JP2002140884A - Information recording method, information reproducing method, information recording/reproducing method, and information recording/reproducing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for recording information on an information recording medium so as to bring out the differentiation and he originality of a function for each information recording and reproducing apparatus of a different manufacturer or a different selling agency when reproducing the information recorded on the information recording medium by the information recording and reproducing apparatus. SOLUTION: Common information (2001) which can be reproduced with a prescribed information reproducing apparatus is recorded, specific information (2002) which can be reproduced with a specific information reproducing apparatus among prescribed information reproducing apparatuses is recorded, and link information (2003) showing the relation between the common information and the specific information is recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in an information recording method standardized in common among a plurality of manufacturers that manufacture information recording / reproducing apparatuses.

[0002] The present invention also relates to an improvement in an information reproducing method for reproducing an information recording medium recorded by an information recording method standardized in common among a plurality of manufacturers of information recording / reproducing apparatuses.

Further, the present invention provides an information recording method standardized among a plurality of manufacturers that manufacture information recording / reproducing apparatuses, and an information reproducing method for reproducing an information recording medium recorded by the information recording method. The present invention relates to an improvement of an information recording / reproducing device employed.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, research and development on optical discs as information recording media have been actively conducted. Optical discs include CDs (Compact disks) that are currently in widespread use and DVDs (Digital Video Disks) that have a large capacity. In addition, DVDs are capable of recording and reproducing video information.
There is Video. The format of information recorded on information recording media such as CDs and DVDs is defined by a unified standard described in a standard. Manufacturers of information recording media record information formatted according to a unified standard on the information recording medium.

[0005]

An information recording / reproducing apparatus for recording information on an information recording medium and reproducing information recorded on the information recording medium is manufactured by a plurality of manufacturers. However, as described above, since information is recorded on the information recording medium in accordance with the unified standard, an information recording / reproducing apparatus manufactured by any manufacturer can obtain only a similar reproduction result. That is, for each information recording / reproducing device,
There is a problem that the function cannot be differentiated and unique. As a result, the competition principle of each manufacturer in terms of functions does not work, and there is a possibility that technical development in the DVD-Video market is hindered.

Further, since information is recorded on an information recording medium in accordance with a fixed standard, there has been a problem that the function cannot be quickly expanded in response to technological progress. In other words, in order to add a new function to the information recording medium, the unified standard must be upgraded with the addition of the new function. However, since it takes a lot of time to upgrade the unified standard, it has been difficult to add new functions in a timely manner in response to technological progress.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has a highly expandable and flexible information recording method, information reproducing method, information recording / reproducing method, and information recording / reproducing apparatus. Is to provide.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, at least video or audio stream information is recorded in a first area, and when the video or audio stream information is reproduced, Referenced management information is recorded in a second area, extended content information is further recorded in the first area in the first area, and extended content information is further recorded in the second area. The basic idea is to record the corresponding extended management information.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<1> Outline of Data Structure on Information Recording Medium An information recording medium (Optical Disk 100) shown in FIG.
Data recorded in 1) (video information, music information, etc.)
The structure shown in FIG. 1B is from the inner side (Inner Side 1006) to the outer side (Outer Side 1007). The details of the data structure shown in FIG. 1B are as shown in FIGS. 1C, 1D, 1E, and 1F.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1B, the information recording medium (Optical Disk 1001) includes: an embossed data zone (embossed data zone) in which the light reflecting surface has an uneven shape, and a flat surface (mirror surface). Mirror Z
one (mirror zone) and rewritable information Rewri
Lead with table data zone (rewritable zone)
-in Area (lead-in area) 1002-Rewritable that can be recorded and rewritten by the user
Recorded in the data zone (rewritable zone), Audio &
Vo that contains information about the entire Video Data file or volume
lume & File Manager Information 1003 ・ Rewritable that can be recorded and rewritten by the user
Data consisting of data Zone (rewritable data zone)
Area (data area) 1004-Lead-out area composed of rewritable data zone (rewritable data zone) where information can be rewritten
(Lead-out area) 1005.

Also, a Lead-in Area (lead-in area)
The embossed data zone 1002 includes information such as a disc type such as DVD-ROM / DVD-RAM / DVD-R, a disc size, a recording density, and a physical sector number indicating a recording start / end position. Information on the entire recording medium-Information on recording / reproducing / erasing characteristics such as recording power and recording pulse width, erasing power, reproducing power, and linear velocity at the time of recording / erasing-Manufacture of one information recording medium such as serial number Information is recorded in advance.

[0013] Lead-in Area 100
2 Rewritable data zone and lead-out area 1005
The Rewritable data zone of each of the above includes: a unique disc name recording area for each information recording medium; a test recording area (for confirming recording / erasing conditions); A management information recording area is provided, and recording by the information recording / reproducing apparatus is possible in the area.

Lead-in Area 10
02 and Lead-out Area 100
Data Area 100 sandwiched between 5
No. 4, mixed recording of Computer Data (computer data) and Audio & Video Data (audio and video data) is possible as shown in FIG.
Computer Data and Audio & Vid
The recording order of eo Data (audio and video data) and the size of each recording information are arbitrary, and the area where Computer Data (computer data) is recorded
rea (computer data area) 1008, 1010
The area where Audio & Video Data is recorded is called Audio & Video Data Are.
a (audio and video data area) 1009.

The data structure of information recorded in the Audio & Video Data Area 1009 is as shown in FIG. 1D. Anchor Pointer for Control Information (anchor pointer for control information) 1015: Audio & V
It is located at the first position in the ideo Data Area (Audio and Video Data Area) 1009,
eo Data Area (audio and video data area)
Control Information 101 in 1009
Information indicating the head position (head address) where 1 is recorded. ・ Control Information (control information) 1011: Control information necessary for performing each process of recording (recording), playback, editing, and search. ・ Video Objects (video object) ) 1012:
Video Data (Contents) Recording Information-Picture Objects 101
3: Still image information such as a Still image, a Slide image, etc. Audio Objects 101
4: Contents of Audio Data (Audio)
Recording information ・ Thumbnail Objects (Thumbnail Objects) 10
16: It is composed of information such as a thumbnail (Thumbnail) used when searching for a desired place in Video Data or when editing.

Video Objects 1012, Picture Objects 1013, Audio Objects 1014, and Thumbnail Objects 1016 shown in FIG. Means a group of information classified into. Therefore Audio & Video Data
Area (audio and video data area) 100
9 is included in Video Objects 1012, and all still image information is stored in Picture Objects 1012.
13 and all audio and audio information
ects (audio objects) 1014
All thumbnail information used to manage and search video information is
Thumbnail Objects 101
6 included.

A VOB (Video Object) 1403 shown in FIG. 3 is an AV File (AV file = audio video file).
FIG. 1 shows a chunk (unit) of information recorded in an area 01.
(D) Video Objects 101
It has a different definition from 2. Note that similar terms are used, but with completely different meanings.

Further, Control Information
AV data control information 1101: manages a data structure in a video object 1012, and information on a recording position on an optical disk 1001 as an information recording medium. Management information ・ Playback Control Information 1021: Control information necessary for playback ・ Recording Control Information (Recording control information) 1022: Control information required for recording (Edit / Record) ・ Edit Control Information (Edit control) Information) 1023: Control information necessary at the time of editing ・ Thumbnail Control Information (thumbnail control information) 1024: Thumbnail for searching for a place to be viewed in VideoData (video data) or for editing (Thumbnail Obj)
ect).

The AV Data Control shown in FIG.
Information (AV data control information) 1101 includes: Allocation Map Table 1105: Information storage medium (Optical Disk 1001)
) Information on address setting along the actual arrangement above, identification of recorded / unrecorded areas, etc. Video Title Set Information 1106: As shown in FIG. 3, in AV File 1401 Of the VOBs, grouping information of a plurality of VOBs for management and search, and time information such as a Time Map Table (title map table). Video Object Information 1107 : AV File as shown in FIG.
(E-file) 1401 indicates information on each VOB in the VOB. Attribute (characteristic) information for each VOB and information on each VOBU (Video Object Unit) included in the VOB.-PGC Control Information (program (Chain control information) 1103: Information on video information reproduction program (sequence) ・ Cell Playback Information (cell reproduction information) 110
8: Contains information on the data structure of the basic unit of video information during playback.

The contents up to FIG. 1 (f) are as described above, but a brief supplementary explanation is given below for each piece of information.

The Volume & File Manager Information 1003 records information on the entire volume, the number of PC data files included, the number of files on AV data, and recording layer information. Have been.

