RECORDING MEDIUM, PLAYBACK DEVICE, AND INTEGRATED CIRCUIT

• US 20110187817A1
• Filed: 09/24/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Taiji, Ogawa, Tomoki, Yahata, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,164,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/42
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/00 Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• 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

Provided is a recording medium on which are recorded a main-view stream, sub-view stream, and management information. The management information includes a system rate for each stream. Each stream is divided into a plurality of data blocks that form a plurality of extent blocks. In each extent block, main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks are in a continuous interleaved arrangement. A main-view data block and sub-view data block forming a single pair each have a maximum size that is determined by the following conditions: (i) the system rate of the sub-view stream, (ii) whether the pair is the top pair within the extent block, and (iii) whether a long jump region exists between the recording areas of two extent blocks that are to be read continuously.

Claims

1. A recording medium on which a main-view stream, a sub-view stream, and management information are recorded,

the main-view stream having multiplexed therein a main-view video stream that constitutes main views of stereoscopic video images,

the sub-view stream having multiplexed therein a sub-view video stream that constitutes sub-views of stereoscopic video images,

the sub-view video stream encoded with reference to the main-view video stream,

the management information including a system rate of each of the main-view stream and the sub-view stream,

the recording medium including a long jump region that is one of a region having at least a predetermined number of sectors and a region having a layer boundary,

the main-view stream divided and arranged into a plurality of main-view data blocks,

the sub-view stream divided and arranged into a plurality of sub-view data blocks,

the recording medium including a plurality of extent blocks, each of the extent blocks having main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks in a continuous interleaved arrangement and being referred to as a single extent when stereoscopic video images are played back,

each extent block having a sub-view data block at the top of the extent block and including at least one pair of a sub-view data block and a main-view data block,

a first extent block to be read immediately before a second extent block or immediately after a third extent block,

a main-view data block and a sub-view data block constituting a single pair in the first extent block and each having a maximum size that is determined by the following factors:

the system rate of the sub-view stream;

whether the single pair is at the top of the first extent block; and

whether the long jump region exists between recording areas of the first extent block and the second extent block, or between recording areas of the first extent block and the third extent block.

2. The recording medium of claim 1, wherein

combinations of the maximum sizes of the main-view data block and the sub-view data block constituting the single pair are classified into a first pattern, a second pattern, a third pattern, and a fourth pattern,

the first pattern is a combination adopted when the system rate of the sub-view stream is less than a predetermined value,

the second pattern is a combination adopted when the system rate of the sub-view stream exceeds the predetermined value, the single pair is positioned in the first extent block as the second or subsequent pair counting from the top pair, and the long jump region exists between the recording areas of the first extent block and the second extent block,

the third pattern is a combination adopted when the system rate of the sub-view stream exceeds the predetermined value, the single pair is the top pair in the first extent block, and the long jump region exists between the recording areas of the first extent block and the third extent block, and

the fourth pattern is a combination adopted when none of the first pattern, second pattern, and third pattern applies.

3. The recording medium of claim 2, wherein

the first pattern indicates that the maximum size of the main-view data block is a first value and the maximum size of the sub-view data block is a second value,

the second pattern indicates that both the maximum sizes of the main-view data block and the sub-view data block are a third value,

the third pattern indicates that the maximum size of the main-view data block is the first value and the maximum size of the sub-view data block is the second value,

the fourth pattern indicates that the maximum size of the main-view data block is the first value and the maximum size of the sub-view data block is a fourth value, and

the first value, the fourth value, the second value, and the third value decrease in this order.

4. A recording medium on which a data stream and management information are recorded,

the data stream including a plurality of data blocks,

the data stream including a main-view stream used for monoscopic playback and a sub-view stream used for playback of stereoscopic video images in combination with the main-view stream,

the data blocks including a plurality of main-view data blocks constituting the main-view stream and a plurality of sub-view data blocks constituting the sub-view stream,

types of the data blocks classified into common data blocks, monoscopic specific data blocks, and stereoscopic specific data blocks,

each common data block including both a main-view data block and a sub-view data block and to be accessed during both monoscopic playback and stereoscopic playback,

each monoscopic specific data block exclusively including a main-view data block and to be accessed only during monoscopic playback,

each stereoscopic specific data block including both a main-view data block and a sub-view data block and to be accessed only during stereoscopic playback,

