System for outputting reproduction data by judging whether a second data group is outputted after first data group is outputted by reproduction point data

• US 5,613,109 A
• Filed: 09/16/1994
• Issued: 03/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Donnelly, Stuart, Yamauchi, Kazuhiko, Kozuka, Masayuki, Kobayashi, Ryousuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Anderson I.
• Application Number:
  US08/307,927
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 358/342, 260/260, 260/261.3, 260/262.4, 260/927.4, 260/958, 260/962, 260/974, 395/600, 395/650, 395/100, 395/375, 395/800, 364/251, 364/255.2, 364/261.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A data reproduction apparatus comprising: a storage unit for storing element data, and the management data including index data dividing the element data into first and second data groups and channel data indicating a first-data-group reproduction order; a management data readout and save unit for reading out and saving the management data; a first-data-group-readout first direction unit for outputting a first readout direction for the first-data-group element data as per the channel data; an input manipulation unit for accepting instruction input to select a reproduction channel of the first-data-group element data; a first-data-group-readout second direction unit for outputting a second readout direction for the first-data-group element data as per the channel data; a first-data-group readout unit for reading out the element data as per either the first or second readout direction; a first-data-group reproduction unit for converting the readout element data into reproduction data; a first-data-group output unit for converting the reproduction data into output data; a second-data-group output judgment unit for judging adequacy of the second-data-group element data output after the first-data-group element data; a second-data-group readout unit for reading out the second-data-group element data upon adequacy judgment; a second-data-group reproduction unit for converting the readout element data into reproduction data; and a second-data-group output unit for converting the reproduction data into output data.

Claims

1. A data reproduction apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing primary data, management data, channel data, and second-data-group reproduction print group data, said primary data being a plurality of element data, said management data including index data that divide said plurality of element data into a first data group and a second data group, said channel data indicating a reproduction order in said first data group, and said second-data-group reproduction point group data being management data for directing reproduction of the element data of said second data group within a reproduction channel of the element data of said first data group being reproduced, wherein the index data include an element data identifier identifying individual element data and an address value identifying a place in said storage means where each element data specified by a respective element data identifier are store, and

wherein the channel data include reproduction order data formed of a reproduction order and an element data identifier, and a reproduction order identifier identifying individual reproduction order data;

management data readout and save means for reading out and saving the index data, the channel data from said storage means, and the second-data-group reproduction point group data stored in said storage means;

first-data-group-readout first direction means for outputting a first readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group as per the channel data saved in said management data readout and save means, including

a first address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data; and

a first address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means,

input manipulation means for accepting instruction input for directing a selection of a reproduction channel of the element data of said first data group;

first-data-group-readout second direction means for outputting a second readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group from said storage means as per the channel data specified by the instruction input from said input manipulation means, including a second address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit being different from the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit, and a second address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means;

first-data-group readout means for reading out the element data stored in said storage means as per one of the first and second readout direction;

first-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data readout by said first-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data;

first-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said first-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data;

second-data-group output judgment means for judging whether it is adequate to output the element data of said second data group after the element data of said first data group is reproduced and judging the adequacy when the element data from said first-data-group output means coincide with the second-data-group reproduction point data saved in said management data readout and save means;

second-data-group readout means for reading out the element data of said second data group stored in said storage means when said second-data-group output judgment means judges adequacy of the output of the element data of said second data group;

second-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data read out by said second-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data; and

second-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said second-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data;

second-data-group reproduction history record means for recording the element data outputted from said second-data-group output means by means of an identifier identifying individual element data;

second-data-group selection means for firstly selecting the element data of said second data group whose identifier doe snot coincide with the identifiers stored in said second-data-group reproduction history record means, wherein said second-data group readout means reads out the element data selected by said second-data-group selection means from said storage means, wherein said input manipulation means accepts instruction input as to a reproduction channel by means of a location coordinate, and wherein branch judgment data are attached to the element data identifier in the reproduction order data when the reproduction order corresponding to said element data identifier is placed last in the order and a reproduction channel for the element data identified by said element data identifier has a branching point at an end thereof, and wherein said branch judgment data include a reproduction order identifier, and screen area data consisting of location coordinates, each indicating respective locations of a plurality of video data areas, each of said plurality of video data areas corresponding to the respective reproduction order identifiers, and wherein said first-data-group readout means includes;

a branch channel judgment unit for judging within of which said screen area data the location coordinate accepted by said input manipulation means exist;

a reproduction channel determination unit for determining a reproduction channel as per the reproduction order data identified by the reproduction order identifier corresponding to the screen area data judged by said branched channel judgment unit;

a third address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address values extracted, respectively, by said first, second, and third address value extraction units being different; and

an element data readout unit for reading out the element data from said storage means using the address value extracted by said third address value extraction unit.