In particular, as recording layer information: The number of constituent layers (eg, one RAM / ROM two-layer disc is counted as two layers, one ROM two-layer disc is counted as two layers, and one single-sided disk is counted as n layers). Logical sector number range table allocated for each layer (capacity for each layer) ・ Characteristics for each layer (eg, DVD-RAM disk, RAM section of RAM / ROM dual-layer disk, CD-R)
OM, CD-R, etc.)-Assigned logical sector number range table in Zone units in RAM area for each layer (including rewritable area capacity information for each layer)-Unique ID information for each layer (multiple Is recorded, and continuous logical sector numbers can be set for multiple disk packs and RAM / ROM double-layer disks so that they can be handled as one large Volume space. ing.

The Playback Control Information (Playback Control Information) 1021 includes information relating to a playback sequence integrating a PGC (program chain). In connection with the above, the information recording medium is changed to a VTR or DVC.
Information indicating a pseudo recording position regarded as one tape as in (sequence for continuously reproducing all recorded cells) Information about simultaneous playback of multiple screens with different video information Information (Cell ID corresponding to each search category)
And a table of the start time in that Cell, and information that allows the user to select a category and directly access the corresponding video information) is recorded.

Also, Recording Control Information
The (recording control information) 1022 records: • program reservation recording information;

Further, Edit Control Information (Edit Control Information) 1023 includes: • Special edit information for each PGC unit (corresponding time setting information and special edit contents are described as EDL information) • File conversion information (in the AV file) Specific part of AV
The file is converted into a file that can be specially edited on a PC, such as an I file, and the location where the converted file is stored is specified).

Also, Thumbnail Control Information
(Thumbnail control information) 1024 includes: Thumbnail Objects (thumbnail object) 10
16 management information (Audio & Video Data Area (audio and video data) 1009) The recording location of each thumbnail image and the VOB or Cell designation information related to each thumbnail image, and the VOB related to each thumbnail image Or cell location information (
VOB and Cell are described in detail in the place of explanation in FIG. 3).

<2> Directory structure of data files in Data Area (Data Area) All information recorded in Data Area (Data Area) 1004 in FIG. 1 (b) is recorded in file units. Are managed by a directory structure as shown in FIG.

Under the root directory 1450, a plurality of sub-directories 1451 are provided so that classification can be easily performed for each recorded file content. In FIG. 2, Computer Das recorded in Computer Data Areas 1008 and 1010 in FIG.
Each data file related to ta (computer data) is recorded under the Computer Data storage subdirectory 1457, and the Audio & Vid
eo Data Area (audio and video data area)
Audio & Video Data (audio and video data area) recorded in 1009 is recorded under rewritable video title set RWV_TS1452. When copying video information recorded on a DVD-Video disc to FIG. 1A, the video information is copied under a video title set VIDEO_TS1455 and an audio title set AUDIO_TS1456.

The control information (control information) 1011 in FIG. 1D is recorded as one file as recording / reproducing video management data. In FIG. 2, the file name is RWVIDEO_CONTROL.IFO. Further, the same information is recorded under the file name RWVIDEO_CONTROL.BUP for backup.

In FIG. 2, the Video Objects shown in FIG.
(Video object) 1012, Picture Objects (picture object) 1013, Audio Objects (audio object) 1014, Thumbnail Objects
(Thumbnail object) 1016, all AV
File 1401 (file name in FIG. 2 is RWOBJECT.OB) is recorded collectively in one file. Although not shown in FIG. 1, additional recording / reproduction information 1454 that can be used at the time of video recording / reproduction can be simultaneously recorded, and the information is collectively recorded as one file. In FIG. 2, RWADD.DAT File name.

<3> Data Structure in AV File (AV File) FIG. 3 shows the data structure in the AV File (AV file). As shown in FIG. 3B, the AV File
(EVE file) 1401 for one VTS (V
ideo Title Set (video title set) 1402. Audio & Video Dat in VTS1402
a (audio and video data) content and AV F
a plurality of VOBs 140 separated in the order of information recorded in the
3, 1404, and 1405.

VOBs 1403 and 140 shown in FIG.
4 and 1405 are AV File (EVE file)
It is defined as a set of Audio & Video Data recorded in 1401,
The V shown in FIG. 1 (d), which has strong classification item colors such as video information / still image information / audio information / thumbnail information
It has different definition contents from the ideo Objects (video object) 1012. Therefore, VOB1 in FIG.
Video Objects in 403, 1404, 1405
(Video object) 1012 is recorded, as well as Picture Objects 1013, Audio Objects 1014, and Thumbnail Objects.
Information classified as (thumbnail object) 1016 is also recorded.

Each VOB 1403, 1404, 1405
Grouping is performed for each relevant VOB based on the information contents (contents) recorded in the POT, and a PTT (Part_of_Title; Part of title) 140 is set for each group.
7, 1408. That is, PTT
1407 and 1408 are configured as an aggregate of one or a plurality of VOBs. In FIG. 3C, VOB 14
04 and VOB1405 with two VOBs PTT1
408, and PTT1407 is composed of one VOB
It consists only of:

The minimum basic unit of video information is VOBU14
VOBs 1403 to 140
The data in FIG. 5 is obtained by comparing this V as shown in FIG.
It is configured as an aggregate of OBUs 1411 to 1414. MPE for video information compression technology in VOB1012
In many cases, G1 or MPEG2 is used. In MPEG, video information is divided in 0.5 second steps.
The video information is compressed into groups called GOPs and compressed in units of GOPs. The VOBUs 1411 to 1 are almost the same size as this GOP and are synchronized with the GOP.
414 video information compression units.

Further, the VOBUs 1411 to 141
4 is divided and recorded for each Sector (sector) 1431 to 1437 in units of 2048 bytes.
Each Sector 1431-1437 has a Pack
(Pack) Recorded in the format of structure, raw video information, sub-video information, audio information, and dummy information are
PCK (Video Pack) 1421, 14
25, 1426, 1427, SP_PCK (Sub-pictu
re Pack; sub-picture pack) 1422, A_PCK (Audi
o Pack: Audio pack) 1423, DM_PCK
(Dummy Pack) recorded in the form of 1424. 14 Bytes Pack Hea at the beginning of each Pack
Since it has der (pack header), the amount of information recorded in each pack is 2034 Bytes.

DM_PCK 1424 is for post-addition of additional information after recording (after-recording
The memo information to be exchanged with the DummyPack in the ack is inserted in the sub-picture information (in the Sub-picture Pack) and the Dummy P
(It is inserted in advance for use such as exchange with an ack.) The information recording medium (Optical Disk 10) shown in FIG.
01), the recording area of a DVD-RAM disc is divided into a plurality of sectors. 1
It can record 2048Bytes of data per sector. In this DVD-RAM disk, sectors (2
048 bytes). Therefore, a DVD-ROM is used as an information recording medium (Optical Disk 1001).
When a RAM disk is used, each Pack is recorded in units of Sectors 1431 to 1437 as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 3B and 3D, the AV F
The VTS 1402 is configured by a series of connections of all VOBs 1403 to 1405 in the ile 1401.
On the other hand, in the playback procedure described in Playback Control Information (playback control information) 1021, it is possible to specify an arbitrary range in an arbitrary VOB and to reproduce the video in an arbitrary reproduction order.
The basic unit of video information at the time of reproduction is Cell 1441, 144
2, 1443. Cell 1441, 1442, 14
Reference numeral 43 denotes an arbitrary VOB and an arbitrary range can be specified, but it cannot be specified across VOBs (the range cannot be set by connecting a plurality of VOBs in one cell).

In FIG. 3G, Cell 1441 is a VOB
Designate one VOBU 1412 in 1403 and C
The ell 1442 designates one entire VOB 1404, and the Cell 1443 designates a range of only a specific pack (V_PCK 1427) in the VOBU 1414.

The information indicating the video information reproduction sequence is
The playback sequence is set by a PGC (program chain) 1446, and this playback sequence is described by specifying one cell or by connecting information of a plurality of cells. For example, in FIG. 3 (h), PGC 1446 is composed of Cell 1441 and Cell
A reproduction program is configured as a connection between 1442 and Cell 1443 (detailed description of the relationship between Cell and PGC will be described later).

<4> Contents of Allocation Map Table As described above, the recording area of the DVD-RAM disk is divided into a plurality of sectors (Sectors), and the sector numbers are consecutively arranged in ascending order from the inner circumference side. (LSN: Logical Sect
or Number).

Now, an information recording medium (Optical Disk 100)
1) Consider a case where video information is recorded in the Data Area 1004 in the following procedure.

(1) Information recording medium (Optical Disk 1001)
) In data area 1004 (LS
N) In a continuous region from a + 1 to g (a <g)
A recording area for AVFile 1401 is secured.

(2) AV File 1401 Data of VOB # 1 1461 is recorded in a continuous area (b <c) from sector numbers (LSN) b + 1 to c in the recording area.

(3) Data of VOB # 2 1462 is recorded in a continuous area (d <e) from sector numbers (LSN) d + 1 to e in the AV File 1401 recording area.

