System and method for controlling play of multiple versions of the same motion picture stored on an optical disk
First Claim
1. A system for playing a selected one of at least two versions of the same video program material contained on a software carrier, said software carrier having recorded thereon a single track with three different types of interleaved video data blocks containing respectively (1) video data unique to one of said at least two versions, (2) video data unique to the other of said at least two versions, and (3) video data common to said at least two versions, with said track containing at least one data block of each of said three types, comprising means for registering which of said versions is to be played, means for selecting only the blocks containing video data unique to the version being played and blocks containing video data common to said at least two versions, and means for sequentially reading only the selected video data to form a playback signal from the video data contained in the selected blocks to the exclusion of the video data in the same track in the unique to the version which is not being played.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical disk containing PG-rated and R-rated versions of the same motion picture. To minimize redundant storage of data, three types of video data blocks are provided in the same track, in an interleaved fashion - - - A-type blocks which contain material unique to version A, B-type blocks which contain material unique to version B, and C-type blocks which contain material common to both. A series of codes and pointers included in each block allow play of all common blocks, play of all A or B blocks depending on which version has been selected, and skipping over of the blocks which contain data unique to the unselected version. Play of adult-rated versions are automatically prevented if a parental lock option in the player has been keyed on. The disk may contain special software for identifying multiple versions of the same material where the selection criterion is one other than a rating.
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Citations
22 Claims
- 1. A system for playing a selected one of at least two versions of the same video program material contained on a software carrier, said software carrier having recorded thereon a single track with three different types of interleaved video data blocks containing respectively (1) video data unique to one of said at least two versions, (2) video data unique to the other of said at least two versions, and (3) video data common to said at least two versions, with said track containing at least one data block of each of said three types, comprising means for registering which of said versions is to be played, means for selecting only the blocks containing video data unique to the version being played and blocks containing video data common to said at least two versions, and means for sequentially reading only the selected video data to form a playback signal from the video data contained in the selected blocks to the exclusion of the video data in the same track in the unique to the version which is not being played.
- 12. A method of playing a selected one of at least two versions of the same video program material contained on a software carrier, said software carrier having recorded thereon a single track with three different types of interleaved video data blocks containing respectively (1) video data unique to one of said at least two versions, (2) video data unique to the other of said at least two versions, and (3) video data common to said at least two versions, with said tracks containing at least one data block of each of said three types, comprising the steps of registering which of said versions of the video program is to be played, selecting only the blocks containing video data unique to the version being played and blocks containing video data common to said at least two versions, sequentially reading only the selected video data, and forming a playback signal from the sequentially read video data contained in the selected blocks to the exclusion of the video data in the same track unique to the version which is not being played.
Specification