File format for multiple track digital data

• US RE45,052 E1
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonic IP Incorporated (Endeavor Group Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sonic IP Incorporated (Endeavor Group Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Li, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): HASAN, SYED Y
• Application Number:
  US13/087,348
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 386/248, 386/239, 386/244, 386/259, 386/353, 386/356, 386/E5.004, 386/E5.067, 386/E9.013, 386/E9.017, 386/253, 386/318, 386/328, 386/337, 386/E5.072, 348/E5.004, 348/220.1, 348/231.9, 348/330.05, 348/462, 348/565, 348/578, 348/699, 348/E5.007, 348/E5.051, 348/E7.083, 370/463, 370/477, 370/510, 375/240.25, 375/240.26, 375/E7.008, 375/E7.027, 375/E7.091, 375/E7.126, 375/E7.129, 375/E7.134, 375/E7.138, 375/E7.144, 375/E7.155, 375/E7.172, 375/E7.181, 375/E7.226, 375/E7.231, 375/E7.264, 375/E7.265, 375/240.01, 375/240.12, 375/240.15, 375/240.16, 375/240.28, 375/E7.014, 375/E7.022, 375/E7.023, 375/E7.094, 375/E7.096, 375/E7.166, 375/E7.198, 375/E7.211, 375/E7.25, 382/166, 382/246, 382/233, 704/E19.044, 704/246, 704/270.1, 704/273, 704/E17.003, 709/224, 709/231, 709/236, G9B/27.013, G9B/27.019, G9B/27.021, G9B/27.029, G9B/27.051, 715/719, 345/501, 345/531, 345/555, 345/E7.026, 345/E7.093, 345/E7.127, 345/E7.137, 345/E7.172, 345/E7.181, 345/E7.212, 345/E7.277, 379/88.02, 379/93.03, 379/188, 379/283, 379/361, 380/258, 380/264, 705/51, 707/E17.028, 713/163, 719/331
• US Class Current: 386/248
• 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 21/845 Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into 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 playback device configured to play data encoded in a multimedia file, comprising:

a processor configured to read the multimedia file;

wherein the multimedia file has at least one video track and includes 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;

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;

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

said DRM information data block in said video stream header data chunk having a data structure defined as;

2. The playback device of claim 1, said second member of said DRM information data block in said video stream header data chunk including an encrypted binary string.

3. The playback device 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.

4. The playback device 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.

5. The playback device of claim 4, said video stream format chunk in said video stream descriptor list including palette information of said at least one video track.

6. The playback device of claim 4, said BITMAPINFOHEADER structure further specifying a version of the file.

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

Video”

.

8. The playback device of claim 7, said null terminated text string “

Video”

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

9. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the multimedia file further includes 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.

10. The playback device of claim 9, each of said at least one data chunk in said video stream data list including data for one video frame.

11. The playback device of claim 9, 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.

12. The playback device of claim 11, said at least one data chunk in said video stream data list further including an uncoded frame following said encoded data chunk.

13. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the multimedia file further includes at least one audio track and 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.

14. The playback device of claim 13, 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.

15. The playback device of claim 13, 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.

16. The playback device of claim 13, said audio stream name chunk in said audio stream descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Audio”

.

17. The playback device of claim 16, said null terminated text string “

Audio”

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

18. The playback device of claim 13, 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.

19. The playback device of claim 18, said two character code following said two digit stream index number in said audio stream data list being “

wb”

.

20. The playback device of claim 18, 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.

21. The playback device of claim 18, 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.

22. The playback device of claim 18, wherein said at least one audio track is interleaved with said at least one video track.

23. The playback of claim 22, wherein said at least one audio track is interleaved ahead of said at least one video track by a time interval.

24. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the multimedia file further includes at least one chapter track and 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.

25. The playback device of claim 24, 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.

26. The playback device of claim 24, said chapter stream name chunk in said chapter stream descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Chapter”

.

27. The playback device of claim 26, said null terminated text string “

Chapter”

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

28. The playback device of claim 24, wherein the multimedia file further includes a chapter stream data list comprising a data chunk identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code.