As a result of the above processes (1) to (3),
The sector number (LS) is stored in the AV File 1401.
N) "from a + 1 to b""from c + 1 to d"
Three unrecorded areas “from e + 1 to g” remain. Next, the data size is large in this unrecorded area.
The case of recording the video information of VOB # 3 is as follows.

(4) AV File 1401 VOB # 3 data is divided into a plurality of pieces according to the size of the unrecorded area in the recorded area.

(5) The first data of the divided VOB # 3 is recorded in a continuous area (a <b) from sector numbers (LSN) a + 1 to b.

(6) The data next to the divided VOB # 3 is recorded in a continuous area (c <d) from sector numbers (LSN) c + 1 to d.

(7) The last data of the divided VOB # 3 is recorded in a continuous area (f <g) from sector numbers (LSN) f + 1 to g.

As a result, an unrecorded area 1460 having a sector number (LSN) “e + 1 to f” remains in the AV File 1401. Is required. FIG. 4 shows the physical recording position distribution of each VOB in the AV file 1401 obtained as a result of the above processes (1) to (7).

As can be seen from the above description, AV Fil
e 1401 to partially erase the data,
When additional recording of new data is repeated in the unrecorded area in the ile 1401, VOB # 3 1463, 146
As in the example of 4, 1465, it becomes necessary to dispersely record one VOB data at a plurality of locations.

Thus, the same AV File 140
The information indicating the physical recording position distribution for each VOB of each data dispersedly recorded in 1 is shown in FIG. 1 (f).
llocation Map Table 1105. Allocation Map Table 1 when the data arrangement in Fig. 4 is used as a specific example
FIG. 5 shows the information content of 105. Allocation Map Tab
le1105 is the position distribution information 1621 of the unrecorded area and the data recording position distribution information 1622 and 1622 for each VOB.
23, 1624.

A block in which the connection of the continuous sector numbers is secured in each VOB is defined as “Extent”. In FIG. 4, the data of VOB # 3 is recorded in three groups.
In the above example, the sector number (LSN: Logical Sector)
Number) a + 1 to b have a connection of continuous sector numbers, so this area is “Extent # γ 1
473 ". That is, the position distribution where the data of VOB # 3 is recorded is Extent # γ147.
3. Extent # δ 1474, Extent # ε 1475
Will have three places.

Allocation Map Table 11 shown in FIG.
First, the number of extents 1601, 1602, 16
03 and 1604 are recorded. After that, each Extent
Start address 1606, 1607, 1608, 16 for each
09, 1610, 1611 and their Extent size 16
14, 1615, 1616, 1617, 1618, 16
19 are recorded. Start address is AV File
1401 leading sector number (Logical Sector Numb
er)). When expressed by a difference number in this way, when the entire contents of the AV File 1401 are transferred to another information recording medium,
It is unnecessary to change the information in the Map Table 1105, and the portability of the file is improved. Also, as shown in FIG.
The t size is represented by the number of sectors. As shown in FIG.
Instead of expressing the xtent size, it is also possible to use the last address of the Extent.

According to the DVD-RAM disc standard, information indicating a physical address on an information recording medium (Optical Disk 1001) is a physical sector number (PSN).
The entire address handled by the file system is called the logical sector number (LSN: Logical Sector Number).
Sector Number) and Data Area 1 in Fig. 1 (a).
The address defined on the file system in 004 is a logical block number (LBN: Logical Block Number).
). However, if the description method is faithfully followed, the description will be complicated. Therefore, in FIGS. 4 and 5, emphasis is placed on the ease of understanding, and the logical sector number (LS
N: Logical Sector Number).

<5> Playback Control Information 1
021 Content Playback Control Information 1021 The content will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. Playback Control Info
PGC Control Information (PG
C control information) 1103 has the data structure shown in FIG. 6, and the playback order is determined by PGC and Cell. PGC
Indicates a unit for executing a series of playbacks specifying the playback order of the cells. Cell has each VOB as shown in FIG.
Indicates a playback section in which the playback data within is designated by a start address and an end address.

The PGC Control Information 1103 is
PGC Information Management Information 1052, one or more Search Pointers of PGC
Information (search pointer of PGC information) 105
3, 1054 and PGC Information (PGC information) 1
055, 1056, and 1057.

PGC Information Management Information
1052, information indicating the number of PGCs (Number of PGC Inf
ormation). Search Pointer of PGC Inform
ation 1053 and 1054 point to the head of each PGC Information to facilitate search. PGC In
formation1055, 1056, 1057 are PGCGe
neral Information 1061 and one or more Cell Play
back Information 1062, 1063. PGC
General Information 1061 includes PGC playback time and C
Information indicating the number of ells (Number of Cell Playback Informat
ion).

As shown in FIG. 7, the playback data is specified as a cell in a playback section from Cell-A to Cell-F, and each PG
PGC Information is defined in C.

(1) PGC # 1 shows an example in which a cell is designated by a continuous playback section, and the playback order is Cell
-A → Cell-B → Cell-C.

(2) PGC # 2 shows an example composed of cells specifying intermittent playback sections, and the playback order is Ce.
ll-D → Cell-E → Cell-F.

(3) PGC # 3 shows an example in which playback can be performed intermittently irrespective of the playback direction or overlapped playback, and the playback order is Cell-E → Cell-A → Cell-D → Cell-B → Cell
-E.

<6> Contents of Video Title Set Information (Video Title Set Information) 1106 As shown in FIG.
06: • Video Title Set General Information 1751:
Information on general content items of Video Title Set ・ Video Object Sequence Information 1752: FIG.
In the data structure of Video Title Set 1402 (= AV
A serial order is set for all VOBs in the file. The order information of each VOB according to this sequence is described here. Part_of_Titles Information (Part of Title Information) 1753: AV File 140
Each Objects data recorded in 1 is grouped for related data for the purpose of data management and search, and a video title name is set for each group. The group (Part_of_Title) is composed of an aggregate of VOBs. Included for each Part_of_Title
VOB information is described here. • Video Title Set Time Map Table 1754: Video Title
Video Obj in Set (Video Title Set) 1402
ects (video objects) 1012 and Audio Objec
Regarding VOBs classified into ts (audio objects) 1014, VOBU position information at specific time intervals according to the Video Object Sequence (video object sequence) is recorded.

Video Object Sequence Information 17
As a specific data structure in 52, as shown on the right side of FIG. 8, the total number of VOBs 1756 included in the Video Title Set is first recorded. After that, the VOB_ID 17 of the VOB corresponding to the sequence (Video Object Sequence) order
57, 1758,... Are recorded.

Video Object Sequence Information 17
The sequence indicated by 52 is, for example, “AV File
The user or the information recording / reproducing apparatus arbitrarily selects the order of recording on the information recording medium 1401 (the order of recording time is earlier), the order of the recording array on the information recording medium (optical disk) as shown in FIG. VTS (VideoTitl
e Set) Record video on one tape by ordering all VOBs in 1402 sequentially
A user interface similar to a VTR can be provided.

For example, searching for a desired place by tape fast-forward (FF) and rewind (FR); checking the entire recorded content by tape fast-forward (FF); and tape fast-forward (FF) and rewind (FR) ) To search for an unused location that has already been recorded, and to overwrite new video information in that unused location.
752.

The video object sequence shown on the right side of FIG.
The information content will be described with reference to FIG. First, an information recording medium (Optical Disk)
VOB # 1 to VOB in the state where the above arrangement order is as shown in FIG.
# 3 is recorded, and the recording order is “<4> Allocation
It is assumed that the sequence is performed in accordance with the order of (1) to (7) described in "Contents of Map Table". Fig. 9 (a3) shows the sequence order sequence when this is set.
It can be seen that the sequence order from # α 1471 to Extent # 1470 has changed. “Video Objec” in FIG.
The first VOB_ID 1557 ”in the t Sequence specifies“ VOB # 1 1461 ”in FIG. 9 (a3),
Second VOB in "Video Object Sequence"
_ID 1758 ”is“ VOB # 2 14 14 ”in FIG.
62 "is specified.

FIG. 9 (b3) shows the Video Object Sequence In
19 shows another embodiment specified in formation 1752. VOB #A 1771, VOB #B 1772
Belongs to (classifies) Video Objects 1012, VOB # C 1773, VOB #
F 1776 and VOB #G 1777 are Audio Objects
(Audio object) 1014, and VOB # D1774 and VOB # E1775 belong to
Picture Objects 1013
Belongs to In this way, the sequence order can be specified in a mixed manner regardless of the type of the VOB. In Figure 9, Thumbnail Objects (Thumbnail Objects)
VOB belonging to 1016 (VOB #H 1778,
VOB # I 1779) is set.

Next, the schematic structure of an information recording / reproducing device (video recorder) for recording video information will be described with reference to FIG.