2. The data reproduction apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the second-data-group reproduction point group data include a reproduction order identifier and location data representing a reproduction order for each reproduction point forming a reproduction group, and

wherein said second-data-group output judgment means includes:

a reproduction point judgment unit for judging whether the reproduction order identifier and the reproduction order of the element data outputted from said first-data-group output means coincide with the reproduction order identifier and the corresponding location data of any of the second-data-group reproduction point group data respectively; and

a second-data-group-readout direction unit for outputting a direction to said second-data-group readout means to read out the element data based on judgment of element-data-identifier-coincidence by said reproduction point judgment unit.

3. The data reproduction apparatus of claim 2, wherein

said index data further include a code identifier identifying one of said first data group and said second data group, and

wherein said second-data-group selection means includes:

a not-reproduced-yet element data extraction unit for extracting the element data whose element data identifier does not correspond to the element data identifiers recorded in said second-data-group reproduction history data record means out of element data whose element data identifiers correspond to the code identifier identifying said second data group;

a random selection unit for selecting one element data from a plurality of element data extracted by said not-reproduced-yet element data extraction unit at random;

a fourth address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address values extracted respectively by said first, second, third, and fourth address value extraction units being different; and

a third address direction unit for outputting the address value extracted by said fourth address value extraction means to said second-data-group readout means.

4. The data reproduction apparatus of claim 3, wherein

the element data of said first data group are scene files of electronic book data, and the element data of said second data group are advertisement data, the advertisement data being reproduced within a .reproduction channel of the scene files.

5. A data reproduction apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing primary data and management data, said primary data being a plurality of element data, said management data including index data that divide said plurality of element data into a first data group and a second data group, and channel data that indicate a reproduction order in said first data group;

management data readout and save means for reading out and saving the index data and the channel data from said storage means;

first-data-group-readout first direction means for outputting a first readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group as per the channel data saved in said management data readout and save means;

input manipulation means for accepting instruction input for directing a selection of a reproduction channel of the element data of said first data group;

first-data-group-readout second direction means for outputting a second readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group from said storage means as per the channel data specified by the instruction input from said input manipulation means;

first-data-group readout means for reading out the element data stored in said storage means as per one of the first and second readout direction;

first-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data readout by said first-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data;

first-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said first-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data;

second-data-group output judgment means for judging whether it is adequate to output the element data of said second data group after the element data of said direct data group being reproduced;

second-data-group readout means for reading out the element data of said second data group stored in said storage means when said second-data-group output judgment means judges adequacy of the output of the element data of said second data group;

second-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data read out by said second-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data;

second-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said second-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data,

wherein said storage means further stores second-data-group reproduction point group data and data-group specifying data, said second-data-group reproduction point group data being management data for directing reproduction of the element data of the second data group within a reproduction channel of the element data of said first data group being reproduced, said data-group specifying data specifying the element data of said second data group pto be reproduced at a reproduction point as per certain classification, and

wherein said management data readout and save means further reads out that saves the second-data-group reproduction point group data and data-group specifying data stored in said storage means, and

wherein said second-data-group output judgement means judges adequacy when the element data outputted from said first-data-group output means coincide with the second-data-group reproduction point group data saved in said management data readout and save means, and

wherein said second-data-group readout means reads out the element data of said second data group stored in said storage means as per said data-group specifying data upon adequacy judgment by said second-data-group output judgment means,

wherein the index data include an element data identifier identifying individual element data and an address value identifying a place in said storage means where each element data specified by a respective element data identifier are stored, and

wherein the channel data include reproduction order data formed of a reproduction order and an element data identifier, and a reproduction order identifier identifying individual reproduction order data, and

wherein said first-data-group-readout first direction means includes;

a first address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data; and

a first address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means, and

wherein said first-data-group-readout second direction means includes;

a second address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit being different from the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit; and

a second address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means, wherein said input manipulation means accepts instruction input as to a reproduction channel by means of a location coordinate, and

wherein branch judgment data are attached to the element data identifier in the reproduction order data when the reproduction order corresponding to said element data identifier is placed last in the order and a reproduction channel for the element data identified by said element data identifier has a branching point at an end thereof, and

wherein said branch judgment data include a reproduction order identifier, and a screen area data consisting of location coordinates each indicating respective locations of a plurality of video data areas, each of said plurality of video data areas corresponding to the respective reproduction order identifiers, and

wherein said first-data-group readout means includes;

a branched channel judgment unit for judging within of which said screen area data the location coordinate accepted by said input manipulation means exist;

a reproduction channel determination unit for determining a reproduction channel as per the reproduction order data identified by the reproduction order identifier corresponding to the screen area data judged by said branched channel judgment unit;

a third address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address values extracted, respectively, by said first, second, and third address value extraction units being different; and

an element data readout unit for reading out the element data from said storage means using the address value extracted by said third address value extraction unit.

