JP2005044388A - Data reproducing apparatus and setting method of parental level in apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a data reproducing apparatus which can more efficiently and easily recognize a difference between parental levels. <P>SOLUTION: A DVD player 10 has a function to reproduce data to which a parental level is given in accordance with the contents. In addition, it extracts a parental block including target data of the parental level from the data recorded in a DVD210 and reproduces data of different portions among two or more parental levels contained in the parental block. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a data reproducing apparatus for reproducing data recorded on a recording medium such as a digital versatile disk (DVD), and in particular, reproducing data with a parental level and setting the parental level in the data reproducing apparatus. About.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The DVD player compares the parental level set on the player side with the parental level assigned on the disc side, and has a viewing restriction (parental function) that prevents playback of disc content below the set parental level. is doing. Thereby, for example, only a scene that does not include a violent scene that the parent does not want to show to the child is reproduced.
[0003]
Parental blocks have levels from 1 to 8, and these levels are recorded as management information on the disc. If the parent falls under the parental level, but there is a scene that you want to show to the child, but you do not want to show that scene, etc., find the optimal parental level by watching in advance. It is necessary to set the parental level after that. However, since there is no way for the user to determine which scene falls under the parental block, what level of parental should be restricted and how much difference there is at each level is actually I had to set the parental level and change it to find the difference.
[0004]
Regarding such a problem, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses skip reproduction in which only information of an arbitrary parental level is reproduced at high speed. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, if the parental level of the DVD player device is set to 8, for example, the common part (level 1) of the data included in the program chain (PGC) The data of −8) is skipped, and data corresponding to level 8 of the parental block is reproduced. Thereby, it is possible to efficiently recognize the difference in the information contents of each parental level in a short time. Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, after the parental level 8 information of the highest level is reproduced, the parental level 78 information is reproduced, and thereafter the parental level information of the lower level is sequentially reproduced. This makes it possible to check the parental level efficiently.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-14441 [0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the parental level information reproducing method disclosed in Patent Document 1 has the following problems. In Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 6, since the parental level is confirmed, that is, reproduced, in units of program chains (PGC), if the program chain is long, it is confirmed proportionally. The time will be longer. Patent Document 1 details the reproduction of parental level information, but makes no mention of an optimal setting method of the parental level on the DVD player side.
[0007]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-described conventional problems, and to provide a data reproducing apparatus that can recognize a difference in parental level more efficiently and easily.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a data reproducing apparatus and a parental level setting method in the apparatus that can easily and efficiently set an optimum parental level for a user.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The data reproducing apparatus according to the present invention has a function of reproducing data to which a parental level is assigned according to the content, and further includes parental level target data from data recorded on a recording medium. It has a reproducing means for extracting a block and reproducing a portion of data different between a plurality of parental levels included in the parental block.
[0009]
In the present invention, since different portions of data between the parental levels in the parental block are reproduced, the difference between the two can be recognized more remarkably and the data for checking the parental level The playback time can be shortened and the efficiency can be improved.
[0010]
The reproduction means can reproduce the data of the difference between the first parental level data in the parental block and the second parental level data next to the first parental level, preferably Then, the difference from the next parental level data is reproduced sequentially from the lowest parental level. Thereby, the different part between parental levels can be confirmed efficiently.
[0011]
The data reproducing apparatus further includes parental level selection means for selecting a parental level for the parental block after reproduction for all the parental levels included in the parental block is completed. Thereby, the optimal parental level can be selected for each parental block.
[0012]
The data reproducing apparatus further includes parental level setting means for setting any one of the parental levels selected for the plurality of parental blocks by the parental level selection means as the parental level. Apart from this, the parental level setting means can also set the parental level selected for each parental block as the parental level for each parental block.
[0013]
More preferably, when data of a portion different between parental levels is being reproduced in the parental block, the identification may be displayed on the display so that the user can easily recognize it.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a DVD player according to the present embodiment. In the figure, a DVD player 10 optically reads data recorded on a DVD 20 by an optical pickup and converts it into digital data, an input unit 40 constituting an input interface between the user and the player, and the DVD 20 An image processing unit 50 including a D / A converter for outputting image data read out from the display 52 to the display 52, a D / A converter for outputting audio data read out from the DVD 20 to the speaker 62, etc. An audio processing unit 60 including a program, a program memory 70 including a program, a data memory 80 for storing various data, a parental level storage unit 88 for storing a set parental level, and a control unit 90 for controlling these units. Is included.
