Method and device for seamless-reproducing a bit stream containing discontinuous system time information

Method and device for seamless playback of bit stream with discontinuous system time information

Technical field

The present invention relates to a seamless playback method and device for a bit stream with discontinuous system time information, and in particular to a bit stream for information transmission of moving image data, audio data, and sub-image data that constitute various titles with a series of related content Various processes are performed to generate a bit stream to form a title with the content desired by the user, and the generated bit stream is efficiently recorded on a recording device, a recording medium, and a playback device that reproduces the recording on a predetermined recording medium. Put the device, and the bit stream used in the authoring system.

Background technique

In recent years, in systems that use laser discs, VCDs, etc., digital processing of multimedia data such as moving images, audio, and sub-images has been put into practical use to form a creation system with a series of related content titles.

Especially in the system using VCD, the moving image data is realized by the high compression rate moving image compression method called MPEG on the CD media which has a storage capacity of about 600M bytes and was originally used for recording digital audio signals. record of. Represented by karaoke, the titles of existing laser discs are being swapped into VCDs.

The user's requirements for the content and playback quality of each title have been complicated year by year and have been increasing year by year. In order to respond to the user's request, each title needs to be composed of a bit stream with a deeper hierarchical structure than the existing one. With the help of such multimedia data composed of a bit stream with a deeper structure, the data volume has reached more than ten times that of the past. In addition, the content corresponding to the details in the title must be edited very carefully, so the lower-level data part needs to be used for data processing and control of the bit stream.

It is necessary to establish a bit stream structure that can effectively control such a large number of digital bit streams with a multi-layer structure at each level, as well as advanced digital processing methods that include recording and playback. There is also a need for a device that performs such digital processing, and a recording medium that can efficiently record and store the bit stream information digitally processed by the device, and quickly reproduce the recorded information.

In view of such a situation, in terms of recording media, a large number of studies are being conducted to increase the storage capacity of optical discs that have been used in the past. In order to increase the storage capacity of the optical disc, the spot diameter D of the beam should be reduced, but if the laser wavelength is λ and the objective lens numerical aperture is NA, the spot diameter D is proportional to λ/NA, so the smaller the λ, the greater the NA Larger, the more conducive to the improvement of storage capacity.

However, when a lens with a large NA is used, as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,235,581, the coma aberration caused by the relative inclination of the optical disk surface and the optical axis of the beam called beam tilt becomes larger, in order to prevent this from happening. , The thickness of the transparent substrate must be reduced. In the case of a thin transparent substrate, there is a problem of deterioration in mechanical strength.

In addition, regarding data processing, as a recording and reproducing system for signal data such as moving images, audio, graphics, etc., MPEG2, which has been successfully studied and put into practical use, can transmit large-capacity data at a higher speed than the existing MPEG1. MPEG2 uses a somewhat different compression method and data format from MPEG1. The content and differences between MPEG1 and MPEG2 are described in detail in the MPEG specifications of ISO11172 and ISO13818, so the description is omitted. MPEG2 also stipulates the structure of the video coding stream, but it does not clarify the hierarchical structure of the system stream and the processing method of the lower layers.

As described above, in the existing authoring system, it is impossible to handle a large amount of data streams with information required to fully satisfy the various requirements of users. Moreover, even if the processing technology is established, because there is no large-capacity recording medium that can be used to effectively record a large amount of data stream, the processed data cannot be reused effectively.

In other words, in order to process the bit stream in a smaller part than the title, it is necessary to eliminate the excessive requirements for the hardware of the recording medium to increase the capacity and the speed of the digital processing, and to design the software of the advanced digital processing method including the refined data structure. .

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an effective authoring system that controls the bit stream of multimedia data with the above-mentioned portion smaller than the title that has high requirements on hardware and software, so as to better meet the needs of users.

Furthermore, in order to share data between multiple titles and effectively use the optical disc, it is better to have multi-scene control for arbitrarily selecting shared scene data and multiple scenes arranged on the same time axis, and reproducing multiple titles. However, in order to arrange multiple types of scenes, that is, multiple types of scene data on the same time axis, it is necessary to arrange the various scene data of the multiple scenes consecutively. As a result, it is necessary to insert non-selected multi-scene data between the selected common scene and the selected multi-scene data. Therefore, when the multi-scene data is reproduced, it is expected that the playback will be interrupted in the part of the non-selected scene data. .

In other words, except for the case where the title editing unit (VOB) which was originally a single bit stream is cut off and each bit stream is formed separately, when each VOB is simply reproduced continuously, seamless reproduction cannot be performed. Although it is necessary to synchronize the images, audios, and sub-images that make up the VOBs and replay them separately, the mechanism for synchronization is simply connected to achieve the purpose of each VOB conduction, so the synchronization mechanism of the VOB connection point cannot be normal. To work.

An object of the present invention is to provide a reproducing apparatus capable of seamless reproduction that can reproduce data of each scene without interruption even for such multi-scene data. This application is based on the Japanese Patent Application Nos. H7-276710 (filed on September 29, 1995) and H8-041583 (filed on February 28, 1996). The specifications of the two patents are disclosed All matters become part of the disclosure of the present invention.

Summary of the invention

The system stream continuous playback device of the present invention is a system stream playback device that inputs at least one system stream interlaced with moving image data and audio data and connection information between the system stream, and is characterized in that it includes : The STC section that generates the STC as the playback reference clock of the system stream, at least one or more signal processing decoders that operate on the STC as the reference, and temporarily stores the system stream data transmitted to the signal processing decoder The decoding buffer switches the STC referenced by the signal processing decoder in the decoding of the first system stream and the STC referenced by the signal processing decoder in the decoding of the second system stream that is continuously reproduced following the first system stream STC switching department.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows the data structure of a multimedia bitstream.

Figure 2 shows the authoring encoder.

Figure 3 shows the authoring decoder.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a DVD recording medium having a single recording surface.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a DVD recording medium having a single recording surface.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a DVD recording medium having a single recording surface.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a DVD recording medium having multiple recording surfaces (single-sided dual-layer type).

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a DVD recording medium having multiple recording surfaces (double-sided single-layer type).

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a DVD recording medium.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a DVD recording medium.

Fig. 11 is an expanded view of a single-sided dual-layer DVD recording medium.

Fig. 12 is an expanded view of a single-sided dual-layer DVD recording medium.

Fig. 13 is an expanded view of a double-sided single-layer DVD recording medium.

Fig. 14 is an expanded view of a double-sided single-layer DVD recording medium.

Fig. 15 shows an example of a multi-standard title stream.

Figure 16 is a data structure diagram of the VTS.

Figure 17 shows the data structure of the system stream.

Figure 18 shows the data structure of the system stream.

Figure 19 shows the data structure of the data group in the system stream.

Fig. 20 shows the data structure of the navigation group NV.

Fig. 21 shows an example of a multi-scene scenario of a DVD.

Fig. 22 shows the data structure of the DVD.

Fig. 23 shows the connection of the system flow of the multi-view control.

Fig. 24 shows an example of a VOB corresponding to multiple scenes.

Figure 25 shows the DVD authoring encoder.

Figure 26 shows the DVD authoring decoder.

Fig. 27 shows the VOB set data string.

Fig. 28 shows the VOB data string.

Figure 29 shows coding parameters.

Fig. 30 shows an example of the program chain structure of DVD multi-scene.

Fig. 31 shows an example of the VOB structure of a DVD multi-scene.

Fig. 32 shows a block diagram of the synchronization control unit.

Figure 33 shows the concept of multi-view control.

Fig. 34A shows a flowchart of encoding control.

Fig. 34B shows a flowchart of encoding control.

Fig. 35 shows a flow chart of multi-view coding parameter generation for non-seamless switching.

Fig. 36 shows a common flow chart for generating coding parameters.

Fig. 37 shows a flow chart of multi-view coding parameter generation for seamless switching.

Fig. 38 shows a flow chart of coding parameter generation for protective lock control.

Fig. 39 shows a block diagram of the STC generating unit.

Figure 40 shows the relationship between SCR and PTS when VOG is connected.

Fig. 41 shows a block diagram of the decoder synchronization control unit.

Fig. 42 shows a block diagram of a synchronization mechanism control unit.

Fig. 43 shows a flowchart of the synchronization mechanism control unit.

Figure 44 shows the relationship between SCR and PTS in VOG.

Figure 45 shows the relationship between SCR and PTS when VOG is connected.

Figure 46 shows the relationship between SCR and PTS when VOG is connected.

Figure 47 shows the relationship between SCR and PTS in VOG.

Figure 48 shows the relationship between SCR and PTS in VOG.

Fig. 49 shows a flowchart of the operation of the formatter.

Figure 50 shows a flow chart of a subroutine operation of the multi-view format organizer for non-seamless switching.

Fig. 51 shows a flow chart of the subroutine operation of the multi-view format organizer for seamless switching.

Fig. 52 shows a flow chart of a subroutine operation of the formatter of the protective lock control.

Fig. 53 shows a flow chart of a subroutine operation of the formatter of a single scene.

Figure 54 shows the decoder system table.

Figure 55 shows the decoder table.

Figure 56 shows a flowchart of the decoder.

Fig. 57 shows a flowchart of PGC playback.

Fig. 58 shows a flowchart of data decoding processing in the bit stream buffer.

Fig. 59 shows a flowchart of synchronization processing of each decoder.

Fig. 60 shows a flow chart of synchronization processing for non-seamless applications.

Fig. 61 shows a flow chart of the seamless synchronization process.

Fig. 62 shows a flow chart of transferring data to the bit stream buffer.

Fig. 63 shows a flowchart of decoding processing for non-multi-view.

Fig. 64 shows a flow chart of the decoding process of the interleaved interval.

Fig. 65 shows a flow chart of the decoding process for consecutive data block intervals.

Fig. 66 shows a flowchart of decoding processing for non-multi-view.

Fig. 67 shows a flow chart of seamless multi-view decoding processing.

Fig. 68 shows a flow chart of non-seamless multi-view decoding processing.

Fig. 69 shows a block diagram of the bit stream buffer.

Fig. 70 shows a flow chart for generating coding parameters for a single scene.

Fig. 71 shows an example of the structure of an interleaved data block.

Fig. 72 shows an example of the structure of the VOB data block of the VTS.

Fig. 73 shows the data structure in consecutive data blocks.

Fig. 74 shows the data structure in the interleaved data block.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In order to explain the present invention in more detail, it will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The data structure of the authoring system is first described with reference to FIG. 1 to describe the logical structure of the recording device, the recording medium, the playback device of the present invention, and the bitstream of the multimedia data that is the target of processing in the authoring system containing these functions. One title is the image and audio information that the user can recognize, understand, or appreciate the content. This "title", in terms of movies, corresponds to the maximum amount of information representing the entire content of a movie, and the minimum corresponds to the amount of information representing the content of each scene.

A video title set VTS is composed of a bit stream containing information of a predetermined number of titles. For the sake of simplicity, the video title set is referred to as VTS for short. The VTS includes playback data such as images and audios representing the contents of the above-mentioned titles, and control data for controlling them.

A predetermined number of VTSs form a video zone VZ as a video data part in the authoring system. For the sake of simplification, the video zone is abbreviated as VZ. VTS#0~VTS#K (K is a positive integer including 0) are arranged in a straight line on a VZ, a total of K+1. Then, one of them, preferably the first VTS#0, is used as a video management file representing the content information of the title contained in each VTS. The predetermined number of VZs constituted in this way forms the multimedia bitstream MBS as the maximum management part of the multimedia data bitstream in the authoring system.

Authoring Encoder EC Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the authoring encoder EC of the present invention that encodes the original multimedia bit stream according to an arbitrary script suitable for the user's requirements to generate a new multimedia bit stream MBS. Furthermore, the original multimedia bit stream is composed of a video stream St1 that carries image information, a sub-image stream St3 that carries auxiliary image information such as commentaries, and an audio stream St5 that carries audio information. The video stream and the audio stream are bit streams containing image information and audio information obtained from an object within a predetermined time. On the other hand, the sub-picture stream is a bit stream containing one picture, that is, instantaneous picture information. If necessary, a sub-picture of one screen share can be intercepted on a video memory, etc., and the intercepted sub-pictures can be continuously displayed.

These multimedia source data St1, St3, and St5 are provided with live images and audio signals by means such as television cameras in the case of live broadcasting. Or provide non-live image and audio signals reproduced from recording media such as video tapes. In addition, in FIG. 2, for the sake of simplicity, three types of multimedia source streams are used. Of course, more than three types of source data can be input to indicate different title contents. The multimedia source data of audio, image, and auxiliary image information having such multiple titles is called a multi-title stream.

The authoring encoder EC is composed of an editing information preparation unit 100, an encoding system control unit 200, a video encoder 300, a video bitstream buffer 400, a sub-picture encoder 500, a sub-picture bit stream buffer 600, an audio editor 700, and an audio bitstream buffer. The stream buffer 800, the system encoder 900, the video area format composer 1300, the recording unit 1200, and the recording medium M are constituted.

In FIG. 2, the bit stream encoded by the encoder of the present invention is recorded on an optical disc medium as an example.

The authoring encoder EC has an editing information creation unit 100 that can output as script data an instruction to edit a considerable part of the multimedia bit stream MBS according to the user's requirements regarding the image, sub-image, and audio in the original multimedia title. The editing information creation unit 100 is preferably composed of a display unit, a speaker unit, a keyboard, a CPU, a source data bit stream buffer, and the like. The editing information creation unit 100 is connected to the above-mentioned external multimedia stream source, and receives the provided multimedia source data St1, St3, and St5.

The user reproduces the image and audio of the multimedia source data on the display unit and speakers, and can recognize the content of the title. Moreover, the user uses the keyboard to input content editing instructions that conform to the required script while confirming the content to be replayed. Edit instruction content refers to the selection of more than one content of each source data at a specified time for all or each of the source data including multiple title content, and the content of these selections is connected and reproduced in a specified method. .

According to keyboard input, the CPU generates script data St7 that encodes information such as the position and length of the editing target part of each data stream of St1, St3, and St5 in the multimedia source data, and the temporal relationship between the editing parts.

The source data bit stream buffer has a predetermined capacity, and outputs St1, St3, and St5 of the multimedia source data after being delayed by a predetermined time Td.

The reason is that when encoding is performed at the same time that the user creates the script data St7, that is, when the encoding process is performed successively, it takes a certain amount of time Td to determine the editing processing content of the multimedia source data based on the script data St7 as described below, Therefore, in actual editing, the multimedia source data needs to be delayed by this time Td in order to synchronize with the editing code.

In the case of successively performing the editing process in this way, the delay time Td is determined according to the degree of synchronization between the various elements in the adjustment system. Therefore, the source data bit stream buffer is usually constituted by a high-speed recording medium such as a semiconductor memory.

However, in the so-called batch editing of encoding a batch of multimedia source data after the script data St7 is completed through all the titles, the delay time Td needs to be equivalent to one title or longer. In this case, the source data bit stream buffer can be constructed using low-speed and large-capacity recording media such as video tapes, magnetic disks, and optical disks. In other words, the source data bit stream buffer can be constructed with a suitable recording medium according to the delay time Td and the manufacturing cost.

The encoding system control unit 200 is connected to the edit information creation unit 100, and receives the script data St7 from the edit information creation unit 100. The authoring system control unit 200 respectively generates coding parameters and coding start/end timing signals St9 for editing the editing target part of the multimedia source data based on the information on the temporal position and length of the editing target part contained in the script data St7 , St11 and St13. Also, as described above, the multimedia source data St1, St3, and St5 are output by the source data bit stream buffer delay time Td, and therefore are synchronized with the respective timings St9, St11, and St13.

That is, the signal St9 is a video encoding signal for extracting the encoding target part from the video stream St1, generating a video encoding unit, and instructing the timing of encoding the video stream St1. Similarly, the signal St11 is a sub-picture stream encoding signal for generating a sub-picture encoding unit and instructing the timing of encoding the sub-picture stream St3. The signal St13 is an audio encoding signal for generating an audio encoding unit and instructing the timing of encoding the audio stream St5.

The encoding system control unit 200 further generates a multimedia encoded stream for encoding according to information such as the temporal relationship between the encoding target parts of each data stream of St1, St3, and St5 in the multimedia source data contained in the script data St7. The timing signals St21, St23, and St25 are arranged in relation to each other.

The encoding system control unit 200 generates playback time information IT indicating the playback time of the title editing unit (VOB) for the title editing unit (VOB) of each title for one video zone VZ, and showing that it is used to make the video and audio , The multimedia coded stream of the sub-image is multiplexed with the stream coded data St33 of the coding parameter of the system code.

The encoding system control unit 200 uses the title editing unit (VOB) of each data stream in a predetermined time relationship to generate the connection of the title editing unit (VOB) that specifies the titles of the multimedia bitstream MBS, or specifies the connection of the title editing unit (VOB) that will be used to generate Each title editing section (VOB) of the interleaved title editing section (VOBs) overlapping the title editing sections is used as an arrangement instruction signal St39 of formatting parameters for formatting the multimedia bit stream MBS.

The video encoder 300 is connected to the source data bit stream buffer of the editing information preparation unit 100 and the encoding system control unit 200, and respectively inputs the video stream St1 and the encoding parameter data for video encoding and the encoding start/end timing signal St9, such as encoding start /End timing, bit rate, encoding conditions at the beginning/end of encoding, whether the type of editing material is NTSC signal or PAL signal, or telecine and other parameters. The video encoder 300 encodes a predetermined part of the video stream St1 based on the video encoded signal St9 to generate a video encoded stream St15.

Similarly, the sub-picture encoder 500 is connected to the source data buffer of the coded information preparation unit 100 and the coding system control unit 200, and the sub-picture stream St3 and the sub-picture stream coded signal St11 are respectively input. The sub-picture encoder 500 encodes a predetermined part of the sub-picture stream St3 based on the parameter signal St11 for encoding the sub-picture stream, and generates a sub-picture coded stream St17.

The audio encoder 700 is connected to the source data buffer of the editing information preparation unit 100 and the encoding system control unit 200, and inputs the audio stream St5 and the audio coded signal St13, respectively. The audio encoder 700 encodes a predetermined part of the audio stream St5 based on the parameter data for audio encoding and the encoding start/end timing signal St13 to generate an audio encoded stream St19.

The video bit stream buffer 400 is connected to the video encoder 300 and stores the video encoded stream St15 output from the video encoder 300. The video bit stream buffer 400 is also connected to the encoding system control unit 200, and outputs the stored encoded video stream St15 as a timing encoded video stream St27 according to the input of the timing signal St21.

Similarly, the sub-picture bit stream buffer 600 is connected to the sub-picture encoder 500, and stores the sub-picture encoded stream St19 output from the sub-picture encoder 500. The sub-picture bit stream buffer 600 is also connected to the coding system control unit 200, and outputs the stored sub-picture coded stream St17 as a timed sub-picture coded stream St29 according to the input of the timing signal St23.

In addition, the audio bit stream buffer 800 is connected to the audio encoder 700, and stores the audio stream St19 output from the audio encoder 700. The audio bit stream buffer 800 is also connected to the coding system control unit 200, and outputs the stored audio code stream St19 as a timed audio code stream St31 according to the input of the timing signal St25.

The system encoder 900 is connected to the video bitstream buffer 400, the sub-picture bitstream buffer 600, and the audio buffer 800, and inputs the timing video encoding stream St27, the timing sub-picture encoding stream St29, and the timing audio encoding stream St31. The system encoder 900 is also connected to the encoding system control unit 200 and inputs stream encoded data St33.

The system encoder 900 performs multiplexing processing on the timing streams St27, St29, and St31 based on the encoding parameter data of the system encoding and the encoding start/end timing signal St33, and generates a title editing unit (VOB) St35.

The video zone format composer 1300 is connected to the system encoder 900 and is input to the title editing unit St35. The video area format composer 1300 is also connected to the encoding system control unit 200, and inputs formatting parameters and formatting start/end timing signals St39 for formatting the multimedia bit stream MBS. According to the title editing section St39, the video zone format composer 1300 changes the arrangement of the title editing section St35 for one video zone (VZ) in the order that meets the script required by the user, and generates the edited multimedia bit stream St43.

The multimedia bit stream St43 edited into the content of the script requested by the user is sent to the recording unit 1200. The recording unit 1200 processes the edited multimedia bit stream MBS into data St43 in a format compatible with the recording medium M, and records it on the recording medium M. In this case, the multimedia bit stream MBS contains a volume file structure VFS indicating the physical address on the media generated by the video zone encoder 1300 in advance.

In addition, the encoded multimedia bit stream St35 can be directly output to a decoder as described below, and the edited title content can be replayed. In this case, the multimedia bitstream MBS certainly does not include the volume file structure VFS.

Authoring Decoder DC Next, referring to Figure 3, an implementation of the codec DC that decodes the edited multimedia bitstream MBS with the help of the authoring decoder EC of the present invention, and expands the content of each title according to the script required by the user. The morphology is explained. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the multimedia bit stream St45 recorded on the recording medium M in FIG. 2 and encoded by the authoring encoder EC is recorded on the recording medium M in FIG. 3.

The authoring decoder DC consists of a multimedia bitstream playback unit 2000, a script selection unit 2100, a decoding system control unit 2300, a bitstream buffer 2400, a system decoder 2500, a video buffer 2600, a sub-picture buffer 2700, and an audio buffer 2800 , The synchronization control unit 2900, the video decoder 3800, the sub-picture decoder 3100, the audio decoder 3200, the synthesis unit 3500, the video data output terminal 3600, and the audio data output terminal 3700 are constituted.

The multimedia bitstream reproducing unit 2000 consists of a recording medium drive device 2004 that drives a recording medium M, a reading head device 2006 that reads information recorded on the recording medium M, and generates a binary reading signal St57, and performs each reading on the reading signal St57 This kind of processing consists of a signal and sound processing unit 2008 that generates a reproduced bit stream St61, and a mechanism control unit 2002. The mechanism control unit 2002 is connected to the decoding system control unit 2300, receives the multimedia bitstream playback instruction signal St53, and generates playback control signals St55 and St59 that control the recording medium drive unit (motor) 2004 and the signal processing unit 2008, respectively.

The decoder DC is equipped with a script selection unit 2100 that can output the instructions given to the authoring decoder DC as script data in accordance with the requirements for selecting the corresponding script to be reproduced, so that the images and sub-images related to the multimedia title edited by the authoring encoder EC can be output. And the part of the audio that the user wants is reproduced.

Preferably, the script selection unit 2100 is composed of a keyboard, a CPU, and the like. The user operates the keyboard to input the desired script according to the content of the script input by the authoring encoder EC. The CPU generates script selection data St51 indicating the selected script based on keyboard input. The script selection unit 2100 is connected to the decoding system control unit 2300 via, for example, an infrared communication device. The decoding system control unit 2300 generates a playback instruction signal St53 for controlling the operation of the multimedia bitstream playback unit 2000 based on St51.

The bit stream buffer 2400 has a predetermined buffer capacity, and temporarily stores the reproduced signal bit stream St61 input from the multimedia bit stream reproducing unit 2000, extracts address information and synchronization initial value data of each stream, and generates stream control data St63. The bit stream buffer 2400 is connected to the decoding system control unit 2300, and supplies the generated stream control data St63 to the decoding system control unit 2300.

The synchronization control unit 2900 is connected to the decoding system control unit 2300, receives the synchronization initial value data (SCR) contained in the synchronization control data St81, sets the internal system clock (STC), and provides the reset system clock St79 to the decoding system The control unit 2300. The decoding system control unit 2300 generates a bit stream read signal St65 at predetermined time intervals based on the system clock St79, and inputs it to the bit stream buffer 2400.

The bit stream buffer 2400 outputs the reproduced bit stream St61 at predetermined time intervals based on the read signal St65.

The decoding system control unit 2300 also generates a decoded stream instruction signal St69 indicating the ID of each of the video stream, sub-picture stream, and audio stream corresponding to the selected scenario based on the scenario selection data St51, and outputs it to the system decoder 2500.

The system decoder 2500 outputs the video, sub-picture, and audio data streams input from the bit stream buffer 2400 to the video buffer 2600 as a video code stream St71, in accordance with the instruction of the decoding instruction signal St69, as a sub-picture code stream St73. The sub-picture buffer 2700 is output, and is output to the audio buffer 2800 as an audio coded stream St75.

The system decoder 2500 detects the playback start time (PTS) and decoding start time (DTS) of each stream St67 in each minimum control unit, and generates a time information signal St77. This time information signal St77 passes through the decoding system control unit 2300, and is input to the synchronization control unit 2900 as the synchronization control data St81.

As a response to the synchronization control data St81, the synchronization control unit 2900 determines the decoding start time for each stream in a predetermined order after decoding. The synchronization control unit 2900 generates a video stream decoding start signal St89 based on the decoding time, and inputs it to the video decoder 3800. Similarly, the synchronization control unit 2900 generates a sub-picture decoding start signal St91 and an audio decoding start signal St93, and inputs them to the sub-picture decoder 3100 and the audio decoder 3200, respectively.