6. The data reproduction apparatus of claim 5, wherein

said storage means further stores a second-data-group identifier that divides the element data of the second data group by certain classification, and

wherein the second-data-group reproduction point group data include a reproduction point identifier, a reproduction order identifier, and location data representing a reproduction order for each reproduction point, and

wherein the data-group specifying data include a reproduction point identifier and a corresponding second data group identifier, and

wherein said second-data-group output judgment means includes:

a reproduction point judgment unit for judging whether the reproduction order identifier and the reproduction order of the element data outputted from said first-data-group output means coincide with the reproduction order identifier and the location data of any of the second-data-group reproduction point group data respectively, and

wherein said second-data-group readout means includes;

a second-data-group reproduction-point-identifier extraction unit for extracting a reproduction point identifier coinciding with the second-data-group reproduction point group data when said reproduction point judgment means judges coincidence;

a second-data-group element data identifier selection unit for taking out the second data group identifier corresponding to the reproduction point identifier extracted by said second-data-group reproduction-point-identifier extraction unit to select an element data identifier having the second data group identifier in the index data;

a second-data-group random selection unit for selecting one element data identifier from the element data identifiers selected by said second-data-group element data identifier selection unit;

a fourth address value extraction unit for extracting the address value corresponding to the element data identifier selected by said second-data-group random selection unit from the index data; and

a second-data-group readout unit for reading out the element data stored in said storage means by accessing to an address identified by the address value extracted by said fourth address value extraction unit.

7. The data reproduction apparatus of claim 6, wherein

the element data of said first data group are scene files of electronic book data, and the element data of said second data group are advertisement data, the advertisement data being reproduced within a reproduction channel of the scene files.

8. A data reproduction apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing primary data and management data, said primary data being a plurality of element data, said management data including index data that divide said plurality of element data into a first data group and a second data group, and channel data that indicate a reproduction order in said first data group;

management data readout and save means for reading out and saving the index data and the channel data from said storage means;

first-data-group-readout first direction means for outputting a first readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group as per the channel data saved in said management data readout and save means;

input manipulation means for accepting instruction input for directing a selection of a reproduction channel of the element data of said first data group;

first-data-group-readout second direction means for outputting a second readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group from said storage means as per the channel data specified by the instruction input from said input manipulation means;

first-data-group readout means for reading out the element data stored in said storage means as per one of the first and second readout direction;

first-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data readout by said first-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data;

first-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said first-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data;

second-data-group output judgment means for judging whether it is adequate to output the element data of said second data group after the element data of said direct data group being reproduced;

second-data-group readout means for reading out the element data of said second data group stored in said storage means when said second-data-group output judgment means judges adequacy of the output of the element data of said second data group;

second-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data read out by said second-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data;

second-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said second-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data, wherein

said management data further include second-data-group reproduction point group data and selection condition data, said second-data-group reproduction point group data indicating reproduction of element data of said second data group within a reproduction channel of the element data of said first data group; and

said management data readout and save means further reads out and saves the second-data group reproduction point group data and the selection condition data stored in said storage means, whereby said second-data-group output judgment means judges adequacy when the element data outputted from said first-data-group output means coincide with the element data saved n said management data readout and save means;

second-data-group selection means for selecting the element data as per the selection condition data, said selection condition data being the number of the element data to be read out, and

wherein said second-data-group readout means reads out the element data selected by said second-data-group selection means from said storage means, the index data include an element data identifier identifying individual element data and an address value identifying place in said storage means where each element data specified by a respective element data identifier are stored, and

wherein the channel data include reproduction order data formed of a reproduction order and an element data identifier and a reproduction order identified identifying individual reproduction order data, and

wherein said first-data-group-readout first direction means includes;

a first address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data; and

a first address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means, and

wherein said first-data-group-readout second direction means includes;

a second address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit being different from the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit; and

a second address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means, wherein said input manipulation means accepts instruction input as to a reproduction channel by means of a location coordinate, and

wherein branch judgment data are attached to the element data identifier in the reproduction order data when the reproduction order corresponding to said element data identifier is placed last in the order and a reproduction channel for the element data identified by said element data identifier has a branching point at an end thereof, and