The apparatus main body of the video recorder roughly rotates and drives an information recording medium (optical disk) 201 and records and reproduces video information on and from this information recording medium (optical disk) 201. ,
An encoder unit 1550 constituting the recording side, a decoder unit 1560 constituting the reproducing side, and a ROM and a RAM therein
(Semiconductor memory) and a system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 for controlling the operation of the apparatus main body.

The encoder 1550 includes an ADC (analog-to-digital converter) 1552, a video encoder (V encoder) 1553, an audio encoder (A encoder) 1554, and a sub-picture encoder (SP).
Encoder 1555, a formatter 1556, and a buffer memory 1557.

The ADC 1552 has an AV input unit 1542.
, An external analog video signal and an external analog audio signal, or an analog TV signal and an analog audio signal from the TV tuner 1544 are input. This ADC
1552 digitizes the input analog video signal at, for example, a sampling frequency of 13.5 MHz and a quantization bit number of 8 bits. (That is, the luminance component Y,
Each of the color difference component Cr (or YR) and the color difference component Cb (or YB) is quantized by 8 bits. Similarly, the ADC 1552 converts the input analog audio signal to, for example, a sampling frequency of 48 kHz.
Digitization is performed using 16-bit quantization bits.

When an analog video signal and a digital audio signal are input to ADC 1552,
The ADC 1552 allows the digital audio signal to pass through. (The contents of the digital audio signal are not altered,
Processing to reduce only jitter accompanying digital signals,
Alternatively, processing for changing the sampling rate or the number of quantization bits may be performed.

On the other hand, when a digital video signal and a digital audio signal are input to ADC 1552,
The ADC 1552 allows the digital video signal and the digital audio signal to pass through. (Jitter reduction processing and sampling rate change processing may be performed on these digital signals without altering the content.) In addition to the video signal input, for example, a digital camera 154 may be used.
ADC 155 when still image information is input by
The information is directly input to the V encoder 1553 without passing through the second encoder 2.

The digital video signal component from ADC 1552 is sent to formatter 1556 via video encoder (V encoder) 1553. ADC
The digital audio signal component from 1552 is sent to a formatter 1556 via an audio encoder (A encoder) 1554. Alternatively, the still image signal directly input to the V encoder 1553 is sent from the V encoder 1553 to the formatter 1556.

The V encoder 1553 has a function of converting an input digital video signal into a digital signal compressed at a variable bit rate based on the MPEG2 or MPEG1 standard.

Still image information is recorded in the digital camera 1543 in a format such as a bitmap format or a JPEG format. On the other hand, in the present invention, a still image is recorded on the information recording medium (optical disc) 201 in the MPEG-2 I picture format. Therefore, according to the present invention, “bitmap → MPEG2” “JPEG →
The V encoder 1553 also has a format conversion function such as MPEG2 ".

The A encoder 1554 converts the input digital audio signal into MPEG or AC-3.
It has a function of converting into a digital signal (or a linear PCM digital signal) compressed at a fixed bit rate based on a standard.

When a video signal is input from the AV input section 1542 (for example, a DV with an independent output terminal for a sub-picture signal)
If a video signal having such a data configuration is broadcast and received by the TV tuner 1544, a sub-video signal component (sub-video pack) in the video signal is It is input to an encoder (SP encoder) 1555. SP encoder 15
The sub-picture data input to 55 is arranged in a predetermined signal form and sent to formatter 1556.

The formatter 1556 performs predetermined signal processing on the input video signal, audio signal, sub-picture signal and the like while using the buffer memory 1557 as a work area, and conforms to a predetermined format (file structure). Data recorded by the data processor 1536
Output to

In the case of digital broadcasting, the video signal is MPE
It is transmitted in the TS (transport stream) format of G2. Generally, when a video signal is recorded on the information recording medium (optical disc) 201 in the MPEG2 format, the PS (program stream) format is used. Therefore, when a digital broadcast is received, the received signal is sent directly from the TV tuner 1544 to the formatter 1556, where the “TS → PS conversion” is performed.
Is performed.

Here, the contents of a standard encoding process for creating the recording data will be briefly described. That is, when the encoding process is started in the encoder unit 1550, parameters necessary for encoding video (main video) data and audio data are set. Next, the main video data is pre-encoded using the set parameters, and the optimal code amount distribution for the set average transfer rate (recording rate) is calculated. Encoding of the main video is executed based on the code amount distribution obtained by the pre-encoding in this manner. At this time, the encoding of the audio data is also executed at the same time.

As a result of the pre-encoding, when the amount of data compression is insufficient (when the desired video program cannot be accommodated in the information recording medium (optical disc) 201 to be recorded), if there is a chance to pre-encode again (for example, If the recording source is a repeatable source such as a video tape or video disc), partial re-encoding of the main video data is performed, and the re-encoded portion of the main video data is Replaced with the video data part. By such a series of processing, the main video data and the audio data are encoded, and the value of the average bit rate required for recording is
It is greatly reduced.

Similarly, parameters necessary for encoding the sub-picture data are set, and the encoded sub-picture data is created.

The main video data, audio data and sub-video data encoded as described above are combined and converted into a desired video object data structure.

That is, main video data (video data)
Is set as the minimum unit of the program, and then the configuration of the cells constituting the program chain, the attributes of the main video, sub-video and audio, etc. are set (a part of these attribute information is used when encoding each data. The obtained information is used), and the management information including various information is stored in a management information recording area (Control Information 1011).
Is recorded in parentheses.

The encoded main video data, audio data and sub video data are subdivided into packs of a fixed size (2048 bytes). These packs include:
A dummy pack is inserted as appropriate. In the packs other than the dummy pack, PTS (presentation time stamp), DTS (decode time stamp)
Etc. are described. For the PTS of the sub-picture, a time arbitrarily delayed from the PTS of the main picture data or audio data in the same reproduction time zone can be described.

Each data cell is arranged in VOBU units so that the data can be reproduced in the order of the time code of each data, thereby forming a VOB composed of a plurality of cells.

When digitally copying video information from an information recording / reproducing apparatus (video recorder) for recording video information, the contents of the cells, program chains, management tables, time stamps, and the like are determined from the beginning. Need not be created again.

A disk drive unit that reads and writes (records and / or reproduces) information from and to an information recording medium (optical disk) 201 includes a disk changer unit 150
0, the information recording / reproducing unit 101, and the temporary storage unit 1534
, A data processor 1536, and a system time counter (or system time clock; STC) 1538.
And

The temporary storage unit 1534 stores the information recording / reproducing unit 10
1 to buffer a certain amount of data (data output from the encoder unit 1550) to be written to the information recording medium (optical disk) 201 via the information recording / reproducing unit 101. ) 201 (decoder 1560)
Is used for buffering a certain amount of the data input to the CPU.

For example, when the temporary storage unit 1534 is formed of a 4 Mbyte semiconductor memory (DRAM), it is possible to buffer recording or reproduction data for about 8 seconds at an average recording rate of 4 Mbps. Further, when the temporary storage unit 1534 is constituted by a 16 Mbyte EEPROM (flash memory), it is possible to buffer recording or reproduction data for about 30 seconds at an average recording rate of 4 Mbps. Further, when the temporary storage unit 1534 is formed of a 100 Mbyte ultra-small HDD (hard disk), it is possible to buffer recording or reproduction data for 3 minutes or more at an average recording rate of 4 Mbps.

The temporary storage unit 1534 temporarily stores the recording information until the information recording medium (optical disk) 201 is replaced with a new disk when the information recording medium (optical disk) 201 is used up during recording. It can be used for things.

Further, when a high-speed recording / reproducing unit of 2 × speed or more is employed as the information recording / reproducing unit 101, the temporary storage unit 1534 temporarily stores extra data read from a normal drive within a predetermined time. Also available.
If the read data at the time of reproduction is buffered in the temporary storage unit 1534, the reproduction data buffered in the temporary storage unit 1534 can be switched even when a read error occurs in the optical head 202 in FIG. 11 due to vibration shock or the like. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the reproduced video from being interrupted.

Although not shown in FIG. 10, if the information recording / reproducing apparatus (video recorder) for recording video information is provided with an external card slot, the EEPROM can be sold separately as an optional IC card. If an information recording / reproducing apparatus (recording / reproducing recorder) for recording video information is provided with an external drive slot or a SCSI interface, the HDD can be sold separately as an optional extended drive.

In the embodiment in which the personal computer is converted into a DVD video recorder by software, a part of the free space of the hard disk drive of the personal computer itself or a part of the main memory is temporarily stored in the temporary storage unit 1534.
Available as

The data processor 1536, under the control of the system control unit (MPU unit) (built-in ROM / RAM) 1530, supplies the video information signal for recording from the encoder unit 1550 to the information recording / reproducing unit 101. After extracting the reproduced video information signal from the reproducing unit 101, the process of transferring the video information signal to another part. The process of rewriting the management information (Control Information 1011) recorded on the information recording medium (optical disc) 201. The information recording medium (optical disc). Video information and management information (Control Information 1)
011), such as partial deletion processing.