[0015]
The DVD 20 is rotated at a constant speed by a spindle motor. The reading drive unit 30 moves an optical pickup incorporating a semiconductor laser or the like in the radial direction of the DVD 20, photoelectrically converts the reflected light from the DVD 20, and converts it into digital data. The read data is separated into image data and audio data by the control unit 90. The image data and the audio data are output from the display 52 and the speaker 62 via the image processing unit 50 and the audio processing unit 60, respectively.
[0016]
The program memory 70 can be preferably configured using a hard disk, ROM, or nonvolatile RAM, and includes a program for defining various operations to be performed by the DVD player 10. For example, a data reproduction program 72 that defines an operation for reading data recorded on a DVD and reproducing it, and in the present invention, for parental level check for checking the parental level of data recorded on a DVD. A program 74 and a parental level setting program 76 for setting a parental level in the DVD player according to the check result are included.
[0017]
The data memory 80 is preferably configured using a hard disk, DRAM, or SRAM, and temporarily stores data read from the DVD 20 or stores calculation results by the control unit 90. Further, in the present invention example, information 82 related to the parental block searched when the parental level is checked, data 84 regarding the difference between the parental levels of the parental blocks, and selected by the user for each parental block. The parental level 86 and the like are stored. The parental level storage unit 88 is preferably a rewritable nonvolatile storage medium such as a hard disk, and stores the parental level set on the DVD player side.
[0018]
Next, reproduction of data recorded on the DVD will be described. When data recorded on a DVD is reproduced, the reproduction is performed in units of program chains (PGC). The program chain includes program chain information (PGCI) and a plurality of video objects (VOB). The program chain information (PGCI) includes information related to the playback path or playback order of the video object (VOB). The video object (VOB) is composed of reproduction data such as images and audio, and each video object (VOB) is composed of a plurality of cells (CELL) to be reproduced.
[0019]
Parental levels are classified into a maximum of 8 levels. On the DVD 20, up to eight program chains corresponding to each parental level are recorded for one parental block. A program chain (PGC) to which a parental level is assigned includes a parental ID in the program chain information (PGCI), and the parental ID can identify which parental level the program chain has.
[0020]
FIG. 2A is a diagram for explaining program program chains (PGC # 1 to # 8) corresponding to eight parental levels. One story consists of multiple program chains, some of which are not subject to parental level (common part # 1, # 2, # 3), and some program chains are parental Suppose it is the target of a level. The program chains that are not subject to the parental level have the same data, that is, the same, in other words, a single program chain. On the other hand, the program chain that is the target of the parental level has a plurality of parental chains for each program level. Here, a plurality of program chains subject to such a parental level are called parental blocks.
[0021]
In FIG. 2A, parental blocks # 1 and # 2 are included in a common program chain, and each parental block # 1 and # 2 includes a program chain (PGC #) corresponding to eight parental levels. 1 to # 8). Each video object (VOBVB) in the program chain (PGC # 1 to # 8) has different cell data to be played according to the level, and as the parental level becomes severe, extreme violence scenes and the like are cut off. It has become. Whether or not the program chain is a parental level target is recorded in the program chain information (PGCI).
[0022]
FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating an example of cell data of parental levels (PL) 1 to 8 included in the parental block # 1. Here, as an example, it is assumed that cell # 1 to cell # 12 are to be reproduced, and cell data is reproduced in the order. Since parental level 8 is the level with the loosest viewing restrictions, all of cell # 1 to cell # 12 are reproduced. In parental level 7, viewing restrictions are stricter by one rank than that, and as a result, cell # 5 including an extreme scene is removed from the reproduction target. In the parental level 6, the viewing restriction is further strict by one rank, and the cell 4 including the extreme scene is removed from the reproduction target. Similarly, as the number of parental levels decreases, viewing restrictions gradually become stricter, and accordingly, cell data including images, scenes, and sounds including more extreme scenes are removed from the reproduction target. In parental level 1 with the most severe viewing restrictions, reproduction is performed in the order of cells # 1, # 3, # 6, # 7, and # 12.