wherein said branch judgment data include a reproduction order identifier, and a screen area data consisting of location coordinates each indicating respective locations of a plurality of video data areas, each of said plurality of video data areas corresponding to the respective reproduction order identifiers, and

wherein said first-data-group readout means includes;

a branched channel judgment unit for judging within of which said screen area data the location coordinate accepted by said input manipulation means exist;

a reproduction channel determination unit for determining a reproduction channel as per the reproduction order data identified by the reproduction order identifier corresponding to the screen area data judged by said branched channel judgment unit;

a third address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address values extracted, respectively, by said first, second, and third address value extraction units being different; and

an element data readout unit for reading out the element data from said storage means using the address value extracted by said third address value extraction unit.

9. The data apparatus of claim 8, wherein

said second-data-group reproduction point group data include a reproduction point identifier, a reproduction order identifier, and location data representing a reproduction order, and

wherein said selection condition data include a reproduction point identifier and the number of element data to be reproduced for individual reproduction point identifiers, and

wherein said second-data-group output judgment means includes:

a reproduction point judgment unit for judging whether the reproduction order identifier and the reproduction order of the element data outputted form said first data group output means coincide with the reproduction order identifier and the location data of any of the second-data-group reproduction point data respectively, and

wherein said second-data-group readout means includes;

a second-data-group reproduction-point-identifier extraction unit for extracting the reproduction point identifier coinciding with the second-data-group reproduction data when said reproduction point judgment unit judges coincidence;

a second-data-group reproduction number extraction unit for taking out the number of element data to be reproduced corresponding to the reproduction point identifier extracted by said second-data-group reproduction-point-identifier extraction unit from the selection condition data;

a second-data-group element data identifier random selection unit for selecting a number of element data identifiers of the element data of said second data group in the index data at random, said number matching with the number of element data to be reproduced extracted by said second-data-group reproduction number extraction unit;

a fourth address value extraction unit for successively extracting the address values corresponding to the element data identifiers of said second data group selected by said second-data-group element data identifier random selection unit from the index data, the address values extracted respectively by said first, second, third, and fourth address values extraction units being different, and

a second-data-group readout unit for successively reading out the element data stored in said storage means by accessing to addresses identified by the address values extracted by said fourth address value extraction unit.

10. The data reproduction apparatus of claim 9, wherein

the element data of said first data group are scene files of electronic book data, and the element data of said second data group are advertisement data, the advertisement data being reproduced within a reproduction channel of the scene files.

11. A data reproduction apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing primary data and management data, said primary data being a plurality of element data, said management data including index data that divide said plurality of element data into a first data group and a second data group, and channel data that indicate a reproduction order in said first data group;

management data readout and save means for reading out and saving the index data and the channel data from said storage means;

first-data-group-readout first direction means for outputting a first readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group as per the channel data saved in said management data readout and save means;

input manipulation means for accepting instruction input for directing a selection of a reproduction channel of the element data of said first data group;

first-data-group-readout second direction means for outputting a second readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group from said storage means as per the channel data specified by the instruction input from said input manipulation means;

first-data-group readout means for reading out the element data stored in said storage means as per one of the first and second readout direction;

first-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data readout by said first-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data;

first-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said first-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data;

second-data-group output judgment means for judging whether it is adequate to output the element data of said second data group after the element data of said direct data group being reproduced;

second-data-group readout means for reading out the element data of said second data group stored in said storage means when said second-data-group output judgment means judges adequacy of the output of the element data of said second data group;

second-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data read out by said second-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data;

second-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said second-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data, wherein said storage means further stores evaluation function data for individual element data of said first data group,

and wherein said data reproduction apparatus further comprises;

evaluation function data readout and save means for reading and saving the evaluation function data stored in said storage means as per one of the first and second readout direction; and

reproduction state detection means for detecting a reproduction time, the reproduction time being a period of time from a start to an end of reproduction for individual element data at said first data group output means;

evaluation value computation means for computing an evaluation value by substituting the reproduction time into the evaluation function data saved in said evaluation function data readout and save means;

evaluation value addition means for computing a total of the evaluation values computed by said evaluation value computation means, whereby said second-data-group output judgment means judges adequacy when the total of the evaluation values becomes greater than a predetermined threshold; and

reset means for resetting the total of the evaluation values computed by said evaluation value addition means when said second-data-group output means outputs output data;