The system control unit 1530 includes an MPU (or CPU), a ROM as an IC memory in which a control program and the like are written, and a RAM as an IC memory for providing a work area necessary for executing the program.

The contents to be notified to the user of the information recording / reproducing apparatus (recording / recording / recording / recording / recording / recording / recording / reproducing) apparatus of the video information recording out of the execution results of the system control section 1530 are the video recorder display section 154
8 is displayed.

The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530
Is the disc changer section 1500 and the information recording / reproducing section 10
1. The timing for controlling the data processor 1536, the encoder 1550, and / or the decoder 1560 can be executed based on the time data from the STC 1538.
Executed in synchronization with the time clock from 538,
Other processing may be executed at a timing independent of STC 1538).

The decoder unit 1560 separates each pack from video information having a pack structure recorded on the information recording medium (optical disk) 201 and extracts the pack.
2, a memory 1563 used when performing pack separation and other signal processing, a video decoder (V decoder) 1564 for decoding main video data (contents of a video pack) separated by the separator 1562, and a sub-video separated by the separator 1562 A sub-picture decoder (SP decoder) 1565 for decoding data (contents of a sub-picture (sub-picture) pack), an audio decoder (A decoder) 1568 for decoding audio data (contents of an audio pack) separated by a separator 1562, V The SP data 156 is added to the video data from the decoder 1564.
5, a video processor 1566 and a video processor 156 for appropriately combining the sub-picture data from the sub-picture 5 and outputting a menu, a highlight button, subtitles and other sub-pictures superimposed on the main picture.
6 converts the digital video output from V.6 into an analog video signal (V / DA)
C) 1567, an audio / digital / analog converter (A / DAC) 156 for converting a digital audio output from the A decoder 1568 into an analog audio signal.
7 is provided.

An analog video signal (video information signal in an analog state) from V / DAC 1567 and A / DAC
The analog audio signal output from the AV output unit 15
An external component (not shown) (a multi-channel stereo apparatus of 2 to 6 channels + a monitor TV or a projector) is supplied via the link 46.

The OSD (On Screen Display) data output from the system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 is
Input to the separator 1562 of the decoder unit 1560,
The video signal passes through a V decoder 1564 (not particularly decoded) and is input to a video processor 1566. Then, this OSD data is superimposed on the main video, and
It is supplied to an external monitor TV connected to the output unit 1546. Then, a warning message is displayed together with the main image.

Next, the internal structure of the information recording / reproducing unit (physical block) 101 will be described with reference to FIG.

<A> Description of Function of Information Recording / Reproducing Unit <A-1> Basic Function of Information Recording / Reproducing Unit In the information recording / reproducing unit, a light spot is used at a predetermined position on the information recording medium (optical disc) 201. Recording or rewriting of new information (including erasing of information); and performing reproduction of already recorded information from a predetermined position on the information recording medium (optical disk) 201 using a focused spot. .

<A-2> Means for Achieving Basic Function of Information Recording / Reproducing Unit As means for achieving the above basic function, the information recording / reproducing unit includes:-Along a track (not shown) on the information recording medium 201; Tracing (following) the light spot ・ Switching the recording / reproducing / erasing of information by changing the light amount of the converging spot irradiated on the information recording medium 201 ・ High-density and low-error recording signal d supplied from outside To convert to the optimal signal for recording at the same rate.

<B> Structure of Mechanical Portion and Operation of Detecting Portion <B-1> Basic Structure of Optical Head 202 and Signal Detection Circuit <B-1-1> Signal Detection by Optical Head 202 Although not shown, it is composed of a semiconductor laser element as a light source, a photodetector, and an objective lens.

The laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element is applied to an information recording medium (optical disc) 2 by an objective lens.
The light is converged on 01. Information recording medium (optical disk) 20
The laser light reflected by the light reflecting film or the light reflective recording film is photoelectrically converted by a photodetector.

The detected current obtained by the photodetector is
3 is subjected to current-voltage conversion to become a detection signal. This detection signal is processed by the focus / track error detection circuit 217 or the binarization circuit 212. Generally, a photodetector is divided into a plurality of photodetection areas, and individually detects a change in the amount of light applied to each photodetection area. The focus / track error detection circuit 2
In step 17, the sum / difference is calculated to detect a focus shift and a track shift. A signal on the information recording medium 201 is reproduced by detecting a change in the amount of light reflected from the light reflecting film or the light reflecting recording film of the information recording medium (optical disc) 201.

<B-1-2> Method of Detecting Focus Shift As a method of optically detecting the amount of focus shift, astigmatism method: using a light reflecting film or a light reflecting recording film of the information recording medium (optical disc) 201 A method of arranging an optical element (not shown) for generating astigmatism in a detection optical path of reflected laser light to detect a change in shape of laser light irradiated on a photodetector. The light detection area is divided into four diagonally. For the detection signal obtained from each detection area,
The difference between the diagonal sums is obtained in the focus / track error detection circuit 217 to obtain a focus error detection signal.

Knife edge method: A method of disposing a knife edge that asymmetrically shields a part of the laser beam reflected by the information recording medium 201. The light detection area is divided into two parts, and a difference between detection signals obtained from each detection area is obtained to obtain a focus error detection signal).

<B-1-3> Track shift detection method The information recording medium (optical disc) 201 has a spiral or concentric track, and information is recorded on the track. Information is reproduced or recorded / erased by tracing the focused spot along this track. In order to stably trace the focal spot along the track,
It is necessary to optically detect the relative displacement between the track and the condensing spot. As a method of detecting a track shift, generally, a DPD (Differential Phase Detection) method: an intensity distribution on a photodetector of a laser beam reflected by a light reflection film or a light reflection recording film of an information recording medium (optical disk) 201 Detect changes. The light detection area is divided into four diagonally. The difference between the diagonal sums of the detection signals obtained from the respective detection areas in the focus / track error detection circuit 217 is obtained to obtain a track error detection signal.

Push-Pull method: information recording medium 2
The change in the intensity distribution of the laser light reflected at 01 on the photodetector is detected. The light detection area is divided into two parts, and a track error detection signal is obtained by taking the difference between the detection signals obtained from each detection area.

Twin-Spot method: A diffractive element or the like is arranged in a light transmission system between the semiconductor laser element and the information recording medium 201 to split the light into a plurality of wavefronts and irradiate the ± 1st-order diffracted light onto the information recording medium 201 The change in reflected light amount is detected. A light detection area for individually detecting the reflected light amount of the + 1st-order diffracted light and the reflected light amount of the -1st-order diffracted light is arranged separately from the light detection area for detecting the reproduction signal. Get. There are.

<B-1-4> Objective Lens Actuator Structure An objective lens (not shown) for focusing laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser element on the information recording medium 201 is an output of the objective lens actuator drive circuit 218. The structure is such that it can move in two axial directions according to the current. The direction of movement of the objective lens is as follows: ・ Move in a direction perpendicular to the information recording medium 201 for focus shift correction ・ Move in the radial direction of the information recording medium 201 for track shift correction Is called an objective lens actuator.

The structure of the objective lens actuator is as follows: ・ Sliding method: center axis (shaft)
A method in which the blade moves integrally with the objective lens along the axis, the blade moves in the direction along the central axis to correct the focus shift, and the track shift is corrected by the rotational movement of the blade with respect to the central axis. -Four-wire method: A blade with an objective lens is connected to a fixed system by four wires, and a method of moving the blade in two axial directions using elastic deformation of the wire is often used. Both types have a structure in which a permanent magnet and a coil are provided, and the blade is moved by passing a current through a coil connected to the blade.

<B-2> Rotation control system of information recording medium 201 The information recording medium (optical disk) 20 is placed on the rotating table 221 which is rotated by the driving force of the spindle motor 204.
1 is attached.

The number of rotations of the information recording medium 201 is detected based on a reproduction signal obtained from the information recording medium 201. That is, the detection signal (analog signal) of the output of the amplifier 213 is 2
The signal is converted into a digital signal by the value conversion circuit 212, and a fixed period signal (reference clock signal) is generated from the signal by the PLL circuit 211. Information recording medium rotation speed detection circuit 2
At 14, the number of rotations of the information recording medium 201 is detected using this signal, and the value is output.

A correspondence table of the number of revolutions of the information recording medium corresponding to the radial position to be reproduced or recorded / erased on the information recording medium 201 is recorded in the semiconductor memory 219 in advance. Once the playback position or recording / erasing position is determined,
The control unit 220 sets the target rotation speed of the information recording medium 201 with reference to the information of the semiconductor memory 219 and notifies the spindle motor drive circuit 215 of the value.