The video decoder 3800 generates a video output request signal St84 based on the video stream decoding start signal St89, and outputs it to the video buffer 2600. The video buffer 2600 receives the video output request signal St84, and outputs the video stream St83 to the video decoder 3800. The video decoder 3800 detects the playback time information included in the video stream St83, and immediately invalidates the video output request signal St84 after receiving an input of the video stream St83 having a length equivalent to the playback time. In this way, the video stream corresponding to the predetermined playback time is decoded by the video decoder 3800, and the reproduced video signal St104 is output to the synthesis unit 3500.

Similarly, the sub-picture decoder 3100 generates a sub-picture output request signal St86 according to the sub-picture decoding start time St91, and supplies it to the sub-picture buffer 2700. The sub-picture buffer 2700 receives the sub-picture output request signal St86, and outputs the sub-picture stream St85 to the sub-picture decoder 3100. The sub-picture decoder 3100 decodes the sub-picture stream St85 whose length is equivalent to the predetermined reproduction time based on the reproduction time information included in the sub-picture stream St85, reproduces the sub-picture signal St99, and outputs it to the synthesis unit 3500.

The synthesizing unit 3500 superimposes the video signal St104 and the sub-picture signal St99 to generate a multi-picture video signal St105 and output it to the video output terminal 3600.

The audio decoder 3200 generates an audio output request signal St88 according to the audio decoding start signal St93, and supplies it to the audio buffer 2800. The audio buffer 2800 receives the audio output request signal St88, and outputs the audio stream St87 to the audio decoder 3200. The audio decoder 3200 decodes the audio stream St87 having a length equivalent to the predetermined reproduction time based on the reproduction time information included in the audio stream St87 and outputs it to the audio output terminal 3700.

In doing so, the multimedia bit stream MBS desired by the user can be replayed in real time in response to the user's script selection. That is to say, whenever the user selects a different script, the authoring decoder DC can replay the multimedia bit stream MBS corresponding to the selected script to replay the title content desired by the user.

As described above, in the authoring system of the present invention, in order to adjust the basic title content, the substreams that may have multiple branches in the smallest editing section of each content are arranged in a predetermined time relationship, and the multimedia source data is processed. Real-time encoding or batch encoding, can generate multimedia bit streams according to multiple arbitrary scripts.

The multimedia bit stream encoded in this way can be replayed according to any script in a plurality of scripts. Therefore, even if a scenario different from the selected scenario is selected (switched) during replay, it is possible to replay the multimedia bit stream dynamically corresponding to the newly selected scenario. Moreover, when the title content is reproduced according to an arbitrary scenario, it is also possible to dynamically select any scene among a plurality of scenes and reproduce it.

In this way, in the authoring system of the present invention, not only can encoding and real-time playback of the multimedia bit stream MBS, but also repeated playback can be performed. Regarding the details of the authoring system, the applicant of this application has disclosed it in a patent application filed in Japan on September 27, 1996.

DVD FIG. 4 shows an example of a DVD having a single recording surface. The DVD recording medium RC1 in this example is composed of an information recording surface RS1 that is irradiated with laser light LS for writing and reading, and a protective layer PL1 covering the recording surface. A reinforcement layer BL1 is also provided on the back of the recording surface RS1. In this way, the surface on the side of the protective layer PL1 is referred to as the front surface SA, and the surface on the side of the reinforcement layer BL1 is referred to as the back surface SB. Like this medium RC1, a DVD medium having a single recording layer RS1 on one surface is called a single-sided single-layer optical disc.

Figure 5 shows the details of part C1 in Figure 4. The recording surface RS1 is formed of an information layer 4109 to which a reflective film such as a metal thin film is attached. On this layer, a protective layer PL1 is formed of a first transparent substrate 4108 having a predetermined thickness T1. The reinforcement layer BL1 is formed by the second transparent substrate 4111 having a predetermined thickness T2. The first and second transparent substrates 4108 and 4111 are connected to each other by an adhesive layer 4110 provided therebetween.

If necessary, a printing layer 4112 for printing labels is further provided on the second transparent substrate 4111. The printing layer 4112 is not on the entire area on the substrate 4111 of the reinforcement layer BL1, but only on the parts where characters and pictures need to be displayed, and the transparent substrate 4111 can also be peeled off in other parts. In this case, when viewed from the back side SB, the light reflected by the metal thin film 4109 forming the recording surface RS1 can be directly seen in the unprinted part. For example, when the metal thin film is an aluminum film, it can be seen that the background is silvery white. You can see printed text and graphics appearing on it. The printing layer 4112 does not need to be provided on the entire surface of the reinforcement layer BL1, and may be provided in a part according to the application.

Fig. 6 also shows the details of part C2 in Fig. 5. On the surface SA where the light beam enters and the information is taken out, the surface SA of the first transparent substrate 4108 and the information layer 4109 is formed with concave and convex pits by molding technology, and the information is recorded by changing the length and interval of the pits. That is, the shape of the concave and convex pits of the first transparent substrate 4108 is copied on the information layer 4109. The length and interval of the pits are smaller than in the case of CD, and the information track and pitch formed by rows of pits are made narrower. As a result, the areal recording density is greatly improved.

In addition, the surface SA side of the first transparent substrate 4108 where no pits are formed is made a flat surface. The second transparent substrate 4111 is for reinforcement, and is a transparent substrate that is made of the same material as the first transparent substrate 4108 and is flat on both sides. The prescribed thicknesses T1 and T2 are the same. For example, 0.6 mm is an ideal value, but it is not limited to this.

The extraction of information is the same as in the case of CD, and the information is extracted as the reflectance change of the light spot by the irradiation of the light beam LS. In the DVD system, the numerical aperture NA of the objective lens is enlarged, and the wavelength λ of the light beam can be made small. Therefore, the diameter of the used spot Ls can be reduced to about 1/1.6 of the spot diameter in the case of CD. This means that it has 1.6 times the resolution compared to the CD system.

When reading data from a DVD, a red semiconductor laser with a short wavelength (650 nm) and an optical system with an objective lens numerical aperture NA of up to 0.6 mm are used. This is combined with making the transparent substrate thickness T 0.6 mm thin, so that the information capacity that can be recorded on one surface of an optical disc with a diameter of 120 mm exceeds 5G bytes.

The DVD system, as described above, even in a single-sided single-layer optical disc RC1 with a single recording surface RS1, the amount of information that can be recorded is close to 10 times that of a CD. Therefore, for each moving image with a very large data size, It can be processed without compromising the image quality. As a result, the existing CD system can only record and replay for 74 minutes even at the expense of the quality of moving images. In contrast, DVD can record and replay high-quality images for more than 2 hours. In this way, DVD has the characteristics of being suitable as a moving image recording medium.

7 and 8 show examples of DVD recording media having a plurality of recording surfaces RS. The DVD recording medium RC2 of FIG. 7 is on the same side, that is, on the front side SA, with a first recording surface arranged in two layers and semi-transparent second recording surfaces RS1 and RS2. Using different light beams LS1 and LS2 for the first recording surface RS1 and the second recording surface RS2, respectively, it is possible to record and reproduce on both surfaces at the same time. It is also possible to use one of the light beams LS1 or LS2 to record and play on two recording surfaces. The DVD recording medium constructed in this way is called a single-sided dual-layer optical disc. In this example, two recording layers RS1 and RS2 are provided. Of course, it can also be a DVD recording medium provided with two or more recording layers RS as required. Such a recording medium is called a single-sided multilayer optical disc.

On the other hand, in the DVD recording medium RC3 of FIG. 8, the first recording surface RS1 is arranged on the front side, and the second recording surface RS2 is arranged on the back side SB. In these examples, an example in which two recording surfaces are arranged on a single DVD is shown, but of course, a multilayer recording surface optical disc having two or more recording surfaces may be used. As in the case of FIG. 7, the light beams LS1 and LS2 can also be arranged separately, or one light beam can be used to record and reproduce the two recording surfaces RS1 and RS2. The DVD recording medium constructed in this way is called a double-sided single-layer optical disc. Of course, it can also be a DVD recording medium in which two or more recording layers RS are arranged on one side. Such an optical disc is called a double-sided multilayer optical disc.

9 and 10 respectively show plan views of the recording surface RS of the DVD recording medium RC viewed from the side irradiated with the light beam LS. On the DVD, a spiral track TR for recording information is continuously provided from the inner circumference to the outer circumference. The information recording track TR is divided into a plurality of sectors for each predetermined data portion. In Fig. 9, it is shown that each track is divided into more than 3 sectors for the sake of convenience.

Normally, the track TR is wound in the clockwise direction DrA from the end point IA of the inner circumference of the optical disc RCA to the end point OA of the outer circumference as shown in FIG. Such an optical disc RCA is called a clockwise rotating disc, and its track is called a clockwise rotating track TRA. Depending on the application, as shown in FIG. 10, the track TRB winds from the end point OB of the outer circumference of the optical disc RCB to the end point IB of the inner circumference in the clockwise direction DrB. The direction DrB is counterclockwise when viewed from the inner circumference to the outer circumference. Therefore, to distinguish it from the optical disc RCA in FIG. 9, it is called counterclockwise rotating optical disc RCB and counterclockwise rotating track. The above-mentioned track rotation directions DrA and DrB are the movement directions of the light beam scanning the track for recording and playback, that is, the track path. The reverse direction RdA of the track winding direction DrA is the direction in which the optical disc RCA is rotated. The reverse direction RdB of the track winding direction DrB is the direction in which the optical disc RCB is rotated.

FIG. 11 schematically shows an expanded view of the optical disc RC2o shown in FIG. 7 as an example of the single-sided dual-layer optical disc RC2. On the lower first recording surface RS1, the clockwise rotating track TRA is set in the clockwise direction DrA as shown in FIG. 9, and the upper second recording surface RS2 is set on the counterclockwise rotating track TRB as shown in FIG. DrB counterclockwise. In this case, the outer circumferential ends OB and OA of the upper and lower tracks are located on the same line parallel to the center line of the optical disc RC2o. The winding directions DrA and DrB of the track TR are also directions for reading and writing data to and from the optical disc RC. In this case, the winding directions of the upper and lower tracks are opposite, that is, the track paths DrA and DrB of the upper and lower recording layers face each other.

The opposing track path type single-sided dual-layer optical disc RC2o rotates in the RdA direction corresponding to the first recording surface RS1. The light beam LS follows the track of the first recording surface RS1 along the track path DrA, and reaches the outer peripheral end OA. At the moment when the light beam LS is adjusted to focus on the outer circumferential end OB of the second recording surface RS2, the light beam LS can continuously track the track of the second recording surface RS2. In this way, the physical distance between the tracks TRA and TRB of the first and second recording surfaces RS1 and RS2 can be instantly eliminated by adjusting the focus of the light beam LS. As a result, the single-sided dual-layer optical disc RCo of the opposing track path type can easily treat the tracks of the upper and lower layers as one continuous track TR. Therefore, in the authoring system described with reference to FIG. 1, the multimedia bit stream MBS, which is the largest management part of multimedia data, can be continuously recorded on the two recording layers RS1 and RS2 of one medium RC2o.

In addition, the winding direction of the tracks on the recording surfaces RS1 and RS2 is opposite to that described in this example, that is, a counterclockwise rotating track TRB is provided on the first recording surface RS1, and a clockwise rotation is provided on the second recording surface. In the case of a track TRA that rotates in a direction, in addition to changing the rotation direction of the optical disc to RdB, the two recording surfaces are used as one recording surface with a continuous track TR as in the above example. Therefore, for the sake of brevity, the illustration of the drawings of such an example will be omitted. By adopting such a structure to make a DVD, the multimedia bitstream MBS of a long title can be recorded on a single-sided dual-layer optical disc RC2o with opposing track paths. Such a DVD medium is called a single-sided dual-layer reverse track path type optical disc.

Fig. 12 schematically shows an expanded view of another example RC2p of the single-sided dual-layer optical disc RC2 shown in Fig. 7. As shown in FIG. 9, the first and second recording surfaces RS1 and RS2 are each provided with a clockwise track TRA. In this case, the single-sided dual-layer optical disc RC2p rotates in the RdA direction, and the moving direction of the beam is the same as the winding direction of the track, that is, the track paths of the upper and lower recording layers are parallel to each other. Even in this case, it is preferable that the outer circumferential ends OA and OA of the upper and lower tracks are located on the same line parallel to the center line of the optical disc RC2p. Therefore, by adjusting the focus of the light beam LS at the outer circumferential end OA, it is possible to change the accessed address from the outer circumferential end OA of the track TRA of the first recording surface RS1 to the first recording surface RS1 in an instant like the medium RC2o described in FIG. 11 The outer circumferential end OA of the track TRA of the recording surface RS2 of 2.

However, when the light beam LS continuously accesses the track TRA of the second recording surface RS2 in time, it is preferable to rotate the medium RC2p in the reverse direction (in the reverse RdA direction). However, it is not efficient to change the direction of rotation of the medium according to the position of the light beam. Therefore, as shown by the arrow in the figure, the light beam LS moves the light beam to the second recording surface RS1 after reaching the outer circumferential end OA of the track on the first recording surface RS1. The inner circumference IA of the track on the recording surface RS2 can be used as a logically continuous optical disc. Moreover, if necessary, the tracks on the upper and lower recording surfaces may not be treated as a continuous track, but as different tracks, and the multimedia bit stream MBS is recorded title by title on each track. Such DVD media are called single-sided dual-layer parallel track path optical discs.

Also, even if the winding direction of the tracks on the two recording surfaces RS1 and RS2 is set to be opposite to that described in this example, that is, the track TRB that rotates in the counterclockwise direction is set, except that the direction of rotation of the disc is on RdB. , Everything else is the same. This single-sided, dual-layer, parallel-track optical disc is suitable for the purpose of recording multiple titles on a single medium RC2p that requires frequent random access as in the case of encyclopedias.

FIG. 13 is an expanded view showing an example RC3s of the double-sided single-layer DVD medium RC3 having one recording surface RS1 and RS2 on each surface shown in FIG. 8. One recording surface RS1 is provided with a clockwise rotating track TRA, and the other recording surface RS2 is provided with a counterclockwise rotating track TRB. Even in this case, it is preferable that the outer circumferential ends OA and OB of the tracks on the two recording surfaces are located on the same line parallel to the center line of the optical disc RC3s. The winding directions of the tracks on the two recording surfaces RS1 and RS2 are opposite, but the track paths are in a plane symmetric relationship with each other. Such an optical disc RC3s is called a double-sided single-layer symmetrical track path type optical disc. This double-sided single-layer symmetrical track path optical disc RC3s rotates in the RdA direction corresponding to the first recording medium RS1. As a result, the track path of the second recording medium RS2 on the opposite side is in the direction opposite to the track winding direction DrB, that is, in the DrA direction. In this case, regardless of whether it is continuous or discontinuous, it is essentially impractical to access the two recording surfaces RS1 and RS2 with the same light beam LS. Therefore, the two recording surfaces of the front and the back respectively record the multimedia bit stream.

Fig. 14 is an expanded view of another example RC3a of the double-sided single-layer DVD medium RC3 shown in Fig. 8. Both recording surfaces RS1 and RS2 are provided with a clockwise track TRA as shown in FIG. 9. In this case, it is also preferable that the outer circumferential ends OA and OA of the tracks of the two recording surfaces RS1 and RS2 are located on the same straight line parallel to the center line of the optical disc RC3a. However, in this example, unlike the aforementioned double-sided single-layer symmetrical track path optical disc RC3s, the tracks on the two recording surfaces RS1 and RS2 are in an asymmetric relationship. Such an optical disc RC3a is called a double-sided single-layer asymmetric track path optical disc. This double-sided single-layer asymmetrical track path optical disc RC3s rotates in the RdA direction corresponding to the first recording medium RS1.

As a result, the track path of the second recording surface RS2 on the opposite side is in the direction opposite to the track winding direction DrA, that is, in the DrB direction. Therefore, as long as the single light beam LS is moved from the inner circumference of the first recording surface RS1 to the outer circumference, the light beam LS is moved continuously from the outer circumference to the inner circumference of the second recording surface RS2, even if it is not for every recording. Different light beam sources are prepared on the face, and it is also possible to record and play on the two faces without turning the front and back of the media PC3a. In addition, in this double-sided single-layer asymmetric track path type optical disc, the tracks on the two recording surfaces RS1 and RS2 are the same. Therefore, by reversing the front and back of the medium PC3a, even if different light beams are not prepared for each recording, the two surfaces can be recorded and reproduced with a single light beam LS. As a result, the recording and reproducing apparatus can be economically manufactured. Also, setting the track TRB instead of the track TRA on the two recording surfaces RS1 and RS2 is basically the same as this example.

As described above, with the help of the DVD system whose recording capacity is easily doubled due to the multi-layered recording surface, some moving image data, some audio data, and some audio data recorded on a single optical disc can be reproduced through dialogue with the user. Some graphics data and other multimedia fields will play their true value. In other words, it is possible to make what traditional software providers dream of, to keep the quality of the film produced, to record a film, and to use one medium to provide it to people in different languages and from different generations. .

Protective lock has always been a variety of independent packages that adapt to multiple languages around the world and institutionalized protective locks in European and American countries. The software provider of movie titles must produce, supply, and manage multiple specifications for the same title. title. The effort is great. Moreover, it is important here that the image quality is high, and it is also important that the content can be replayed according to the user's intention. The recording medium that is one step closer to solving this desire is DVD.

Also, as a typical example of dialogue operation, when replaying a scene, it is required to have a "multi-view" function to switch to the scene viewed from another angle. This is an application requirement. For example, when the scene is a baseball, the pitcher, catcher, and batter viewed from the back of the net are centered on the angle, and the infield viewed from the back of the net is centered. The user can freely choose his favorite angle from several angles, such as the angle of the pitcher, catcher, and batter as seen from the center side, as if switching cameras.

As a format that can meet such requirements to record signal data such as moving images, voice, graphics, DVD uses the same MPEG as VCD. VCD and DVD, because of their capacity and transmission speed, and the difference in signal processing performance in the playback device, although they are the same MPEG format, they still use a somewhat different compression method and data format from MPEG1 and MPEG2. However, the content of MPEG1 and MPEG2 and their differences are not directly related to the content of the present invention, so their description is omitted (for example, refer to the MPEG standards of ISO11172 and ISO13818).

The data structure of the DVD system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 16, FIG. 17, FIG. 18, and FIG. 20.

If multiple scenes are prepared to meet the requirements of locked playback and multi-view playback as described above, titles that meet various requirements must be prepared, and the required number of approximately the same content with a small number of different scene data must be prepared. The title is pre-recorded on the recording medium. This is equivalent to repeatedly recording the same data in most areas of the recording medium, so the utilization efficiency of the storage capacity of the recording medium is obviously not valued. Furthermore, even with a large-capacity recording medium such as a DVD, it is impossible to record titles that meet all requirements. Such a problem can be said to be basically solved by increasing the capacity of the recording medium, but this is very undesirable from the viewpoint of effective use of system resources.

In the DVD system, multi-scene control, which will be explained in general, is used to construct titles with multiple variations with the minimum required data, so that system resources such as recording media can be effectively used. That is, basic scene sections formed by common data between titles and multi-scene sections formed by different scenes suitable for various requirements constitute titles with various changes. Therefore, preparations are made in advance so that the user can freely select a specific scene in each multi-scene section at any time during playback. The multi-scene control including locked playback and multi-angle playback will be described below with reference to FIG. 21.

Data Structure of the DVD System FIG. 22 shows the data structure of the edited data in the DVD system according to the present invention. In the DVD system, in order to record the multimedia bit stream MBS, a recording area is roughly divided into three areas: a write area LI, a volume area VS, and a read area LO.

The writing area LI is located at the innermost circumference of the optical disk, for example, at the inner circumference ends IA and IB of the track in the disk illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. In the writing area LI, data for stabilizing the operation at the start of reading by the playback device is recorded.

The readout area LO is located on the circumference of the outermost circle of the optical disc, that is, the outer circumference ends OA and OB of the track described in FIGS. 9 and 10. In the read-out area LO, data indicating the end of the volume area VS, etc. are recorded.

The volume area VS is located between the writing area LI and the reading area LO, and 2048-byte logical sectors LS are recorded as n+1 (n is zero or a positive integer) one-dimensional array. Each logical sector LS is distinguished by a sector number (#0, #1, #2,...#n). The volume area VS is divided into a volume/file management area VFS formed by m+1 logical sectors LS#0~LS#m (m is a positive integer smaller than n or 0) and nm logical sectors LS#m File data area FDS formed by +1~LS#n. The file data area FDS is equivalent to the multimedia bit stream MBS shown in FIG. 1.

The volume/file management area VFS is a file system used to manage the data in the volume area VS as files. It consists of the logic of the number of sectors m (m is a natural number smaller than n) required to accommodate the data required to manage the entire disk The sectors LS#0 to LS#m are formed. The volume/file management area records the file information in the file data area FDS in accordance with standards such as ISO9660 and ISO13346.

The file data area FDS is composed of nm logical sectors LS#m+1 to LS#n, and contains k video management files VMG with a size that is an integer multiple of the logical sector (2048×I, where I is a predetermined integer) VTS video title set VTS#1 to VTS#k (k is a natural number smaller than 100).

The video management file VMG holds information indicating title management information of the entire optical disc, and has information indicating a volume menu as a menu for setting/changing the entire volume playback control. The video title set VTS#k is also referred to as a video file for short, and represents a title composed of data such as moving images, audio, and still images.

FIG. 16 shows the content structure of the video title set VTS of FIG. 22. The video title set is roughly divided into VTS information (VTSI) indicating the management information of the entire optical disc and VOBS (VTSTT_VOBS) for the VTS title as the system stream of the multimedia bitstream. First, after describing the VTS information below, the VTS title is described using VOBS.

VTS information mainly includes VTSI management table (VTSI_MAT) and VTSPGC information table (VTS-PGCIT).

The VTSI management table describes the internal structure of the video title set VTS, the number of selectable audio streams included in the video title set VTS, the number of sub-pictures, and the storage address of the video title set VTS.

The VTSPGC information management table is a table that records i (i is a natural number) PGC information VTS_PGCI#1 to VTS_PGCI#I indicating a program chain (PGC) that controls the playback order. Each item of PGC information VTS_PGCI#I is information indicating a program chain, and is composed of j (j is a natural number) access part playback information C_PBI#1 to C_PBI#j. Each access unit reproduction information C_PBI#j contains the reproduction order and reproduction control information of the access unit.

Also, the so-called program chain PGC is a concept describing the title stream. The playback order of the access section (described below) is described to form the title. The above-mentioned VTS information, for example, in the case of menu information, is stored in a buffer in the playback device at the start of playback, and is referred to by the playback device at the time when the "menu" key of the remote control is pressed during playback. For this VTS information, for example, the top menu of #1 is displayed. In the case of a hierarchical menu, its structure is, for example, the program chain information VTS_PGCI#1 is the main menu displayed after the "menu" key is pressed, #2~#9 are the submenus corresponding to the numbers of the number keys of the remote control, # After 10, there is a lower sub-menu. The structure can also be, for example, #1 is the uppermost menu displayed by pressing the number keys, and #2 and below are the structure of the guidance sound corresponding to the number playback of the number keys.

The menu itself is indicated by multiple program chains specified in the table, and can constitute any form of menu, such as a hierarchical menu or a menu containing guidance sounds.

For another example, in the case of a movie, the playback device refers to a buffer stored in the playback device at the start of playback, and replays the system stream in the access part playback order described in the PGC.

The access part mentioned here is all or part of the system stream and is used as an access point during playback. For example, in the case of a movie, it can be used as a chapter in which the title is divided into sections.

In addition, the input PGC information C_PBI#j includes the access part reproduction processing information and the access part information table, respectively. The reproduction processing information is composed of information necessary for reproduction by the access unit, such as reproduction time and number of repetitions. C_PBI#j consists of access part block mode (CBM), access part block type (CBT), seamless playback flag (SPF), interleaved data block configuration flag (IAF), STC reset flag (STCDF), access part reset The playback time (C_PBTM), the seamless angle switching flag (SACF), the start address of the VOBU at the beginning of the access part (C_FVOBU_SA), and the start address of the VOBU at the end of the access part (C_LVOBU_SA) are composed.

The so-called seamless playback here means that in the DVD system, media data such as images, audio, and sub-images are played back without interrupting each data and information. The details will be described below with reference to FIGS. 23 and 24.

The access part block mode CBM indicates whether a plurality of access parts constitute a functional block, the access part playback information of each access part constituting the function block is continuously arranged in the PGC information, and the CBM of the access part playback information arranged at the top indicates that The value of the "top access part of the block", the CBM placed in the last access part playback information indicates the value of the "last access part of the block", and the CBM placed in the middle access part playback information indicates the value of "block The value of "Access Department within".

The access block type CBT indicates the type of access block shown in CBM. For example, in the case of setting the multi-view function, the access unit information corresponding to the playback of each angle is set as the aforementioned function block, and the type of the function is also set in the access unit of each access unit. A value indicating "angle" is set on the CBT of the playback information.