reproduction suspend/resume manipulation means for accepting a manipulation to suspend output of the output data from said first-data-group output means and outputting an output suspend command to said first-data-group output means, and for accepting a manipulation to release the output-data output suspension and outputting an output resume command to said first-data-group output means, and

wherein said reproduction state detection means detects the reproduction time by including a time interval for the output suspension caused by the reproduction suspend/resume manipulation,

wherein the index data include an element data identifier identifying individual element data and an address value identifying place in said storage means where each element data specified by a respective element data identifier are stored, and

wherein the channel data include reproduction order data formed of a reproduction order and an element data identifier and a reproduction order identified identifying individual reproduction order data, and

wherein said first-data-group-readout first direction means includes;

a first address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data; and

a first address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means, and

wherein said first-data-group-readout second direction means includes;

a second address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit being different from the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit; and

a second address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means, wherein said input manipulation means accepts instruction input as to a reproduction channel by means of a location coordinate, and

wherein branch judgment data are attached to the element data identifier in the reproduction order data when the reproduction order corresponding to said element data identifier is placed last in the order and a reproduction channel for the element data identified by said element data identifier has a branching point at an end thereof, and

wherein said branch judgment data include a reproduction order identifier, and a screen area data consisting of location coordinates each indicating respective locations of a plurality of video data areas, each of said plurality of video data areas corresponding to the respective reproduction order identifiers, and

wherein said first-data-group readout means includes;

a branched channel judgment unit for judging within of which said screen area data the location coordinate accepted by said input manipulation means exist;

a reproduction channel determination unit for determining a reproduction channel as per the reproduction order data identified by the reproduction order identifier corresponding to the screen area data judged by said branched channel judgment unit;

a third address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address values extracted, respectively, by said first, second, and third address value extraction units being different; and

an element data readout unit for reading out the element data from said storage means using the address value extracted by said third address value extraction unit.

12. The data reproduction apparatus of claim 11, wherein

the evaluation function data are selected from a group consisting of an equal-plus-value evaluation function, a converge-plus-value evaluation function, an equal-minus-value evaluation function, and a converge-minus-value evaluation function depending on a content of corresponding element data.

13. The data reproduction apparatus of claim 12, wherein

the element data of said first data group are scene files of electronic book data, and the element data of said second data group are advertisement data, the advertisement data being reproduced within a reproduction channel of the scene files.

14. A system for playback of electronic publishing comprising:

a delivery medium for storing primary data and management data, wherein the primary data includes a plurality of pieces of element data including at least picture data, and the management data includes index data, route data, and second data-group reproduction point data, wherein the index data classifies the plurality of pieces of element data into a first data group and a second data group, the route data indicates a reproduction route in which pieces of element data in the first data group are arranged in reproduction order with branch points, and the second-data-group reproduction point data specifies a reproduction point in the reproduction route where a piece of element data in the second data group is reproduced; and

a playback apparatus for reproducing data stored in the delivery medium, wherein the playback apparatus comprises;

extracting means for extracting a certain kind of primary data and a certain kind of management data from the delivery medium;

input manipulation means for receiving a branch destination specification instruction from a user at each of the branch points in the reproduction route;

reproduction means for converting the certain kind of primary data extracted by the extracting means into a reproduction signal and outputting the reproduction signal;

output means for converting the reproduction signal output by the reproduction means into a picture signal and outputting the picture signal;

first-data-group playback control means for determining a piece of element data in the first data group to be reproduced according to the route data extracted by the extracting means and the branch destination specification instruction received by the input manipulation means, and instructing the extracting means to extract the determined piece of element data;

second-data-group output judgement means for judging based on the management data extracted by the extracting means whether a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means to a position after the piece of element data output by the output means according to the second-data-group reproduction point data; and

second-data-group playback control means for determining a piece of element data in the second data group to be output according to the index data in the management data extracted by the extracting means when the second-data-group output judgement means judges that the element data in the second data group should be output, and instructing the extracting means to extract the determined element data, wherein the delivery medium stores evaluation function data corresponding to each element data in the first data group, and

wherein the playback apparatus further comprises;

evaluation function data extracting and holding means for extracting the evaluation function data from the delivery medium and holding the evaluation function data;

reproduction state detecting means for detecting a reproduction time for each element data in the first data group output by the output means, the reproduction time being a period from a start to an end of an output by the output means of a piece of element data in the first data group;

evaluation value calculating means for calculating an evaluation value by substituting the reproduction time detected by the reproduction state detecting means into the evaluation function data held by the evaluation function data extracting and holding means;

evaluation value adding means for adding up evaluation values calculated by the evaluation value calculating means to obtain a sum, wherein the second-data-group output judgement means compares the sum to a threshold value and judges that a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means when the sum exceeds the threshold value; and

reset means for resetting the sum calculated by the evaluation value adding means to an initial value when the output means outputs output data of a piece of element data in the second data group.