In the spindle motor drive circuit 215,
This target rotation speed and information recording medium rotation speed detection circuit 214
, And a drive current corresponding to the result is supplied to the spindle motor 204 so that the rotation speed of the spindle motor 204 is controlled to be constant. The output signal of the information recording medium rotation speed detection circuit 214 is a pulse signal having a frequency corresponding to the rotation speed of the information recording medium 201,
At 5, control is performed on both the frequency and pulse phase of this signal.

<B-3> Optical Head Moving Mechanism An optical head moving mechanism (feed motor) 20 for moving the optical head 202 in the radial direction of the information recording medium 201.
I have three.

In many cases, a rod-shaped guide shaft is used as a guide mechanism for moving the optical head 202, and the optical head 202 is moved by utilizing friction between the guide shaft and a bush attached to a part of the optical head 202. I do. In addition, there is a method of using a bearing in which a frictional force is reduced by using a rotary motion.

Although a driving force transmitting method for moving the optical head 202 is not shown, a rotating motor having a pinion (rotating gear) is arranged in a fixed system, and a rack, which is a linear gear meshing with the pinion, is mounted on the optical head 202. And converts the rotational motion of the rotary motor into a linear motion of the optical head 202. As another driving force transmission method, a linear motor system in which a permanent magnet is arranged in a fixed system and current flows in a coil arranged in the optical head 202 to move the coil in a linear direction may be used.

In both the rotary motor and the linear motor, basically, a current is supplied to the feed motor to generate a driving force for moving the optical head 202. This drive current is supplied from the feed motor drive circuit 216.

<C> Functions of Each Control Circuit <C-1> Focused Spot Trace Control In order to perform focus shift correction or track shift correction, optical control is performed according to the output signal (detection signal) of the focus / track error detection circuit 217. A circuit for supplying a drive current to an objective lens actuator (not shown) in the head 202 is an objective lens actuator drive circuit 21
8 A phase compensating circuit for improving characteristics in accordance with the frequency characteristics of the objective lens actuator is provided internally in order to make the objective lens move quickly in a high frequency range.

Objective lens actuator drive circuit 21
In step 8, ON / OFF processing of a focus / track deviation correction operation (focus / track loop) is performed in accordance with a command from the control unit 220. Processing for moving the objective lens in the vertical direction (focus direction) of the information recording medium 201 at a low speed. (Executed when the focus / track loop is OFF) • A process of moving the focused spot to the next track by slightly moving the information recording medium 201 in the radial direction (the direction crossing the track) using a kick pulse.

<C-2> Laser Light Amount Control <C-2-1> Switching Processing between Reproduction and Recording / Erase Switching between reproduction and recording / erasing is performed by changing the light quantity of a converging spot irradiated onto the information recording medium 201. Do it.

For an information recording medium using the phase change method, the following relationship is generally established: [light amount at the time of recording]> [light amount at the time of erasing]> [light amount at the time of reproduction]. Generally, there is a relationship of [light quantity at the time of recording] ≒ [light quantity at the time of erasing]> [light quantity at the time of reproduction] for the information recording medium.

In the case of the magneto-optical method, the recording and erasing processes are controlled by changing the polarity of an external magnetic field (not shown) applied to the information recording medium 201 during recording / erasing.

At the time of information reproduction, a constant amount of light is continuously irradiated on the information recording medium 201.

When recording new information, a pulsed intermittent light amount is added to the light amount at the time of reproduction. When the semiconductor laser element emits a pulse with a large amount of light, the light reflective recording film of the information recording medium 201 locally causes an optical change or a shape change to form a recording mark. Similarly, when overwriting an already recorded area, the semiconductor laser element emits a pulse.

When erasing already recorded information, a constant light amount larger than that at the time of reproduction is continuously irradiated. When erasing information continuously, the irradiation light amount is returned at the time of reproduction in a specific cycle such as a sector unit, and the information is intermittently reproduced in parallel with the erasing process. The track number and address of the track to be intermittently erased are reproduced, and the erasing process is performed while confirming that there is no error in the erased track.

<C-2-2> Laser Light Emission Control Although not shown, the optical head 202 has a built-in photodetector for detecting the light emission amount of the semiconductor laser element. The semiconductor laser driving circuit 205 calculates the difference between the photodetector output (detection signal of the light emission amount of the semiconductor laser element) and the light emission reference signal given from the recording / reproducing / erasing control waveform generating circuit 206, and based on the result, The drive current to the laser is fed back.

<D> Various Operations Related to Control System of Mechanism Part <D-1> Startup Control The information recording medium (optical disk) 201 is
1 and start-up control, processing is performed according to the following procedure.

(1) The target rotation speed is transmitted from the control unit 220 to the spindle motor drive circuit 215, and the spindle motor drive circuit 215
Is supplied with a drive current, and the rotation of the spindle motor 204 starts.

(2) At the same time, a command (execution command) is issued from the control unit 220 to the feed motor drive circuit 216, and a drive current is supplied from the feed motor drive circuit 216 to the optical head drive mechanism (feed motor) 203. The optical head 202 moves to the innermost position on the information recording medium 201. It is confirmed that the optical head 202 is located further inward of the information recording medium 201 beyond the area where the information is recorded.

(3) When the spindle motor 204 reaches the target rotation speed, its status (status report) is sent to the control unit 220.

(4) The semiconductor laser driving circuit 205 sends the optical head 20 in accordance with the reproduced light amount signal sent from the control section 220 to the recording / reproducing / erasing control waveform generating circuit 206.
An electric current is supplied to the semiconductor laser element in 2 to start laser emission.

* The optimum irradiation light amount at the time of reproduction differs depending on the type of the information recording medium (optical disk) 201. At the time of startup, it is set to the value with the lowest irradiation light amount.

(5) The objective lens (not shown) in the optical head 202 is shifted to the position farthest from the information recording medium 201 in accordance with a command from the control unit 220, and the objective lens is slowly brought closer to the information recording medium 201. The objective lens actuator drive circuit 218 controls this.

(6) At the same time, the focus / track error detection circuit 217 monitors the amount of focus shift, and outputs a status to the control unit 220 when the objective lens comes near the focused position.

(7) Upon receiving the notification, the control unit 220 issues a command to the objective lens actuator drive circuit 218 to turn on the focus loop.

(8) The control unit 220 issues a command to the feed motor drive circuit 216 while keeping the focus loop ON, and slowly moves the optical head 202 to the information recording medium 20.
1 is moved toward the outer peripheral portion.

(9) At the same time, the reproduction signal from the optical head 202 is monitored, and the optical head 202
When the optical head 202 reaches the recording area on the recording medium 01, the optical head 202 stops moving and a command is issued to the objective lens actuator drive circuit 218 to turn on the track loop.

(10) Information recording medium (optical disk) 20
The “optimal light quantity at the time of reproduction” and the “optimum light quantity at the time of recording / erasing” recorded in the inner peripheral portion of 1 are reproduced, and the information is recorded in the semiconductor memory 219 via the control unit 220.

(11) Further, the control unit 220 sends a signal corresponding to the “optimum light amount at the time of reproduction” to the recording / reproduction / erase control waveform generation circuit 206 to reset the light emission amount of the semiconductor laser element at the time of reproduction. .

(12) The light emission amount of the semiconductor laser element at the time of recording / erasing is set in accordance with the “optimum light amount at the time of recording / erasing” recorded on the information recording medium 201.

<D-2> Access Control <D-2-1> Reproduction of Access Destination Information on Information Recording Medium 201 Information about where and what information is recorded on information recording medium 201 Information is recorded on the information recording medium 2
01, and generally differs from the information recording medium 20.
1. Directory management area: recorded collectively in the inner or outer area of the information recording medium 201.-Navigation pack: MPEG2 PS (Program)
VOBS (Video
Object Set), and information such as where the next video is recorded is recorded.

When it is desired to reproduce or record / delete specific information, the information in the above-mentioned area is reproduced first, and the access destination is determined from the information obtained therefrom.

<D-2-2> Coarse Access Control The control unit 220 calculates the radius position of the access destination by calculation.
The distance from the current position of the optical head 202 is determined.

The speed curve information that can be reached in the shortest time with respect to the moving distance of the optical head 202 is recorded in the semiconductor memory 219 in advance. The control unit 220 reads the information and controls the movement of the optical head 202 in the following manner according to the speed curve.

After the control unit 220 issues a command to the objective lens actuator drive circuit 218 to turn off the track loop, the feed motor drive circuit 216 is controlled to start the movement of the optical head 202.

When the focused spot crosses a track on the information recording medium 201, a track error detection signal is generated in the focus / track error detection circuit 217. Using this track error detection signal, the relative speed of the focused spot with respect to the information recording medium 201 can be detected.

