Multimedia photo albums

• US 7,362,963 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Lin, Shu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thai Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chio; Tat Chi
• Application Number:
  US10/149,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20030052897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,686 Days
• Field of Search: 386/95, 386/106, 386/46, 386111-112, 386125-126, 386/120, 386/105, 386/124
• US Class Current: 386/332
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/216 Rewritable discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2525 Magneto-optical [MO] discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2575 DVD-RAMs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded
• 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: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals

Abstract

A method and system for providing a disc media photo album having a physical data structure including a video title set, a video object set for title containing at least one video object and a plurality of cells is provided in which the disc media is backward compatible. The physical data structure can include at least one picture unit for each cell. Each picture unit can have at least one video object unit containing a photo album picture to be displayed. Moreover, each picture unit can include additional multimedia data such as audio, video or subpicture information to be displayed with the photo album picture. In addition, a plurality of menus can be embedded within the data structure to permit direct user access to individual photo album pictures through the menus.

Claims

1. A method for providing a disc media photo album having a physical data structure including a video title set, a video object set (VOBS) for title containing at least one video object (VOB) in a VOB data layer, and a plurality of cells in a cell data layer adjacent to said VOB data layer, which disc media is backward compatible with DVD-video format, comprising the steps of;

providing at least one picture unit (PU) for each said cell, each said PU comprised of at least one video object unit (VOBU) and containing a single photo album picture to be displayed; and

providing a plurality of menus embedded within each of said VOB and cell data layers of said physical data structure for listing at least each cell within each VOB and each picture unit (PU) within each cell, respectively, and to permit direct user access to individual photo album pictures through said menus.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of menus comprises at least a menu for said at least one video object for selecting at least one said cell within each said VOB.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of menus further comprises a menu for at least one cell for selecting at least one said PU within each said cell.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said menu for said at least one video object and menu for said at least one cell is contained within a video object set for menu of said video title set.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said menu for said at least one video object is contained within said video object set for title.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said menu for said at least one cell is contained within each said VOB containing at least one of said picture units.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said PU is further comprised of video data to be displayed with said photo album picture.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said PU is further comprised of audio data to be displayed with said photo album picture.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said PU is further comprised of subtitle information to be displayed with said photo album picture.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein a navigation pack for PU is provided in each said VOBU for a photo album picture to be displayed, said navigation pack defining control data for said photo album picture of said PU.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said control data comprises a picture display time parameter to control a display duration for said photo album picture.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said control data comprises an associated audio sound track enable control to control the playback of an audio sound track for said photo album picture.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein said control data comprises a slide show display time parameter for controlling a display time for each said photo album picture in a slide show presentation.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein said control data comprises an associated video enable control for displaying a video presentation in coordination with said photo album picture to be displayed.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein said control data comprises a video display format control for selecting a format of said video presentation to be displayed in conjunction with said photo album picture.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein said control data comprises PU address information for locating past and future PU'"'"'s contained on said disc media.

17. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of adding a photo album directory to a root directory in said disc media.

18. A recordable disc medium system for providing a disc media photo album, comprising:

a disc medium recorder for recording said disc media photo album;

a disc medium for storing said disc media photo album, said disc medium backward compatible with DVD-video format and having a physical data structure including a video title set, a video object set (VOBS) for title containing at least one video object (VOB) in a VOB data layer and a plurality of cells in a cell data layer adjacent to said VOB data layer;

at least one picture unit (PU) for each said cell, each said PU having at least one video object unit (VOBU) and containing a single photo album picture to be displayed; and

a plurality of menus embedded within each of said VOB and cell data layers of said physical data structure for listing at least each cell within each VOB and each picture unit (PU) within each cell, respectively, and to permit direct user access to individual photo album pictures through said menus.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of menus comprises at least a menu for each of said at least one video object for selecting at least one said cell within each said VOB.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of menus further comprises a menu for at least one cell for selecting at least one said PU within each said cell.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said menu for each of said at least one video object, and menu for at least one cell is contained within a video object set for menu of said video title set.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein said menu for each of said at least one video object is contained within said video object set for title.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said menu for at least one cell is contained within each said video object containing at least one of said picture units.

24. The system according to claim 18, wherein said PU is further comprised of video data to be displayed with said photo album picture.

25. The system according to claim 18, wherein said PU is further comprised of audio data to be displayed with said photo album picture.

26. The system according to claim 18, wherein said PU is further comprised of subtitle information to be displayed with said photo album picture to be displayed.

27. The system according to claim 18, wherein a navigation pack for PU is provided in each said VOBU for a photo album picture to be displayed, said navigation pack defining control data for said photo album picture of said PU.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said control data comprises a picture display time parameter to control a display duration for said photo album picture.

29. The system according to claim 27, wherein said control data comprises an associated audio sound track enable control to control the playback of an audio sound track for said photo album picture.

30. The system according to claim 27, wherein said control data comprises a slide show display time parameter for controlling a display time for each said photo album picture in a slide show presentation.

31. The system according to claim 27, wherein said control data comprises an associated video enable control for displaying a video presentation in coordination with said photo album picture to be displayed.

32. The system according to claim 27, wherein said control data comprises a video display format control for selecting a format of said video presentation to be displayed in conjunction with said photo album picture.

33. The system according to claim 27, wherein said control data comprises PU address information for locating past and future PU'"'"'s contained on said disc media.

34. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a photo album directory, wherein said photo album directory is added to a root directory of said disc media.