15. The system for playback of electronic publishing of claim 14 wherein one an equal-plus-value evaluation function, a converge-plus-value evaluation function, an equal-minus value evaluation function, and a converge-minus-value evaluation function is chosen as the evaluation function data according to contents of a corresponding piece of element data.

16. The system for playback of electronic publishing of claim 14, wherein the element data stored in the delivery medium includes scene files classified into the first data group and advertisement data classified into the second data group, wherein the scene files are reproduced according to the reproduction route and the advertisement data is reproduced at the reproduction points in the reproduction route.

17. The system for playback of electronic publishing of claim 14, wherein the delivery medium further stores second-data group reproduction point data, being management data for specifying each reproduction point with a corresponding piece of element data in the first data group in the reproduction route, and data-group specification data which is management data for specifying correspondence between each group, into which the plurality of pieces of element data in the second data group are classified by a certain criteria, and a reproduction point,

wherein the extracting means further reads the second data-group reproduction data and the data-group specification data from the delivery medium,

wherein the second-data-group output judging means judges that a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means when the piece of element data in the first data group output by the output means agree with the second-data-group reproduction point data extracted by the extracting means, and

wherein the second-data-group playback control means instructs the extracting means to extract a piece of element data in the second data group stored in the delivery medium according to the index data and the data-group specification data when the second-data-group output judging means judges that a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means.

18. The system for playback of electronic publishing of claim 14,

wherein the delivery medium further stores second-data-group reproduction point data, being management data for specifying each reproduction point with a corresponding piece of element data in the first data group in the reproduction route, and identification condition data which is management data for specifying the number of pieces of element data in the second data group to be reproduced at each reproduction point,

wherein the extracting means further reads the second-data-group reproduction data and the identification condition data from the delivery medium,

herein the second-data-group output judging means judges that a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means when the piece of element data in the first data group output by the output means agree with the second-data-group reproduction point data extracted by the extracting means, and

wherein the second-data-group playback control means instructs the extracting means to extract a piece of element data in the second data group stored in the delivery medium according to the index data and the identification condition data when the second-data-group output judging means judges that a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means.

19. A method for playback of electronic publishing comprising:

a data obtaining step of obtaining primary data and management data from a delivery medium, wherein the primary data includes a plurality of pieces of element data including at least picture data, and the management data includes index data, route data, and second-data-group reproduction point data, wherein the index data classifies the plurality of pieces of element data into a first data group and a second data group, the route data indicates a reproduction route in which pieces of element data in the first data group are arranged in reproduction order with branch points, and the second-data-group reproduction point data specifies a reproduction point in the reproduction route where a piece of element data in the second data group is reproduced, wherein the element data stored in the delivery medium includes scene files classified into the first data group and advertisement data classified into the second data group, wherein the scene files are reproduced according to the reproduction route and the advertisement data is reproduced at the reproduction points in the reproduction route;

an input operation step of receiving a branch destination specification instruction from a user at each of the branch points in the reproduction route;

a reproduction step of converting the certain kind of primary data obtained in the data obtaining step into a reproduction signal and outputting the reproduction signal;

an output step of converting the reproduction signal output in the reproduction step into a picture signal and outputting the picture signal;

a first-data-group playback control step of determining a piece of element data in the first data group to be reproduced according to the route data obtained in the data obtaining step and the branch destination specification instruction received in the input manipulation step, and instructing the data obtaining step to extract the determined piece of element data;

a second-data-group output judgement step of judging based on the management data obtained in the data obtaining step whether a piece of element data in the second data group should be output in the output step to a position after the piece of element data output in the output step according to the second-data-group reproduction point data; and

a second-data-group playback control step of determining a piece of element data in the second data group to be output according to the index data in the management data obtained in the data obtaining step when the second-data-group output judgement step judges that the element data in the second data group should be output, and instructing the data obtaining step to obtain the determined element data.

