Apparatus and method for reproducing, based on parental consent, data from a multi-scene recording medium having data units of program information items alternatingly and continuously recorded thereon

• US 5,832,175 A
• Filed: 08/08/1996
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), Toshiba Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimoda, Kenji, Hirayama, Koichi, Nakai, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, THAI Q
• Application Number:
  US08/694,321
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 358/906, 358/909.1, 348/7, 348/13, 360/27, 360/60, 386/92, 386/95, 386/125, 386/126, 386/94, 386/45, 369/48, 369/49, 369/52, 380/3, 380/4, 380/5
• US Class Current: 386/261
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/022 Control panels
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1217 on discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1254 for mixed data, i.e. continuous and discontinuous data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/0037 with discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9205 the additional signal being at least another television signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9206 the additional signal being a character code signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9208 involving the use of subcodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9267 using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/806 : with processing of the sound signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8087 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 : the additional signal being at least another television signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/877 : by assembling picture element blocks in an intermediate memory

Abstract

A multi-scene recording disk and a data reproducing apparatus, which enables a user to select and enjoy one of simultaneously proceeding scenes, and also enables a program editor to edit programs using a new concept and novel fashion. Related program movements each consisting of program bars are recorded on the disk 100. The data reproducing apparatus includes a data string processing section 203, a system control section 204, an operator panel 205, a video processing section 206, and audio processing sections 211 and 213. The sections 203 and 204 and the panel 205 select any one of the program movements and switch one movement to another, and select any one of the program bars of the movement selected and switch and one bar to another. The information thus selected is supplied to the video processing section 206 and the audio processing sections 211 and 213.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reproducing information from a multi-scene recording medium including a disk having a management area and a data area, said data area recording a first program information item, a second program information item following said first program information item, a third program information item following said second program information item, and a fourth program information item for replacing said second program information item, wherein said second and fourth program information items represent simultaneously proceeding scenes, said management area recording multi-scene configuration information indicating that said second and fourth program information items are linked to each other, data units of said second program information item and data units of said fourth program information item being alternatingly and continuously recorded on said recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

pickup means for generating signals based on information recorded on said disk;

demodulation means for generating multi-scene configuration data by demodulating signals generated by said pickup means, said multi-scene configuration data being based on said multi-scene configuration information recorded in said management area of said disk;

management data storage means for storing said multi-scene configuration data generated by said demodulation means;

request signal input means for inputting a request signal requesting that a parental consent mode be set;

first menu generating means for generating a first menu based on said multi-scene configuration data when said request signal is input from said request signal input means, said first menu indicating a first image relating to said second program information item and a second image relating to said fourth program information item;

designation signal input means for inputting a designation signal designating one of said second program information item and said fourth program information item;

second menu generating means for generating a second menu when said designation signal is input from said designation signal input means, said second menu advising a user to input a secret code; and

parental consent data storage means for storing said secret code and said first image or said second image relating to said program information item designated by said designation signal, where

when reproduction is to be switched from one of the second and fourth program information items to another of the second and fourth program information items while the one program information item is being reproduced, reproduction of the other program information item starting from a head portion of a data unit of the other program information item.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said parental consent data storage means is operatively arranged so as to preclude reproduction of one of said second and fourth program information items when the secret code is absent, while permitting reproduction of another of said second and fourth program information items.

3. A method of reproducing information from a multi-scene recording medium including a disk having a management area and a data area, said data area recording a first program information item, a second program information item following said first program information item, a third program information item following said second program information item, and a fourth program information item for replacing said second program information item, wherein said second and fourth program information items represent simultaneously proceeding scenes, said management area recording multi-scene configuration information indicating that said second and fourth program information items are linked to each other, data units of said second program information item and data units of said fourth program information item being alternatingly and continuously recorded on said recording medium, said method comprising the steps of:

reading information from said disk and generating pickup signals based on said information;

generating multi-scene configuration data by demodulating said pickup signals, said multi-scene configuration data being based on said multi-scene configuration information recorded in said management area of said disk;