The feed motor drive circuit 216 calculates the difference between the relative speed of the condensed spot obtained from the focus / track error detection circuit 217 and the target speed information sent one by one from the control unit 220, and uses the result as the optical head. The optical head 202 is moved while applying feedback to the drive current to the drive mechanism (feed motor) 203.

As described in "<B-3> Optical head moving mechanism", frictional force always acts between the guide shaft and the bush or bearing. When the optical head 202 is moving at high speed, kinetic friction is applied. However, at the start of movement and immediately before the stop, the moving speed of the optical head 202 is low, and static friction is applied. At this time, since the relative frictional force has increased (especially immediately before the stop), the amplification factor (gain) of the current supplied to the optical head driving mechanism (feed motor) 203 in response to a command from the control unit 220 is increased. .

<D-2-3> Fine Access Control When the optical head 202 reaches the target position, the control unit 220
Sends a command to the objective lens actuator drive circuit 218 to turn on the track loop.

The focused spot reproduces the address or track number of that portion while tracing along the track on the information recording medium 201.

The current focused spot position is calculated from the address or the track number, the number of error tracks from the target position is calculated in the control unit 220, and the number of tracks required for moving the focused spot is determined by the objective lens actuator. Notify the drive circuit 218.

Objective lens actuator drive circuit 21
When one set of kick pulses is generated in 8, the objective lens slightly moves in the radial direction of the information recording medium 201, and the focused spot moves to an adjacent track.

Objective lens actuator drive circuit 21
In FIG. 8, the track loop is temporarily turned off, the kick pulse is generated a number of times in accordance with the information from the control unit 220, and then the track loop is turned on again.

After the completion of the fine access, the control unit 220 reproduces information (address or track number) of the position where the focused spot is traced, and confirms that the target track is being accessed.

<D-3> Continuous Recording / Reproduction / Erase Control The track error detection signal output from the focus / track error detection circuit 217 is
16 has been entered. At the time of “start control” and “at the time of access control”, the control unit 22 controls the feed motor drive circuit 216 so as not to use the track error detection signal.
It is controlled by 0.

After confirming that the focused spot has reached the target track by access, a part of the track error detection signal is transmitted to the optical head driving mechanism (feed motor) by the command from the control unit 220 via the motor driving circuit 216. ) 203 is supplied as a drive current. This control is continued during the period in which the reproduction or the recording / erasing process is continuously performed.

The center position of the information recording medium 201 is mounted with an eccentricity slightly shifted from the center position of the turntable 221. When a part of the track error detection signal is supplied as a drive current, the optical head 202 is adjusted in accordance with the eccentricity.
The whole moves slightly.

When the reproduction or the recording / erasing process is performed continuously for a long time, the position of the condensed spot gradually moves in the outer circumferential direction or the inner circumferential direction. When a part of the track error detection signal is supplied as a drive current to the optical head moving mechanism (feed motor) 203, the optical head 202 gradually moves in the outer circumferential direction or the inner circumferential direction accordingly.

In this way, the burden of correcting the track deviation of the objective lens actuator can be reduced, and the track loop can be stabilized.

<D-4> Termination control When a series of processing is completed and the operation is terminated, the processing is performed according to the following procedure.

(1) The control unit 220 sets a track loop to the objective lens actuator drive circuit 218
A command to make FF is issued.

(2) The control unit 220 issues a command to the objective lens actuator drive circuit 218 to turn off the focus loop.

(3) The control unit 220 issues a command to the recording / reproducing / erasing control waveform generation circuit 206 to stop the light emission of the semiconductor laser element.

(4) Spindle motor drive circuit 215
Is notified as a reference rotation speed.

<E> Flow of Recorded / Reproduced Signal on Information Recording Medium <E-1> Format of Signal Recorded on Information Recording Medium 201 With respect to signals recorded on information recording medium 201: Enables correction of recording information errors caused by defects on the information 201 ・ Simplifies the reproduction processing circuit by setting the DC component of the reproduction signal to 0 ・ Records information on the information recording medium 201 as densely as possible As shown in FIG. 11, the information recording / reproducing unit (physical system block) has "addition of an error correction function" to satisfy the
"Signal conversion (modulation / demodulation of signal) for recorded information" is performed.

<E-2> Signal flow during recording <E-2-1> ECC (Error Correction Code) addition processing Information to be recorded on the information recording medium 201 is input / output as a recording signal d in the form of a raw signal. Interface section 22
2 is input. This recording signal d is recorded in the semiconductor memory 219 as it is, and then the ECC encoding circuit 208 performs the following process of adding an ECC.

An embodiment of an ECC adding method using a product code will be described below.

The recording signal d is 1 in the semiconductor memory 219.
One row is arranged sequentially every 72Bytes, and one set of E is composed of 192 rows.
Let it be a CC block. This "row: 172 x column: 192 bytes
s ", a 10-byte inner code PI is calculated for each row of 172 bytes for a raw signal (recording signal d) in a set of ECC blocks, and is additionally recorded in the semiconductor memory 219. The outer code PO of 16 Bytes is calculated for each column of and is additionally recorded in the semiconductor memory 219.

As an embodiment of recording on the information recording medium 201, a total of 2366 bytes (2366 = (12 + 1) × (172 + 10)) of 12 lines including the inner code PI and 1 line for the outer code PO is used as a unit. Record within one sector.

When the addition of the inner code PI and the outer code PO is completed, the ECC encoding circuit 208 reads a signal of 2366 bytes for one sector from the semiconductor memory 219 and transfers it to the modulation circuit 207.

<E-2-2> Signal Modulation In order to make the DC component (DSV: Digital Sum Value) of the reproduced signal close to 0 and record information at a high density on the information recording medium 201, the signal format is converted. A certain signal modulation is performed in the modulation circuit 207.

A conversion table indicating the relationship between the original signal and the modulated signal is provided inside the modulation circuit 207 and the demodulation circuit 210. The signal transferred from the ECC encoding circuit 208 is divided into a plurality of bits according to the modulation scheme, and converted into another signal (code) with reference to a conversion table.

For example, 8/16 modulation (R
When the LL (2,10) code is used, there are two types of conversion tables, and a DC component (DSV: Digita
l SumValue) is sequentially switched so that the reference conversion table approaches 0.

<E-2-3> Generation of Recording Waveform When recording marks are recorded on the information recording medium (optical disk) 201, generally, the recording method is as follows: Mark length recording method: front end position of recording mark and rear terminal "1" comes to the position.-Recording method between marks: There are two types: the center position of the recording mark matches the position of "1".

When mark length recording is performed, it is necessary to form a long recording mark. In this case, if the recording light amount is continuously irradiated for a certain period, a “raindrop” recording mark having a wide width only at the rear portion is formed due to the heat storage effect of the light reflective recording film of the information recording medium 201. In order to eliminate this adverse effect, when forming a long recording mark, the recording mark is divided into a plurality of recording pulses or the recording waveform is changed stepwise.

Recording / reproducing / erasing control waveform generating circuit 206
Inside, the above-described recording waveform is created in accordance with the recording signal sent from the modulation circuit 207 and transmitted to the semiconductor laser driving circuit 205.

<E-3> Signal flow during reproduction <E-3-1> Binarization / PLL circuit As described in "<B-1-1> Signal detection by optical head 202", information recording medium A signal on the information recording medium 201 is reproduced by detecting a change in the amount of light reflected from the light reflecting film or light reflecting recording film of the (optical disc) 201. The signal obtained by the amplifier 213 has an analog waveform. The binarization circuit 212 converts the signal into a binary digital signal consisting of “1” and “0” using a comparator.

A reference signal at the time of reproducing information is extracted from the reproduced signal obtained by the PLL circuit 211. PL
The L circuit 211 has a built-in variable frequency oscillator. The frequency and phase between the pulse signal (reference clock) output from the oscillator and the output signal of the binarization circuit 212 are compared, and the result is fed back to the oscillator output.

<E-3-2> Demodulation of Signal The demodulation circuit 210 has a conversion table indicating the relationship between the modulated signal and the demodulated signal. The signal is returned to the original signal while referring to the conversion table in accordance with the reference clock obtained by the PLL circuit 211. The returned (demodulated) signal is recorded in the semiconductor memory 219.

<E-3-3> Error Correction Processing The error correction circuit 209 detects an error portion of the signal stored in the semiconductor memory 219 using the inner code PI and the outer code PO, and sets a pointer flag of the error portion. Stand up.

Thereafter, while reading the signal from the semiconductor memory 219, the signal at the error location is sequentially corrected in accordance with the error pointer flag, the inner code PI and the outer code PO are removed, and the signal is transferred to the data input / output interface unit 222.

The signal sent from the ECC encoding circuit 208 is sent to the data input / output interface 2
22 to output a reproduced signal c.

<< 1 >> Method of Using Extended Information for Common Information Compliant with Standard FIG. 12 shows the basic concept of the present invention.

