File format for multiple track digital data

• US 20050123283A1
• Filed: 12/08/2003
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonic IP Incorporated (Endeavor Group Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: DIVX Incorporated (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Li, Adam H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,519,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/244
• 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 20/00731 involving a digital rights management system for enforcing a usage restriction
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00739 wherein the usage restriction is associated with a specific geographical region
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/44 Decoders specially adapted therefor, e.g. video decoders which are asymmetric with respect to the encoder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4856 for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/845 Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/278 Subtitling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/92 Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8047 using transform coding

Abstract

A file for storing digital data with high compression rate stores digital data for video and audio signals in multiple streams interleaved with each other. Each track has a stream descriptor list and a stream data list. The stream descriptor list includes a stream header chunk, a stream format chunk, and a stream name chunk. For a video stream, the stream descriptor list also includes a stream header data chunk if the video stream is under digital rights management (DRM) protection. The file format is compatible with high level data compressing algorithms, such as MPEG-4, which provide data compression ratio about six to ten times higher than a standard DVD format.

Claims

1. A file having at least one video track, the file including a video stream descriptor list comprising:

a video stream header chunk;

a video stream format chunk following said video stream header chunk; and

a video stream name chunk including a string indicating a video stream in said at least one video track.

2. The file of claim 1, said video stream descriptor list further comprising a video stream header data chunk in response to said at least one video track being a digital rights management (DRM) protected video, said video stream header data chunk following said video stream format chunk in said video stream descriptor list.

3. The file of claim 2, said video stream header data chunk in said video stream descriptor list including a DRM information data block comprising:

a first member specifying a version of the DRM; and

a second member specifying a protection of the DRM.

4. The file of claim 3, said DRM information data block in said video stream header data chunk having a data structure defined as:

5. The file of claim 3, said second member of said DRM information data block in said video stream header data chunk including an encrypted binary string.

6. The file of claim 1, said video stream header chunk in said video stream descriptor list including a four character code “

vids”

specifying video stream data in said at least one video track.

7. The file of claim 1, said video stream format chunk in said video stream descriptor list including data having a BITMAPINFOHEADER structure specifying a format of said at least one video track.

8. The file of claim 7, said video stream format chunk in said video stream descriptor list including palette information of said at least one video track.

9. The file of claim 7, said BITMAPINFOHEADER structure further specifying a version of the file.

10. The file of claim 1, said video stream name chunk in said video stream descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Video”

.

11. The file of claim 10, said null terminated text string “

Video”

in said video stream name chunk further including a description field describing said at least one video track.

12. The file of claim 1, further including a video stream data list comprising:

at least one data chunk identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code, said two character code being “

db”

in response to said least one data chunk being an uncompressed video frame and being “

dc”

in response to said least one data chunk being a compressed video frame; and

in response to said at least one data chunk being a digital rights management (DRM) protected video frame, a DRM data chunk identified by said two digit stream index number followed by a two character code “

dd”

, said DRM data chunk preceding said at least one data chunk and having DRM protection information.

13. The file of claim 12, each of said at least one data chunk in said video stream data list including data for one video frame.

14. The file of claim 12, said at least one data chunk in said video stream data list including an encoded data chunk having a bidirectional frame and a following predicting frame.

15. The file of claim 14, said at least one data chunk in said video stream data list further including an uncoded frame following said encoded data chunk.

16. The file of claim 1, further having at least one audio track and including an audio stream descriptor list comprising:

an audio stream header chunk;

an audio stream format chunk following said audio stream header chunk; and

an audio stream name chunk including a string indicating an audio stream in said at least one audio track.

17. The file of claim 16, said audio stream header chunk in said audio stream descriptor list including a four character code “

auds”

specifying audio stream data in said at least one audio track.

18. The file of claim 16, said audio stream format chunk in said audio stream descriptor list including data having a WAVEFORMATEX structure specifying a format of said at least one audio track.

19. The file of claim 16, said audio stream name chunk in said audio stream descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Audio”

.

20. The file of claim 19, said null terminated text string “

Audio”

in said audio stream name chunk further including a description field describing said at least one audio track.

21. The file of claim 16, further including an audio stream data list comprising at least one data chunk identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code.

22. The file of claim 21, said two character code following said two digit stream index number in said audio stream data list being “

wb”

.

23. The file of claim 21, each of said at least one data chunk in said audio stream data list including data for one audio frame in variable bit rate coding.