The system playback flag SPF is a flag indicating whether the access part is seamlessly connected to and reproduced from the previously reproduced access part or access part block, and it is seamlessly connected to the previously reproduced access part or the previous access part block. In the case of reproduction, a flag value of 1 is set in the SPF of the access unit reproduction information of the access unit. In the case of non-fault-free conditions, the flag value is set to 0.

The interleaved allocation flag IAF is a flag indicating whether or not the access unit is placed in the interleaved area. If it is placed in the interleaved area, a flag value of 1 is set in the interleaved allocation flag IAF of the access unit. Otherwise, set the flag value to 0.

The STC reset flag STCDF is information on whether it is necessary to reset the STC used for synchronization during the playback of the access unit, and set the flag value 1 when it is necessary to reset. Otherwise, set the flag value to 0.

When the seamless angle conversion flag SACF belongs to the angle section in the access unit and switches seamlessly, the flag value 1 is set in the SACF of the access unit. Otherwise, set the flag value to 0.

The access part playback time (C_PBTM) represents the access part's playback time within the accuracy range of the number of video frames.

C_LVOBU_SA indicates the start address of the VOBU at the end of the visited part, and its value indicates the distance from the logical sector of the first visited part of the VOBS (VTSTT_VOBS) for the VTS header in terms of the number of sectors. C_FVOBU_SA indicates the start address of the first VOBU of the access unit, and the number of sectors indicates the distance from the logical sector of the first access unit of the VTS header VOBS (VTSTT_VOBS).

The following describes the VOBS used for the VTS title, that is, one multimedia system stream data VTSTT_VOBS. The system stream data VTSTT_VOBS is composed of i (i is a natural number) system streams SS called video playback objects (VOB). Each video playback object VOB#1 to VOB#i is constituted by at least one piece of video data, and in some cases, it can be constituted to be interleaved with up to 8 pieces of audio data and up to 32 pieces of sub-picture data.

Each video reproduction target VOB is composed of q (q is a natural number) access parts C#1 to C#q-. Each access unit C is composed of r (r natural numbers) video object units VOBU#1 to VOBU#r. Each VOBU is composed of a plurality of video coding update periods (GOP) and audio data and sub-pictures corresponding to the period. In addition, the head of each VOBU includes the navigation group NV as the management information of the VOBU. The structure of NV is described below with reference to FIG. 19.

Figure 17 shows the internal structure of the viewing zone VZ (Figure 22). In this figure, the video encoding stream St15 is a one-dimensional video data string encoded by the video encoder 300 and compressed. The audio coded stream St19 is also a one-dimensional audio data string in which each data of the left and right channels of stereo, encoded by the audio encoder 700, is compressed and integrated. In addition, the audio data may be multi-channel data such as surround sound.

The system stream St35 has a one-dimensional arrangement of data packs (Pack) having the number of bytes corresponding to the logical sector LS#n having a capacity of 2048 bytes, as explained in FIG. 22. At the beginning of the system stream St35, that is, at the beginning of the VOBU, a stream management data group called a navigation group NV, which records management information such as data arrangement in the system stream, is arranged.

The encoded video stream St15 and the encoded audio stream St19 are respectively divided into packets according to the number of bytes corresponding to the data group of the system stream. These data packets are expressed as V1, V2, V3, V4 and A1, A2,... in the figure. These data packets take into consideration the processing time of the decoder for the expansion of the video and audio data and the buffer capacity of the decoder, and are interleaved as the system stream in the figure in an appropriate order to form a data packet array. For example, in this example, they are arranged in the order of V1, V2, A1, V3, V4, and A2.

Fig. 17 shows an example of interleaving a set of moving image data and a set of audio data. However, in the DVD system, the recording and playback capacity has been greatly expanded, high-speed recording and playback have been achieved, and the performance of the information processing LSI has been improved, so that a set of moving image data and multiple audio data and multiple graphics data can be combined. The image data is interleaved as an MPEG system stream and recorded in this form, and during playback, multiple audio data and multiple sub-image data are selectively reproduced. Fig. 18 shows the structure of a system stream used in such a DVD system.

Fig. 18 is also the same as Fig. 17, and the encoded video stream St15 forming the data packet is represented as V1, V2, V3, V4,.... However, in this example, the audio coded stream St19 is not one, but three audio data strings St19A, St19B, and St19C are input as the source. In addition, the sub-picture coded stream St17, which is the sub-picture data string, also uses the two strings of data St17A and St17B as the source input. These compressed data of 6 strings in total are interleaved into a system stream St35.

Video data is coded in the MPEG system. The so-called GOP part is a compressed part. In the case of NTSC, 15 frames constitute 1 GOP according to the standard of the GOP part, but the number of frames is variable. The stream management data group representing the management data having information such as the mutual relationship of the interleaved data is also interleaved at intervals in which the video data is used as a reference GOP. If the number of frames constituting a GOP changes, the interval also changes. In the case of DVD, the interval is measured by the length of the playback time, and the limit is taken as the GOP section in the range of 0.4 second to 1.0 second. If the playback time of a plurality of consecutive GOPs is less than 1 second, for the video data of the plurality of GOPs, the management data group can be interleaved in one stream.

In the case of a DVD, such a management data group is called a navigation group, and the data group from the navigation group NV to the next navigation group is called a video playback target unit (hereinafter referred to as VOBU), which can usually be defined One continuous playback unit for one scene is called a video playback target (hereinafter referred to as VOB), and is composed of one or more VOBUs. The data set formed by aggregating multiple VOBs is also called a VOB set (hereinafter referred to as VOBS). These are the data formats adopted for the first time in DVD.

In the case of interleaving a plurality of data strings in this way, it is also necessary to interleave the navigation group NV that expresses the management data expressing the relationship between the interleaved data in a section called a predetermined number of data groups. GOP is a part that gathers video data of approximately 0.5 seconds, which is usually equivalent to a playback time of 12 to 15 frames. It can be considered that one stream management packet is interleaved in the number of packets required for playback at this time.

Fig. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing stream management information included in a data group such as interlaced video data, audio data, and sub-picture data constituting a system stream. As shown in the figure, each data in the system stream is recorded in a packetized and data grouped format based on MPEG2. The data packet structure of video, audio and sub-image data is basically the same. In the DVD system, one data group has a capacity of 2048 bytes as described above, and includes one data packet called a PES packet, which is composed of a data group header PKH, a data packet header PTH, and a data area.

In the packet header PKH, SCR indicating the time when the packet should be transferred from the bit stream buffer 2400 to the system decoder 2500 in FIG. 26, that is, the reference time information for AV synchronous playback is recorded. In MPEG, it is assumed that the SCR is used as the reference clock for the entire decoder. However, in the case of DVD and other optical disc media, in order to enable closed time management of each recording and playback device, a separate clock is provided as the time reference for the entire decoder. . In addition, in the packet header PTH, there are recorded PTS indicating the time when the video data or audio data contained in the packet is decoded and output as a playback output, and DTS indicating the time when the video stream should be decoded. . PTS and DTS are set when there is a header of the access unit as the decoding unit in the data packet. PTS represents the presentation start time of the access unit, and DTS represents the decoding start time of the access unit. Also, when PTS and DTS are at the same time, DTS is omitted.

In addition, the packet header PTH contains a stream ID as an 8-bit field indicating whether it is a video data packet, a dedicated data packet, or an MPEG audio data packet.

The so-called dedicated packet here is data that can freely define the content in the MPEG2 standard. In this embodiment, dedicated packet 1 is used to transmit audio data (other than MPEG audio data) and sub-image data, and dedicated packet 2 is used. Transmit PCI data packets and DSI data packets.

The dedicated data packet 1 and the dedicated data packet 2 are composed of a packet header, a dedicated data area, and a data area. The dedicated data area includes a substream ID having an 8-bit field indicating whether the recorded data is audio data or sub-picture data. The audio data defined by the dedicated data group 2 can be set up to 8 types from #0 to #7 for the linear PCM method and the AC-3 method respectively. The sub-image data can be set up to 32 types from #0 to #31.

The data area is a recording area. In the case of video data, MPEG2 format compressed data is recorded, in the case of audio data, linear PCM, AC-3, or MPEG format data is recorded, and in the case of sub-image data, it is recorded. Graphic data compressed by run-length coding, etc.

In addition, as the compression method of MPEG2 video data, there are a fixed bit rate method (hereinafter also referred to as "CBR") and a variable bit rate method (hereinafter also referred to as "VBR"). The so-called fixed bit rate method is a method in which the video stream is continuously input into the video buffer at a certain rate. On the contrary, the so-called variable bit rate method is a method in which the video stream is intermittently input to the video buffer, by which it is possible to suppress the occurrence of unnecessary encoding.

In DVD, both the fixed bit rate method and the variable bit rate method can be used. In MPEG, moving image data is compressed in a variable-length encoding method, so the amount of GOP data is not always constant. Moreover, the decoding time of the moving image and the audio is different, and the time relationship between the moving image data and the audio data read from the optical disc is inconsistent with the time relationship between the moving image data and the audio data output from the decoder. Therefore, the method of synchronizing the moving image and the audio in time will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 26, and for simplicity, the fixed bit rate method will be described first.

Fig. 20 shows the structure of the navigation group NV. The navigation group NV is composed of a PCI data packet and a DSI data packet group, and the component header PKH is set at the head. The PKH records the time when the group should be transferred from the bit stream buffer 2400 to the system decoder 2500 in FIG. 26 as described above, that is, the SCR representing the reference time information for AV synchronous playback.

The PCI data packet has PCI information (PCI_GI) and non-seamless multi-view information (NSML_AGLI). In the PCI information (PCI_GI), the display time of the first image frame (VOBU_S_PTM) and the display time of the last image frame (VOBU_E_PTM) of the video data included in the VOBU are described with the accuracy of the system clock (90KHz).

In the non-seamless multi-angle information (NSML_AGLI), the read start address when the angle is switched is described as the number of sectors from the beginning of the VOB. In this case, since the number of angles is 9 or less, there are 9 angle-sized address description areas (NSML_AGL_D1_DStA to NSML_AGL_C9_DStA).

There are DSI information (DSI-GI), seamless playback information (SML_PBI) and seamless multi-view playback information (SML_AGLI) in the DSI data group. As the DSI information (DSI_GI), the last packet address (VOBU_EA) in the VOBU is described as the number of sectors from the beginning of the VOBU.

The seamless reproduction will be described later, but in order to reproduce the separated or joined titles seamlessly, it is necessary to use the ILVU as the continuous reading unit and perform interleaving (multiplexing) at the system stream level. The interval in which multiple system streams are interleaved with ILVU as the smallest part is defined as an interleaved data block.

In order to seamlessly reproduce the system stream interleaved with ILVU as the minimum part, seamless reproduction information (SML_PBI) is described. In the seamless playback information (SML_PBI), an interleaved flag indicating whether the VOBU is interleaved is described. This flag indicates whether the VOBU exists in the interleaved area (described later). When it exists in the interlaced area, the flag value is set to "1". Otherwise, set the flag value "0".

In addition, when a VOBU exists in the interleaved area, a partial end flag indicating whether the VOBU is the last VOBU of the ILVU is described. The ILVU is a continuous reading unit, so if the VOBU currently being read is the last VOBU of the ILVU, the value of the flag is set to "1". Otherwise, set the characteristic value "0".

When the VOBU exists in the interleaved area, the ILVO last data group address (ILVU-EA) indicating the address of the last data group of the ILVU to which the VOBU belongs is described. Here, the address is described in the number of sectors from the NV of the VOBU.

Also, when the VOBU exists in the interleaved area, the start address (NT_ILVU_SA) of the next ILVU is described. Here, the address is described in the number of sectors from the NV of the VOBU.

Also, when connecting two system streams seamlessly, especially when the audio signals before and after the connection are not continuous (when the audio signals are different, etc.), in order to synchronize the video signal and the audio signal after the connection , It is necessary to temporarily stop the audio signal. For example, in the case of NTSC, the frame period of the video signal is approximately 33.33 milliseconds, and the frame period of the audio signal AC3 is 32 milliseconds.

For this purpose, audio signal playback stop time 1 (VOBU_A_STP_PTM1), audio signal playback stop time 2 (VOBU_A_STP_PTM2), audio signal playback stop duration 1 (VOB_A_GAP_LEN1), audio signal The playback stop duration is 2 (VOB_A_GAP_LEN2). This time information is described with the accuracy of the system clock (90KHz).

In addition, the read start address when switching angles is described as the seamless multi-angle playback information (SML_AGLD. This area is an effective area in the case of seamless multi-angle views. The address is described in the number of sectors from the NV of the VOBU Since the number of angles is less than 9, there are 9 angle-sized address description areas: (SML_AGL_C1_DSTA~SML_AGL_C9_DSTA).

DVD Encoder FIG. 25 shows an embodiment of the authoring encoder ECD when the multimedia bitstream authoring system according to the present invention is applied to the above-mentioned DVD system. The authoring encoder ECD (hereinafter referred to as DVD encoder) used in the DVD system has a structure very similar to the authoring encoder EC shown in FIG. 2. The DVD authoring encoder ECD has a basic structure in which the video area format organizer 1300 of the authoring encoder EC is changed into the VOB buffer 1000 and the format organizer 1100. Of course, the bit stream encoded by the encoder of the present invention is recorded on the DVD medium M. The operation of the DVD authoring encoder ECD and the authoring encoder EC are compared and explained below.

In the DVD authoring encoder ECD, similar to the authoring encoder EC, the encoding system control unit 200 generates control signals St9, St11, St13, St21, St23, St25, St33, and St39 control the video encoder 300, the sub-picture encoder 500, and the audio encoder 700. The content of the editing instructions in the DVD system is the same as the content of the editing instructions of the authoring system described with reference to FIG. 25. It also includes all or each of the source data containing multiple title contents. Select more than one content, and connect and reproduce the selected content in a predetermined method. At the same time, it also contains the following information. That is, it also includes whether to choose from the number of streams included in the editing section divided into each predetermined time section, the number of audio signals and the number of sub-images in each stream and the display time, etc., and multiple streams such as lock or multi-view. Multi-title source data stream, as well as information about the switching connection method between scenes in the set multi-view interval.

Also, in the DVD system, the script data St7 contains the VOB part control content required to encode the media source data stream, that is, whether to multi-view, whether to generate a multi-standard title that enables lock control, consider the following description of multiple In the case of viewing angle control and lock control, the bit rate at the time of encoding each stream of interleaving and disc capacity, the start time and end time of each control, and whether there is a seamless connection with the preceding and following streams, etc. The encoding system control unit 200 extracts information from the script data St7, and generates an encoding information table and encoding parameters necessary for encoding control. The coding information table and coding parameters will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 27, FIG. 28, and FIG. 29.

The system stream encoding parameter data and the system encoding start/end timing signal St33 include information for using the above-mentioned information to generate VOBs in the DVD system. VOB generation information includes the connection conditions before and after, the number of audio signals, the encoding information of the audio signals, the audio signal ID, the number of sub-pictures, the sub-picture ID, the time information of the start of image display (VPTS), and the time information of the start of audio playback (APTS) Wait. In addition, the format parameter data of the multimedia bit stream MBS and the format start/end timing signal St39 include playback control information and interleaving information.

The video encoder 300 encodes a predetermined part of the video stream St1 based on the encoding parameter signal for video encoding and the encoding start/end timing signal St9 to generate an elementary stream compliant with the MPEG2 video standard defined by ISO13818. Then, the elementary stream is output to the video bit stream buffer 400 as a video encoded stream St15.

Here, the video encoder 300 generates an elementary stream of the MPEG2 video standard specified by ISO13818, and according to the signal St9 containing video encoding parameter data, the encoding start/end timing, bit rate, and encoding conditions at the start/end of the encoding are input as encoding parameters. , The type of material is a parameter such as NTSC signal or PAL signal or whether it is a TV movie, and the setting of the coding mode of open GOP or closed GOP is also input as coding parameters.

The MPEG2 encoding method basically uses the correlation between frames for encoding. That is, encoding is performed with reference to frames before and after the frame to be encoded. However, in terms of transmission errors and mid-stream accessibility, frames that do not refer to other frames (intra frames) are inserted. The coding processing unit that has at least one intraframe such as this is called a GOP.

In this type of GOP, a GOP whose encoding is completely enclosed within the GOP is a closed GOP. When a frame referring to a frame in the previous GOP exists in a GOP, the GOP is called an open GOP.

Therefore, when the closed GOP is reproduced, only this GOP can be reproduced, and when the open GOP is reproduced, the previous GOP is usually required.

In addition, the part of the GOP is often used as the connecting part. For example, when the playback starts from the middle of the title, the switching point of the image, or during special playback such as fast playback, only the frame that is the intra-coded frame in the GOP is played back in the GOP section, and This realizes high-speed playback.

Sub-picture image encoder 500 according to the sub-picture stream encoding parameter signal St11, the predetermined portion of the encoded sub-picture stream St3 to generate a variable length coded bitstream of bitmapped data. Then, the variable-length coded data is output to the sub-picture bit stream buffer 600 as the sub-picture coded stream St17.

The audio encoder 700 encodes a predetermined part of the audio stream St5 based on the audio coded signal St13 to generate audio coded data. The audio coded data includes data based on the MPEG1 audio standard specified by ISO11172 and the MPEG2 audio standard specified by ISO13818, or AC-3 audio data and PCM (LPCM) data. Methods and devices for encoding these audio data are well known.

The video bit stream buffer 400 is connected to the video encoder 300 and stores the video encoded stream St15 output from the video encoder 300. The video bit stream buffer 400 is also connected to the encoding system control unit 200, and outputs the stored encoded video stream St15 as a timing encoded video stream St27 according to the input of the timing signal St21.

Similarly, the sub-picture bit stream buffer 600 is connected to the sub-picture encoder 500, and stores the sub-picture encoded stream St17 output from the sub-picture encoder 500. The sub-picture bit stream buffer 600 is also connected to the coding system control unit 200, and outputs the stored sub-picture coded stream St17 as a timed sub-picture coded stream St29 according to the input of the timing signal St23.

In addition, the audio bit stream buffer 800 is connected to the audio encoder 700, and stores the audio coded stream St19 output from the audio encoder 700. The audio bit stream buffer 800 is also connected to the encoding system control unit 200, and outputs the stored audio code stream St19 as a timed audio code stream St31 according to the input of the timing signal St25.

The system encoder 900 is connected to the video bitstream buffer 400, the sub-picture bitstream buffer 600, and the audio bitstream buffer 800, and inputs the timing video encoding stream St27, the timing sub-picture encoding stream St29, and the timing audio encoding stream St31. The system encoder 900 is also connected to the encoding system control unit 200, and inputs St33 including encoding parameter data for system encoding.

The system encoder 900 performs multiplexing processing on the timing streams St27, St29, and St31 based on the encoding parameter data and the encoding start/end timing signal St33, and generates a minimum title editing unit (VOSs) St35.

The VOB buffer 1000 is a buffer storage area for temporarily storing the VOB generated in the system encoder 900, and the formatter 1100 reads the VOB required at the timing from the VOB buffer 1000 according to St39, and generates 1 video zone VZ. Furthermore, a file system (VFS) is added to the format composer 1100 to generate St43.

The stream St43 edited in the content of the script requested by the user is transmitted to the recording unit 1200. The recording unit 1200 processes the edited multimedia bit stream MBS into data St43 in a format suitable for the recording medium M, and records it on the recording medium M.

DVD Decoder Next, referring to FIG. 26, an embodiment of the authoring decoder DC when the multimedia bitstream authoring system according to the present invention is applied to the above-mentioned DVD system will be described. The authoring decoder DCD (hereinafter referred to as DVD decoder) applied to the DVD system decodes the multimedia bit stream MBS edited by the DVD encoder ECD of the present invention, and expands the content of each title according to the script desired by the user. In addition, in this embodiment, the multimedia bit stream St45 encoded by the DVD encoder ECD is recorded on the recording medium M. The basic structure of the DVD authoring decoder DCD is the same as that of the authoring decoder DC shown in Figure 3. The video decoder 3800 is replaced with a video decoder 3801, and a rearrangement buffer 3300 and 3300 are inserted between the video decoder 3801 and the synthesis unit 3500. Switcher 3400. In addition, the switch 3400 is connected to the synchronization control unit 2900, and receives the input of the switching instruction signal St103.

The DVD authoring decoder DCD consists of a multimedia bitstream playback unit 2000, a script selection unit 2100, a decoding system control unit 2300, a bitstream buffer 2400, a system decoder 2500, a video buffer 2600, a sub-picture buffer 2700, and an audio buffer 2800, synchronization control unit 2900, video decoder 3801, sequence buffer 3300, sub-picture decoder 3100, audio decoder 3200, selector 3400, synthesis unit 3500, video data output terminal 3600, and audio data output terminal 3700 .

The multimedia bitstream reproducing unit 2000 uses a recording medium drive device 2004 that drives the recording medium M, a read head device 2006 that reads information recorded on the recording medium M to generate a binary read signal St57, and applies various kinds of data to the read signal St57. The signal processing unit 2008 and the mechanism control unit 2002 that process and generate the playback bit stream St61 are constituted. The mechanism control unit 2002 is connected to the decoding system control unit 2300, receives the multimedia bitstream playback instruction signal St53, and generates playback control signals St55 and St59 for controlling the recording medium drive device (motor) 2004 and the signal processing unit 2008, respectively.

The decoder DC is equipped with a script selection unit 2100, which can output the instructions given to the authoring decoder DC as script data in accordance with the requirements for selecting the corresponding script to be reproduced, so as to reproduce the images and multimedia titles edited by the authoring encoder EC. The part of the sub-image and audio that the user wants.

The script data selection unit 2100 is preferably composed of a keyboard and a CPU. The user operates the keyboard to input a desired script based on the content of the script input by the authoring encoder EC. The CPU generates script selection data St51 indicating the selected script based on keyboard input. The script selection unit 2100 is connected to the decoding system control unit 2300 via, for example, an infrared communication device, and inputs the generated script selection signal St51 to the decoding system control unit 2300.

The bitstream buffer 2400 has a predetermined buffer capacity, temporarily stores the playback signal bitstream St61 input from the multimedia bitstream playback unit 2000, and extracts the volume file structure VFS and the synchronous initial value data (SCR) existing in each data group. ), and VOBU control information (DSI) existing in the navigation group NV, to generate flow control data St63.

The decoding system control unit 2300 generates a playback instruction signal St53 that controls the operation of the multimedia bitstream playback unit 2000 based on the scenario selection data St51 generated by the decoding system control unit 2300. The decoding system control unit 2300 also extracts the user's playback instruction information from the script data St53, and generates a decoding information table necessary for decoding control. The decoding information table will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 54 and 55. Also, the decoding system control unit 2300 extracts the video management file VMG, VTS information VTSI, PGC information C_PBI#j, access part playback time (C_PBTM: Cellplay back time), etc. from the file data area FDS information in the stream playback data St63. The title information recorded on the optical disc M is generated as title information St200.

The flow control data St63 generates the data group part of FIG. 19. The bit stream buffer 2400 is connected to the decoding system control unit 2300, and supplies the generated stream control data St63 to the decoding system control unit 2300.

The synchronization control unit 2900 is connected to the decoding system control unit 2300, receives the synchronization initial value data (SCR) included in the synchronization playback data St81, sets the internal system clock (STC), and provides the reset system clock St97 to the decoding The system control unit 2300. The decoding system control unit 2300 generates a stream read signal St64 at a predetermined interval based on the system clock St79, and inputs it to the bit stream buffer 2400. The reading unit in this case is a data group. The method of generating the stream read signal St65 will be described below. The decoding system control unit 2300 compares the SCR in the stream control data extracted from the bit stream buffer 2400 with the system clock St79 from the synchronization control unit 2900, and generates it at the time when the system clock St79 becomes larger than the SCR in St63 Read the request signal. The data group unit performs such control to control the transmission of the data group.

The decoded data control unit 2300 also generates a decoding instruction signal St69 indicating the ID of each video, sub-image, and audio stream corresponding to the selected scenario based on the scenario selection data St51, and outputs it to the system decoder 2500.

When there are multiple audio data such as Japanese, English, French and other language-different audio and multiple sub-image data such as Japanese subtitles, English subtitles, and French subtitles and other language-different subtitles in the title, IDs are provided respectively. That is, as described with reference to FIG. 19, the stream ID is provided to video data and MPEG audio data, and the sub-stream ID is provided to sub-image data, AC3 audio data, linear PCM, and navigation group NV information. The user is not aware of the ID, but uses the script selection unit 2100 to select which language audio or subtitles. If the audio in English is selected, the ID corresponding to the audio in English is transmitted to the decoding system control unit 2300 as the scenario selection data St51. Furthermore, the decoding system control unit 2300 transfers the ID to St69 to the system decoder 2500.

