Methods and apparatuses for reproducing subtitle streams from a recording medium

• US 7,751,688 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2004
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoo, Jea Yong, Kim, Byung Jin, Seo, Kang Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey; David E
• Application Number:
  US10/911,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20050163475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,161 Days
• Field of Search: 386/95, 386/96, 386/98, 386/108, 386/E5.025, 348/556, 348/468, 348/564, 348/467, 348/461
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8233 the additional signal being a character code signal

Abstract

The recording medium for reproduction of images includes text subtitle streams. At least one of the text subtitle streams includes text data for a text subtitle and a set of style information corresponding to a set of user-selectable styles, respectively. Each style information includes a unique set of display properties required for displaying the text subtitle within a display screen. When one of the set of user-selectable styles is selected by a user, display properties of the text subtitle within the display screen are automatically changed to the selected style.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium storing a data structure for managing reproduction by a reproduction device, comprising:

a data area storing at least one text subtitle stream, the at least one text subtitle stream including text data for a text subtitle and style information, the style information including at least one user-selectable style, the at least one user-selectable style including a unique set of display properties required for displaying the text subtitle within a display screen; and

an information area storing information files for managing reproduction of the at least one text subtitle stream by the reproduction device, wherein one of the at least one user-selectable style is applied to the text subtitle when a user operation to change a style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style is permitted and is prohibited from being applied to the text subtitle when the user operation to change the style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style is not permitted.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the unique set of display properties included in the at least one user-selectable style comprises at least one of a horizontal position, a vertical position, and a font size of the text subtitle.

3. The recording medium of claim 1, wherein the data area further stores audio-video (AV) streams, and wherein the at least one text subtitle stream is multiplexed with the AV streams.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the data area further stores audio-video (AV) streams, and wherein the at least one text subtitle stream exists as at least one independent stream file.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the at least one text subtitle stream further includes style information including a default style, and wherein the default style includes a set of display properties required for displaying the text subtitle by default.

6. The computer readable of claim 1,

wherein the data area further stores a data field defining a maximum number of the at least one user-selectable style.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein a maximum number of the at least one user-selectable style is less than or equal to 25.

8. A method of recording data streams for reproduction of a text subtitle on a recording medium, the method comprising:

recording, by a controller, at least one text subtitle stream on the recording medium, the at least one text subtitle stream including text data for a text subtitle and style information, the style information including at least one user-selectable style, the at least one user-selectable style including a unique set of display properties required for displaying the text subtitle within a display screen, wherein one of the at least one user-selectable style is applied to the text subtitle when a user operation to change a style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style is permitted and is prohibited from being applied to the text subtitle when the user operation to change the style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style is not permitted.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the unique set of display properties included in the at least one user-selectable style comprises at least one of a horizontal position, a vertical position, and a font size of the text subtitle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one text subtitle stream further includes style information including a default style, wherein the default style includes a set of display properties required for displaying the at least one text subtitle by default.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

recording a data field defining a maximum number of the at least one user-selectable style.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein a maximum number of the at least one user-selectable style is less than or equal to 25.

13. A method of recording data streams for reproduction of a text subtitle on a recording medium, the method comprising:

recording, by a controller, at least one text subtitle stream and audio-video (AV) stream as an independent and separate stream file from each other on the recording medium, the at least one text subtitle stream including text data for a text subtitle and style information, the style information including at least one user-selectable style, the at least one user-selectable style including a unique set of display properties required for displaying the text subtitle within a display screen;

recording, by the controller, the data streams on the recording medium, wherein one of the at least one user-selectable style is applied to the text subtitle when a user operation to change a style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style is permitted and is prohibited from being applied to the text subtitle when the user operation to change the style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style is not permitted.