storing said multi-scene configuration data;

inputting a request signal requesting that a parental consent mode be set;

generating a first menu based on said multi-scene configuration data when said request signal is input, said first menu indicating a first image relating to said second program information item and a second image relating to said fourth program information item;

inputting a designation signal designating one of said second program information item and said fourth program information item;

generating a second menu when said designation signal is input, said second menu advising a user to input a secret code; and

storing said secret code and said first image or said second image relating to said program information item designated by said designation signal, where

when production is to be switched from one of the second and fourth program information items to another of the second and fourth program information items while the one program information item is being reproduced, reproduction of the other program information item starting from a head portion of a data unit of the other program information item.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of storing the secret code includes the step of precluding reproduction of one of said second and fourth program information items when the secret code is absent, while permitting reproduction of another of said second and fourth program information items.

5. An apparatus for reproducing information from a multi-scene recording medium including a disk having a management area and a data area, said data area recording a first program information item, a second program information item following said first program information item, a third program information item following said second program information item, and a fourth program information item for replacing said second program information item, wherein said second and fourth program information items represent simultaneously proceeding scenes, said management area recording multi-scene configuration information indicating that said second and fourth program information items are linked to each other, data units of said second program information item and data units of said fourth program information item being alternatingly and continuously recorded on said recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

pickup means for generating signals based on information recorded on said disk;

demodulation means for generating multi-scene configuration data by demodulating signals generated by said pickup means, said multi-scene configuration data being based on said multi-scene configuration information recorded in said management area of said disk;

management data storage means for storing said multi-scene configuration data generated by said demodulation means;

request signal input means for inputting a request signal requesting that a parental consent mode be set;

first menu generating means for generating a first menu based on said multi-scene configuration data when said request signal is input from said request signal input means, said first menu indicating a first image relating to said second program information item and a second image relating to said fourth program information item;

designation signal input means for inputting a designation signal designating one of said second program information item and said fourth program information item;

second menu generating means for generating a second menu when said designation signal is input from said designation signal input means, said second menu advising a user to input a secret code; and

parental consent data storage means for storing said secret code and said first image or said second image relating to said program information item designated by said designation signal, where

when production is to be switched from one of the second and fourth program information items to another of the second and fourth program information items while the one program information item is being produced, reproduction of the other program information item starting from a head portion of a data unit of a program information item next to the other program information item.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said parental consent data storage means is operatively arranged so as to preclude reproduction of one of said second and fourth program information items when the secret code is absent, while permitting reproduction of another of said second and fourth program information items.

7. A method of reproducing information from a multi-scene recording medium including a disk having a management area and a data area, said data area recording a first program information item, a second program information item following said first program information item, a third program information item following said second program information item, and a fourth program information item for replacing said second program information item, wherein said second and fourth program information items represent simultaneously proceeding scenes, said management area recording multi-scene configuration information indicating that said second and fourth program information items are linked to each other, data units of said second program information item and data units of said fourth program information item being alternatingly and continuously recorded on said recording medium, said method comprising the steps of:

reading information from said disk and generating pickup signals based on said information;

generating multi-scene configuration data by demodulating said pickup signals, said multi-scene configuration data being based on said multi-scene configuration information recorded in said management area of said disk;

storing said multi-scene configuration data;

inputting a request signal requesting that a parental consent mode be set;

generating a first menu based on said multi-scene configuration data when said request signal is input, said first menu indicating a first image relating to said second program information item and a second image relating to said fourth program information item;

inputting a designation signal designating one of said second program information item and said fourth program information item;

generating a second menu when said designation signal is input, said second menu advising a user to input a secret code; and

storing said secret code and said first image or said second image relating to said program information item designated by said designation signal, where

when production is to be switched from one of the second and fourth program information items to another of the second and fourth program information items while the one program information item is being reproduced, reproduction of the other program information item starting from a head portion of a data unit of a program information item next to the other program information item.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of storing the secret code includes the step of precluding reproduction of one of said second and fourth program information items when the secret code is absent, while permitting reproduction of another of said second and fourth program information items.