System and method for controlling display of motion picture subtitles in a selected language during play of a software carrier

• US 5,497,241 A
• Filed: 10/29/1993
• Issued: 03/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warner Bros Home Entertainment Incorporated (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Entertainment Company LP (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ostrover, Lewis S., Cookson, Christopher J., Lieberfarb, Warren N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Khoi
• Application Number:
  US08/144,793
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 358/335, 358/341, 358/342, 358/343, 360/13, 360/14.1, 360/14.2, 360/14.3, 360/33.1
• US Class Current: 386/201
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/361 Recording/reproducing of accompaniment for use with an external source, e.g. karaoke systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/12 by sensing distinguishing features of or on records, e.g. diameter end mark
• 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 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/00079 the compression ratio or quality level being adapted to circumstances, e.g. to the available recording space
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10592 specifically adapted for recording or reproducing multichannel signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2583 wherein two standards are used on a single disc, e.g. one DVD section and one CD section
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• 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: G11B 7/005 Reproducing G11B7/0065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/007 Arrangement of the information on the record carrier, e.g. form of tracks , actual track shape, e.g. wobbled, or cross-section, e.g. v-shaped; Sequential information structures, e.g. sectoring or header formats within a track
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus

Abstract

A system for playing a selected one of multiple subtitle tracks recorded in synchronized fashion with a motion picture on an optical disk. Individual subtitle tracks in numerous languages may be provided for the same motion picture, with or without multiple soundtracks. The user may select a soundtrack in his/her language if it is available. If not, subtitles can be displayed in a selected language.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the display of subtitles during play of a software carrier, said software carrier having recorded thereon

i) an image program,

ii) at least one audio track synchronized with said image program,

iii) a plurality of subtitle tracks, each containing data representative of subtitles in a respective language, and

iv) a set of codes for indicating the available subtitle languages, comprising:

(a) means for playing said software carrier and deriving therefrom said subtitle codes, said subtitle data, an image signal, and an audio signal,

(b) means for selecting a subtitle language for display, and

(c) means responsive to said subtitle codes and said selected language for processing the subtitle data representative of subtitles in the selected language and controlling display of such subtitles synchronized with said image signal and said audio signal,

and wherein said image program, at least one audio track and said plurality of subtitle tracks are all recorded together in separately identifiable blocks on said software carrier, with multiple different types of data being recordable in any individual carrier block and, with each carrier block having variable-length sections for its different types of data and containing indicia of which subtitle tracks in the block contain subtitle data; and

said processing means operates on only the subtitle track in any block that contains data representative of subtitles in the selected language.

2. A system in accordance with claim further including means for representing a default language and means, responsive to said default language matching none of said available languages, for allowing the user to choose an available language.

3. A system for controlling the display of subtitles during play of a software carrier, said software carrier having recorded thereon

i) an image program, and

ii) a plurality of subtitle tracks, each containing subtitle data representative of subtitles in a respective language,

comprising:

(a) means for playing said software carrier and deriving therefrom said subtitle data and an image signal,

(b) means for selecting a subtitle language for display, and

(c) means for processing the subtitle data representative of subtitles in the selected language and controlling display or such subtitles synchronized with said image signal and said audio signal,

and wherein said image program and said plurality of subtitle tracks are all recorded together in separately identifiable blocks on said software carrier, with multiple different types of data being recordable in any individual carrier, with block and each carrier block having variable-length sections for its different types of data and containing indicia of which subtitle tracks in the block contain subtitle data; and

said processing means operates on only the subtitle track in any block that contains data representative of subtitles in the selected language.

4. A system in accordance with claim further including means for representing a default language and means, responsive to said default language matching none of the languages in which subtitles are represented on said carrier, for allowing the user to choose an available language.

5. A method for controlling the display of subtitles during play of a software carrier, said software carrier having recorded thereon

i) an image program,

ii) at least one audio track synchronized with said image program,

iii) a plurality of subtitle tracks, each containing subtitle data representative of subtitles in a respective language, and

iv) a set of subtitle codes for indicating the available subtitle languages,

comprising the steps

(a) playing said software carrier and deriving therefrom said subtitle codes, said subtitle data, an image signal, and an audio signal,

(b) selecting a subtitle language for display, and (c) in accordance with said subtitle codes and said selected language, processing the subtitle data representative of subtitles in the selected language and controlling display of such subtitles in the selected language and controlling display of such subtitles synchronized with said image signal and said audio signal,

and wherein said image program, at least one audio track and said plurality of subtitle tracks are all recorded together in separately identifiable blocks on said software carrier, with multiple different types of data being recordable in any individual carrier clock and, with each block having variable-length sections for its different types of data and containing indicia of which subtitle tracks in the block contain subtitle data;

and said processing step operates on only the subtitle track in any block that contains data representative of subtitles in the selected language.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5 further including the steps of representing a default language and, responsive to said default language matching none of said available languages, allowing the user to choose an available language.

7. A method for controlling the display of subtitles during play of a software carrier, said software carrier having recorded thereon

i) an image program, and

ii) a plurality of Subtitle tracks, each containing subtitle data representative of subtitles in a respective language,

comprising the steps of:

(a) playing said software carrier and deriving therefrom said subtitle data and an image signal,

(b) selecting a subtitle language for display, and

(c) processing the subtitle data representative of subtitles in the selected language and controlling display of such subtitles synchronized with said image signal,

and wherein said image program and said plurality of subtitle tracks are all recorded together in separately identifiable blocks on said software carrier, with multiple different types of data being recordable in any individual carrier block and, with each block having variable-length sections for its different types of data and containing indicia of which subtitle tracks in the block contain subtitle data; and

said processing step operates on only the subtitle track in any block that contains data representative of subtitles in the selected language.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 further including the steps of representing a default language and responsive to said default language matching none of said available languages, allowing the user to choose an available language.