The system decoder 2500 outputs the video, sub-picture and audio streams input from the bit stream buffer 2400 to the video buffer 2600 as a video partial code stream St71 according to the decoding instruction signal, and outputs to the sub-picture buffer as a sub-picture decoded stream St73. The audio buffer 2700 is output to the audio buffer 2800 as an audio coded stream St75. That is, when the ID of the stream input from the scenario selection unit 2100 and the ID of the data group transmitted from the bit stream buffer 2400 are the same, the system decoder 2500 sends the data to each buffer (video buffer 2600, sub-picture buffer 2600). 2700. The audio buffer 2800) transmits the data group.

The system decoder 2500 detects the reproduction start time (PTS) and reproduction end time (DTS) of each minimum control access part of each stream St67, and generates a time information signal St77. This time information signal St77 is input to the synchronization control unit 2900 via the decoding system control unit 2300 as St81.

Based on the time information signal St81, the synchronization control unit 2900 determines the decoding start time for each stream that can be decoded in a predetermined order. The synchronization control unit 2900 generates a video stream decoding start signal St89 based on the decoding timing, and inputs it to the video decoder 3801. Similarly, the synchronization control unit 2900 generates a sub-picture decoding start signal St91 and an audio encoding start signal St93, and inputs them to the sub-picture decoder 3100 and the audio decoder 3200, respectively.

The video decoder 3801 generates a video output request signal St84 based on the video stream decoder start signal St89, and outputs it to the video buffer 2600. The video buffer 2600 receives the video output request signal St84, and outputs the video stream St83 to the video decoder 3801. The video decoder 3801 detects the playback time information included in the video stream St83, and invalidates the video output request signal St84 when it receives an input of the video stream St83 having a length corresponding to the playback time. In this way, the video stream corresponding to the predetermined playback time is decoded by the decoder 3801, and the playback video signal St95 is output to the reordering buffer 3300 and the switch 3400.

The video coded stream is coded using the interrelationship between frames. Therefore, when viewed as a part of the frame, the display order is not consistent with the order of the coded stream. So it cannot be displayed in decoding order. Therefore, the decoded frame is temporarily stored in the reordering buffer 3300. The synchronization control unit 2900 controls St103 to match the display order, switches the output St95 of the video decoder 3801 and the output of the reordering buffer St97, and outputs to the synthesis unit 3500.

Similarly, the sub-picture decoder 3100 generates a sub-picture output request signal St86 based on the sub-picture decoding start signal St91, and supplies it to the sub-picture buffer 2700. The sub-picture buffer 2700 receives the video output request signal St84, and outputs the sub-picture stream St85 to the sub-picture decoder 3100. The sub-picture decoder 3100 decodes the sub-picture stream St85 whose length is equivalent to a predetermined time based on the reproduction time information included in the sub-picture stream St85, reproduces the sub-picture information St99, and outputs it to the synthesis unit 3500.

The synthesizing unit 3500 superimposes the output of the selector 3400 and the sub-picture signal St99 to generate a picture signal St105 and output it to the video output terminal 3600.

The audio decoder 3200 generates an audio output request signal St88 according to the audio decoding start signal St93, and supplies it to the audio buffer 2800. The audio buffer 2800 receives the audio output request signal St88, and outputs the audio stream St87 to the audio decoder 3200. The audio decoder 3200 decodes the audio stream St having a length equivalent to the predetermined playback time based on the playback time information included in the audio stream St87, and outputs it to the audio output terminal 3700.

In this way, the multimedia bit stream MBS desired by the user can be replayed in real time according to the user's selection of the script. That is, whenever the user selects a different script, the authoring decoder DCD replays the multimedia bit stream MBS corresponding to the selected script, so that the title content desired by the user can be reproduced.

In addition, the decoding system control unit may provide the title information signal St200 to the scenario selection unit 2100 via the above-mentioned infrared communication device or the like. The script selection unit 2100 extracts the title information recorded on the optical disc M from the file data area FDS information included in the stream reproduction data St63 of the title information signal St200, and displays it on the built-in display, thereby enabling a human-machine conversational user experience Script selection becomes possible.

In addition, in the above example, the bit stream buffer 2400, the video buffer 2600, the sub-picture buffer 2700, and the audio buffer 2800, the reordering buffer 3300, are different in function and are represented as different buffers. However, buffers with operating speeds that are several times the required writing and reading speeds of these buffers can be used separately in terms of time, so that one buffer can function as these separate buffers.

Multi-scene The concept of multi-scene control of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 21. As explained above, this control is composed of a basic scene section formed by data shared between titles and a multi-scene section formed by scenes adapted to various requirements. In this figure, scene 1, scene 5, and scene 8 are shared scenes. The shared angle scene between scene 1 and scene 5 and the locked scene between scene 5 and scene 8 are multiple scene intervals. In the multi-view section, one of the scenes shot from different angles, namely, angle 1, angle 2, and angle 3, can be dynamically selected to be reproduced. In the locked interval, one of scene 6 and scene 7 corresponding to data of different contents can be statically selected in advance for playback.

The content of the scenario to select which scene to reproduce in such a multi-scene section is input by the user into the scenario selection unit 2100, and is generated as scenario selection data St51. As shown in the figure, scenario 1 freely selects scenes at any angle, and pre-selected scene 6 is reproduced in the locked interval. Similarly, it also shows that scenario 2 can freely select scenes in the angle section, and scene 7 is pre-selected in the locked section.

Next, referring to FIGS. 30 and 31, the PGC information VTS_PGCI in the case of using the data structure of the DVD will be described for the multi-scene shown in FIG. 21.

FIG. 30 is a case where the script indicated by the user shown in FIG. 21 is described in the VTSI data structure showing the internal structure of the video title set in the DVD data structure of FIG. 16. In the figure, script 1 and script 2 in FIG. 21 are described as two program chains VTS_PGCI#1 and VTS_PGCI#2 in the program chain information VTS_PGCIT in the VTSI of FIG. 16. That is, VTS_PGCI#1 describing scenario 1 consists of access part playback information C_PBI#3 corresponding to scene 1, access part playback information C_PBI#4, access part playback information C_PBI#5 corresponding to scene 5, and scene 6 equivalent. The access part reproduction information C_PBI#6 is composed of the access part reproduction information C_PBI#7 corresponding to scene 8.

In addition, VTS_PGCI#2 describing scenario 2 is reproduced from the access part reproduction information C_PBI#1 corresponding to scene 1 and the access part reproduction information C_PBI#2 in the multi-angle access part block corresponding to the multi-angle scene. Information C_PBI#3, access part reproduction information C_PBI#4, access part reproduction information C_PBI#5 corresponding to scene 5, access part reproduction information C_PBI#6 corresponding to scene 7, and access part reproduction information corresponding to scene 8. It is composed of information C_PBI#7. The DVD data structure replaces one playback control section (ie one scene) of the scenario with a unit description on the DVD data structure called an access section, and implements the scenario instructed by the user on the DVD.

FIG. 31 describes the script indicated by the user shown in FIG. 21 in the VOB data structure VTSTT_VOBS which is the multimedia bit stream for the video title set in the DVD data structure of FIG. 16.

In FIG. 31, two scripts, scenario 1 and scenario 2 in FIG. 21, use VOB data for one title in common. Regarding the individual scenes shared by each scenario, VOB#1 corresponding to scene 1, VOB#5 corresponding to scene 5, and VOB#8 corresponding to scene 8 are arranged as separate VOBs in the non-interleaved data block part, namely Configured in continuous data blocks.

In terms of the multi-view scene shared by scenario 1 and scenario 2, angle 1 is composed of VOB#2, angle 2 is composed of VOB#3, and angle 3 is composed of VOB#4, that is, 1 VOB constitutes an angle, and in order to form an angle between each angle The switching between and the seamless playback of each angle are taken as interleaved data blocks.

In addition, scenes 6 and 7 that are inherent scenes in scenario 1 and scenario 2 must of course be seamlessly reproduced, and the common scenes before and after must be reproduced seamlessly, so they are taken as interleaved data blocks.

As described above, the user-instructed script shown in FIG. 21 can be implemented in the DVD data structure using the playback control information of the video title set shown in FIG. 30 and the VOB data structure for title playback shown in FIG. 31.

Seamless playback The seamless playback described above in connection with the data structure of the DVD system will be described below. The so-called seamless playback is between shared scene sections, shared scene sections and multi-scene sections, and between multi-scene sections, when multimedia data such as images, audios, and sub-images are connected for playback, each data is not used. And the information is replayed interruptedly. Among the main reasons for the interruption of data and information playback, the hardware is involved in the loss of balance between the speed of the decoder input source data and the speed of decoding the input source data, that is, the so-called decoder underflow.

Furthermore, as the main reason related to the characteristics of replayed data, there is replayed data like audio. In order to enable users to understand its content or information, continuous replay is required to be equal to or longer than a fixed period of time, and such data is reproduced. If the required continuous playback time cannot be guaranteed, the continuity of information will be lost. Such replay to ensure the continuity of information is called continuous information replay, also known as seamless information replay. The playback that cannot ensure the continuity of information is also called discontinuous information playback, which is also called non-seamless information playback. Of course, continuous information playback and discontinuous information playback are respectively seamless and non-seamless playback.

As mentioned above, seamless playback is defined as seamless data playback that physically prevents blanking or interruption during data playback by means of buffer underflow, etc., and prevents the occurrence of uninterrupted data itself and the user is replaying according to the The seamless replay of information that feels interrupted when the data recognizes the information.

Detailed description of seamless playback The specific method capable of making seamless playback possible in this way will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 23 and 24.

The system stream of the above-mentioned DVD data is interleaved, and the authoring encoder EC is used to record titles such as movies on the DVD media. However, in order to provide services in the form of being able to use the same movie in different cultural circles or countries, it is of course necessary to record the lines in the languages of each country, and the content must be edited and recorded in accordance with the ethical requirements of each cultural circle. In this case, in order to record multiple titles edited from the original titles on a single medium, even in a large-capacity system such as DVD, the bit rate must be reduced, which cannot meet the requirements for high image quality. Therefore, a method is adopted in which multiple titles share the same part, and only different parts are recorded for each title. This can be done without reducing the bit rate, and multiple titles of different countries or cultural circles can be recorded on a single disc.

A title recorded on an optical disc, as shown in FIG. 21, has a multi-scene section including a shared part (scene) and a non-shared part (scene) in order to enable lock control and multi-angle control.

In the case of lock control, when a title contains sexual scenes, violent scenes and other so-called adult-only scenes that are not suitable for children, the title consists of shared scenes, adult-only scenes, and minors. Scene composition. By configuring scenes suitable for adults only and scenes suitable for minors as multiple scene sections set between shared scenes, such a title stream can be realized.

In the case of implementing multi-view control in a normal single-angle header, the method of achieving this is to arrange multiple multimedia scenes obtained by shooting objects at predetermined camera angles as multi-scene sections between common scenes. Here, each scene is shot at a different angle as an example. The scenes shot at the same angle but at different times may also be data such as computer graphics.

When multiple titles share data, in order to move the light beam from the shared part of the data to the non-shared part of the data, the optical pickup must be moved on different positions of the optical disc (RCI). Since this movement requires time, it is difficult to achieve seamless playback without interruption of sound and images during playback. To solve this problem, theoretically speaking, it is only necessary to have a tracking buffer (bit stream buffer 2400) with a buffering time equivalent to the longest access time. Generally, the data recorded on an optical disc is read by an optical pickup, and after a predetermined signal processing is performed, it is temporarily stored as data in a tracking buffer. The stored data is then decoded and reproduced as video data or audio data.

Definition of interleaving In order to make it possible to cut a certain scene and select from a plurality of scenes as described above, the data access sections belonging to each scene are recorded in a continuous layout on the track of the recording medium. Therefore, it will inevitably occur that there are non-selected scenes inserted between the data of the common scene and the data of the selected scene. In such a case, if the data is read in the order of recording, the data of the non-selected scene has to be accessed before the data of the selected scene is accessed and decoded. Therefore, it is difficult to seamlessly connect the scenes.

However, in the DVD system, it is possible to seamlessly connect such a plurality of scenes by utilizing the excellent random access performance of the recording medium. That is to say, the data belonging to each scene is divided into a plurality of parts with a predetermined data amount, and the plurality of divided data parts belonging to different scenes are arranged in a predetermined order in the transition performance range, so that each A division unit intermittently accesses and decodes the data to which each selected scene belongs, so that the selected scene can be reproduced without data interruption. That is to ensure seamless data playback.

The structure of the interleaving data block and the interleaving section will now be described with reference to FIG. 24 and FIG. 71 for an interleaving method that enables seamless data reproduction. Fig. 24 shows a case where one VOB (VOB-A) is branched into multiple VOBs (VOB-B, VOB-D, VOB-C) and reproduced, and then combined into one VOB (VOB-E). Fig. 71 shows a situation where these data are actually arranged on the track TR on the optical disc.

VOB-A and VOB-E in FIG. 71 are separate video playback targets for the start and end points of playback, and are arranged in a continuous area in principle. As shown in FIG. 24, VOB-B, VOB-C, and VOB-D are interleaved after the start point and end point of the reproduction are the same. Then, the interleaved area is arranged as a continuous area on the optical disc as the interleaved area. Then, the above-mentioned continuous area and interleaved area are arranged in the order of reproduction, that is, in the direction of the track path Dr. A situation in which a plurality of VOBs, that is, VOBS, are arranged on the track TR is shown in FIG. 71.

Figure 71 uses the data area where the data is continuously arranged as the data block. This data block has the continuous data block in which the VOBs with the above-mentioned start point and end point are separately arranged, and the start point and end point are consistent. There are two types of interleaved data blocks. These data blocks have a structure of data block 1, data block 2, data block 3, ... data block 7 in the order of reproduction as shown in FIG. 72.

In FIG. 72, the system stream data VTSTT_VOBS is composed of data blocks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. In data block 1, VOB1 is separately configured. Similarly, in data blocks 2, 3, 5, and 7, VOB2, 3, 6 and 10 are separately configured. In other words, these data blocks 2, 3, 5, and 7 are consecutive data blocks.

On the other hand, in data block 4, VOB4 and VOB5 are interleaved. Similarly, in data block 6, three VOBs, VOB7, VOB8, and VOB9, are interleaved. That is, the two data blocks 4 and 6 are interleaved data blocks.

Fig. 73 shows the data structure in consecutive data blocks. In this figure, VOB-i and VOB-j are arranged in VOBS as continuous data blocks. VOB-i and VOB-j in consecutive data blocks are further divided into access units which are logical playback units as described with reference to FIG. 16. Fig. 39 shows that VOB-i and VOB-j have three access parts CELL#1, CELL#2, and CELL#3, respectively. The part is composed of more than one VOBU, and its limit is defined by VOBU. As shown in FIG. 16, the access unit describes the position information of the DVD playback control information program chain (hereinafter referred to as PGC). In other words, the addresses of the VOBU at the beginning and the VOBU at the end of the access section are described. As shown in Fig. 73, the VOB and the defined access part are recorded in the continuous area for continuous playback of the continuous data block. Therefore, there is no problem with the playback of consecutive data blocks.

Next, Fig. 74 shows the data structure in the interleaved data block. In the interleaved data block, each VOB is divided into an interleave unit ILVU, and the interleave unit to which each VOB belongs is interleaved. Then, the interleaved part independently defines the access part boundary. In this figure, VOB-k is divided into four interleaved parts ILVUk-1, ILVUk-2, ILVUk-3, and ILVUk-4, and two access parts CELL#1k and CELL#2k are also defined. Similarly, VOB-m is divided into ILVUm-1 and ILVUm2. ILVUm3 and ILVUm4 also define two access parts CELL#1m and CELL#2m. That is, video data and audio data are included in the interleaving unit ILVU.

In the example of FIG. 74, the interleaved parts ILVUk1, ILVUk2, ILVUk3, and ILVUk4 of two different VOB-k and VOB-m are interleaved with ILVUm1, and ILVUm2, ILVUm3, and ILVUm4 are interleaved in the interleaved data block. By interleaving the interleaved parts ILVU of the two VOBs in such an array, it is possible to realize seamless playback from branching from a single scene to one of a plurality of scenes, and then from one of these scenes to a single scene. By performing interleaving in this way, it is possible to connect seamlessly reproducible scenes with branches and connections in the case of multiple scenes.

Multi-scene The concept of multi-scene control based on the present invention will be described below, and the multi-scene section will be described.

Here are examples of scene composition shot at different angles. However, each scene in a multi-scene is at the same angle, but it can also be a scene shot at a different time, or it can be data such as computer graphics. In other words, the multi-view scene section is a multi-scene section.

Protective Locking The following describes the concept of multiple titles such as protective and director tailoring with reference to FIG. 15. This figure shows an example of a multi-standard title stream based on locking. When a title contains sexual scenes, violent scenes and other so-called adult-only scenes that are not suitable for children, the title consists of shared system streams SSa, SSb, and SSe, and adult-oriented system streams containing scenes only suitable for adults. SSc, and the system stream SSd for minors that only contains scenes for minors. In such a title stream, the system SSc suitable for adults and the system stream SSd suitable for non-adults are arranged as a multi-scene system stream in a multi-scene section provided between the common system streams SSb and SSe.

The following describes the relationship between the system stream described in the program chain PGC of the title stream constructed as described above and each title. On the program chain PGC1 of the title suitable for adults, the shared system stream SSa, SSb, the minor system stream SSc, and the shared system stream SSe are sequentially described. On the program chain PGC2 of the title suitable for minors, the shared system stream SSa, SSb, the system stream suitable for minors Sd, and the shared system stream SSe are described in sequence.

In this way, by arranging the system stream SSc suitable for adults and the system stream SSd suitable for unsuccessful people as multiple scenes, according to the description of each PGC, after the common system streams SSa and SSb are reproduced in the above-mentioned decoding method, the multiple In the scene section, SSc suitable for adults is reproduced, and then the common system stream SSe is reproduced, so that titles with content suitable for adults can be reproduced. On the other hand, by selecting the system stream SSd playback suitable for minors in the multi-scene section, it is possible to replay titles suitable for minors that do not include scenes suitable for adults only. In this way, a multi-scene section composed of multiple alternative scenes is prepared in the title stream in advance, the scenes to be reproduced are selected in advance from the scenes of the multi-scene section, and the scenes with basically the same title are generated according to the selected content. The method of multiple titles of scenes is called protective locking.

In addition, this kind of locking is based on the requirement from the viewpoint of protecting minors, and is called protective locking. However, from the viewpoint of system stream processing, as mentioned above, this is the user pre-selected in the multi-scene interval. The technology of generating statically different titles for specific scenes. On the contrary, multi-view is a technology that allows users to freely select scenes in multiple scene sections at any time during title playback, thereby dynamically changing the content of the same title.

In addition, by using the master lock technology, it is also possible to edit the title stream called director tailoring. The so-called director tailoring is when a title with a long replay time such as a movie is provided on an airplane. Unlike the replay in a theater, the title cannot be replayed to the end due to the flight time. In order to avoid this, the person in charge of production of the title, that is, the supervisor, determines in advance that in order to shorten the playback time of the title, it is OK to delete the scenes, and the system stream and scenes that contain such deleted scenes will be included. The cut system stream is arranged in the multi-scene section. With this, the scene can be cut and edited according to the intention of the producer. In such a protective lock control, for the transition from one system stream to another system stream, there must be no contradictions and smooth connection of the replayed images, that is, a seamless layer without underflow of the video and audio buffers is required. Data replay and replay sound images have no unnatural sensation in the sense of hearing and vision, and the seamless information replay without interruption.

Multi-view angle The concept of multi-view angle control of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 33. Generally, the multimedia title is obtained after recording and recording (hereinafter simply referred to as "photographing") of the target object while the time T has elapsed. The blocks #SC1, #SM1, #SM2, #SM3, and #SC3 represent the multimedia scenes obtained in the shooting unit time T1, T2, and T3, respectively, obtained by shooting the target object at a predetermined camera angle. #SM1, #SM2, and #SM3 are scenes shot at different (first, second, and third) camera angles in the shooting unit time T2, and are hereinafter referred to as first, second, and third multi-view scenes.

The multi-view scene here is an example of scene composition shot from different angles. However, each scene in a multi-scene can also be scenes shot at different times with the same angle, or data such as computer graphics. In other words, the multi-view scene section is a multi-scene section. The data in this section is not limited to scene data obtained from different camera angles, but can selectively replay multiple scenes at the same period of time. The interval composed of data.

#SC1 and #SC2 are scenes shot at the same basic camera angle before and after the shooting unit time T1 and T3, that is, before and after the multi-angle scene, and are hereinafter referred to as basic angle scenes. Generally, one of the multiple angles is the same as the basic camera angle.

In order to easily understand the relationship between these angles and scenes, the following takes the relay broadcast of baseball as an example. The basic angle scenes #SC1 and #SC3 were shot from a basic camera angle centered on the pitcher, catcher, and batter as seen from the center. The first multi-view scene #SM1 was shot from the first multi-camera angle around the pitcher, catcher, and batter seen from the back of the net. The second multi-view scene #SM2 is shot at the second multi-camera angle centered on the pitcher, catcher, and batter seen from the center, that is, the basic camera angle. This means that the second multi-angle scene #SM2 is the basic angle scene #SC2 in the shooting unit time T2. The third multi-angle scene #SM3 was shot with the third multi-camera multi-angle view centered on the infield seen from the back of the net.

The multi-view scenes #SM1, #SM2, and #SM3 are in the shooting unit time T2, and the presentation time is repeated, and this period of time is called the multi-view interval. The viewer freely selects the multi-view scene section #SM1 in the multi-view section. #SM2 and #SM3, you can enjoy the images of your favorite angle scene in the basic angle scene just like switching cameras. Also, in the figure, you can see that there is a time gap between the basic angle scenes #SC1 and #SC3 and the multi-angle scenes #SM1, #SM2 and #SM3, but this is because it is indicated by arrows so that it is easy to understand which one to choose. What is the path of a scene reproduced from a multi-view scene, there is of course no gap in time.

Next, referring to FIG. 23, the multi-view control of the system stream based on the present invention will be explained from the point of view of data connection. The multimedia data corresponding to the basic angle scene #SC is taken as the basic angle data BA, and the basic angle data BA in the shooting unit time T1 and T3 are taken as BA1 and BA3, respectively. The multi-view data corresponding to the multi-view scenes #SM1, #SM2, and #SM# are regarded as the first, second, and third multi-view data MA1, MA2, and MA3, respectively. First, referring to FIG. 33, as described above, by selecting one of the multi-view scene data MA1, MA2, and MA3, you can switch to enjoy the image of the scene of the favorite angle. Similarly, there is no gap in time between the basic angle scene data BA1 and BA3 and the respective multi-angle scene data MA1, M2, and M3.

However, in the case of the MPEG system stream, when any data in each of the multi-view data MA1, MA2, and MA3 is connected to the preceding basic data BA1, and/or to the subsequent basic angle data BA3, the connection angle The content of the data is different, and sometimes the reproduced information is not continuous between the reproduced data, and it cannot be reproduced naturally as a title. That is, in this case, although it is seamless data reproduction, it is not seamless information reproduction.

Next, referring to FIG. 23, a description will be given of multi-view switching as seamless information playback of multiple scenes in a multi-scene section in the DVD system, which is connected to the scenes before and after the scenes.

The switching of the angle scene image, that is, the selection of one of the multi-angle scene data MA1, MA2, and MA3, must be completed before the playback of the preceding basic angle data BA1 ends. For example, when the angle scene data BA1 is being reproduced, it is very difficult to switch to another multi-angle scene data MA2. This is because multimedia data has a variable-length encoding method of MPEG data structure, it is difficult to find the interruption of the data in the middle of the switching target data, and because the correlation between frames is used in the encoding process, so The image may be messed up when switching the angle. In MPEG, GOP is defined as a processing unit having at least one update frame. In this processing unit called GOP, closed processing without referring to frames belonging to another GOP can be performed.

In other words, if any multi-view data, such as MA3, is selected at the latest when the playback of the preceding basic angle data BA1 ends before the playback reaches the multi-view interval, the selected multi-view data can be seamlessly Perform a replay. However, it is very difficult to seamlessly reproduce other multi-view scene data in the middle of the multi-view data playback. Therefore, in a multi-view period, it is difficult to obtain a free viewpoint like switching cameras.

Flowchart: Encoder Next, referring to FIG. 27, the encoding information table generated by the encoding system control unit 200 will be described based on the above-mentioned script data St7. The coding information table is composed of a VOB set data string containing a plurality of VOBs and a VOB data string of each scene corresponding to a scene section having a split point and a joining point of the scene as a boundary line. The VOB set data string shown in Fig. 27 will be described below.

In step #100 of FIG. 34, an encoding information table is created in the encoding system control unit 200 in order to generate a multimedia stream of the DVD based on the title content instructed by the user. The script indicated by the user has a bifurcation point leading from a common scene to a plurality of scenes, or a joint point leading to a common scene. The VwOB corresponding to the scene section with the dividing point and the junction as the separation boundary is regarded as the VOB set, and the data created for encoding the VOB set is regarded as the VOB set data string. In the VOB set data string, the number of titles presented when the multi-scene section is included is expressed as the number of titles of the VOB set data string.

