Menu authoring for automatically performing low-level DVD configuration functions

• US 7,200,836 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2002
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Brodersen, Rainer, Wallace, Gregory Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US10/213,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20030005442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 717100-116, 717/136, 717/140, 345/731, 345/972, 345/716, 345/719, 345723-728, 345/730, 345/732, 725/37, 725/60, 725/61, 700/1, 700 83- 89, 700/90, 700/94, 707/104.1, 715/500, 715/500.1, 715/501.1, 715/514, 715/526, 715/530, 715/716, 715/719, 715/723, 715/727, 715/731, 715/732, 715/853, 715/810
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A DVD authoring system in a processor-based system removes an author from consideration of the DVD Specification during authoring. According to a preferred embodiment, the authoring system provides an authoring engine having an interactive graphical authoring interface, a data management engine, an emulator, a compiler, a multiplexer and a simulator. Using summary authoring data, the compiler builds a skeleton-form PGC layout structure comprising control PGC abstractions and router PGC abstractions. The compiler then resolves the PGC abstractions according to source-target connections. During playback on a DVD player, the PGC abstractions form elements in a connection-switching abstraction superstructure. Accordingly, in response to DVD-consumer and other control events, a source PGC preferably determines target PGC information and then transfers control, via virtual connections through necessary router PGC abstractions, to a target PGC abstraction. The target PGC abstraction then correspondingly initiates playback of a movie chapter or displays a menu.

Claims

1. A method for providing source-definable destinations using predetermined program chain (“

PGC”

) command structures comprising;

storing, in a source PGC corresponding to an authored source event, a target identifier corresponding to an authored destination event, wherein said authored source event is selected from a group comprising completion-of-playback of a DVD movie chapter, interruption-of-playback of a DVD movie chapter and activation of a DVD source menu button within a DVD source menu;

initiating execution of said source PGC upon an occurrence of said authored source event;

causing said source PGC to store said target identifier in a storage location, and to initiate a router PGC, wherein said storage location corresponds to at least one portion of at least one DVD general purpose register;

causing said router PGC to retrieve said target identifier and to initiate a destination PGC corresponding to said target identifier; and

if said authored destination event includes a further destination event, then causing said destination PGC to initiate a further destination PGC corresponding to said target identifier, wherein

said authored destination event comprises displaying a DVD destination menu, and said further destination event comprises highlighting a DVD destination menu button.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said at least one DVD general purpose register includes at least one of a audio stream, subtitle stream and angle stream which is to be associated with any DVD playback.

3. A method for providing source-definable destinations according to claim 1, wherein said router PGC resolves an available connection from a DVD-player control instruction to a receiving program chain.

4. An apparatus for providing source-definable destinations using predetermined program chain (“

PGC”

) command structures comprising;

means for storing, in a source PGC corresponding to an authored source event, a target identifier corresponding to an authored destination event, wherein said authored source event is selected from a group comprising completion-of-playback of a DVD movie chapter, interruption-of-playback of a DVD movie chapter and activation of a DVD source menu button within a DVD source menu;

means for initiating execution of said source PGC upon an occurrence of said authored source event;

means for causing said source PGC to store said target identifier in a storage location, and to initiate a router PGC, wherein said storage location corresponds to at least one portion of at least one DVD general purpose register;

means for causing said router PGC to retrieve said target identifier and to initiate a destination PGC corresponding to said target identifier; and

means for causing said destination PGC to initiate a further destination PGC corresponding to said target identifier, if said authored destination event includes a further destination event, wherein

said authored destination event comprises displaying a DVD destination menu, and said further destination event comprises highlighting a DVD destination menu button.