one of the monoscopic specific data blocks including a main-view data block having the same content as a main-view data block included in one of the stereoscopic specific data blocks,

the management information including a system rate of the main-view stream, a system rate of the sub-view stream, stereoscopic video playback path information, and monoscopic video playback path information,

the stereoscopic video playback path information indicating a path for main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks included in the common data blocks and the stereoscopic specific data blocks, the path representing the main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks to be played back during stereoscopic playback,

the monoscopic video playback path information indicating a path for main-view data blocks included in the common data blocks and the monoscopic specific data blocks, the path representing the main-view data blocks to be played back during monoscopic playback,

the recording medium including a long jump region that is one of a region having at least a predetermined number of sectors and a region having a layer boundary,

the common data blocks including a first common data block and a second common data block to be read in this order, the long jump region existing between recording areas of the first common data block and the second common data block,

the monoscopic specific data blocks and the stereoscopic specific data blocks respectively including a first monoscopic specific data block and a first stereoscopic specific data block that have identical content and are recorded between the recording area of the first common data block and the long jump region, or between the long jump region and the recording area of the second common data block,

the first common data block, the second common data block, and the first monoscopic specific data block each including a main-view data block having a minimum size that is determined by at least the following factors:

a rate at which a playback device reads the main-view data block from the recording medium during monoscopic playback;

a bit rate of the main-view data block; and

a length of time necessary for the playback device to jump over the long jump region during monoscopic playback,

the first common data block, the second common data block, the first monoscopic specific data block, and the first stereoscopic specific data block each including a main-view data block having a maximum size that is determined by at least the following factors;

the system rate of the sub-view stream; and

whether the long jump region exists between recording areas of two data blocks to be consecutively read.

5. A playback device for playing back video images from a recording medium on which a main-view stream, a sub-view stream, and management information are recorded,

the main-view stream having multiplexed therein a main-view video stream that constitutes main views of stereoscopic video images,

the sub-view stream having multiplexed therein a sub-view video stream that constitutes sub-views of stereoscopic video images,

the sub-view video stream encoded with reference to the main-view video stream,

the management information including a system rate of each of the main-view stream and the sub-view stream,

the recording medium including a long jump region that is one of a region having at least a predetermined number of sectors and a region having a layer boundary,

the main-view stream divided and arranged into a plurality of main-view data blocks,

the sub-view stream divided and arranged into a plurality of sub-view data blocks,

the recording medium including a plurality of extent blocks, each of the extent blocks having main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks in a continuous interleaved arrangement and being referred to as a single extent when stereoscopic video images are played back,

each extent block having a sub-view data block at the top of the extent block and including at least one pair of a sub-view data block and a main-view data block, and

a first extent block to be read immediately before a second extent block or immediately after a third extent block,

a main-view data block and a sub-view data block constituting a single pair in the first extent block and each having a maximum size that is determined by the following factors:

the system rate of the sub-view stream;

whether the single pair is at the top of the first extent block; and

whether the long jump region exists between recording areas of the first extent block and the second extent block, or between recording areas of the first extent block and the third extent block,

the playback device comprising;

a read unit operable to read extent blocks from the recording medium;

a switching unit operable to extract the main-view stream and the sub-view stream from the extent blocks read by the read unit;

a first read buffer for storing the main-view stream extracted by the switching unit;

a second read buffer for storing the sub-view stream extracted by the switching unit; and

a decoding unit operable to read and decode the main-view stream from the first read buffer, and the sub-view stream from the second read buffer, wherein

the first read buffer has a capacity equaling at least a minimum value determined by the following factors;

a jump time required for the playback device to jump over the long jump region;

a rate at which the read unit reads the extent block during stereoscopic playback;

a size of a sub-view data block recorded immediately after the long jump region; and

the system rate of the main-view stream, and

the second read buffer has a capacity equaling at least a minimum value determined by the following factors;

a size of a main-view data block recorded immediately before the long jump region;

a size of a sub-view data block recorded immediately after the long jump region;

the jump time; and

the system rate of the sub-view stream.