The VOB set data structure of FIG. 27 shows the content of data used to encode one VOB set of the VOB set data string. The VOB set data structure consists of the VOB set number (VOBS_NO), the VOB number of the VOB set (VOB_NO), the preceding VOB seamless connection flag (VOB_Fsb), the subsequent VOB seamless connection flag (VOB_Fsf), the multi-scene flag (VOB_Fp), and the interleaved flag. (VOB_Fi), multi-view flag (VOB_Fm), multi-view seamless switching flag (VOB_FsV), maximum bit rate of interleaved VOB (ILV_BR), number of divisions of interleaved VOB (ILV_DIV), minimum interleaved playback time (ILV_MT) .

The VOB set number VOBS_NO is a number for identifying a VOB set focusing on the playback order of the title scenario, for example.

The VOB number VOB_NO in the VOB set is a number for identifying VOBs for all the title scenarios, for example, focusing on the playback order of the title scenario.

The preceding VOB seamless connection flag VOB_Fsb is a flag indicating whether or not there is a seamless connection with the preceding VOB during scenario playback.

The subsequent VOB seamless connection flag VOB_Fsf is a flag indicating whether the subsequent VOB is seamlessly connected to the subsequent VOB during scenario playback.

The multi-scene flag VOB_Fp is a flag indicating whether the VOB set is composed of multiple VOBs.

The interleave flag VOB_Fi is a flag indicating whether the VOBs in the VOB set are interleaved.

The multi-view flag VOB_Fm is a flag indicating whether the VOB set is multi-view.

The multi-view seamless switching flag VOB_FsV is a flag indicating whether the switching in the multi-view is seamless.

The maximum interleaved VOB rate ILV_BR represents the value of the maximum bit rate of the interleaved VOB.

The number of interleaved VOB divisions ILV_DIV indicates the number of interleaved parts of the VOB to be interleaved.

The minimum interleaved playback time ILVU_MT indicates the time that the VOB can be played back when the bit rate of the VOB is ILV_BR in the minimum interleaved section where the tracking buffer does not underflow during interleaved data block playback.

Next, the encoding information table corresponding to each VOB generated by the encoding system control unit 200 based on the above-mentioned script data St7 will be described with reference to FIG. 28. Based on this encoding information table, encoding parameter data corresponding to the following VOBs are generated and provided to the video encoder 300, the sub-picture encoder 500, the audio encoder 700, and the system encoder 900. The VOB data string shown in FIG. 28 is an encoding information table for each VOB created in the encoding system control in order to generate a DVD multimedia stream based on the title content instructed by the user in step #100 of FIG. 34. One encoding unit is regarded as a VOB, and data created for encoding this VOB is regarded as a VOB data string. For example, a VOB set composed of scenes from three angles is composed of three VOBs. The VOB data structure in FIG. 28 shows the content of data for encoding one VOB of the VOB data string.

The VOB data structure includes image material start time (VOB_VST), image material end time (VOB_VEND), image material type (VOB_V_KIND), video encoding bit rate (V_BR), sound material start time (VOB_AST), sound and audio material end time (VOB_AEND) ), audio coding method (VOB_A_KIND), audio bit rate (A_BR).

The start time VOB_ST of the video material is the video encoding start time corresponding to the time of the image material.

The end time of the image material VOB_VEND is the end time of the video encoding corresponding to the time of the image material.

The type of image material VOB_V_KIND indicates whether the coded material is NTSC or PAL, or whether the image material has been processed by telecine conversion.

The video bit rate V_BR is the encoding bit rate of the video signal.

The sound material start time VOB_AST is the audio coding start time corresponding to the sound material time.

The sound material end time VOB_AEND is the audio encoding end time corresponding to the sound material time.

The audio encoding method VOB_A_KIND indicates the encoding method of the audio signal. The encoding methods include AC-3, MPEG, linear PCM and other standards.

The audio bit rate A_BR is the encoding bit rate of the audio signal.

Fig. 29 shows the coding parameters input to the respective encoders 300, 500, and 900 of the video, audio, and system for encoding VOB. Encoding parameters include VOB number (VOB_NO), video encoding start time (V_STTM), video encoding end time (V_ENDTM), video encoding mode (V_ENCMD), video encoding bit rate (V_RATE), video encoding maximum bit rate (V_MRATE), GOP -Structure fixed flag (GOP_FXflag), video encoding GOP structure (GOPST), video encoding initial data (V_INIST), video encoding end data (V_ENDST), audio encoding start time (A_STTM), audio encoding end time (A_ENDTM), audio encoding Bit rate (A_RATE), audio encoding method (A_ENCMD), gap at the beginning of audio (A_STGAP), gap at the end of audio (A_ENDGAP), previous VOB number (B_VOB_NO), subsequent VOB number (F_VOB_NO)

The VOB number VOB_NO is a number for identifying a VOB that numbers all the title scenarios, for example, focusing on the playback order of the title scenario.

Video encoding start time V_STTM is the start time of video encoding in terms of image materials.

Video encoding end time V_STTM is the end time of video encoding in terms of image materials.

The video encoding mode V_ENCMD is an encoding mode used to set whether to perform reverse telecine conversion processing during video encoding when the image material is a telecine-converted material, so that the encoding can be performed efficiently.

The video encoding bit rate V_RATE is the average bit rate during video encoding.

Video encoding maximum bit rate V_MRATE is the maximum bit rate during video encoding.

The GOP structure fixed flag GOP_FXflag indicates whether or not the GOP structure is changed during video decoding for encoding. It is an effective parameter when seamless switching is possible in a multi-view scene.

The video encoder GOP structure GOPST is the GOP structure data during encoding.

The initial video encoding data V_INST is a parameter that sets the initial value of the VBV buffer (decoding buffer) at the start of video encoding, etc., and is effective when playing back seamlessly with the preceding video decoding stream.

The video encoding end data V_ENDST is a parameter that sets the end value of the VBV buffer (decoding buffer) at the end of video encoding, etc., and is effective when playing back seamlessly with the subsequent video decoding stream.

The audio encoding start time A_STTM is the audio encoding start time of the sound material.

Audio encoding end time A_ENDTM is the end time of audio encoding in terms of sound material.

The audio encoding bit rate A_RATE is the bit rate during audio encoding.

Audio encoding method A_ENCMD is the encoding method of audio signals, including AC-3, MPEG, linear PCM and other standards.

The gap A_STGAP at the beginning of the audio is the time offset between the image at the beginning of the VOB and the beginning of the audio. It is a parameter that is effective when playing back seamlessly with the previous system coded stream.

The gap A_ENDGAP at the end of the audio is the time when the image at the end of the VOB and the end of the audio are staggered. It is a parameter that is effective when replaying seamlessly with the subsequent system code stream.

The preceding VOB number B_VOB_NO indicates the VOB number when there is a seamlessly connected preceding VOB.

The subsequent VOB number F_VOB_NO indicates the VOB number when there is a seamlessly connected subsequent VOB.

Next, the operation of the DVD encoder ECD of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 34. In the figure, the squares represented by double-line frames respectively represent subroutines. This embodiment describes the DVD system. It goes without saying that the same structure can also be adopted for the authoring encoder EC.

In step #100, the user confirms the contents of the multimedia source data St1, St2, and St3 in the edit information creation unit 100, and inputs an edit instruction to add the contents of the desired scenario.

In step #200, the edit information creation unit 100 generates script data St7 including the above-mentioned edit instruction information in accordance with the edit instruction of the user.

When the script data St7 is generated in step #200, among the user's editing instructions, the editing instructions for interleaving multi-view and lock-controlled multi-scene sections that are supposed to be interleaved are input according to the following conditions.

First, determine the maximum bit rate of VOB that can achieve good image quality in terms of image quality, and then determine the tracking buffer capacity, transfer performance, transfer time, and transfer distance of the DVD decoder DCD that is supposed to be used as a DVD-encoded data playback device. The numerical value. On the basis of the above-mentioned numerical value, the playback time of the minimum interleaved part is obtained from Equation 3 and Equation 4.

Next, based on the playback time of each scene included in the multi-scene section, it is checked whether (Expression 5) and (Expression 6) are satisfied. If it is not satisfied, the user changes the input instruction and performs processing such as connecting a part of the subsequent scene to each scene in the multi-scene section to satisfy (Equation 5) and (Equation 6).

In the case of multi-view editing instructions, when seamless switching is performed, while satisfying (Equation 7), an edit instruction for making the audio signal the same in the playback time of each scene of the multi-view is also input. When performing non-seamless switching, input the user's editing instructions in accordance with the requirements of (Equation 8).

In step #300, the encoding system control unit 200 first determines whether the target scene is seamlessly connected to the preceding scene based on the scenario data St7. The so-called seamless connection means that when the preceding scene section is a multi-scene section composed of multiple scenes, any one of the scenes included in the preceding multi-scene section is seamlessly connected to the common scene that is the target of the connection at the time.. Ground connection. Ground connection. Similarly, when the connection target at the time is a multi-scene section, seamless connection means that any scene in the multi-scene section can be connected. If it is judged as "NO" in step #300, that is, if it is judged that it is not a seamless connection, the process proceeds to step #400.

In step #400, the encoding system control unit 200 resets the preceding scene seamless connection flag VOB_Fsb indicating that the target scene is seamlessly connected to the preceding scene, and then proceeds to step #600.

On the other hand, if it is judged as "Yes" in step #300, that is, it is judged that the preceding scene is seamlessly connected, the process proceeds to step #500.

In step #500, the advance scene seamless connection flag VOB_Fsb is set, and the process proceeds to step #600.

In step #600, the encoding system control unit 200 determines whether the target scene and the subsequent scene are seamlessly connected based on the scenario data St7. If it is judged as "No in step #600, that is, if it is judged that it is not a seamless connection, the process proceeds to step #700.

In step #700, the encoding system control unit 200 resets the subsequent scene seamless connection flag VOB_Fsf indicating that the scene is seamlessly connected to the succeeding scene, and then proceeds to step #900.

On the other hand, if it is judged as "YES" in step #600, that is, it is judged that there is no disconnection with the subsequent scene, the process proceeds to step #800.

In step #800, the encoding system control unit 200 sets the subsequent scene seamless connection flag VOB_Fsf, and then proceeds to step #900.

In step #900, the encoding system control unit 200 judges based on the scenario data St7 whether or not there is one or more scenes to be connected, that is, whether there are multiple scenes. In the case of multiple scenes, there are multiple playback paths that can be composed of multiple scenes. There is a lock control that can be reproduced through only one playback path, and the playback path can be switched between multi-scene sections. control. When it is judged as "No" in script step #900, that is, it is judged that it is not a multi-scene connection, the process proceeds to step #1000.

In step #1000, after resetting the multi-scene flag VOB_Fp indicating that it is a multi-scene connection, the process proceeds to encoding parameter generation step #1800. The operation of step #1800 will be described below.

Conversely, if it is judged as YES in step #900, that is, if it is judged that it is a multi-scene connection, it proceeds to step #1100.

In step #1100, after setting the multi-scene flag VOB_Fp, proceed to step #1200 to determine whether the multi-angle view is connected.

In step #1200, it is judged whether to switch between multiple scenes in the multi-scene section, that is, whether it is a multi-view section. If it is judged as "No" in step #1200, that is, it is judged that the switching is not performed in the middle of the multi-scene section, and the lock control for reproducing through only one reproducing path is performed, then the process proceeds to step #1300.

In step #1300, reset the multi-angle flag VOB_Fm indicating that the scene to be connected is multi-angle, and then proceed to step #1302.

In step #1302, it is determined whether one of the preceding scene seamless connection flag VOB_Fsb and the following scene seamless connection flag VOB_Fsf is set. In step #1300, if it is determined as "YES", that is, it is determined that the scene to be connected is connected to one of the preceding and subsequent scenes, or two seamlessly connected, the process proceeds to step #1304.

In step #1304, the interleave flag VOB_Fi indicating that the VOB of the coded data of the target scene is to be interleaved is set, and the process proceeds to step #1800.

Conversely, if the determination in step #1302 is "No", that is, if the target scene is not seamlessly connected to any of the preceding scene and subsequent scenes, the process proceeds to step #1306.

In step #1306, after resetting the interleave flag VOB_Fi, the process proceeds to step #1800.

On the other hand, if it is judged as "Yes" in step #1200, that is, it is judged as multi-view, the process proceeds to step #1400.

Step #1400 After setting the multi-view flag VOB_Fm and the interlace flag VOB_Fi, proceed to step #1500.

In step #1500, the encoding system control unit 200 determines, based on the scenario data St7, whether or not to perform so-called seamless switching without interruption of the image and audio in the multi-view scene section, that is, in the playback unit smaller than the VOB. When it is judged as "No" in step #1500, that is, it is judged that it is not seamless switching, the process proceeds to step #1600. In step #1600, after resetting the seamless switching flag VOB_FsV indicating that the target scene is seamless switching, the process proceeds to step #1800.

Conversely, if step #1500 is judged to be "Yes", that is, if it is judged to be seamless switching, go to step #1700.

In step #1700, after setting the seamless switching flag VOB_FsV, proceed to step #1800. In this way, the present invention proceeds to step #1800 after detecting the editing information as the setting state of the above-mentioned flags based on the script data St7 reflecting the editing idea.

In step #1800, based on the user's editing thoughts detected as the flag setting status as described above, the VOB set part and VOB part shown in FIG. 27 and FIG. 28 for encoding the source data stream are created. The coding information table shows additional information and coding parameters in the VOB data section shown in FIG. 29. Then, go to step #1900. The steps for creating coding parameters will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 35, FIG. 36, FIG. 37, and FIG. 38.

In step #1900, the video data and audio data are encoded according to the encoding parameters created in step #1800, and then the process proceeds to step #2000. In addition, the sub-picture data is originally intended to be inserted and used at any time during picture playback as needed, so there is no need for continuity with the front and back scenes. Furthermore, sub-images are image information about one screen share. Therefore, unlike video data and audio data that continue to exist on the time axis, the display is mostly static and is not often replayed continuously. Therefore, in this embodiment regarding seamless playback and non-seamless continuous playback, the description of sub-picture data encoding will be omitted for simplicity.

In step #2000, the loop consisting of steps #300 to step #1900 is repeated, and the number of processing is equal to the number of VOB sets. The repetition of each VOB with a title in its own data structure in Figure 16 is repeated. The program chain (VTS_PGC#I) information of the replay information such as the replay order is formatted to form an interleaved arrangement of the VOBs in the multi-scene section, and then the VOB set data string and VOB data string required for system encoding are completed. Then, go to step #2100.

In step #2100, the total number of VOB sets VOBS_NUM that can be obtained as a result of the loop processing up to judgment #2000 is obtained, which is added to the VOB set data string, and the number of script playback paths is set as the number of titles for the script data St7 In the case of title number TITLE_NO, complete the VOB set data string as the coding information table, and then proceed to step #2200.

In step #2200, based on the video coded stream and audio coded stream coded in step #1900, and the coding parameters of Fig. 29, system coding for the purpose of creating VOB (VOB#i) data in the VTSTT_VOBS of Fig. 16 is performed. Then, go to step #2300.

In step #2300, the formatting process is performed, which includes the creation of the VTS information in Figure 16, the VISI management table (VTSI_MAT) contained in the VTSI, the VTSPGC information table (VTSPGCIT), and the program chain information (VTS_PGCI#) that controls the sequence of VOB data playback. I), and interleave the VOBs included in the multi-scene section.

The details of this formatting step will be described later with reference to FIG. 49, FIG. 50, FIG. 51, FIG. 52, and FIG. 53.

35, 36, and 37, the encoding parameter generation operation in the multi-view control in the encoding parameter generation subroutine in step #1800 of the flowchart shown in FIG. 34 will be described.

First, referring to FIG. 35, when the determination in step #1500 of FIG. 34 is "No", that is, the flags are VOB_Fsb=1 or VOB_Fsf=1, VOB_Fp=1, VOB_Fi=1, VOB_Fm=1, FsV= The operation in the case of 0, that is, the non-seamless switching stream encoding parameter generation operation in multi-view control, will be described. The coding information tables shown in Figs. 27 and 28 and the coding parameters shown in Fig. 29 are created by the following operations.

Step #1812 extracts the script playback order included in the script data St7, sets the VOB set number VOBS_NO, and sets the VOB number VOB_NO to one or more VOBs in the VOB set.

Step #1814 extracts the maximum bit rate ILV_BR of the interlaced VOB from the script data St7, and sets the video coding maximum bit rate V_MRATE of the coding parameter on the basis of the interlace flag VOB_Fi=1.

Step #1816 extracts the minimum interleaved part playback time ILVU_MT from the scenario data St7.

In step #1818, on the basis of the multi-view flag VOB_Fp=1, the values of N=15 and M=3 of the video encoding GOP structure GOPST and the GOP structure fixed flag GOPFXflag="1" are set.

Step #1820 is a common subroutine for VOB data setting. Fig. 36 shows the VOB data sharing setting subroutine of step #1820. The coding information table shown in Fig. 27 and Fig. 28 and the coding parameter of Fig. 29 are created in the following operation flow.

Step #1822 extracts the start time VOB_VST and end time VOB_VEND of the image material of each VOB from the script data St7, and uses the video encoding start time V_STTM and the encoding end time V_ENDTM as the video encoding parameters.

Step #1824 extracts the sound material start time VOB_AST of each VOB from the scenario data St7, and uses the audio encoding start time A_STTM as the audio encoding parameter.

Step #1826 Extract the sound material end time VOB_AEND of each VOB from the script data St7, and use the time of the audio access unit (hereinafter referred to as AAU) determined by the audio encoding method within the time of VOB_AEND as the audio encoding parameter (encoding end time) A_ENDTM).

In step #1828, the gap A_STGAP at the beginning of the audio is obtained from the difference between the video encoding start time V_STTM and the audio encoding start time A_STTM as a system encoding parameter.

In step #1830, the gap A_ENDTM at the end of the audio is obtained from the difference between the video encoding end time V_ENDTM and the audio encoding end time A_ENDTM as a system encoding parameter.

Step #1832 extracts the video bit rate V_BR from the script data St7 as the average bit rate of video encoding, and uses the video encoding bit rate V_RATE as the video encoding parameter.

Step #1834 extracts the audio bit rate A_BR from the script data St7, and uses the audio coding bit rate A_RATE as the audio coding parameter.

Step #1836 extracts the image material type VOB_V_KIND from the script data St7. If it is a movie material, that is, a telecine-converted material, set the reverse telecine conversion to the video coding mode V_ENCMD as a video coding parameter.

Step #1838 extracts the audio coding mode VOB_A_KIND from the script data, and sets the audio coding mode in the audio coding mode A_ENCMD as an audio coding parameter.

Step #1840 is set so that the initial value of the VBV buffer of the video encoding initial data V_INST becomes smaller than the end value of the VBV buffer of the video encoding end data V_ENDST, and is used as a video encoding parameter.

In step #1842, based on the advance VOB seamless connection flag VOB_Fsb=1, the advance connection VOB number VOB_NO is set to the advance connection VOB number B_VOB_NO as a system encoding parameter.

In step #1844, on the basis of the subsequent VOB seamless connection flag VOB_Fsf=1, the subsequent VOB number VOB_NO is set to the subsequent connection VOB number F_VOB_NO as a system coding parameter.

As described above, it is possible to generate the coding information table and coding parameters in the case of non-seamless multi-view switching control with a multi-view VOB set.

Next, referring to Fig. 37, in the case of step #1500 in Fig. 34 as "Yes, that is, the flags are VOB_Fsb=1 or VOB_Fsf=1, VOB_Fp=1, VOB_Fi=1, VOB_Fm=1, VOB_FsV= In the case of 1, the generation operation of the coding parameters of the seamless switching stream during multi-view control will be described.

The following operations are used to create the coding information table shown in Figs. 27 and 28 and the coding parameters shown in Fig. 29.

Step #1850 extracts the playback sequence of the scenario included in the data St7, sets the VOB set number VOBS_NO, and sets the VOB number VOB_NO to one or more VOBs in the VOB set.

Step #1852 extracts the maximum bit rate ILV_BR of the interlaced VOB from the script data St7, and sets the maximum bit rate V_RATE of the video encoding based on the interlace flag VOB_Fi=1.

Step #1854 extracts the minimum interleaved part playback time ILVU_MT from the scenario data St7.

In step #1856, on the basis of the multi-view flag VOB_Fp=1, the values of N=15 and M=3 of the video coding GOP structure GOPST and the GOP structure fixed flag GOPFXflag=1 are set.

In step #1858, on the basis of the seamless switching flag VOB_FsV=1, a closed GOP is set in the video coding GOP structure GOPST as a video coding parameter.

Step #1860 is a common subroutine for VOB data setting. This common subroutine is the subroutine shown in FIG. 35, which has already been explained, so it is omitted.

As described above, it is possible to generate coding parameters in the case of seamless switching control with a multi-view VOB set.

38, when the step #1200 is judged as "No" in Fig. 34 and the step #1304 is judged as "Yes", that is, the flags are VOB_Fsb=1 or VOB_Fsf=1, VOB_Fp=1, VOB_Fi= 1. In the case of VOB_Fm=0, the encoding parameter generation operation during lock control will be described. The coding information table shown in Fig. 27 and Fig. 28 and the coding parameter shown in Fig. 29 are created by the following operations.

Step #1870 extracts the playback sequence of the scenario included in the scenario data St7, sets the VOB set number VOBS_NO, and sets the VOB number VOB_NO to one or more VOBs in the VOB set.

Step #1872 extracts the maximum bit rate ILV_BR of the interleaved VOB from the script data St7, and sets the maximum bit rate V_RATE of the video encoding on the basis of the interlace flag VOB_Fi=1.

Step #1874 extracts the number of divisions ILV_DIV of the VOB interleaving section from the scenario data St7.

Step #1876 is a common subroutine for VOB data setting. This common subroutine is the subroutine shown in FIG. 35, which has already been explained, so it is omitted.

As described above, it is possible to generate coding parameters in the case of lock control with a VOB set of multiple scenes.

In the following, referring to FIG. 70, when the step #900 in FIG. 34 is judged as "No", that is, when the flags are VOB_Fp=0, the encoding parameter generation operation of a single script will be described. The coding information table shown in Fig. 27 and Fig. 28 and the coding parameter shown in Fig. 29 are created by the following operations.

Step #1880 extracts the playback sequence of the scenario included in the scenario data St7, sets the VOB set number VOBS_NO, and sets the VOB number VOB_NO to one or more VOBs in the VOB set.

Step #1882 extracts the maximum bit rate ILV_BR of the interlaced VOB from the script data St7, and sets the maximum bit rate V_MRATE of the video encoding on the basis of the interlace flag VOB_Fi=1.

Step #1884 is a common subroutine for VOB data setting. This common subroutine is the subroutine shown in FIG. 35, which has already been explained, so it is omitted.

With the help of the above-mentioned process of making the coding information table and coding parameters, it is possible to generate the coding parameters for DVD video, audio, system coding and DVD format composer.

Formatter flows are shown in Fig. 49, Fig. 50, Fig. 51, Fig. 52, and Fig. 53, to describe the formatting subroutine for generating DVD multimedia stream in step #2300 shown in Fig. 34.

Next, the operation of the formatter 1100 of the DVD encoder ECD of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 49. Also, the boxes enclosed by double lines in the figure represent subroutines.

Step #2310 sets the same number of VTSI_PGCIs as TITLE_NUM in the video title set management table VTSI_MAT in VTSI according to the title number TITLE_NUM of the VOB set data string.

Step #2312 determines whether there are multiple scenes based on the multi-scene flag VOB_Fp in the VOB set data. In step #2312, if it is judged as "NO", that is, if it is not a multi-scene, the process proceeds to step #2314.

Step #2314 represents a subroutine operation of the formatter 1100 of the authoring encoder in Fig. 25 in the case of a single VOB. The subroutine will be described below.

If it is determined as "YES" in step #2312, that is, it is a multi-scene, the process proceeds to step #2316.

Step #2316 judges whether to perform interleaving based on the interleaving flag VOB_Fi in the VOB set data. If it is judged as "NO" in step #2316, that is, if interleaving is not performed, the process proceeds to step #2314.

Step #2318 judges whether there is a multi-view based on the multi-view flag VOB_Fm in the VOB set data. If it is judged as "NO" in step #2318, that is, it is not a multi-view, the process proceeds to step #2320 as a lock control subroutine.

Step #2320 shows the formatter operation subroutine in the lock control VOB set. This subroutine is shown in Figure 52 and will be described in detail below.

If it is judged as "YES" in step #2318, that is, it is a multi-view, the process proceeds to step #2322.

Step #2322 judge whether there is no fault switching according to the multi-view seamless switching flag VOB_FsV. In step #2322, if it is determined as "No", that is, if the multi-view angle is not seamless switching control, the process proceeds to step #2326.

Step #2326 shows the operation subroutine of the format composer 1100 of the authoring encoder in FIG. 25 in the case of multi-views other than seamless switching control. The detailed description will be given below with reference to FIG. 50.

If it is determined as "YES" in step #2322, that is, if it is a multi-view angle of seamless switching control, the process proceeds to step #2324.