29. The playback device of claim 28, said two character code following said two digit stream index number in said chapter stream data list being “

ch”

.

30. The playback device of claim 1, wherein the multimedia files further includes at least one subtitle track and 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.

31. The playback device of claim 30, wherein said at least one subtitle track is interleaved with said at least one video track in time.

32. The playback device of claim 31, wherein said at least one subtitle track is interleaved ahead of said at least one video track by a time interval.

33. The playback device of claim 30, said subtitle stream header chunk in said subtitle stream descriptor list including a four character code.

34. The playback device of claim 33, said four character code in said subtitle stream header chunk being “

txts”

in response to a text form subtitle.

35. The playback device of claim 33, said four character code in said subtitle stream header chunk being “

vids”

in response to a bitmap form subtitle.

36. The playback device of claim 35, 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.

37. The playback device of claim 30, said subtitle stream name chunk in said subtitle stream descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Subtitle”

.

38. The playback device of claim 37, said null terminated text string “

Subtitle”

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

39. The playback device of claim 30, wherein the multimedia file further includes a subtitle stream data list comprising a data chunk identified by a two digit stream index number followed by a two character code.

40. The playback device of claim 39, 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.

41. The playback device of claim 39, 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.

42. A playback device configured to play data encoded in a multimedia file, comprising:

a processor configured to read the multimedia file;

wherein the multimedia file has at least one video track and includes 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;

the file 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;

wherein 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;

43. A playback device configured to play data encoded in a multimedia file, comprising:

a processor configured to read the multimedia file;

wherein the multimedia file has at least one video track and includes 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;

the file 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;

the file 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;

wherein said data chunk in said chapter stream data list having a structure defined as;

44. The playback device of claim 43, 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

mxxx represents milliseconds.

45. A playback device configured to play data encoded in a multimedia file, comprising:

a processor configured to read the multimedia file;

wherein the multimedia file has at least one video track and includes 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;

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;

wherein said subtitle stream header chunk in said subtitle stream descriptor list including a four character code, said four character code in said subtitle stream header chunk being “

txts”

in response to a text form subtitle;

wherein 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;

46. A playback device configured to play data encoded in a multimedia file, comprising:

a processor configured to read the multimedia file;

wherein the multimedia file has at least one video track and includes 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;

the file 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;

the file 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, said data chunk in said subtitle stream data list having a structure defined as;

47. The playback device of claim 46, 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.

48. A playback device configured to play data encoded in a multimedia file, comprising:

a processor configured to read the multimedia file;

wherein the multimedia file has 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”

;

wherein 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;

49. The playback device of claim 48, 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.

50. The playback device of claim 48, 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.

51. The playback device of claim 48, 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.

52. The playback device of claim 51, said video stream format chunk further including palette information of said at least one video stream.

53. The playback device of claim 48, said video stream name chunk in said video stream descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Video”

.

54. The playback device of claim 53, said video stream name chunk further including a description field describing said at least one video stream.

55. The playback device of claim 48, each of said plurality of data chunks in said video stream data list including data for one video frame.

56. The playback device of claim 48, said element sDRMinfo in said DRM information data block including an encrypted binary string.

57. The playback device of claim 48, 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.

58. The playback device of claim 48, 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.

59. The playback device of claim 48, 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.

60. The playback device of claim 48, said audio stream name chunk in said audio streamer descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Audio”

.

61. The playback device of claim 60, said null terminated text string “

Audio”

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

62. The playback device of claim 48, each of said plurality of data chunks in said audio stream data list including data for one audio frame in variable bit rate coding.

63. The playback device of claim 48, 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.

64. The playback device of claim 48, 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”

.

65. The playback device of claim 64, 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.

66. The playback device of claim 64, said chapter stream name chunk in said chapter stream descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Chapter”

.

67. The playback device of claim 66, said chapter stream name chunk further including a description field describing said at least one chapter stream.

