded on a disc shaped recording medium, the reproducing method comprising the steps of:

reading from the recording medium video data, audio data reproduced in accordance with the video data, and a flag that represents whether the video data and the audio data have been recorded as a multiplexed file or independent files; and

reproducing the video data and the audio data that are read at the reading step in accordance with the flag that is read at the reading step.

34. A disc shaped recording medium on which content data has been recorded,

wherein video data, audio data reproduced in accordance with the video data, and a flag have been recorded on the recording medium, the flag representing whether the video data and the audio data have been recorded as a multiplexed file or independent files, and

wherein the video data and the audio data that are read at the reading step are reproduced in accordance with the flag that is read at the reading step.

35. The recording medium as set forth in claim 34,

wherein when the flag represents that the video data and the audio data have been recorded as a multiplexed file on the recording medium, the video data is reproduced in synchronization with the audio data, and

wherein when the flag represents that the video data and the audio data have been recorded as independent files on the recording medium, the video data is reproduced not in synchronization with the audio data.

36. The recording medium as set forth in claim 34,

wherein the video data is composed of a plurality of still pictures, and

wherein the current still picture of the plurality of still pictures is switched and the switched still picture is reproduced.

37. The recording medium as set forth in claim 34,

wherein image data displayed in association with the video data has been further recorded on the recording medium,

wherein the video data and the image data have been divided into video data packets and image data packets and stored, the video data packets and image data packets each having a predetermined unit, and

wherein the video data packets and the image data packets are successively arranged and recorded on the recording medium.