Step #2324 represents the operation subroutine of the formatter 1100 when seamlessly switching and controlling the multi-view angle. The detailed description will be given below with reference to FIG. 51.

In step #2328, the access part playback information CPCI set in the previous flow is recorded as the CPCI information of the VTSI.

In step #2330, it is judged whether or not the processing of the VOB sets represented by the VOB set data VOB set number VOBS_NUM in the format arranger flow is completed. If it is judged as "No" in step #2130, that is, the processing of all VOB sets has not been completed, the process proceeds to step #2112. If it is judged as "YES" in step #2130, that is, the processing of all VOB sets has ended, the processing is terminated.

Hereinafter, the subroutine of subroutine step #2326 in the case where the determination of step #2322 in FIG. 49 is "No", that is, the multi-view angle is non-seamless switching control, will be described using FIG. 50. With the help of the operation flow shown below, the interleaved arrangement of the multimedia stream and the content of the access unit playback information (C_PBI#i) shown in FIG. 16 and the information in the navigation group NV shown in FIG. 20 are recorded in the generated DVD multimedia streaming.

Step #2340 Based on the information indicating VOB_Fm=1 for multi-angle control in the multi-scene section, the access part block mode (CBM in FIG. 16) of the access part (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to each scene For example, as shown in FIG. 23, CBM of the access part of MA1 = "access part block start = 01b", CBM of the access part of MA2 = "access part block middle = 10b", and CBM of the access part of MA3 = "access part block End=11b".

In step #2342, based on the information indicating that VOB_Fm=1 for multi-angle control in the multi-scene section, the access section block type (CBT in FIG. 16) of the access section (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to each scene is described. ) Record the value representing "angle"="01b".

Step #2344 is recorded in the seamless playback flag (SPF in FIG. 16) of the access section (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the control information of the VOB corresponding to the scene based on the information indicating the seamless connection of VOB_Fsb=1. "1".

In step #2346, based on the information indicating the seamless connection of VOB_Fsb=1, "1" is recorded in the STC reset flag (STCDF in FIG. 16) of the access part (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) corresponding to the VOB control information of the scene. ".

In step #2348, based on the information indicating the VOB_Fi=1 to be interleaved, "1" is recorded in the interleaved block arrangement flag (IAF in Fig. 16) of the access part (C_PBI#i in Fig. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to the scene. ".

Step #2350 detects the position information of the navigation group NV (the relative number of sectors from the beginning of the VOB) from the title editing unit (hereinafter referred to as VOB) obtained by the system encoder 900 in FIG. The data of the minimum interleaved playback time ILVU MT obtained as a formatter parameter in 1816, the navigation element NV is detected, the position information of the VOBU (the number of sectors from the beginning of the VOB, etc.) is obtained, and it is divided into AU parts. For example, in the foregoing example, the minimum interlaced part playback time is 2 seconds, and the playback time of 1 VOBU is 0.5 second, so every 4 VOBUs are regarded as an interlaced part. This division process is performed on the VOB corresponding to each multi-scene.

In step #2352, follow the description order of the access part block mode (CBM in FIG. 16) described as the VOB control information corresponding to each scene recorded in step #2340 ("access part block start", "access part block inside" , The description order of the "end of the access part block"), for example, the order of the access part of MA1, the access part of MA2, and the access part of MA3 shown in FIG. 23 is arranged in the interleaved part of each VOB obtained in step #2350 to form The interleaved data block shown in Fig. 71 or Fig. 72 is added to the VTSTT_VOB data.

Step #2354 records the relative number of sectors from the beginning of the VOBU at the end data group address (COBU_EA in FIG. 20) of the VOBU of each VOBU navigation group NV according to the position information of the VOBU obtained in step #2350.

Step #2356 According to the VTTT_VOBS data obtained in step #2352, as the navigation group NV address of the beginning VOBU and the navigation group address of the end VOBU of each access part, record the beginning VOBU address C_FVOBU_SA of the access part and the number of sectors from the beginning of VTSTT_VOBS respectively. VOBU address C_LVOBU_SA at the end of the section.

In step #2358, the non-seamless angle information (NSM_AGLI in FIG. 20) of the navigation group NV of each VOBU is used as the position information of the navigation group NV included in the VOBU of all multi-angle scenes close to the playback time of the VOBU. , The relative number of sectors in the data of the interleaved data block formed in step #2352 is recorded in the angle #iVOBU start address (NSML_AGL_C1_DATA ~ NSML_AGL_C9_DSTA in FIG. 20).

In step #2160, if the VOBU obtained in step #2350 is the end VOBU of each scene in the multi-scene section, the angle #iVOBU start address of the non-seamless angle information (NSM_AGLI in FIG. 20) of the navigation group NV of the VOBU is (NSML_AGL_C1_DSTA ~ NAML_AGL_C9_DSTA in FIG. 20) "7 FFFFFFFh" is recorded.

With the above steps, the non-seamless switching multi-angle control interleaved data block corresponding to the multi-scene section and the playback control information (that is, the control information in the access unit) corresponding to the multi-scene are formatted.

Next, the subroutine step #2324 in the case where the determination in step #2322 of FIG. 49 is YES, that is, it is determined that the multi-view control is seamless switching control, will be described using FIG. 51. With the help of the operation flow shown below, the interleaved arrangement of the multimedia stream and the content of the access part playback information (C_PBI#i) shown in FIG. 16 and the information in the navigation group NV shown in FIG. 20 are recorded in the generated Multimedia streaming on DVD.

In step #2370, based on the information of VOB_Fm=1 indicating that the multi-angle control is performed in the multi-scene section, the access part block mode (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) of the access part (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to each scene is described. CBM), for example, as shown in FIG. 23, CBM of the access part of MA1 = "access part block start = 01b, CBM of the access part of MA2 = "access part block middle = 10b, CBM of the access part of MA3 = "access part block The end of = 11b.

In step #2372, based on the information indicating the VOB_Fm=1 for multi-angle control in the multi-scene section, the access section block type (in FIG. 16) of the access section (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to each scene The value of "angle" = "01b" is recorded on the CBT).

Step #2374 is based on the information indicating the seamless connection of VOB_Fsb=1, on the seamless playback flag (SPF in FIG. 16) of the access part (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to the scene. Record "1".

Step #2376 is based on the information indicating that VOB_Fsb=1 for seamless connection, on the STC reset flag (STCDE in FIG. 16) of the access part (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to the scene. Record 1.

Step #2378 is based on the information indicating the VOB_Fi=1 to be interleaved, on the interleaved block arrangement flag (IAF in Fig. 16) of the access part (C_PBI#i in Fig. 16) that describes the control information of the VOB corresponding to the scene. Record "1".

Step #2380 With the help of the title editing unit (hereinafter referred to as VOB) obtained from the system encoder 900 in FIG. 25, the position information of the navigation group NV (the relative number of sectors from the beginning of the VOB) is detected, according to the step in FIG. 36 The data of the minimum interleaved playback time ILVU_MT obtained as a formatter parameter in #1854, the navigation pack NV is detected, and the position information of the VOBU is obtained (the number of sectors from the beginning of the VOB, etc.), and divided into VOBUs. For example, in the foregoing example, the minimum interlaced part playback time is 2 seconds, and the playback time of 1 VOBU is 0.5 second, so every 4 VOBUs are divided into 1 interlaced part. This division process is performed on the VOB corresponding to each scene.

In step #2382, the order of description ("access part block beginning", "access part block middle", "access part block middle", and "access part block mode" (CBM in FIG. 16) recorded as the VOB control information corresponding to each scene described in step #2360 is described in step #2382. The description order of the "end of the access part block"), for example, in the order of the access part of MA1, the access part of MA2, and the access part of MA3 shown in FIG. 23, the interleaved part of each VOB obtained in step #2380 is arranged to form a diagram 71 or the interleaved data block shown in Fig. 72 is added to the VTSTT_VOBS data.

In step #2384, according to the VOBU position information obtained in step #2360, the relative number of sectors from the beginning of the VOBU is recorded at the end data group address (COBU_EA in FIG. 20) of the navigation group NV of each VOBU.

Step #2386 According to the VTSTT_VOBS data obtained in step #2382, as the start VOBU navigation group NV address and the end VOBU navigation group NV address of each access part, record the start VOBU address C_FVOBU_SA of the access part and the access part by the number of sectors from the beginning of VTSTT_VOBS. The VOBU address at the end is C_LVOBU_SA.

Step #2388 According to the data of the interleaving part obtained in step #2370, record the distance interleaving at the end data group address (ILVU end data group address) (ILVU_EA of Fig. 20) of the navigation group NV of each VOBU constituting the interleaving part. The relative sector number of the data group at the end of the access part.

In step #2390, in the seamless angle information (SML_AGLI in FIG. 20) of the navigation group NV of each VOBU, the navigation included in the VOBU of all multi-angle scenes with the start time following the playback end time of the VOBU In the information information of the group NV, the relative number of sectors in the data of the interleaved data block formed in step #2382 is recorded in the angle #iVOBU start address (SML_AGL_C1_DSTA to SML_AGL_C9_D_STA in FIG. 20).

In step #2392, if the interleaved section arranged in step #2382 is the last interleaved section of each scene in the multi-scene section, the angle of the seamless angle information (SML_AGLI in FIG. 20) of the navigation group NV of the VOBU contained in the interleaved section The #iVOBU start address (SML_AGL_C1_DSTA to SML_AGL_C9_DSTA in FIG. 20) records "FFFFFFFFh".

With the above steps, the interleaved data block corresponding to the seamless switching multi-angle control of the multi-scene section and the reproduction information corresponding to the multi-scene (that is, the control information in the access unit) are formatted.

Next, using FIG. 52, the subroutine step #2320 in the case where the determination in step #2318 of FIG. 49 is "No", that is, it is determined that it is not multi-view control but lock control.

With the help of the flow shown below, the interleaved arrangement of the multimedia stream and the content of the access part playback information (C_PBI#i) shown in FIG. 16 and the information in the navigation group NV shown in FIG. 20 are recorded in the generated DVD multimedia Flow on.

In step #2402, based on the information indicating that VOB_Fm=0 that the multi-angle control is not performed in the multi-scene section, the access section block mode (in FIG. 16) of the access section (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to each scene is described. Record "001" on the CBM).

Step #2404 is based on the information indicating the seamless connection of VOB_Fsb=1 on the seamless playback flag (SPF in FIG. 16) of the access part (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to the scene. Record "1".

Step #2406 is based on the information indicating the seamless connection of VOB_Fsb=1, on the STC reset flag (STCDF in FIG. 16) of the access part (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to the scene. Record "1".

Step #2408 Record the interleaved block arrangement flag (IAF in Fig. 16) of the access unit (C_PBI#i in Fig. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to the scene based on the information indicating the VOB_Fi=1 to be interleaved. "1".

Step #2410 detects the position information of the navigation group NV (the relative number of sectors from the beginning of the VOB) from the title editing unit (hereinafter referred to as VOB) obtained from the system encoder 900 in FIG. 25, and follows the step # in FIG. 38 The data of the VOB interleaved division number ILV_DIV as a parameter of the format arranger obtained in 1874, the navigation element NV is detected, the position information of the VOBU (the number of sectors from the front of the VOB, etc.) is obtained, and the VOB is divided into a set by the VOBU The number of divisions of the interlace.

Step #2412 interleaves the interleaved parts obtained in step #2410. For example, they are arranged in the order of increasing VOB numbers to form the interleaved data block shown in Fig. 71 or Fig. 72 and added to VTSTT_VOBS.

In step #2414, based on the position information of the VOBU obtained in step #2386, the relative sector number from the beginning of the VOBU is recorded at the end data group address (VOBU_EA in FIG. 20) of the navigation group NV of each VOBU.

Step #2416 is based on the VTSTT_VOBS data obtained in step #2412, as the starting VOBU navigation group NV address and the ending VOBU navigation group NV address of each access part, and the number of sectors from the beginning of VTSTT_VOBS is recorded respectively the starting VOBU address C_FVOBU_SA of the access part and the access VOBU address C_LVOBU_SA at the end of the section.

Step #2418 According to the data of the configured interleaving unit obtained in step #2412, the distance is recorded at the end data group address (ILVU end data group address) (ILVU_EA of FIG. 20) of the navigation group NV of each VOBU constituting the interleaving unit The relative number of sectors of the data group at the end of the interleaved part.

In step #2420, in the VOBU navigation group NV included in the interleave unit ILVU, as the position information of the next ILVU, the relative number of sectors in the data of the interleave block formed in step #2412 is recorded in the next interleave unit Start with the address NT_ILVU_SA.

In step #2422, the ILVU flag ILVUflag=1 is recorded in the VOBU navigation group NV included in the interleave unit ILVU.

In step #2424, "1" is recorded in the unit end flag UnitENDflag of the last VOBU navigation group NV in the interleaved unit ILVU.

In step #2426, "FFFFFFFFh" is recorded at the start address NT_ULVU_SA of the next interleaved part of the VOBU navigation group NV in the last interleaved part ILVU of each VOB.

With the above steps, the lock control interleaved data block corresponding to the multi-scene section and the access unit playback control information corresponding to the multi-scene (that is, the control information in the access unit) are formatted.

Hereinafter, the subroutine step #2314 in the case where the determination of step #2312 and step #2316 in FIG. 49 is "No", that is, it is determined that it is not a multi-scene but a single-scene will be described using FIG. 53. With the help of the operation flow shown below, the interleaved arrangement of the multimedia stream, the content of the access unit playback information (C_PBI#i) shown in Fig. 16 and the information in the navigation group NV shown in Fig. 20 are recorded in the generated DVD multimedia flow.

In step #2430, based on the information indicating that VOB_Fp=0 is not a multi-scene section but a single-scene section, the access section block mode (Figure 16) of the access section (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to each scene The CBM in 16) records "00b" indicating that it is a non-accessed block.

In step #2432, based on the information indicating that VOB_Fi=0 which is not to be interleaved, the interleaved block arrangement flag (IAF in Fig. 16) of the access part (C_PBI#i in Fig. 16) describing the VOB control information corresponding to the scene is recorded " 0".

Step #2434 detects the position information of the navigation group NV (the relative number of sectors from the beginning of the VOB) from the title editing unit (hereinafter referred to as VOB) obtained from the system encoder 900 in FIG. 25, arranges it in the VOBU, and adds it to the multimedia stream In streaming data such as medium video (VTSTT_VOB).

In step #2436, based on the position information of the VOBU obtained in step #2434, the number of relative sectors from the beginning of the VOBU is recorded at the end data group address (COBU_EA in FIG. 20) of each VOBU navigation group NV.

Step #2438 extracts the start VOBU navigation group NV address and the end VOBU navigation group NV address of each access part based on the VTSTT_VOBS data obtained in step #2434. The number of sectors from the beginning of VTSTT_VOBS is recorded as the VOBU address C_FVOBU_SA at the beginning of the access unit, and the number of sectors from the end of VTSTT_VOBS is recorded as the VOBU address C_LVOBU_SA at the end of the access unit.

Step #2440 determines whether or not the state of step #300 or step #600 in FIG. 34 is determined, that is, it is determined whether or not VOB_Fsb=1, which indicates a seamless connection with the scenes before and after, is established. When it is judged as "YES", it progresses to step #2242.

Step #2242 is based on the information indicating the seamless connection of VOB_Fsb=1 on the seamless playback flag (SPF in FIG. 16) of the access part (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to the scene. Record "1".

Step #2444 is based on the information indicating the seamless connection of VOB_Fsb=1, on the STC reset flag (STCDF in FIG. 16) of the access part (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to the scene. Record "1".

If step #2440 is judged as "NO", that is, if there is no seamless connection with the previous scene, the process proceeds to step #2446.

Step #2446 is recorded on the seamless playback flag (SPF in FIG. 16) of the access section (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to the scene based on VOB_Fsb=0 indicating that seamless connection is made. "0".

Step #2448 Based on the information indicating that VOB_Fsb=0 for seamless connection, set the STC reset flag (STCDF in FIG. 16) in the access section (C_PBI#i in FIG. 16) that describes the VOB control information corresponding to the scene. Record "0" on it.

With the help of the operation flow shown above, the multimedia stream configuration equivalent to a single scene section, the content of the access part playback information (C_PBI#i) shown in FIG. 16 and the information in the navigation group NV shown in FIG. 20 are recorded in On the generated DVD multimedia stream.

Decoder flow chart. The transfer flow from the optical disc to the bitstream buffer will now be described with reference to FIG. 54 and FIG. 55, and the decoding information table generated by the decoding system control unit 2300 based on the scenario selection data St51. The decoding information table is composed of the decoding system table shown in FIG. 54 and the decoding table shown in FIG. 55.

As shown in FIG. 54, the decoding system table is composed of a script information register unit and an access unit information register unit. The script information register section extracts and records playback information such as the title number selected by the user included in the script selection data St51. The access unit information register unit extracts and records the information required to reproduce the access unit information constituting the program chain based on the script information extracted by the script information register unit and selected by the user.

The script information register section includes angle number register ANGLE_NO_reg, VTS number register VTS_NO_reg, PGC number register VTS_PGCI_NO_reg, audio ID register AUDIO_ID_reg, sub-picture ID register SP_ID_reg, and SCR buffer SCR_buffer.

The angle number register ANGLE_NO_reg records information about which one is to be reproduced when there are multiple angles in the reproduced PGC. The VTS number register VTS_NO_reg records the number of the VTS to be reproduced next among a plurality of VTSs existing on the optical disc. The PGC number register VTS_PGCI_NO_reg records information indicating which PGC is to be reproduced among a plurality of PGCs existing in the VTS for lock control and other purposes.

The audio ID register AUD10_ID_reg records information indicating which one of the multiple audio streams existing in the VTS is to be reproduced. The sub-picture ID register SP_ID_reg records information indicating which sub-picture stream to reproduce when there are multiple sub-picture streams in the VTS. The SCR buffer SCR_buffer is a buffer for temporarily storing the SCR described in the header of the data group as shown in FIG. 19. This temporarily stored SCR is output to the decoding system control unit 2300 as the stream playback data St63 as described with reference to FIG. 26.

Access part information register part includes access part block mode register CBM_reg, access part block type register CBT_reg, seamless playback flag register SPB_reg, interleaved configuration flag register IAF_reg, STC reset flag register STCDF_reg, seamless angle switching flag register SACF_reg access The VOBU start address register C_FVOBU_SA_reg at the beginning of the part, and the VOBU start address register C_LVOBU_SA_reg at the end of the visited part.

The access part block mode register CBM_reg indicates whether a plurality of access parts constitute a functional block. In the case where it is not constituted, its value is recorded as "N_BLOCK". In the case where the access part constitutes a function block, as the corresponding value, "F_CELL" is recorded at the beginning of the function block, "L_CELL" is recorded at the end, and "BLOCK" is recorded at the middle part.

The access part block type register CBT_reg is a register that records the part type indicated by the access part block mode register CBM_reg, and records "A_BLOCK" in the case of multi-view, and records "N_BLOCK" in the case of non-multi-view.

The seamless playback flag register SPF_reg records information indicating whether or not the visited part is seamlessly connected to the previously reproduced visited part or part to be reproduced. In the case of seamless connection with the previous or previous block, its value is recorded as "SML", and when it is not seamlessly connected, its value is recorded as "NAML".

The interleaved arrangement flag register IAF_reg records information on whether the access part is arranged in the interleaved area. When it is arranged in an interleaved area, its value is recorded as "ILVB", and when it is not arranged in an interleaved area, its value is recorded as "N_ILVB".

The STC reset flag register STCDF_reg records information on whether it is necessary to reset the STC (system clock) used for synchronization during playback of the access unit. In the case where it is necessary to reset, its value is recorded as "STC_RESET", and in the case where it is not necessary to reset, its value is recorded as "STC_NRESET".

The seamless angle switching flag register SACF_reg records information indicating whether the accessed part belongs to an angle section and seamless switching is performed. If it belongs to an angle interval and seamless switching is performed, its value is recorded as "SML", and if it is not, it is recorded as "NSML".

The start address register C_FVOBU_SA_reg for the start address of the VOBU at the beginning of the access section records the start address of the VOBU at the beginning of the access section. The value indicates the distance to the logical sector of the first access part of the VTS title VOBS (VTSTT_VOBS) in terms of the number of sectors, and the number of sectors is recorded.

The VOBU start address register C_LCOBU_SA_reg at the end of the visited part records the start address of the VOBU at the end of the visited part. The value indicates the distance to the logical sector of the first access part of the VTS title VOBS (VTSTT_VOBS) in terms of the number of sectors, and the number of sectors is recorded.

The decoding table of FIG. 55 is described below. As shown in the figure, the decoding table is composed of a non-seamless multi-angle view information register unit, a seamless multi-angle view information register unit, a VOBU information register unit, and a seamless playback register unit.

The non-seamless multi-view information register section includes NSML_AGL_C1_DSTA_reg to NSML_AGL_C9_DSTA_reg. NSML_AGL_C1_DSTA_reg~NSML_AGL_C9_DSTA_reg record NSML_AGL_C1_DSTA~NSML_AGL_C9_DSTA in the PCI packet shown in FIG. 20.

The seamless multi-view information register section includes SML_AGL_C1_DSTA_reg to SML_AGL_C9_DSTA_reg.

SML_AGL_C1_DSTA_reg~SML_AGL_C9_DSTA_reg record SML_AGL_C1_DSTA~SML_AGL_C9_DSTA in the DSI packet shown in FIG. 20.

The VOBU information register section includes the VOBU end address register VOBU_EA_reg.

In the VOBU information register VOBU_EA_reg, VOBU_EA in the SI packet shown in FIG. 20 is recorded.

The seamless playback register includes the interlace flag register ILVU_flag_reg, the unit end flag register UNIT_END_flag_reg, the ILVU end data group address register ILVU_EA_reg, the next interlace start address NT_ILVU_SA_reg, the VOB first image frame display start time register VOB_V_SPTM_reg, the VOB end image Frame display end time register VOB_V_EPTM_reg, audio playback stop time 1 register VOB_A_GAP_PTM1_reg, audio playback stop time 2 register VOB_A_GAP_PTM2_reg, audio playback stop duration 1 register VOB_A_GAP_LEN1, audio playback stop duration 2 register VOB_A_GAP_LEN2.

The interleaved part flag register ILVU_flag_reg indicates whether the VOBU is in the interleaved area. In the case of the interleaved area, "ILVU" is recorded, and when the interleaved area is not, "N_ILVU" is recorded.

The unit end flag register UNIT_END_flag_reg records information indicating whether the VOBU is the end VOBU of the ILVU when the VOBU is in the interleaved area. ILVU is a continuous reading unit, so if the VOBU currently being read is the end VOBU of the ILVU, "END" is recorded, and if it is not the end VOBU, "N_END" is recorded.

The ILVU end data group address register ILVU_EA_reg records the address of the end data group of the ILVU to which the VOBU belongs when the VOBU exists in the interleaved area. Here the address is the number of sectors from the NV of the VOBU.

The next ILVU start address register NT_ILVU_SA_reg records the start address of the next ILVU when the VOBU exists in the interleaved area. Here the address is the number of sectors from the NV of the VOBU.

The first video frame display start time register VOB_V_SPTM_reg in the VOB records the time when the first video frame of the VOB starts to be displayed.

The last image frame display end time register in the VOB VOB_V_EPTM_reg records the time when the end image frame display of the VOB ends.

The audio playback stop time 1 register VOB_A_RAP_PTM1_reg records the time to stop audio playback, and the audio playback stop time 1 register VOB_A_GAP_LEN1_reg records the time interval to stop audio playback.

The same applies to the audio playback stop time 2 register VOB_A_GAP_PTM2_reg and the audio playback stop time 2 register VOB_A_GAP_LEN2.

Next, the operation of the DVD decoder DCD of the present invention shown in the block diagram of FIG. 26 will be described with reference to the DVD decoder flow shown in FIG. 56.

Step #310202 is a step for judging whether the optical disc has been inserted, and if the optical disc has been inserted, proceed to step #310204.

After reading the volume file information VFS of FIG. 22 in step #310204, the process proceeds to step #310206.

Step #310206 reads the video management file VMG shown in FIG. 22, extracts the reproduced VTS, and proceeds to step #310208.

Step #310208 extracts the video title set menu address information VTSM_C_ADT from the management table TVSI of the VTS, and then proceeds to step #310210.

Step #310210 According to the VTSM_C_ADT information, read the video title set menu VTSM_VOBS from the optical disc, and display the title selection menu. The user presses this menu to select a title. In this case, if there is not only a title, but a title that includes an audio number, a sub-image number, and a multi-view angle, enter the angle number. After the user's input is completed, proceed to the next step #310214.

Step #310214 extracts VTS_PGCI#i corresponding to the title number selected by the user from the management table, and then proceeds to step #310216.

At the next step #310216, PGC playback is started. When the playback of PGC ends, the decoding process ends. When replaying other titles in the future, if the script selection part has the user's keyboard input, it can be realized by returning to the title menu display of step #310210.

Hereinafter, the playback of the PGC in step #310216 described above will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 57. PGC playback step #310216 is composed of steps #31030, #31032, #31034, and #31035 as shown in the figure.