[0023]
Next, a method for checking the parental level given to the DVD data and setting the parental level will be described with reference to FIG. The operation of checking the parental level is started from the state in which the DVD 20 is mounted on the DVD player. When the user gives a parental level check instruction via the input unit 40, the control unit 90 starts its operation according to the parental level check program 74.
[0024]
The control unit 90 searches for parental blocks # 1, # 2,... #N with reference to reproduction control information recorded on the DVD 20, that is, program chain information (PGCI) (step S101). Cell reproduction information is extracted for each level from the program chain information (PGCI) corresponding to the parental block (step S102). For example, in the case of parental block # 1 in FIG. 2B, cell data is reproduced in the order of cells # 1, # 3, # 6, # 7, and # 12 as parental level 1 reproduction information. Extracting and extracting that the cell data is reproduced in the order of cells # 1, # 2, # 3, # 6, # 7, and # 12 as parental level 2 reproduction information. Similar processing is performed.
[0025]
Next, based on the reproduction information of the cell, different parts of the cell to be reproduced between adjacent parental levels are determined (step S103). In this embodiment, first, different cell portions are discriminated between the lowest parental level (parental level 8) and the parental level one higher (parental level 7). Taking FIG. 2B as an example, the parental level 8 playback information (playback path) is the playback target for all cells # 1 to # 12, and the parental level 7 playback path is the cell. Although # 1 to # 12, cell # 5 is deleted. For this reason, it becomes clear that cell # 5 is a different part by comparing both reproduction information.
[0026]
Based on the determination result, the control unit 90 displays the reproduction data of the cell # 5 on the display 52. At this time, it is preferable to display on the display 62 that different portions of the parental levels 8 and 7 are being reproduced.
[0027]
Next, the control unit 90 compares the parental level 7 and the parental level 6, and reproduces a cell # 4 that is different between them, that is, in the example of FIG. 2B (steps S103 and S104). . In this way, different parent cells are discriminated and reproduced while the parental levels are sequentially incremented one by one, and the same processing is performed for all levels of the parental block (step S105).
[0028]
When playback of all the different cell portions in the parental block # 1 is completed, an input screen for selecting which parental level is displayed on the display 52. Preferably, buttons on parental levels 1-8 are presented on display 52. The user can select an optimum parental level by checking the parental level while sequentially comparing scenes or scenes that differ between adjacent parental levels via the display 52 (step S107). The parental level selected by the user is stored in the data memory 80 in association with the parental block # 1.
[0029]
Next, in the parental block # 2, the control unit 90 discriminates a portion of cells that differ between adjacent parental levels and reproduces it as described above. Then, after checking the parental level by the user, the user selects an optimal parental level and stores it (steps S103 to S107).
[0030]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a parental level check operation for the parental blocks # 1 and # 2. When the selection of the parental level for all the parental blocks # 1 and # 2 is completed, the control unit 90 sets the lowest parental level among all the selected parental levels as a default value. The set value is stored in the parental level storage unit 88 (step S109). Thereby, when this story of the DVD 20 is reproduced, the reproduction is performed according to the parental level stored in the parental level storage unit 88.
[0031]
In this embodiment, only the cell portion that differs between the parental levels included in the parental block is reproduced, so that the parental level can be checked efficiently. Furthermore, since the adjacent parental levels can be sequentially compared, it is possible to easily recognize the difference between the parental levels. For example, when the parental level 3 is confirmed, the parental level 3 is compared with the parental level 45 and the parental level 2, so that a relative level difference can be easily confirmed.
[0032]
Next, a parental level setting method according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The parental level check is the same as in the first embodiment, and steps S201 to S208 in FIG. 5 are the same as steps S101 to S108 in FIG. However, in the second embodiment, the parental level selected by the user for each parental block is set as the parental level, and is stored in the parental level storage unit 88 (step S209). During the parental block reproduction, the player changes the parental level set to the parental level set for the player at any time according to the selected level. Thereby, it is possible to set a more optimized parental level, and as a result, it is possible to perform reproduction at a preferred parental level for each parental block.