6. A playback device for playing back video images from a recording medium on which a data stream and management information are recorded,

the data stream including a plurality of data blocks,

the data stream including a main-view stream used for monoscopic playback and a sub-view stream used for playback of stereoscopic video images in combination with the main-view stream,

the data blocks including a plurality of main-view data blocks constituting the main-view stream and a plurality of sub-view data blocks constituting the sub-view stream,

types of the data blocks classified into common data blocks, monoscopic specific data blocks, and stereoscopic specific data blocks,

each common data block including both a main-view data block and a sub-view data block and to be accessed during both monoscopic playback and stereoscopic playback,

each monoscopic specific data block exclusively including a main-view data block and to be accessed only during monoscopic playback,

each stereoscopic specific data block including both a main-view data block and a sub-view data block and to be accessed only during stereoscopic playback,

one of the monoscopic specific data blocks including a main-view data block having the same content as a main-view data block included in one of the stereoscopic specific data blocks,

the management information including a system rate of the main-view stream, a system rate of the sub-view stream, stereoscopic video playback path information, and monoscopic video playback path information,

the stereoscopic video playback path information indicating a first path for main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks included in the common data blocks and the stereoscopic specific data blocks, the first path representing the main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks to be played back during stereoscopic playback,

the monoscopic video playback path information indicating a second path for main-view data blocks included in the common data blocks and the monoscopic specific data blocks, the second path representing the main-view data blocks to be played back during monoscopic playback,

the recording medium including a long jump region that is one of a region having at least a predetermined number of sectors and a region having a layer boundary,

the common data blocks including a first common data block and a second common data block to be read in this order, the long jump region existing between recording areas of the first common data block and the second common data block,

the monoscopic specific data blocks and the stereoscopic specific data blocks respectively including a first monoscopic specific data block and a first stereoscopic specific data block that have identical content and are recorded between the recording area of the first common data block and the long jump region, or between the long jump region and the recording area of the second common data block,

the first common data block, the second common data block, and the first monoscopic specific data block each including a main-view data block having a minimum size that is determined by at least the following factors:

a rate at which the playback device reads the main-view data block from the recording medium during monoscopic playback;

a bit rate of the main-view data block; and

a length of time necessary for the playback device to jump over the long jump region during monoscopic playback,

the first common data block, the second common data block, the first monoscopic specific data block, and the first stereoscopic specific data block each including a main-view data block having a maximum size that is determined by at least the following factors;

the system rate of the sub-view stream; and

whether the long jump region exits between recording areas of two data blocks to be consecutively read,

the playback device comprising;

a read unit operable to read data blocks from the recording medium;

a switching unit operable to extract the main-view stream and the sub-view stream from the data blocks read by the read unit;

a first read buffer for storing the main-view stream extracted by the switching unit;

a second read buffer for storing the sub-view stream extracted by the switching unit; and

a decoding unit operable to read and decode the main-view stream from the first read buffer, and the sub-view stream from the second read buffer, wherein

the playback device plays back main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks in accordance with the first path during playback of stereoscopic video images, and plays back main-view data blocks in accordance with the second path during playback of monoscopic video images.

7. A semiconductor integrated circuit for performing audio/video signal processing of data received from a recording medium on which a main-view stream, a sub-view stream, and management information are recorded,

the main-view stream having multiplexed therein a main-view video stream that constitutes main views of stereoscopic video images,

the sub-view stream having multiplexed therein a sub-view video stream that constitutes sub-views of stereoscopic video images,

the sub-view video stream encoded with reference to the main-view video stream,

the management information including a system rate of each of the main-view stream and the sub-view stream,

the recording medium including a long jump region that is one of a region having at least a predetermined number of sectors and a region having a layer boundary,

the main-view stream divided and arranged into a plurality of main-view data blocks,

the sub-view stream divided and arranged into a plurality of sub-view data blocks,

the recording medium including a plurality of extent blocks, each of the extent blocks having main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks in a continuous interleaved arrangement and being referred to as a single extent when stereoscopic video images are played back,

each extent block having a sub-view data block at the top of the extent block and including at least one pair of a sub-view data block and a main-view data block,

a first extent block to be read immediately before a second extent block or immediately after a third extent block,

a main-view data block and a sub-view data block constituting a single pair in the first extent block and each having a maximum size that is determined by the following factors:

the system rate of the sub-view stream;

whether the single pair is at the top of the first extent block; and

whether the long jump region exists between recording areas of the first extent block and the second extent block, or between the recording areas of the first extent block and the third extent block,