In step #31030, the setting of the decoding system table of FIG. 54 is performed. The angle number register ANGLE_NO_reg, the VTS number register VTS_NO_reg, the PGC number register PGC_NO_reg, the audio ID register AUDIO_ID_reg, and the sub-picture register SP_ID_reg are set by the user in the script selection unit 210.

After the user selects the mark and determines the replayed PGC uniquely, the corresponding access part information (C_PBI) is extracted and set in the access part information register. The set registers are CBM_reg, CBT_reg, SPF_reg, IAF_reg, STCDF_reg, SACF_reg, C_FVOBU_SA_reg, C_LVOBU_SA_reg.

After setting the decoding system table, the process of transferring data to the bit stream buffer in step #31032 and the data decoding in the bit stream buffer in step #31034 are started in parallel.

Here, the process of transferring data to the bit stream buffer in step #31032 is related to the process of transferring data from the optical disc M to the bit stream buffer 2400 in FIG. 26. That is, in accordance with the title information selected by the user and the playback control information (navigation group NV) described in the data stream, necessary data is read from the optical disc M and transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400.

On the other hand, step #31034 is a part where the data in the bit stream buffer 2400 is decoded and output to the video output terminal 3600 and the audio output terminal 3700 in FIG. 26. That is, the data stored in the bit stream buffer 2400 is decoded and played back. This step #31032 runs in parallel with step #31034.

Step #31032 will be described in more detail below. The processing of step #31032 is based on the access unit. Once the processing of one access unit is completed, the next step #31035 is to check whether the processing of the PGC has ended. If the PGC processing is not finished, the setting of the decoding system table corresponding to the next access unit is performed in step #31030. This process is performed until the PGC ends.

Next, the operation of step #31032 will be described with reference to FIG. 62. The processing step #3102 for transferring data to the bit stream buffer is composed of steps #31040, #31042, #31044, #31046, and #31048 as shown in the figure.

Step #31040 is a step to check whether the visited part is multi-view. If it is not multi-view, go to step #31044.

Step #31044 is a non-multi-view processing step.

On the other hand, if it is found to be a multi-view in step #31040, it proceeds to step #31042. This step #31042 is a step for investigating whether there is no fault and multi-view.

If it is a seamless multi-view, go to step #31046 for the seamless multi-view step. On the other hand, if it is not a seamless multi-view, proceed to the step #31048 for non-seam-free multi-view.

The non-multi-view processing of step #31044 described above will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 63. Non-multi-view processing step #31044 is composed of steps #31050, #31052, and #31054 as shown in the figure.

First, in step #31050, it is investigated whether the data blocks are interleaved. If it is an interleaved data block, proceed to step #31052 for non-multi-view interleaved data block processing.

Step #31052 is a processing step for branching or joining (for example, multiple scenes) for seamless connection.

On the other hand, if it is not an interleaved data block, proceed to the non-multi-view continuous data block processing of step #31054.

Step #31054 is processing when there is no divergence or coupling.

The processing of the non-multi-view interleaved data block of step #31052 described above will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 64.

In step #31060, it transitions to the head address (C_FVOBU_SA_reg) of the head VOBU of the access section.

In more detail, in FIG. 26, the address data (C_FVOBU_SA_reg) held in the decoding system control unit 2300 is supplied to the mechanism control unit 2002 via St53. The mechanism control unit 2002 controls the motor 2004 and the signal processing unit 2008, moves the optical disc 2006 to a predetermined address and reads data. After the signal processing unit 2008 performs signal processing such as ECC, the VOBU data at the head of the access unit is transferred to the bit stream through St61 After the buffer 2400, go to step #31062.

In step #31062, extract the data of the DSI packet in the NV data of the navigation group shown in FIG. 20 in the bit stream buffer 2400, set the decoding table, and then proceed to step #31064. Here, the registers to be set are ILVU_EA_reg, NT_ILVU_SA_reg, VOB_V_SPTM_reg, VOB_V_EPTM_reg, VOB_A_STP_PTM1_reg, VOB_A_STP_PTM2, VOB_A_GAP_LEN1_reg, VOB_A_GAP_LEN2_reg.

In step #31064, data from the start address (C_FVOBU_SA_reg) of the VOBU at the beginning of the access section (C_FVOBU_SA_reg) to the end address of the interleave section (ILVU_EA_reg), that is, one ILVU portion of data is transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400, and the process proceeds to step #31066. In more detail, the address data (ILVU_EA_reg) held in the decoding system control unit 2300 of FIG. 26 is supplied to the mechanism control unit 2002 through St53. The mechanism control unit 2002 controls the motor 2004 and the signal processing unit 2008, reads the data up to the address of ILVU_EA_reg, and after the signal processing unit 2008 performs signal processing such as ECC, transfers the ILVU share data at the head of the access unit through St61. Stream buffer 2400. After doing so, the continuous data of 1 interleaved portion on the optical disc can be transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400.

In step #31066, it is checked whether all the interleaved parts in the interleaved data block have been transmitted. If it is the last interleaved part of the interleaved data block, then "ox7FFFFFFF" indicating the end is set in the register NT_ILVU_SA_reg as the next read address. If the interleaved part in the interleaved data block has not been transmitted, the process goes to step #31068.

Step #31068 shifts to the next replay interleave section address (NT_ULVU_SA_reg), and proceeds to step #31062. The transfer mechanism is the same as previously described.

Step #31062 is the same as described previously.

On the other hand, in step #31066, if all the interleaved parts in the interleaved data block have been transferred, step #31052 is terminated.

In step #31052, the data of one access section is transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400 in this way.

Next, the processing of the non-multi-view continuous data block in step #31054 described above will be described with reference to FIG. 65.

In step #31070, after transitioning to the top address (C_FVOBU_SA_reg) of the top VOBU of the access unit, the process proceeds to step #31072. The transfer mechanism is the same as previously described. In this way, the data of the VOBU at the head of the access unit is transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400.

Step #31072 extracts the DSI packet data in the NV data of the navigation group shown in FIG. 20 in the bit stream buffer 2400, sets the decoding table, and proceeds to step #31074. The registers set here are VOBU_EA_reg, VOB_V_SPTM_reg, VOB_V_EPTM_reg, VOB_A_STP_PTM1_reg, VOB_A_STP_PTM2_reg, VOB_A_GAP_LEN1_reg, VOB_A_GAP_LEN2_reg.

In step #31074, data from the start address of the VOBU at the beginning of the access section (C_FVOBU_SA_reg) to the end address of the VOBU (VOBU_EA_reg), that is, data for one VOBU is transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400, and the process proceeds to step #31076. In this way, the data of one continuous VOBU share on the optical disc can be transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400.

In step #31076, it is checked whether the data transfer of the access unit has been completed. If all the VOBUs in the access unit have not been transferred, the data of the next VOBU is continuously read, and the process proceeds to step #31072.

Step #31072 is the same as described previously.

On the other hand, in step #31076, if all the VOBU data in the access unit has been transferred, step #31054 is ended. In this way, step #31054 transfers the data of one access unit to the bit stream buffer 2400.

Next, other methods of non-multi-view processing in step #31044 described above will be described with reference to FIG. 66.

In step #31080, it shifts to the head address (C_FVOBU_SA_reg) of the head VOBU of the access unit, and after transferring the data of the head VOBU of the access unit to the bit stream buffer 2400, the process proceeds to step #31081.

Step #31081 extracts the DSI packet data in the NV data of the navigation group shown in FIG. 20 in the bit stream buffer 2400, sets the decoding table, and proceeds to step #31082. The registers that are set here are SCR_buffer, VOBU_EA_reg, ILVU_flag_reg, UNIT_END_flag_reg, ILVU_EA_reg, NT_ILVU_SA_reg, VOB_V_SPTM_reg, VOB_V_EPTM_reg, VOB_A_STP_PTM1_GLEN, _B_Areg_VOTM1_GTP_B_A_reg, VOTM1_GTP, _B_A_STP.

In step #31082, data from the start address of the VOBU at the beginning of the access section (C_FVOBU_SA_reg) to the end address of the VOBU (VOBU_EA_reg), that is, data for one VOBU is transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400, and then the process proceeds to step #31083.

Step #31083 investigates whether all VOBUs of the visited part have been transferred.

If all have been transmitted, this step #31044 is ended. If the transfer has not ended, go to step #31084.

In step #31084, it is checked whether or not the VOBU is at the end of the interleaved part. If it is not the last VOBU of the interleaved part, go back to step #31081. If yes, go to step #31085. In this way, the data for one access unit is transferred to the bit stream buffer in the unit of VOBU.

The processing after step #31081 is as described above. In step #31085, it is checked whether it is the ILVU at the end of the interleaved data block. If it is the ILVU at the end of the interleaved data block, end this step #31044, if not, proceed to step #31086.

After moving to the address (NT_ILVU_SA_reg) of the next interleave section in step #31086, the process proceeds to step #31081. In this way, data for one access portion can be transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400.

Next, referring to FIG. 67, the seamless multi-view processing of step #31046 described above will be described.

In step #31090, after transitioning to the head address (C_FVOBU_SA_reg) of the VOBU at the head of the access unit, the process proceeds to step #31091. The transfer mechanism is the same as previously described. In this way, the data of the VOBU at the head of the access unit is transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400.

Step #31091 extracts the DSI packet data in the NV data of the navigation group shown in FIG. 20 in the bit stream buffer 2400, sets the decoding table, and proceeds to step #31092. The registers set here are ILVU_EA_reg, SML_AGL_C1_DSTA_reg~SML_AGL_C9_DSTA_reg, VOB_V_SPTM_reg, VOB_V_EPTM_reg, VOB_A STP_PTM1_reg, VOB_A_STP_PTM2_reg, VOB_A_GAP LEN.

In step #31092, the data from the start address of the VOBU at the beginning of the access unit (C_FVOBU_SA_reg) to the end address of the ILVU (ILVU_EA_reg), that is, data for one ILVU is transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400, and then the process proceeds to step #31093. In this way, it is possible to transfer the data of 1 consecutive ILVU share on the optical disc to the bit stream buffer 2400.

Step #31093 updates ANGLE_NO_reg and proceeds to step #31094. Here, in the case of the user's operation, that is, when the script selection unit 2100 in FIG. 26 performs angle switching, the angle number is reset to the register ANGLE_NI_reg.

Step #31094 Check whether the data transfer of the angle access unit has ended. If the ILVU in the visited part is not completely transmitted, go to step #31095, otherwise, stop.

Step #31095 shifts to the next angle (SML_ANG_C#n_reg), and proceeds to step #31091. Here, SML_ANG_C#n_reg is the address corresponding to the angle updated in step #31093. In this way, the angle data set by the user's operation can be transmitted to the bit stream buffer 2400 in units of ILVU.

The non-seamless multi-view processing of the above step #31048 will be described below with reference to FIG. 68.

After shifting to the head address (C_FVOBU_SA_reg) of the head VOBU of the access unit in step #31100, the process proceeds to step #31101. The transfer mechanism is the same as previously described. In this way, the data of the VOBU at the head of the access unit is transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400.

Step #31101 extracts the data in the NV data of the navigation group shown in FIG. 20 in the bit stream buffer 2400, sets the decoding table, and proceeds to step #31102. The registers set here are VOBU_EA_reg, NSML_AGL_C1_DSTA_reg~NSML_AGL_C9_DSTA_reg, VOB_V_SPTM_reg, VOB_V_EPTM_reg, VOB_A_STP_PTM1_reg, VOB_A STP_PTM2, VOB_A_GAP_BLEN_1_reg.

In step #31102, data from the start address of the VOBU at the beginning of the access section (C_FVOBU_SA_reg) to the end address of the VOBU (VOBU_EA_reg), that is, data for one VOBU is transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400, and the process proceeds to step #31003. In this way, the data of one continuous VOBU on the optical disc can be transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400.

Step #31103 updates ANGLE_NO_reg, and proceeds to step #31104. Here, in the case of a user operation, that is, when the script selection unit 2100 in FIG. 26 performs angle switching, the angle number is reset to the register ANGLE_NO_reg.

Step #31104 investigates whether the data transfer of the angle access unit is completed. If all the VOBUs in the access unit have not been transferred, go to step #31105, and if all the VOBUs have been transferred, terminate.

After moving to the next angle (NSML_AGL_C#n_reg) at step #31105, proceed to step #31106. Here, NSML_AGL_C#n_reg is the address corresponding to the angle updated in step #31103. In this way, the angle data set by the user operation can be transferred to the bit stream buffer 2400 in units of VOBU.

Step #31106 is an effective step for high-speed angle switching. In this step, the information in the bit stream buffer 2400 is cleared. Here, since the information in the bit stream buffer is cleared, the data of the angle that is not decoded can be replayed, but the data of the newly switched angle can be replayed. That is to say, it can respond more quickly to the user's operation.

In the DVD decoder of the present invention, especially in the seamless playback that is the focus of the present invention, it is important to quickly move to the following data reading process by detecting the end of the data such as the interleaved part ILVU and VOBU. , Efficiently read data.

The structure and operation of the bit stream buffer 2400 that can efficiently perform the end detection of the interleaving unit ILVU will be briefly described below with reference to FIG. 69.

The bit stream buffer 2400 is composed of a VOB buffer 2402, a system buffer 2404, a navigation group extractor 2406, and a data counter 2408.

The system buffer 2404 temporarily stores data of the title management data VTSI (FIG. 16) included in St61 from the bit stream reproducing unit 2000, and outputs control information St2450 (St63) such as program chain information VTS_PGC.

The VOB buffer 2402 temporarily stores the title VOB data VTSTT_VOB (FIG. 16) data included in St61, and outputs it as the input stream St67 of the system decoder 2500.

The navigation group extractor 2406 simultaneously inputs the VOB data input from the VOB buffer 2402, extracts the navigation group NV from the VOB data, and then extracts the VOBU end data group address COBU_EA or the ILVU end data group address ILVU_EA as the DSI information DSI_GI shown in FIG. 20, The data group address information St2452 (St63) is generated.

With the above-mentioned structure, in the VOBU data transfer process from step #31064 to ILVU EA in the flowchart shown in FIG. 63, for example, the data of the VOBU at the beginning of the interleaving unit ILVU is input to the VOB buffer 2402, and at the same time Input to the navigation group extractor 2406 and the data counter 2408. As a result, the navigation group extractor can extract the data of ILVU_EA and NT_ILVU_SA while inputting the NV data of the navigation group, and output it to the decoding system control unit 2300 as St2452 (St63).

The decoding system control unit 2300 stores St2452 in ILVU_EA_reg and NT_ILVU_SA_reg, and starts counting the data groups according to the data group termination signal from the data counter 2408. According to the count value of the number of data groups and ILVU_EA_reg, the moment when the data input of the end data group of ILVU is completed, that is, the moment when the end byte data input of the end data group of ILVU is completed, the decoding system control unit 2300 instructs the bit stream playback unit 2000 Move the read position to the sector address shown in NT_ILVU_SA_reg. The bit stream playback unit moves the read position to the sector address shown in NT_ILVU_SA_reg, and then starts to read data.

With the above-mentioned operation, the end detection of the ILVU and the readout processing of the next ILVU can be performed efficiently.

This embodiment describes the case where MBS data from an optical disc is not buffered in the bitstream reproducing unit 2000, but directly input into the bitstream buffer 2400. However, there is a signal processing unit 2008 in the bitstream reproducing unit 2000, for example, for ECC processing. In the case of a buffer, of course it is detected that the input of the data group data at the end of the ILVU has been completed, and the data stored in the internal buffer of the bit stream reproducing unit 2000 is also cleared, and the read position is shifted to that shown in NT_ILVU_SA_reg. Indication of the sector address.

By performing such processing, even if there is a buffer for ECC processing or the like in the bit stream reproducing unit 2000, the data of the ILVU can be reproduced efficiently.

In addition, if the ECC processing buffer used for ECC processing exists in the bit stream reproducing unit 2000 as described above, since the input unit of the ECC processing buffer has the same function as the data counter 2008 of FIG. 69, it can be Efficient data transfer. In other words, the bit stream reproducing unit 2000 generates a signal St62 indicating that the data group input by the ECC processing buffer has been completed, and the decoding system control unit 2300 instructs the bit stream reproducing unit 2000 to shift the read position based on St62. To the sector address shown in NT_ULVU_SA_reg. As described above, even when the bitstream reproducing unit 2000 has a function of caching data from an optical disc, it is possible to efficiently transfer data.

In addition, the VOBU end detection can also use the same device and method as the above-mentioned device and method described by taking the interleave unit ILVU as an example. That is to say, the extraction of ILVU_EA, NT_ILVU_SA and the storage of ILVU_EA_reg, NT_ILVU_SA_reg can also be used to detect the end of VOBU with the help of extraction of VOBU_EA and storage of VOBU_EA_reg. That is, it is effective to perform VOBU data transfer processing to VOBU_EA_reg in step #31074, step #31082, step #31092, and step #31102.

With the help of the above-mentioned processing, data reading of ILVU and VOBU can be effectively performed.

Flow of decoding from the bit stream buffer Next, the decoding process in the bit stream buffer of step #31034 shown in FIG. 57 will be described with reference to FIG. 58.

Step #31034 is composed of step #31110, step #31112, step #31114, and step #31116 as shown in the figure.

Step #31110 After performing data transfer in units of data groups from the bit stream buffer 2400 shown in FIG. 26 to the system decoder 2500, the process proceeds to step #31112.

Step #31112 performs data transfer, and transfers the data group data transferred from the bit stream buffer 2400 to each buffer, that is, to the video buffer 2600, the sub-picture buffer 2700, and the audio buffer 2800.

Step #31112 The ID of the audio and sub-picture selected by the user, that is, the audio ID register AUDIO_ID_reg and the sub-picture ID register SP_ID_reg contained in the script information register shown in Fig. 54 are combined with the stream ID in the packet header shown in Fig. 19 It compares with the sub-stream ID, and divides the same data packet into each buffer (video buffer 2600, audio buffer 2700, sub-picture buffer 2800), and then proceeds to step #3114.

Step #31114 controls the decoding timing of each decoder (video decoder, sub-picture decoder, audio decoder), that is, performs synchronization processing between the decoders, and proceeds to step #31116. The synchronization processing of each decoder in step #31114 will be described in detail below.

Step #31116 performs various basic decoding processes. That is, the video decoder reads data from the video buffer and performs decoding processing. The sub-picture decoder also reads data from the sub-picture buffer and performs decoding processing. The audio decoder also reads data from the audio buffer and performs decoding processing. The decoding process ends, and step #31034 also ends.

The step #31114 described above will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 59.

Step #31114 is composed of step #31120, step #31122, and step #31124 as shown in the figure.

Step #31120 is a step of investigating whether the connection between the prior access unit and the access unit is seamlessly connected. If it is a seamless connection, go to step #31122, if not, go to step #31124.

Step #31122 Perform seamless synchronization processing. In step #31124, synchronization processing for non-seamless connection is performed.

In order to realize multi-scene reproduction, it is necessary to reproduce seamlessly between VOBs. However, when two VOBs are connected, specifically, except for the case where the original VOB of one bit stream is cut and each bit stream is formed separately, there is no continuity between the SCR and PTS at the connection point. In the following, the problem of reproducing such a VOB in which the SCR and PTS are not continuous will be explained.

In the following, define VPTS as the PTS indicating the start time of image display, VDTS as the DTS indicating the start time of the video decoder, and APTS as the PTS indicating the start time of the audio data playback.

Fig. 47 shows the relationship between the recording positions of the SCR, APTS, and VPTS of the VOB and their values. Here, for the sake of simplicity of description, only the SCR and each PTS are processed. In the audio data stream of the middle stage and the video stream of the bottom stage, the value of the SCR of the top stage is also recorded together with the PTS. If the position on the abscissa axis is approximately the same, the SCR value recorded in each stream is also approximately the same.

Tse represents the time of the SCR of the last data group in the VOB, Tve represents the time of the VPTS of the last video data group in the VOB, Tae represents the time of the APTS of the last audio data group in the VOB, and Tvd represents the time of the video decoder buffer Delay time, Tad represents the delay time of the audio decoding buffer.

Fig. 48 shows the changes in SCR and PTS from the input of the VOB shown in Fig. 47 to the system decoder to the final playback output of video and audio data. The axis of abscissa represents the elapsed time t, and the axis of ordinate represents the SCR representing the time when the transmission should be performed at each time t and the PTS representing the time when the reproduction should be performed.

In this way, together with the audio output and video output, the delay time of the decoder buffer is maintained for the SCR and the video data and audio data input at approximately the same time, the video data is reproduced later than the audio data, and the delay time is about the video The difference between the delay time of the decoding buffer and the delay time of the audio decoding buffer.

In the case of connecting two VOBs, specifically, except for the case where the original VOB of one bit stream is cut and each bit stream is formed separately, there is no continuity between the SCR and PTS at the connection point.

Next, the operation in the case where VOB#1 and VOB#2 where the SCR and PTS are not continuous will be reproduced continuously with reference to FIG. 46.

Fig. 46 shows the relationship between the recording positions of SCR, APTS, and VPTS and their values in each VOB.

SCR is time information indicating the transmission time of the data group described in the data group, APTS is the time information to start replaying the audio signal described in the audio data group, and VPTS is the time to start displaying the video signal described in the video data group. Information, STC represents the reference clock value used for synchronization control of the decoder.

Tse1 represents the time of the SCR in the last data group in VOB#1, Tae1 represents the time of APTS in the last data group in VOB#1, and Tve1 represents the time of VPTS in the last data group in VOB#1.

Tad represents the delay time of the audio buffer, Tvd represents the delay time of the video buffer, and the abscissa axis represents the elapsed time t.

Here, the important thing is the synchronization of sound and image. At the moment when the STC value is equal to APTS and VPTS in the bit stream, the sound and image are respectively reproduced and output.

However, in order to ensure that the reference clock for transmitting the VOB to the system decoder can appear, at the instant of time Tse1, the starting SCR value of VOB#2 needs to be placed in the STC setting section. However, at this time, since the VOB reproduction output is not finished, the reproduction output of the audio and video in VOB#1 that should be reproduced after time Tse1 loses the reference clock, and normal reproduction cannot be performed.

In addition, even if the SCR value to the STC setting unit is set at time Tae1, in this case, the reference clock of the first data group of VOB#2 that should be transmitted is lost, and the video of VOB#1 that should be reproduced after Tae1 is lost. The output reference clock. The same problem occurs when the SCR value of the STC setting unit is inserted at time Tve1.

In the case where the VOB reproduced first and the VOB reproduced later correspond one-to-one, the value of the first SCR in the VOB reproduced later is continuous with the last SCR of the VOB reproduced first to avoid the above-mentioned problem.

However, when multiple titles share data, the VOB to be reproduced first and the VOB to be reproduced later have a many-to-one relationship.

Therefore, when continuously reproducing VOB#1 reproduced first and VOB#2 reproduced later, it is necessary to discard the data of VOB#1 remaining in the decoding buffer at time Tse1. In this way, it is impossible to perform continuous playback without interruption of sound and images.

Hereinafter, a method of seamlessly reproducing the aforementioned VOB with discontinuous SCR and PTS will be described based on two embodiments.

(Synchronization Control Unit: Embodiment 1) Next, Embodiment 1 of the synchronization control unit 2900 shown in FIG. 26 related to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 32. The synchronization control unit 2900 is composed of an STC generation unit 2902, a PTS/DTS extraction unit 2904, a video decoder synchronization control unit 2906, a sub-picture decoder synchronization control unit 2908, an audio decoder synchronization control unit 2910, and a system decoder synchronization control unit 2912 .

The STC generation unit 2902 is a component that generates the system clock of each decoder, and separately controls the video decoder synchronization control unit 2906, the sub-picture decoder synchronization control unit 2908, the audio decoder synchronization control unit 2910, and the system decoder synchronization control unit 2912. Provide STC for synchronization. The details of the STC generation unit 2902 will be described below with reference to FIG. 39.

The PTS/DTS extraction unit 2904 extracts PTS and DTS from the synchronization control data St81, and supplies them to the synchronization control unit of each decoder.

The video decoder synchronization control unit 2906 generates a video decoding start signal St89 based on the STC from the STC generating unit 2902 and the time information DTS for starting the video decoding from the PTS/DTS extraction unit 2904. That is, the video decoding start signal St89 is generated at the time when STC and DTS coincide.

The sub-picture decoder synchronization control unit 2908 generates a sub-picture decoding start signal St91 based on the STC from the STC generating unit 2902 and the time information PTS for starting sub-picture decoding from the PTS/DTS extraction unit 2904. That is, the sub-picture decoding start signal St91 is generated when the STC and PTS coincide.

The audio decoder synchronization control unit 2910 generates an audio decoding start signal St93 based on the STC from the STC generating unit 2902 and the time information PTS for starting sub-picture decoding from the PTS/DTS extraction unit 2904. In other words, the audio decoding start signal St93 is generated when the STC and PTS coincide.