24. The file of claim 21, each of said at least one data chunk in said audio stream data list including data for at least one audio frame in constant bit rate coding.

25. The file of claim 21, wherein said at least one audio track is interleaved with said at least one video track.

26. The file of claim 25, wherein said at least one audio track is interleaved ahead of said at least one video track by a time interval.

27. The file of claim 1, further having at least one chapter track and including a chapter stream descriptor list comprising:

a chapter stream header chunk;

a chapter stream format chunk following said chapter stream header chunk; and

a chapter stream name chunk including a string indicating a chapter stream in said at least one chapter track.

28. The file of claim 27, said chapter stream header chunk in said chapter stream descriptor list including a four character code “

txts”

specifying text stream data in said at least one chapter track.

29. The file of claim 27, said chapter stream format chunk in said chapter stream descriptor list including data having a TEXTINFO structure specifying a format of said at least one chapter track, said TEXTINFO structure being:

30. The file of claim 27, said chapter stream name chunk in said chapter stream descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Chapter”

.

31. The file of claim 30, said null terminated text string “

Chapter”

in said chapter stream name chunk further including a description field describing said at least one chapter track.

32. The file of claim 27, further including a chapter stream data list comprising a data chunk identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code.

33. The file of claim 32, said two character code following said two digit stream index number in said chapter stream data list being “

ch”

.

34. The file of claim 32, said data chunk in said chapter stream data list having a structure defined as:

35. The file of claim 34, the time element in said data chunk in said chapter stream data list having a form [hh:

mm;

ss.xxx], wherein;

hh represents hours;

mm represents minutes;

ss represents seconds; and

xxx represents milliseconds.

36. The file of claim 1, further having at least one subtitle track and including a subtitle stream descriptor list comprising:

a subtitle stream header chunk;

a subtitle stream format chunk following said subtitle stream header chunk; and

a subtitle stream name chunk including a string indicating a subtitle stream in said at least one subtitle track.

37. The file of claim 36, wherein said at least one subtitle track is interleaved with said at least one video track in time.

38. The file of claim 44, wherein said at least one subtitle track is interleaved ahead of said at least one video track by a time interval.

39. The file of claim 36, said subtitle stream header chunk in said subtitle stream descriptor list including a four character code.

40. The file of claim 39, said four character code in said subtitle stream header chunk being “

txts”

in response to a text form subtitle.

41. The file of claim 40, said subtitle stream format chunk in said chapter stream descriptor list including data having a TEXTINFO structure specifying a format of said at least one subtitle track, said TEXTINFO structure being:

42. The file of claim 39, said four character code in said subtitle stream header chunk being “

vids”

in response to a bitmap form subtitle.

43. The file of claim 42, said subtitle stream format chunk in said subtitle stream descriptor list including data having a BITMAPINFOHEADER structure specifying a format of said at least one subtitle track.

44. The file of claim 36, said subtitle stream name chunk in said subtitle stream descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Subtitle”

.

45. The file of claim 44, said null terminated text string “

Subtitle”

in said subtitle stream name chunk further including a description field describing said at least one subtitle track.

46. The file of claim 36, further including a subtitle stream data list comprising a data chunk identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code.

47. The file of claim 46, said two character code following said two digit stream index number in said subtitle stream data list being “

st”

in response to a text form subtitle.

48. The file of claim 46, said two character code following said two digit stream index number in said subtitle stream data list being “

sb”

in response to a bitmap form subtitle.

49. The file of claim 46, said data chunk in said subtitle stream data list having a structure defined as:

50. The file of claim 49, the duration element in said data chunk in said subtitle stream data list having a form [hh:

mm;

ss.xxx-HH;

MM;

SS.XXX], wherein;

hh and HH represent hours;

mm and MM represent minutes;

ss and SS represent seconds; and

xxx and XXX represent milliseconds.

51. A medium having a file stored thereon, said file comprising:

at least one video stream, each including;

a video stream descriptor list comprising a video stream header chunk, a video stream format chunk, and a video stream name chunk; and

a video stream data list comprising a plurality of data chunks, each data chunk identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code, said two character code being “

db”

in response to the data chunk being an uncompressed video frame and being “

dc”

in response to the data chunk being a compressed video frame; and

at least one audio stream, each including;

an audio stream descriptor list comprising an audio stream header chunk, an audio stream format chunk, and an audio stream name chunk; and

an audio stream data list comprising a plurality of data chunks, each data chunk identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code “

wb”

.