[0033]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the parental level can be checked in units of cells constituting the program chain, and this can be performed in a short time. When checking the parental level in units of program chains, if the playback time is long (for example, there are some movies that are long), the time required for the check becomes long and the efficiency is poor. However, by performing check and playback in units of cells, which are differences between parental levels, it is possible to check parental levels efficiently in a short time even for a program chain with a long playback time.
[0034]
In addition, since only different portions between parental levels are reproduced and checked, it is possible to further reduce the check time and increase the efficiency. Furthermore, by enabling the setting of the parental level in units of parental blocks, more customized data can be reproduced.
[0035]
The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims. Deformation / change is possible.
[0036]
The DVD player is an example, and can be applied to other data devices. For example, an in-vehicle DVD device may be used, and other functions such as a TV function and a navigation function may be combined. The DVD player may be a single device or a system combining several devices. The data reproducing apparatus of the present invention includes such a DVD player as an example, and is not limited to this.
[0037]
Furthermore, the parental level assigned to the DVD data is not necessarily limited to one having all eight levels, and may be a level lower than that. The parental level set in the DVD player does not necessarily match the parental level assigned to the DVD, and if not, the program chain of a level smaller than that closest to the parental level is reproduced. .
[0038]
Further, the reproduced data may be image data such as moving images, still images, frame advance, and audio data, and the data recorded on the DVD may be compressed data such as MPEG.
[0039]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, since different portions of data between the parental levels in the parental block are reproduced, the difference between the two can be recognized more remarkably and the parental level can be confirmed. Data reproduction time can be shortened, and efficiency can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a DVD player.
FIG. 2 (a) shows a parental block including a program chain of a common part included in one story and data of a parental level target, and FIG. 2 (b) shows each parental block. It is a figure which shows an example of the cell data reproduced | regenerated at a rental level.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a parental level check and parental level setting method according to the first embodiment;
4 is a diagram conceptually showing an operation of checking a parental level shown in FIG. 3. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a parental level check and parental level setting method according to a twenty-first embodiment;
FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a conventional parental level confirmation operation;
[Explanation of symbols]
10: DVD player, 20: DVD, 30: reading drive unit, 40: input unit,
50: Image processing unit, 52: Display, 60: Audio processing unit,
62: Speaker, 70: Program memory, 80: Data memory,
88: Parental level storage unit, 90: Control unit

Claims (8)

A data playback device having a function of playing back data with a parental level according to the content,
It has a reproducing means for extracting a parental block including data of a parental level from data recorded on a recording medium and reproducing a portion of data different between a plurality of parental levels included in the parental block. Data reproduction device. The data according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction means reproduces a difference between the first parental level data in the parental block and the second parental level data adjacent to the first parental level. Playback device. 2. The data reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising parental level selection means for selecting a parental level for the parental block after the reproduction of data of portions having different parental levels in the parental block is completed. Data playback device. The data reproducing apparatus further includes parental level setting means for setting any one of the parental levels selected for the plurality of parental blocks by the parental level selection means as the parental level. The data reproducing apparatus according to claim 3. 6. The data reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying an identification of the portion of the parental block that is reproduced when different portions of the parental level are reproduced. . A method for setting a parental level of a data reproducing apparatus having a function of reproducing data with a parental level according to the contents,
Extracting a parental block including data of a parental level from data recorded on a recording medium;
A reproduction step of reproducing data of different parts between a plurality of parental levels included in the parental block;
Selecting the parental level for the parental block after the reproduction for all the parental levels of the parental block is completed;
Storing the selected parental level;
A parental level setting method comprising: repeating the above steps and setting any one of the parental levels selected for all the parental blocks as an optimum parental level. A method for setting a parental level of a data reproducing apparatus having a function of reproducing data with a parental level according to the contents,
Extracting a parental block including data of a parental level from data recorded on a recording medium;
A playback step for playing back different portions of data between a plurality of parental levels included in the parental block;
Selecting the parental level for the parental block after the playback for all the parental blocks of the parental block is finished;
Storing the selected parental level;
A parental level setting method comprising: repeating the above steps and setting the parental level selected for all the parental blocks as an optimal parental level for each parental block. The parental level setting method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the reproduction step discriminates different data between the parental levels by comparing reproduction information of data of each parental level.

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