The system decoder synchronization control unit 2912 outputs the STC from the STC generation unit 2902 as St79. St79 is used in the data group transmission control from the bit stream buffer to the system decoder.

Next, the detailed structure and operation of the STC generating unit 2902 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 39. The STC generation unit 2902 is composed of an STC setting unit 32010, an STC compensation value calculation unit 32012, an STC counter 32014, an STC update unit 32016, an STC switching control unit 32018, a video decoder STC selection unit 32020, a sub-picture decoder STC selection unit 32022, The audio data decoder STC selection unit 32024 and the system decoder STC selection unit 32026 are constituted.

In the STC compensation value calculation unit 32012, when two VOBs having different initial STC values (SCR) are continuously reproduced, the compensation value STCof for updating the STC value is calculated.

Specifically, the calculation method is to subtract the value of the display end time register VOB_V_EPTM_reg of the last image frame in the VOB that is replayed first (Figure 55), and subtract the value of the display start time register VOB_V_SPTM_reg of the first image frame in the VOB that is replayed next (Figure 55) .

The STC counter 32014 is a counter that counts sequentially from the set value in synchronization with the system clock, and generates the reference clock STCc of each decoder.

The STC update unit 32016 outputs the value STCr obtained by subtracting the compensation value calculated by the STC compensation value calculation unit 32012 from the STC counter 32014.

In the STC setting unit 32010, the SRC value in the VOB start data group or the output STCr of the STC update unit 32016 is selected and set using the control signal of the STC switching control unit 32018. The value set in the STC setting unit 32010 is used as the initial value of the STC counter 32014.

The video decoder STC selection unit 32020 selects one of the output STCc of the STC counter 32014 and the output STCr of the STC update unit 32016 in accordance with the control signal from the STC switching control unit 32018, and outputs it to the video decoder synchronization control unit 2906.

Similarly, the STC selection unit 32022 for the sub-picture decoder selects one of STCc and STCr in accordance with the control signal from the STC switching control unit 32018, and outputs it to the sub-picture decoder synchronization control unit 2908.

The audio decoder STC selection unit 32024 also selects one of STCc and STCr in accordance with the control signal from the STC switching control unit 32018, and outputs it to the audio decoder synchronization control unit 2910.

The STC selection unit 32026 for the system decoder also selects one of STCc and STCr in accordance with the control signal from the STC switching control unit 32018, and outputs it to the system decoder synchronization control unit 2912.

Next, the operation of the STC switching control unit 32018 in the non-seamless state will be described with reference to FIG. 60. In the case of non-seamless (SPF_regSML), all STC selection sections are used, namely, the STC selection section 32020 for video decoder, STC selection section 32022 for sub-picture decoder, STC selection section 32024 for audio decoder, and STC selection section for system decoder 32026, select and output STCc. In other words, the synchronization control of each decoder is always performed based on the STCc output by the STC counter 32014.

Next, the operation of the STC switching control unit 32018 during seamless playback (SPF_reg=SML) will be described with reference to FIGS. 40 and 61.

Fig. 40 shows the relationship between the recording positions and values of SCR, APTS, VDTS, and VPTS in the bit stream when two VOB#1 and VOB#2 are connected for seamless playback. SCR is the time information indicating the transmission time of the data group described in the data group, APTS is the time information indicating the start of playback of the audio data described in the audio data group, and VDTS is the time when the video data described in the video data group is decoded. Information, VPTS is information indicating the start time of video display described in the video data element. STC is a reference clock value used for synchronization control of the decoder.

Tse1(T1) is the time indicated by SCR in the data group at the end of VOB#1, Tae1(T2) is the time indicated by APTS at the end of VOB#1, and Tve1(T4) is the time indicated by VPTS at the end of VOB#1, which means VOB# 1 VOB_V_EPTM at the time indicated by VPTS at the end.

Tad represents the delay time of the audio buffer, Tdd represents the delay time of the video buffer, and Tve represents the delay time of the video buffer plus the delay until display.

Fig. 61 shows an operation flowchart of the STC switching control unit 32018 shown in Fig. 39 during seamless continuous playback.

In step #311220, the STC compensation value is calculated and the process proceeds to step #311221. The STC compensation value calculation method is as described above, using the register value VOB_V_EPTM_reg of the last video frame display end time in the VOB to be reproduced first, and the register value VOB_V_SPTM_reg for the display start time of the first video frame in the next VOB to be reproduced. That is, the total playback time of the VOB to be reproduced first is calculated as the STC offset value STCof of the VOB to be reproduced next.

In step #311221, the calculated STC compensation value STCof is set in the STC update unit 32016, and after the STC is updated, the process proceeds to step #311222. That is, in the STC update unit 32016, the output STCof (that is, STCc-STCof) from the STC compensation value calculation unit 32012 is subtracted from the output STCc of the STC counter 32014 as the STCr output.

In step #311222, at time T1 (FIG. 40), that is, the time when SCR switches from stream VOB#1 to VOB#2, STCr is selected and output, and the process proceeds to step 311223. Next, STCr is supplied to the STC value referenced by the system decoder, and the transmission timing to the system decoder of VOB#2 is determined by the SCR and STCr in the packet header.

In step #311223, at time T2 (FIG. 40), that is, when APTS switches from stream VOB#1 to VOB#2, STCr is selected and output, and the process proceeds to step 311224. Next, the STC is supplied to the STC value referenced by the audio decoder, and the audio output timing of VOB#2 is determined by the APTS and the STCr in the data group. That is, at the time when the STCr and APTS coincide, the audio data corresponding to the APTS is reproduced.

In step #311224, at time T3 (FIG. 40), that is, the time when VDTS switches from stream VOB#1 to VOB#2, STCr is selected and output, and the process proceeds to step 311225. Next, STCr is supplied to r in the STC value referenced by the video decoder, and the video output timing of VOB#2 is determined by the VDTS in the data group and the STCr. That is, at the time when the STCr and the VDTS coincide, the video data corresponding to the VDTS is decoded.

In step #311225, at time T4, that is, the time when the VPTS switches from stream VOB#1 to VOB#2, STCr is selected and output, and the process proceeds to step 311226. Next, STCr is supplied to the STC value referenced by the sub-picture decoder, and the sub-picture display timing of VOB#2 is determined by the PTS in the sub-picture data group and the STCr.

That is, at the time when the STCr and the PTS of the sub-picture coincide, the sub-picture data corresponding to the PTS is reproduced. In addition, since the sub-picture is processed instantaneously from decoding to display, the STC value referred to by the sub-picture decoder is also switched at the same timing when the VPTS indicating the picture display time is switched from VOB#1 to VOB#2.

In step #311226, STCr is set in the STC setting unit 32010, and with this value as the initial value, the STC counter 32014 is operated, and the process proceeds to step #311227.

In step #311227, all STC selection units, namely, the video decoder STC selection unit 32020, the sub-picture decoder STC selection unit 32022, the audio decoder STC selection unit 32024, and the system decoder STC selection unit 32026, are used to select and output all STCr.

Next, the output STCc of the STC counter 32014 is selected as the STC value referenced by the video decoder, sub-picture decoder, audio decoder, and system decoder.

The processing from step #311226 to step #311227 can be performed before the timing when the SCR switches from the part of VOB#2 to the beginning of the subsequent VOB (that is, the time T1 when the next VOB is switched).

The switching time T1 of the STC can be obtained by detecting the change of VOB_V_SPTM or VOB_V_EPTM in the NV group, and can be obtained by extracting the SCR in the data group immediately before the change. VOB_V_SPTM indicates the display start time of the VOB, and VOB_V_EPTM indicates the display end time of the VOB, and the same value is described in all the NV groups of the same VOB. Therefore, a change in VOB_V_SPTM or VOB_V_EPTM means a change in VOB. In this way, through the change of VOB_V_SPTM or VOB_V_EPTM, the change of VOB can be known. T1 can be obtained by adding the transmission time of 1 data group to the SCR value in the data group immediately before the VOB change. In addition, the transmission time of one data group is a fixed value.

The STC switching times T2 and T3 can also be calculated from APTS, VDTS, and VPTS extracted immediately before the change of VOB_V_SPTM or VOB_V_EPTM in the data group.

Regarding T2, it can be calculated by extracting the APTS from the audio data group immediately before the VOB switch, and adding the audio data playback time contained in the audio data group to the APTS. The audio data playback time contained in the audio data group can be calculated from the bit rate of the audio data and the data volume of the data group.

Regarding T3, VDTS is extracted from the audio data group containing VDTS immediately before the VOB switch, and this time can be obtained. The VDTS obtained in this way is provided, and the time it represents is T3.

Regarding T4, since it is equivalent to VOB_V_EPTM, VOB_V_EPTM can be used.

(Synchronization Control Unit: Embodiment 2) Next, with reference to FIG. 41, a second embodiment related to the present invention of the synchronization control unit 2900 shown in FIG. 26 will be described. The synchronization control unit 2900 is composed of an STC generation unit 32030, a PTS/DTS extraction unit 32031, a synchronization mechanism control unit 32032, a video decoder synchronization control unit 32033, a sub-picture decoder synchronization control unit 32034, an audio decoder synchronization control unit 32035, and system decoding The device synchronization control unit 32036 is configured.

The STC generation unit 32030 is a component that generates the system clock of each decoder. The video decoder synchronization control unit 32033, the sub-picture decoder synchronization control unit 32034, the audio decoder synchronization control unit 32035 and the system decoder synchronization control unit 32036, respectively Provide STC for synchronization. The STC generating unit 32030 is constituted by a counter that operates according to the system clock, and the SCR in the VOB head data group included in the PGC head VOB is set as the initial value of the counter, and then the system clock is used to count up. In this case, APTS or VPTS can also be reset as the initial value of the STC counter.

Both the audio output and the video output are reproduced in synchronization with the output clock. Therefore, due to the accumulation of accuracy errors between the STC and the audio output clock and the video output clock, synchronization may be disordered. When this accumulated error increases, each decoding buffer may leak (overflow or underflow). Therefore, for example, APTS synchronized with the audio output clock is periodically set to STC, and the error between APTS and STC is not accumulated, so the sound can be reproduced without interruption. In this case, skip or freeze video output for the image synchronization control. This kind of synchronization control is defined as sound master synchronization control. On the other hand, for example, by periodically setting the VPTS synchronized with the video output clock to the STC, the error between the VPTS and the STC will not be accumulated, so the image can be reproduced without interruption. In this case, skip or pause audio output for sound synchronization control. This synchronization control is defined as the main image synchronization control.

Hereinafter, in the synchronization control technology described here, the synchronization mode ON means that the synchronization control of the STC (voice master or image master) is performed as described above, and the synchronization mode OFF means that the synchronization control of the STC is not performed. That is to say, when the synchronization mode is OFF, the video decoder and audio decoder do not refer to the value of the time stamp in the bit stream, but only perform video and audio output in a predetermined frame period according to the reference clock held internally. At this time, the mutual timing control between image and audio is not performed.

The PTS/DTS extraction unit 32031 extracts PTS and DTS from the synchronization control data St81, and supplies them to the synchronization control unit of each decoder.

The synchronization mechanism control unit 32032 generates a synchronization control signal indicating whether to perform synchronization control (synchronization mode ON or synchronization mode OFF) for each decoder synchronization control unit. The synchronization mechanism control unit 32032 will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 42.

If the synchronization control signal from the synchronization mechanism control unit 32032 instructs the synchronization mode to be ON, the video decoder synchronization control unit 32033 will start video decoding based on the STC from the STC generation unit 32030 and the time information DTS to start video decoding obtained by the PTS/DTS extraction unit 32031 , A video decoding start signal St89 is generated. That is, the video decoding start signal St89 is generated at the time when STC and DTS coincide. If the synchronization control signal from the synchronization mechanism control unit 32032 instructs the synchronization mode to be OFF, the video decoding start signal St89 is continuously output during this period. In other words, the video decoder does not rely on control from the outside, but decodes based on the control of the internal state.

If the synchronization control signal from the synchronization mechanism control unit 32032 instructs the synchronization mode to be ON, the sub-picture decoder synchronization control unit 32034 will start sub-picture decoding based on the STC from the STC generation unit 32030 and the time information obtained by the PTS/DTS extraction unit 32031 PTS generates a sub-picture decoding start signal St91. That is, the sub-picture decoding start signal St91 is generated when the STC and PTS coincide. If the synchronization control signal from the synchronization mechanism control unit 32032 instructs the synchronization mode to be OFF, the sub-picture decoding start signal St91 is continuously output during this period. In other words, the sub-picture decoder does not rely on control from the outside, but decodes based on the control of the internal state.

If the synchronization control signal from the synchronization mechanism control unit 32032 instructs the synchronization mode to be ON, the audio data decoder synchronization control unit 32035 will start audio decoding based on the STC from the STC generation unit 32030 and the PTS/DTS extraction unit 32031, the time information PTS to start audio decoding. , To generate an audio decoding start signal St93. In other words, the audio data decoding start signal St93 is generated when the STC and PTS coincide. If the synchronization control signal from the synchronization mechanism control unit 32032 instructs the synchronization mode to be OFF, the audio decoding start signal St93 is continuously output during this period. In other words, the audio decoder does not rely on external control, but decodes based on internal state control.

The system decoder synchronization control unit 32036 outputs the STC from the STC generation unit 32030 as S79. St79 is used for data group transmission control from the bit stream buffer to the system decoder. That is, if the STC value is consistent with the SCR value in the data group, the data of the data group is transferred from the bit stream buffer to the system decoder.

Next, the synchronization mechanism control unit 32032 will be described with reference to FIGS. 42 and 43.

FIG. 42 shows the detailed structure of the synchronization mechanism control unit 32032. The synchronization mechanism control unit 32032 is composed of an SCR change detection unit 32040, an APTS change time detection unit 32041, a VPTS change time detection unit 32042, and a synchronization mode switching unit 32043.

The SCR change detection unit 32040 generates a valid SCR change detection signal when the SCR value in the data group header in the synchronization control data St81 changes to "0, and inputs it to the synchronization mode switching unit 32043. In this way, when two VOBs are continuously connected and reproduced, when the original continuous VOB is cut into two, that is, except for the case where the SCR between the two VOBs is continuous, the SCR of the first data group of the VOB to be reproduced later If it is "0", the disconnection of VOB can be easily detected. Here, although "0" is taken, other appropriate values may be used as long as it satisfies the condition that makes it easy to determine where the VOB is disconnected.

Especially when considering the combination of the protective lock playback section (VOB#1) to another bit stream (VOB#2), the VOB of the protective lock section is different due to the different playback time, so it cannot be considered. Connect all to assign the first SCR of the subsequent VOB#2. In this case, the SCR in the first data group of VOB#2 is taken as "0".

The APTS change time detection unit 32041 compares the APTS at the VOB switching time in the synchronization control data St81 with the STC counter value supplied from the generating unit 32030 in FIG. 41, and generates a valid APTS change time detection when the STC counter value exceeds the aforementioned APTS Signal and input to the synchronization mode switching unit 32043. In addition, the method of detecting APTS at the time of VOB switching will be described later with reference to FIG. 43.

The VPTS change time detection unit 32042 compares the VPTS and the STC counter value at the time of VOB switching in the synchronization control data St81, generates a valid VPTS change time detection signal when the STC counter value exceeds the aforementioned VPTS, and inputs it to the synchronization mode switching unit In 32043. In addition, the method of detecting the VPTS at the VOB switching time will be described later with reference to FIG. 43.

The synchronization mode switching unit 32043 generates a synchronization mode switching signal based on the SCR change detection signal from the SCR change detection unit 32040, the APTS change detection signal from the APTS change detection unit 32041, and the VPTS change detection signal from the VPTS change detection unit 32042, and They are output to the video decoder synchronization control unit 32033, the sub-picture decoder synchronization control unit 32034, the audio data decoder synchronization control unit 32035, and the system decoder synchronization control unit 32036, respectively. In addition, the STC update signal STCs is output to the STC generator 32030.

Each decoder synchronization control unit performs synchronization control based on STC as described above if the synchronization mode is ON. On the contrary, the synchronization control based on STC as described above is not performed.

Next, the operation of the synchronization mode switching unit 32043 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 43.

In step #320430, the STC update signal STCs is generated and output, and after output to the STC generation unit 32030, the process proceeds to step #320431. If the STC update signal STCs is valid, the STC generator 32030 sets the new SCR to the initial value from the synchronization control data St81, and updates the STC.

In step #320431, the decoder synchronization control units 32033, 32034, 32035, and 32036 output a synchronization mode switching signal indicating that the synchronization mode is ON, and the process proceeds to step #320432.

In step #320432, if the SCR change is detected in the SCR change detection unit 32040, then proceed to step #320433. If no SCR change is detected, the same steps are repeated in step #320432 until the SCR change is detected . That is, during this period, each decoder synchronization control unit continuously outputs the synchronization mode ON.

In step #320433, the decoder synchronization control units 32033, 32034, 32035, and 32036 output a synchronization mode switching signal indicating that the synchronization mode is OFF, and the process proceeds to step #320434. In other words, this step means that the synchronization mode is cancelled from the time T1 when the VOB is switched when the data group is transferred.

In step #320434, if both the APTS change time detection unit 32041 and the VPTS change time detection unit 32042 detect the change time, the process returns to step #3204301, and the synchronization mode is turned on in step #32043. However, if the change time is not detected, the same procedure is repeated in step #320434 until the change of APTS and VPTS is detected to be up. That is, during this period, the synchronization mode OFF is continuously output to each decoder synchronization control unit.

Next, the synchronization control method at the start of normal playback (when continuous playback between VOBs is not performed at the beginning of the VOB) will be described with reference to FIG. 44.

Fig. 44 shows the relationship between the values of PST with the elapsed time as the axis of abscissas and PST of various values as the axis of ordinates. Among them, SCR represents the time when VOB is input into the system decoder, the value of APTS represents the time when audio data is reproduced, STC is the reference clock of the decoder, and the value of VPTS represents the time when video data is reproduced.

Here, the point where the first SCR of the VOB is "0" is taken as the A point. Even when the leading SCR is not "0", for example, when normal playback is performed from the VOB halfway after special playback, the control sequence is the same. ΔTad and ΔTvd respectively represent the time from when audio data and video data are input to the system decoder to when they are output. ΔTad is smaller than ΔTvd. In order to record data at the beginning of the VOB based on the time of reproduction, only video data exists at point C at the beginning, and audio data is recorded from point D delayed by ΔTvd-ΔTad.

That is, when the data group data is input to the system decoder, the video data is at point C at the beginning of the system stream, but the audio data is at point D delayed by ΔTvd-ΔTad.

The synchronization control in this part is as follows. First, stop the output of image and audio, put the SCR value in the data component of point A into the STC generating unit 32030 at point B, and the STC generating unit 32030 uses the system clock to operate the internal counter and output the STC. At the same time, the VOB head data group is transferred to the system decoder 2500, and the subsequent data group transmission is performed at the SCR time described in the header of each data group based on the STC value generated by the STC generator 32030.

Next, the first video data is decoded, and the image output is started at time F when the STC value generated by the STC generating unit 32030 is the first VPTS value.

With regard to audio data output, the decoding of the first audio data is also performed, and at the instant (point E) when the STC value generated by the STC generating unit 32030 is the same as the first APTS value (point E), the output of sound is started.

In this way, after starting the playback of the beginning of the VOB, the audio is the master or the image is the master for synchronization control.

Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 45, the synchronization control method in the case of seamless playback of two VOBs will be described, particularly the detection methods of the SCR change detection unit 32040, APTS change time detection unit 32041, and VPTS change time detection unit 32042 of FIG. 42.

FIG. 45 shows the relationship between the recording positions of SCR, APTS, and VPTS and each value when VOB#1 and VOB#2 are seamlessly connected.

In the following, in order to realize seamless playback, the necessity of switching the synchronization mode of each decoder synchronization control unit, that is, the synchronization mode ON and the synchronization mode OFF will be described. Point G represents the switching time of the transferred data group from VOB#1 to VOB#2, point H represents the audio output switching time, and point I represents the video output switching time. In this way, the switching time of video output and audio output is different, and synchronization control using the same STC cannot be performed. Therefore, the interval from the G point of STC switching to the I point of APTS and VPTS switching requires no synchronization control using STC. After point I where APTS and VPTS switch together, it is possible and necessary to perform synchronization control using STC again.

Next, the timing detection method that does not perform synchronization control, that is, makes the synchronization mode OFF, will be described.

From the SCR diagram in Fig. 45, the timing to turn off the synchronization mode can be obtained. During the period when the value of SCR is increasing, it is the period during which the data group of VOB#1 is transmitted to the system decoder. Only when the transmission of the data group of VOB#1 ends and the transmission of the components of VOB#2 is started, the G point of the SCR The value is "0". Therefore, by detecting the G point where the SCR becomes "0", it can be known that the data group of VOB#2 is output to the system decoder, and the synchronization mode is turned off at this time Tg.

In addition, the detection that the SCR value is "0" can also be performed at the time of writing into the bit stream buffer 2400. It is also possible to use detection at this time to turn off the synchronization mode.

Next, the timing at which the synchronization control is started, that is, the timing at which the synchronization mode changes from OFF to ON, will be described.

In order to start the synchronization control, it is necessary to know how both the audio output and the video output have changed from VOB#1 to VOB#2. By detecting the point H at which the increase of APTS value is interrupted, the moment when the audio data output changes to VOB#2 can be known. Similarly, by detecting the point I at which the increase of the VPTS value is interrupted, the moment when the video output changes to VOB#2 can also be known. Therefore, after knowing that both the H point and the I point appear, the time Ti is used directly to turn on the synchronization mode.

During the period from time Tg to time Ti, it is not necessary to detect the change in SCR to find the timing to turn off the synchronization mode. Any earlier change time of VPTS and APTS can be used as the timing (in this case, time Th). The synchronization mode becomes OFF. As a result, the period during which the synchronization mode is OFF becomes the period from time Th to time Ti, and the period during which synchronization control cannot be performed can be shortened compared to when the synchronization mode is OFF at time Tg.

However, as explained so far, when performing timing detection based on whether the value of APTS and the value of VPTS continue to increase, the values of APTS and VPTS must be decreased at the connection point of the VOB. In other words, the final APTS value and VPTS value in the VOB need to be larger than the initial values of APTS and VPTS in the VOB.

The maximum value that the initial values (ΔTad, ΔTvd) of APTS and VPTS can have is determined as follows.

The initial values of APTS and VPTS are the time for storing video data and audio data in the video buffer and audio buffer, respectively, and the delay time for video reordering (in the MPEG video compression system, the decoding order and display order of the image may not be the same , Sometimes display the sum later than decoded). Therefore, the sum of the time required until the video buffer and the audio data buffer become full and the maximum display delay caused by video reordering becomes the maximum initial value of APTS and VPTS.

Therefore, when creating a VOB, the final APTS and VPTS values in the VOB must exceed these values.

Although the control of the timing of the synchronization mechanism ON after VOB connection and the method of detecting whether the values of APTS and VPTS increase are described, it is used when APTS is below the APTS threshold and VPTS is below the VPTS threshold. It can also be realized when the change is detected at the time point.

Regarding the calculation method of the APTS threshold and the VPTS threshold, these thresholds are equal to the maximum initial value of each value 0 of APTS and VPTS in the VOB, so they can be calculated in the same manner as the aforementioned maximum value.

By performing the ON/OFF control of the synchronization mechanism as described above, seamless playback can be performed at the connection portion of the VOB without causing any scatter in the playback state.

In addition, in the AV synchronization technology of the second embodiment of the present invention, the method is to periodically set the value of APTS to STC, and determine whether the value of VPTS is early or late based on STC, so that the image is frozen or skipped (audio master Control), and set the value of VPTS to STC, and determine whether the value of APTS is early or late based on STC, so that the sound is paused or skipped (image mastering). In addition, although there are methods that directly compare the values of APTS and VPTS and use either APTS or VPTS as a reference, the AV synchronization ON/OFF control of this embodiment is also the same as adopting any of these methods. Effect.

Although the description at the beginning of the VOB assumes that the SCR is "0", in cases other than "0", the value at the beginning of the SCR can be added to the values of APTS and VPTS as compensation, and the same control can be performed.

In the second embodiment, the flag register value STCDF_reg, which is used to indicate whether STC re-setting is required, is used in the next replayed VOB. If the register value is STC_RESET, the synchronization mode is always controlled to be ON, and it can only be used when the register is STC_NRESET , Perform synchronous mode ON/OFF control.

In this way, the data transferred to the bit stream buffer can be decoded while synchronizing between the decoders.

According to the present invention, during the reproduction of multiple scenes, etc., even if the SCR and PTS for synchronization control are not continuous between continuously reproduced VOBs, the synchronization of video data and audio data can be maintained at the connection point of the VOB. Play back 2 VOBs seamlessly.

Industrial Applicability As described above, the method and device for bitstream interleaved recording and playback of media of the present invention are suitable for use in titles that can be composed of bitstreams that transmit various information, and edit them according to user requirements. The authoring system that constitutes the new title is also applicable to the so-called DVD system, which is a digital video disc system developed in recent years.