20. A system for playback of electronic publishing comprising:

a delivery medium for storing primary data and management data, wherein the primary data includes a plurality of pieces of element data including at least picture data, and the management data includes index data, route data, and second data-group reproduction point data, wherein the index data classifies the plurality of pieces of element data into a first data group and a second data group, the route data indicates a reproduction route in which pieces of element data in the first data group are arranged in reproduction order with branch points, and the second-data-group reproduction point data specifies a reproduction point in the reproduction route where a piece of element data in the second data group is reproduced; and

a playback apparatus for reproducing data stored in the delivery medium,

wherein the playback apparatus comprises;

extracting means for extracting a certain kind of primary data and a certain kind of management data from the delivery medium;

input manipulation means for receiving a branch destination specification instruction from a user at each of the branch points in the reproduction route;

reproduction means for converting the certain kind of primary data extracted by the extracting means into a reproduction signal and outputting the reproduction signal;

output means for converting the reproduction signal output by the reproduction means into a picture signal and outputting the picture signal;

first-data-group playback control means for determining a piece of element data in the first data group to be reproduced according to the route data extracted by the extracting means and the branch destination specification instruction received by the input manipulation means, and instructing the extracting means to extract the determined piece of element data;

second-data-group output judgement means for judging based on the management data extracted by the extracting means whether a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means to a position after the piece of element data output by the output means according to the second-data-group reproduction point data;

second-data-group playback control means for determining a piece of element data in the second data group to be output according to the index data in the management data extracted by the extracting means when the second-data-group output judgement means judges that the element data in the second data group should be output, and instructing the extracting means to extract the determined element data; and

evaluation function data extracting and holding means for extracting the evaluation function data from the delivery medium and holding the evaluation function data, wherein one of an equal-plus-value evaluation function, a converge-plus-value evaluation function, and a converge-minus-value evaluation function is chosen as the evaluation function data according to contents of a corresponding piece of element data.

21. The system for playback of electronic publishing of claim 20, wherein the playback apparatus further comprises:

reproduction pause/resume manipulation means for outputting an instruction to the reproduction means instructing the reproduction means to stop outputting a piece of element data in the first data group when the output means stops outputting output data of a piece of element data in the first data group according to a user operation, and outputting an instruction to the reproduction means instructing the reproduction means to resume outputting the piece of element data in the first data group when the output means resumes outputting output data of the piece of element data in the first data group according to a user operation, wherein the reproduction state detecting means detects a period during which the output means stops outputting output data of a piece of element data in the first data group according to an operation of the reproduction pause/resume manipulation means and includes the period in the reproduction time.

22. A system for playback of electronic publishing comprising:

a delivery medium for storing primary data and management data, wherein the primary data includes a plurality of pieces of element data including at least picture data, and the management data includes index data, route data, and second data-group reproduction point data, wherein the index data classifies the plurality of pieces of element data into a first data group and a second data group, the route data indicates a reproduction route in which pieces of element data in the first data group are arranged in reproduction order with branch points, and the second-data-group reproduction point data specifies a reproduction point in the reproduction route where a piece of element data in the second data group is reproduced; and

a playback apparatus for reproducing data stored in the delivery medium, wherein the playback apparatus comprises;

extracting means for extracting a certain kind of primary data and a certain kind of management data from the delivery medium;

input manipulation means for receiving a branch destination specification instruction from a user at each of the branch points in the reproduction route;

reproduction means for converting the certain kind of primary data extracted by the extracting means into a reproduction signal and outputting the reproduction signal;

output means for converting the reproduction signal output by the reproduction means into a picture signal and outputting the picture signal;

first-data-group playback control means for determining a piece of element data in the first data group to be reproduced according to the route data extracted by the extracting means and the branch destination specification instruction received by the input manipulation means, and instructing the extracting means to extract the determined piece of element data;

second-data-group output judgement means for judging based on the management data extracted by the extracting means whether a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means to a position after the piece of element data output by the output means according to the second-data-group reproduction point data; and

second-data-group playback control means for determining a piece of element data in the second data group to be output according to the index data in the management data extracted by the extracting means when the second-data-group output judgement means judges that the element data in the second data group should be output, and instructing the extracting means to extract the determined element data, wherein the element data stored in the delivery medium includes scene files classified into the first data group and advertisement data classified into the second data group, wherein the scene files are reproduced according to the reproduction route and the advertisement data is reproduced at the reproduction points in the reproduction route.

23. The system for playback of electronic publishing of claim 22, wherein the playback apparatus further comprises:

second-data-group reproduction history record means for recording an element data identifier which is used to identify the piece of element data in the second data group output by the output means; and

second-data-group selection means for taking a priority in selecting a piece of element data except the piece of element data identified by the element data identifier recorded in the second-data-group reproduction history record means, wherein the extracting means extracts from the delivery medium the piece of element data selected by the second-data-group selection means.