main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks each including visual data,

at least one of main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks including audio data,

the semiconductor integrated circuit comprising;

a main control unit operable to control the semiconductor integrated circuit;

a stream processing unit operable to receive extent blocks from an external device, the extent blocks having been read from the recording medium by the external device, the stream processing unit operable to store the extent blocks into a memory internal or external to the semiconductor integrated circuit, and then demultiplex the extent blocks into the visual data and the audio data;

a signal processing unit operable to decode the visual data and the audio data; and

an AV output unit operable to output the visual data and audio data decoded by the signal processing unit, wherein

the stream processing unit includes a switching unit operable to switch a storage location of the received extent blocks between a first area and a second area within the memory, and

the main control unit controls the switching unit to store data belonging to main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks included in the received extent blocks into the first area and the second area, respectively.

8. A semiconductor integrated circuit for performing audio/video signal processing of data received from a recording medium on which a data stream and management information are recorded,

the data stream including a plurality of data blocks,

the data stream including a main-view stream used for monoscopic playback and a sub-view stream used for playback of stereoscopic video images in combination with the main-view stream,

the data blocks including a plurality of main-view data blocks constituting the main-view stream and a plurality of sub-view data blocks constituting the sub-view stream,

types of the data blocks classified into common data blocks, monoscopic specific data blocks, and stereoscopic specific data blocks,

each common data block including both a main-view data block and a sub-view data block and to be accessed during both monoscopic playback and stereoscopic playback,

each monoscopic specific data block exclusively including a main-view data block and to be accessed only during monoscopic playback,

each stereoscopic specific data block including both a main-view data block and a sub-view data block and to be accessed only during stereoscopic playback,

one of the monoscopic specific data blocks including a main-view data block having the same content as a main-view data block included in one of the stereoscopic specific data blocks,

the management information including a system rate of the main-view stream, a system rate of the sub-view stream, stereoscopic video playback path information, and monoscopic video playback path information,

the stereoscopic video playback path information indicating a first path for main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks included in the common data blocks and the stereoscopic specific data blocks, the first path representing the main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks to be played back during stereoscopic playback,

the monoscopic video playback path information indicating a second path for main-view data blocks included in the common data blocks and the monoscopic specific data blocks, the second path representing the main-view data blocks to be played back during monoscopic playback,

the recording medium including a long jump region that is one of a region having at least a predetermined number of sectors and a region having a layer boundary,

the common data blocks including a first common data block and a second common data block to be read in this order, the long jump region existing between a recording areas of the first common data block and the second common data block,

the monoscopic specific data blocks and the stereoscopic specific data blocks respectively including a first monoscopic specific data block and a first stereoscopic specific data block that have identical content and are recorded between the recording area of the first common data block and the long jump region, or between the long jump region and the recording area of the second common data block,

the first common data block, the second common data block, and the first monoscopic specific data block each including a main-view data block having a minimum size that is determined by at least the following factors:

a rate at which a playback device reads the main-view data block from the recording medium during monoscopic playback;

a bit rate of the main-view data block; and

a length of time necessary for the playback device to jump over the long jump region during monoscopic playback,

the first common data block, the second common data block, the first monoscopic specific data block, and the first stereoscopic specific data block each including a main-view data block having a maximum size that is determined by at least the following factors;

the system rate of the sub-view stream; and

whether the long jump region exits between recording areas of two data blocks to be consecutively read,

main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks each including visual data,

at least one of main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks including audio data,

the semiconductor integrated circuit comprising;

a main control unit operable to control the semiconductor integrated circuit;

a stream processing unit operable to receive data blocks from an external device, the data blocks having been read from the recording medium by the external device, the stream processing unit operable to store the data blocks into a memory internal or external to the semiconductor integrated circuit, and then demultiplex the data blocks into the visual data and the audio data;

a signal processing unit operable to decode the visual data and the audio data; and

an AV output unit operable to output the visual data and audio data decoded by the signal processing unit, wherein

the stream processing unit includes a switching unit operable to switch a storage location of the received data blocks between a first area and a second area within the memory,

the main control unit controls the switching unit to store data belonging to main-view data blocks and sub-view data blocks included in the received data blocks into the first area and the second area, respectively, and

during playback of stereoscopic video images, data belonging to the first path undergoes audio/video signal processing.