14. A method of reproducing data streams for reproduction of a text subtitle recorded on a recording medium, the method comprising:

reading, by a pickup, at least one text subtitle stream from the recording medium, the at least one text subtitle stream including text data for a text subtitle and style information, the style information including at least one user-selectable style, the at least one user-selectable style including a unique set of display properties required for displaying the text subtitle within a display screen; and

displaying, by a controller, the text subtitle using the style information, wherein

one of the at least one user-selectable style is applied to the text subtitle when a user operation to change a style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style is permitted and is prohibited from being applied to the text subtitle when the user operation to change the style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style is not permitted.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

each time a request for changing display properties of the text subtitle is made, changing the display properties between the at least one user-selectable styles in a predetermined order.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the unique set of display properties included in the at least one user-selectable style comprises at least one of a horizontal position, a vertical position, and a font size of the text subtitle.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

reading a data field defining a maximum number of the at least one user-selectable style.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein a maximum number of the at least one user-selectable style is less than or equal to 25.

19. An apparatus for recording data for reproduction of a text subtitle on a recording medium, the apparatus comprising:

a recording unit configured to record data on the recording medium; and

a controller, operatively coupled to the recording unit, configured to control the recording unit to record at least one text subtitle stream, the at least one text subtitle stream including text data for a text subtitle and style information, the style information including at least one user-selectable style, the at least one user-selectable style including a unique set of display properties required for displaying the text subtitle within a display screen, wherein one of the at least one user-selectable style is applied to the text subtitle when a user operation to change a style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style is permitted and is prohibited from being applied to the text subtitle when the user operation to change the style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style is not permitted.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to control the recording unit to record audio-video (AV) streams multiplexed with the at least one text subtitle stream.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to control the recording unit to record audio-video (AV) streams separate from the at least one text subtitle stream.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one text subtitle stream further includes style information including a default style, the default style includes a set of display properties required for displaying the text subtitle within the display screen by default.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to control the recording unit to record information defining a maximum number of the at least one user-selectable style.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one text subtitle stream further includes style information including a default style, and wherein the default style includes a set of display properties required for displaying the text subtitle within the display screen by default.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the recording unit comprises a pickup.

26. A method of reproducing data streams for reproduction of a text subtitle recorded on a recording medium, the method comprising:

reading, by a pickup, at least one text subtitle stream from the recording medium, the at least one text subtitle stream including text data for a text subtitle and style information, the style information including a default style and at least one user-selectable style, the at least one user-selectable style including a unique set of display properties required for displaying the text subtitle within a display screen;

displaying, by a controller, the text subtitle using the style information, one of the at least one user-selectable style being applied to the text subtitle when a user operation to change a style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style is permitted and is prohibited from being applied to the text subtitle when the user operation to change the style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style in not permitted;

initially setting, by a controller, display properties of the text subtitle within the display screen to the default style; and

receiving, by a controller, a command selecting the one of the at least one user-selectable style from a user.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the unique set of display properties included in the at least one user-selectable style comprises at least one of a horizontal position, a vertical position, and a font size of the text subtitle.

28. An apparatus for reproducing data recorded on a recording medium, the apparatus comprising:

a reproducing unit configured to reproduce data recorded on the recording medium; and

a controller, operatively coupled to the reproducing unit, configured to control reproducing of at least one text subtitle stream, the at least one text subtitle stream including text data for a text subtitle and style information, the style information including at least one user-selectable style, the at least one user-selectable style including a unique set of display properties required for displaying the text subtitle within a display screen, the text subtitle being displayed based on the style information, wherein

one of the at least one user-selectable style is applied to the text subtitle when a user operation to change a style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style is permitted and is prohibited from being applied to the text subtitle when the user operation to change the style of the text subtitle using the one of the at least one user-selectable style is not permitted.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the controller is further configured to control the reproducing unit to reproduce audio-video (AV) streams multiplexed with the at least one. text subtitle stream.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the controller is further configured to control the reproducing unit to reproduce audio-video (AV) streams separate from the at least one text subtitle stream.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the at least one text subtitle stream further includes style information including a default style, the default style includes a set of display properties required for displaying the text subtitle by default.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the controller is further configured to control the reproducing unit to reproduce information defining a maximum number of the at least one user-selectable style.

33. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the reproducing unit comprises a pickup.