24. A system for playback of electronic publishing comprising:

a delivery medium for storing primary data and management data, wherein the primary data includes a plurality of pieces of element data including at least picture data, and the management data includes index data, route data, and second data-group reproduction point data, wherein the index data classifies the plurality of pieces of element data into a first data group and a second data group, the route data indicates a reproduction route in which pieces of element data in the first data group are arranged in reproduction order with branch points, and the second-data-group reproduction point data specifies a reproduction point in the reproduction route where a piece of element data in the second data group is reproduced; and

a playback apparatus for reproducing data stored in the delivery medium, wherein the playback apparatus comprises;

extracting means for extracting a certain kind of primary data and a certain kind of management data from the delivery medium;

input manipulation means for receiving a branch destination specification instruction from a user at each of the branch points in the reproduction route;

reproduction means for converting the certain kind of primary data extracted by the extracting means into a reproduction signal and outputting the reproduction signal;

output means for converting the reproduction signal output by the reproduction means into a picture signal and outputting the picture signal;

first-data-group playback control means for determining a piece of element data in the first data group to be reproduced according to the route data extracted by the extracting means and the branch destination specification instruction received by the input manipulation means, and instructing the extracting means to extract the determined piece of element data;

second-data-group output judgement means for judging based on the management data extracted by the extracting means whether a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means to a position after the piece of element data output by the output means according to the second-data-group reproduction point data; and

second-data-group playback control means for determining a piece of element data in the second data group to be output according to the index data in the management data extracted by the extracting means when the second-data-group output judgement means judges that the element data in the second data group should be output, and instructing the extracting means to extract the determined element data, wherein the delivery medium further stores second-data group reproduction point data, being management data for specifying each reproduction point with a corresponding piece of element data in the first data group in the reproduction route and data-group specification data which is management data for specifying correspondence between each group, into which the plurality of pieces of element data in the second data group are classified by a certain criteria, and a reproduction point,

wherein the extracting means further reads the second data-group reproduction data and the data-group specification data from the delivery medium,

wherein the second-data-group output judging means judges that a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means when the piece of element data in the first data group output by the output means agrees with the second-data-group reproduction point data extracted by the extracting means, and

wherein the second-data-group playback control means instructs the extracting means to extract a piece of element data in the second data group stored in the delivery medium according to the index data and the data-group specification data when the second-data-group output judging means judges that a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means.

25. A system for playback of electronic publishing comprising:

a delivery medium for storing primary data and management data, wherein the primary data includes a plurality of pieces of element data including at least picture data, and the management data includes index data, route data, and second data-group reproduction point data, wherein the index data classifies the plurality of pieces of element data into a first data group and a second data group, the route data indicates a reproduction route in which pieces of element data in the first data group are arranged in reproduction order with branch points, and the second-data-group reproduction point data specifies a reproduction point in the reproduction route where a piece of element data in the second data group is reproduced; and

a playback apparatus for reproducing data stored in the delivery medium, wherein the playback apparatus comprises;

extracting means for extracting a certain kind of primary data and a certain kind of management data from the delivery medium;

input manipulation means for receiving a branch destination specification instruction from a user at each of the branch points in the reproduction route;

reproduction means for converting the certain kind of primary data extracted by the extracting means into a reproduction signal and outputting the reproduction signal;

output means for converting the reproduction signal output by the reproduction means into a picture signal and outputting the picture signal;

first-data-group playback control means for determining a piece of element data in the first data group to be reproduced according to the route data extracted by the extracting means and the branch destination specification instruction received by the input manipulation means, and instructing the extracting means to extract the determined piece of element data;

second-data-group output judgement means for judging based on the management data extracted by the extracting means whether a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means to a position after the piece of element data output by the output means according to the second-data-group reproduction point data; and

second-data-group playback control means for determining a piece of element data in the second data group to be output according to the index data in the management data extracted by the extracting means when the second-data-group output judgement means judges that the element data in the second data group should be output, and instructing the extracting means to extract the determined element data, wherein the delivery medium further stores second-data-group reproduction point data, being management data for specifying each reproduction point with a corresponding piece of element data in the first data group in the reproduction route, and identification condition data which is management data for specifying the number of pieces of element data in the second data group to be reproduced at each reproduction point,

wherein the extracting means further reads the second-data-group reproduction data and the identification condition data from the delivery medium,

wherein the second-data-group output judging means judges that a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means when the piece of element data in the first data group output by the output means agree with the second-data-group reproduction point data extracted by the extracting means, and

wherein the second-data-group playback control means instructs the extracting means to extract a piece of element data in the second data group stored in the delivery medium according to the index data and the identification condition data when the second-data-group output judging means judges that a piece of element data in the second data group should be output by the output means.