52. The medium of claim 51, said at least one audio stream in being interleaved ahead of said at least one video stream in said file by a time interval, said time interval having an upper limit of approximately ten seconds.

53. The medium of claim 51, said video stream header chunk in said video stream descriptor list including a four character code “

vids”

specifying video stream data in said at least one video stream.

54. The medium of claim 51, said video stream format chunk in said video stream descriptor list including data having a BITMAPINFOHEADER structure specifying a format of said at least one video stream.

55. The medium of claim 54, said video stream format chunk further including palette information of said at least one video stream.

56. The medium of claim 51, said video stream name chunk in said video stream descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Video”

.

57. The medium of claim 56, said video stream name chunk further including a description field describing said at least one video stream.

58. The medium of claim 51, each of said plurality of data chunks in said video stream data list including data for one video frame.

59. The medium of claim 51, said video stream descriptor list further comprising a video stream header data chunk in response to said at least one video stream being digital rights management (DRM) protected, said video stream header data chunk including a DRM information data block having a structure defined as:

60. The medium of claim 59, said element sDRMinfo in said DRM information data block including an encrypted binary string.

61. The medium of claim 59, said video stream data list further comprising a DRM data chunk identified by said two digit stream index number followed by a two character code “

dd”

, said DRM data chunk preceding said data chunk and having DRM protection information.

62. The medium of claim 51, said audio stream header chunk in said audio stream descriptor list including a four character code “

auds”

specifying audio stream data in said at least one audio stream.

63. The medium of claim 51, said audio stream format chunk in said audio stream descriptor list including data having a WAVEFORMATEX structure specifying a format of said at least one audio stream.

64. The medium of claim 51, said audio stream name chunk in said audio streamer descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Audio”

.

65. The medium of claim 64, said null terminated text string “

Audio”

in said audio stream name chunk further including a description field describing said at least one audio stream.

66. The medium of claim 51, each of said plurality of data chunks in said audio stream data list including data for one audio frame in variable bit rate coding.

67. The medium of claim 51, each of said plurality of data chunks in said audio stream data list including data for at least one audio frame in constant bit rate coding.

68. The medium of claim 51, said file further comprising at least one chapter stream, each including:

a chapter stream descriptor list comprising a chapter stream header chunk, a chapter stream format chunk, and a chapter stream name chunk; and

a chapter stream data list comprising a plurality of data chunks, each identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code “

ch”

.

69. The medium of claim 68, said chapter stream header chunk in said chapter stream descriptor list including a four character code “

txts”

specifying a text stream data in said at least one chapter stream.

70. The medium of claim 68, said chapter stream format chunk in said chapter stream descriptor list including data having a TEXTINFO structure specifying a format of said at least one chapter stream, said TEXTINFO structure being:

71. The medium of claim 68, said chapter stream name chunk in said chapter stream descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Chapter”

.

72. The medium of claim 71, said chapter stream name chunk further including a description field describing said at least one chapter stream.

73. The medium of claim 68, said plurality of data chunks in said chapter stream data list having a structure defined as:

74. The medium claim 73, said time element having a form [hh:

mm;

ss.xxx], wherein;

hh represents hours;

mm represents minutes;

ss represents seconds; and

xxx represents milliseconds.

75. The medium of claim 51, said file further comprising at least one subtitle stream, each including:

a subtitle stream descriptor list comprising a subtitle stream header chunk, a subtitle stream format chunk, and a subtitle stream name chunk; and

a subtitle stream data list comprising a plurality of data chunks, each identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code, said two character code being “

st”

in response to a text form subtitle and “

sb”

in response to a bitmap form subtitle.

76. The medium of claim 75, said subtitle stream header chunk in said subtitle stream descriptor list including a four character code, said four character code being “

txts”

in response to a text form subtitle and “

vids”

in response to a bitmap form subtitle.

77. The medium claim 75, wherein:

in response to a bitmap form subtitle, said subtitle stream format chunk in said subtitle stream descriptor list includes data having a BITMAPINFOHEADER structure specifying a format of said at least one subtitle stream; and

in response to a text form subtitle, said subtitle stream format chunk in said subtitle stream descriptor list includes data having a TEXTINFO structure specifying a format of said at least one subtitle stream, said TEXTINFO structure being;

typedef _textinfo {WORD wCodePage;

WORD wCountryCode;

WORD wLanguageCode;

WORD wDialect} TEXTINFO.