68. The playback device of claim 48, 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.

69. The playback device of claim 68, 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.

70. The playback device of claim 68, said subtitle stream name chunk in said subtitle stream descriptor list including a null terminated text string “

Subtitle”

.

71. The playback device of claim 70, said subtitle stream name chunk further including a description field describing said at least one subtitle stream.

72. A playback device configured to play data encoded in a multimedia file, comprising:

a processor configured to read the multimedia file;

wherein the multimedia file has 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”

;

wherein 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”

;

wherein 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;

73. A playback device configured to play data encoded in a multimedia file, comprising:

a processor configured to read the multimedia file;

wherein the multimedia file has 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”

wherein 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”

;

wherein said plurality of data chunks in said chapter stream data list having a structure defined as;

74. The playback device of 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. A playback device configured to play data encoded in a multimedia file, comprising:

a processor configured to read the multimedia file;

wherein the multimedia file has 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”

;

wherein 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;

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;

76. A playback device configured to play data encoded in a multimedia file, comprising:

a processor configured to read the multimedia file;

wherein the multimedia file has 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”

;

wherein 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;

wherein said plurality of data chunks in said subtitle stream data list having a structure;

77. A playback device configured to play data encoded in a multimedia file, comprising:

a processor configured to read the multimedia file;

wherein the multimedia file has 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

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;

78. The playback device of claim 77, 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”

.

79. The playback device of claim 77, 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.

80. The playback device of claim 77, 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.

81. The playback device of claim 77, 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”

.

82. The playback device of claim 81, wherein said video stream format chunk further includes palette information of said video stream.

83. The playback device of claim 81, 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.

84. The playback device of claim 77, wherein each of said plurality of video data chunks in said video stream data list includes data for one video frame.

85. The playback device of claim 77, 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.

86. A memory restricted playback device configured to play data encoded in a multimedia file, comprising:

a processor configured to read the multimedia file;

wherein the multimedia file has at least one video track and includes a video stream descriptor comprising;

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

wherein the multimedia file further includes;

an encoded data chunk having a bidirectional frame (Bm+1), a following predicted frame (Pm+2), and an uncoded dummy predicted frame (N) arranged in the following chunk sequence;

[Pm+2, Bm+1] [N]

and wherein the processor is configured to decode said encoded data chunk and said uncoded dummy predicted frame as the following sequence of frames;

Bm+1, Pm+2.

87. The memory restricted playback device of claim 86, wherein said video stream descriptor includes a video stream header chunk;

and

said video stream header chunk includes a four character code “

vids”

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

88. The memory restricted playback device of claim 86, wherein the multimedia file further comprises:

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.

89. The memory restricted playback device of claim 86, wherein the multimedia file further comprises:

at least one audio track and 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.

90. The memory restricted playback device of claim 89, wherein 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.

91. The memory restricted playback device of claim 86, wherein said multimedia file further includes at least one chapter track and a chapter stream descriptor list comprising:

a chapter stream header chunk including a four character code “

txts”

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

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.

92. The memory restricted playback device of claim 86, wherein said multimedia file further includes a RIFF header including a four character code “

RIFF”

specifying the file as a RIFF file.

93. The memory restricted playback device of claim 92, wherein said multimedia file further includes a RIFF header including a four character code “

AVI”

specifying the file as an AVI file.

94. The memory restricted playback device of claim 86, wherein said video stream descriptor includes a video stream header chunk;

and

said video stream header chunk includes a four character code specifying a data handler for said at least one video track, wherein the four character code is selected from the group consisting of “

divx,”

“

div3,” and

“

div4”

.

95. The memory restricted playback device of claim 86, wherein said video stream descriptor includes a video stream format chunk;

and

said video stream format chunk includes data having a BITMAPINFOHEADER structure specifying a format of said at least video track.

96. The memory restricted playback device of claim 95, wherein said BITMAPINFOHEADER structure includes a four character code specifying the detailed codec version, wherein the four character code is selected from the group consisting of “

div3,”

“

div4,”

“

divx” and

“

dx50”

.