78. The medium of claim 75, said subtitle stream name chunk in said subtitle stream descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Subtitle”

.

79. The medium of claim 78, said subtitle stream name chunk further including a description field describing said at least one subtitle stream.

80. The medium of claim 75, said plurality of data chunks in said subtitle stream data list having a structure:

81. An audio video interleave (AVI) file executable by a processor, comprising:

a video stream, including;

a video stream descriptor list comprising a video stream header chunk, a video stream format chunk, a video stream header data chunk in response to said video stream being digital rights management (DRM) protected, and a video stream name chunk; and

a video stream data list comprising a plurality of video data chunks, each video data chunk identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code, said two character code being “

db”

in response to the video data chunk being an uncompressed video frame and being “

dc”

in response to the video data chunk being a compressed video frame;

an audio stream interleaved ahead of said video stream, including;

an audio stream descriptor list comprising an audio stream header chunk, an audio stream format chunk, and an audio stream name chunk; and

an audio stream data list comprising a plurality of audio data chunks, each identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code “

wb”

; and

a subtitle stream interleaved ahead of said video stream, including;

a subtitle stream descriptor list comprising a subtitle stream header chunk, a subtitle stream format chunk, and a subtitle stream name chunk; and

a subtitle stream data list comprising a plurality of subtitle data chunks, each identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code, said two character code being “

st”

in response to a text form subtitle and “

sb”

in response to a bitmap form subtitle.

82. The AVI file of claim 81, wherein, in response to a video data chunk in said video stream data list being DRM protected, said video stream data list includes a DRM data chunk preceding said video data chunk, said DRM data chunk having DRM protection information and being identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code “

dd”

.

83. The AVI file of claim 81, wherein each of said plurality of audio data chunks in said audio stream data list includes data for one audio frame in variable bit rate coding.

84. The AVI file of claim 81, wherein each of said plurality of audio data chunks in said audio stream data list includes data for at least one audio frame in constant bit rate coding.

85. The AVI file claim 81, wherein:

said video stream header chunk includes a four character code “

vids”

specifying video stream data in said video stream;

said video stream format chunk includes data having a BITMAPINFOHEADER structure specifying a format of said video stream;

said video stream name chunk includes a null terminated text string “

Video”

;

said audio stream header chunk includes a four character code “

auds”

specifying audio stream data in said audio stream;

said audio stream format chunk includes data having a WAVEFORMATEX structure specifying a format of said audio stream;

said audio stream name chunk includes a null terminated text string “

Audio”

;

said subtitle stream header chunk includes a four character code, said four character code being “

txts”

in response to a text form subtitle and “

vids”

in response to a bitmap form subtitle;

said subtitle stream format chunk includes, in response to a bitmap form subtitle, data having a BITMAPINFOHEADER structure and, in response to a text form subtitle, data having a TEXTINFO structure; and

said subtitle stream name chunk includes a null terminated text string “

Subtitle”

.

86. The AVI file of claim 85, wherein said video stream format chunk further includes palette information of said video stream.

87. The AVI file of claim 85, wherein:

said video stream name chunk in said video stream descriptor list further includes a description field describing said video stream;

said audio stream name chunk in said audio stream descriptor list further includes a description field describing said audio stream; and

said subtitle stream name chunk in said subtitle stream descriptor list further includes a description field describing said subtitle stream.

88. The AVI file of claim 81, wherein each of said plurality of video data chunks in said video stream data list includes data for one video frame.

89. The AVI file of claim 81, wherein said plurality of video data chunk in said video stream data list include:

an encoded data chunk having a bidirectional frame and a following predicting frame; and

an uncoded frame following said encoded data chunk.

90. The AVI file of claim 81, further comprising a chapter stream, including:

a chapter stream descriptor list comprising;

a chapter stream header chunk having a four character code “

txts”

;

a chapter stream format chunk having a TEXTINFO structure specifying a format of said chapter stream; and

a chapter stream name chunk having a null terminated text string “

Chapter”

; and

a chapter stream data list comprising a plurality of chapter data chunks, each identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code “

ch”

, said plurality of chapter data chunks having a structure;

typedef struct _chapterchunk {FOURCC fcc;

DWORD cb;

STR time;

STR description) CHAPTERCHUNK

wherein;

said fcc element specifies a four character code;

said cb element specifies a size of said structure;

said time element specifies a starting time of said at least one chapter stream; and

said description element specifies a description of said at least one chapter stream.