For example, a standard is set in a public place such as a DVD-Video, and an information recording medium (Opt.
The information recorded on the ical disk 1001) is called common information 2001 conforming to the standard.

The common information 2001 conforming to the standard includes Object information or Contents information 2012 indicating information of the content itself of information such as video information, still image information and audio information, and management / control information for managing and controlling the information. 2011. Since the information of both of them conforms to the standard, the driver (information recording / reproducing device) of any manufacturer can reproduce and edit the information.

Only a driver (information recording / reproducing device) of a specific manufacturer exerts a unique function exceeding the function specified in the above standard, and information related to the unique function is stored in the information recording medium (Optical Disk 1001). When recording, specific information 200 that can be used only by a specific manufacturer
2 recording area. The specific information 2002 that can be used only by the specific manufacturer is recorded in an area different from the recording area of the common information 2001 conforming to the standard on an information recording medium (optical disk 1001). Among the information that can be reproduced only by the driver (information recording / reproducing device) of the specific manufacturer, information on the content itself of the information such as video information, still image information, and audio information is specific object information (specific content information) that can be used only by the specific manufacturer. 2008. Information necessary for managing and controlling the specific object information (specific content information) 2008 that can be used only by the specific maker is management / control information 20 that can be used only by the specific maker.
06.

The driver (information recording / reproducing device) of the specific maker having the above-mentioned unique function basically operates according to the function rules specified by the standard. Therefore, the driver (information recording / reproducing apparatus) basically performs operation and processing using the common information 2001 conforming to the above-mentioned standard, and specifies only the part that requires a specific function and can be used only by the specific manufacturer. The special process is performed by calling the information 2002. That is, when or where the specific information 2002 that can be used only by the specific manufacturer is required, the specific information 2002 is set in association with the content of the common information 2001 conforming to the above standard.
Thus, the specific information 200 that can be used only by a specific manufacturer
Information indicating the association with the common information 2001 conforming to the standard No. 2 is defined as “link information 2003”.

<< 2 >> Basic Concept of the Present Invention (Target of the Invention) The basic concept of the present invention and the target of the invention are summarized as follows. -It is possible to record and use multiple pieces of link information independently created by recorders (information recording / reproducing devices) of multiple companies. -Regarding the maker ID information for setting the link information, the ID distribution processing at the specific institution is unnecessary. As a result, it is easy to freely enter a new manufacturer without having to apply for a permit to a specific organization.

・ Recorders of other companies (information recording / reproducing devices)
After editing the video, the in-house recorder (information recording / reproducing device) makes it possible to understand the effect of the video editing on the link information. <<< 3 >>> Information content recorded in one piece of link information Information content recorded in one piece of link information is shown in FIG.
Shown in The features of this information content are summarized below.

(1) A single piece of link information can indicate a plurality of link sources / link destinations at one time. -If you want to specify the same unique function (a function that can be performed only by a driver of a specific manufacturer) at multiple locations in the management / control information 2005 conforming to the standard, link information can be created by attaching parallel links to multiple locations in this way. The number can be reduced. -If you want to specify multiple unique functions (functions that can be performed only by a driver of a specific manufacturer) at the same location in the management and control information 2005 conforming to the standard, link information can be created by attaching parallel links to multiple locations in this way. The number can be reduced.

(2) A method of enabling link information independently created by recorders of a plurality of companies to be written and used in parallel. -A structure in which a plurality of link information can correspond to one VOB or Cell in parallel. In each piece of link information, “time (date) 2061 when the corresponding link information was last recorded / changed” is recorded. The link information may be “drive manufacturer group ID information (group ID created by a plurality of manufacturers) 2034 that can use specific information related to the corresponding link information” 2034 ”or“ use of specific information related to the relevant link information ”. The drive maker ID information (drive maker name, etc.) 2035 that can perform the link information is recorded, and from this information, the name of the maker that can use the corresponding link information is known.

(3) A method of dispensing with the maker ID distribution process at a specific institution. Here, a specific embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0200] The maker group ID information 2034, the drive maker ID information 2035, and the model information 2073 for which specific information can be used (which model can be used later) 2073 are all recorded as text information.

Further, in order to cope with the case where the same maker name is mixed (such as an affiliated company), “additional information 2037 on this link information which can be set by the drive maker” is further provided in the link information to avoid confusion by setting a password. It is possible. As the text information recording method, “ID information 2033 of the drive manufacturer description character code” (for example, JIS code ID) is set in the link information.

FIG. 14 shows another embodiment of the method of setting "drive maker ID information" of the present invention.

<< 4 >> Description of Link Form FIG. 12 shows a schematic association between common information 2001 conforming to the standard and specific information 2002 usable only by a specific manufacturer. A specific link method between the two will be described in detail below. As shown in FIG. 13, information on the link form for each piece of specific information 2002 is recorded in the column of “information 2041 on link form of specific information related to this link information” in link information 2003.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the following four types of link modes exist.

(1) Link form A: Call processing from external program / specific information side In the processing method shown in FIG. 15, management / control information 2006 that can be used only by a specific manufacturer is included in common information 2001 conforming to the standard. Object information 200 conforming to the standard
7 is used directly. Each object information is Video
Since it is managed on the Object Information 1107 side, a call is actually made to the Video Object Information 1107. Otherwise, the display unit Cell Pla
There is also a method of calling yback Information 1108 or PGC Control Information 1103 indicating a continuous playback program.

Specific usage of this embodiment is as follows: an information recording medium (Optical Disk 1) having a plurality of recording layers or a plurality of recording layers such as a multiple disk pack or a multilayer disk;
001) PGC Control that manages video information, still image information, and audio information for the whole on the management information 2006 side that can be used only by a specific manufacturer, and manages only one layer at a time.
l Information 1103, Cell Playback Information 110
8, Video Object Information 1107 (information for each recording layer) is collected. -Management and control information 2006 that can be used only by specific manufacturers
Side has program recording reservation information, and records the information obtained by recording using the information as common information 2001 conforming to the standard. (Recorded video information is recorded as Video Object 1012, and management of the video information is performed.) The information is recorded in management / control information 2005 conforming to the standard). Management that enables search information (such as finely hierarchical tree structure information and keyword search information) to be used only by specific manufacturers for video information and vastly recorded still image information
Let the control information 2006 wait and use it to
jects (picture objects) 1013 and Video Objects
(Video object) Searches and displays necessary video information and still image information recorded in 1012. There are.

The management / control information 2006 which can be used only by a specific manufacturer shown in FIG. 15 has information contents for implementing functions related to the basic functions shown in the standard related to the common information 2001. However, the method is not limited to this, and there is a method of using the external component as an external component for a specific external application program 2110. For example, some of the documents created on the document creation software include Picture Objects (1013) and VideoObjects (Video Objects).
Paste the 1012 information or use Picture Objects in the presentation software as well.
There is a method of pasting the information of 13 and Video Objects (video objects) 1012. Furthermore, after capturing a part of the video information in VideoObjects (Video Objects) 1012 and automatically converting it to CG (Computer Graphics) using contour extraction technology etc., a function to move the user as desired using morphing technology etc. It is also possible to create an application program with the technology of the present invention. (2) Link form B: Partial exchange processing The processing method shown in FIG. For the compliant object information 2007, for example, information in which information corresponding to a unique function is blown while having similar information contents corresponding to VOB 1403 and Cell 1443 is referred to as “extended Video Object Informa”.
Option 2115 ”and“ Expanded Cell Playback Informa
2114 ". Then, by selecting the link information 2003, the VOB is displayed when the information is reproduced / displayed.
1403 and Cell 1443 are the above alternatives (exchange) in specific information 2002 that can be used only by specific manufacturers
Replaced with the information for use.

The following is a specific application example using this processing method.

[0209] Object information recording format conversion support In the DVD Video standard, the recording format of video information is "MPEG
1 "or" MPEG2 "format, such as DV
When information recorded in the (digital video) system is recorded in the data structure shown in FIG.
2 format and record it (this information is
Objects (recorded in 1012)
At the same time, a separate file was created for Computer Data Ar shown in Fig. 1 (c).
The original video format in DV format is also recorded on ea 1008 at the same time. This information becomes the specific object information (specific content information) 2008 that can be used only by the specific manufacturer in FIG. Further, management / control information relating to the DV format video information is also recorded separately in the computer data area 1008, and management / control information 20 which can be used only by a specific manufacturer.
06.

At the time of reproduction, a general manufacturer's information reproducing apparatus reproduces video information recorded in MPEG2 format in Video Objects (video object) 1012 in FIG. On the other hand, in the information reproducing apparatus of the specific manufacturer, specific object information (specific content information) that can be used only by the specific manufacturer using the link information 2003.
The original video information of the DV format recorded in 2008 can be reproduced. In general, the video information in the DV format has better image quality than the MPEG2 information.

[0211] A similar use method is applicable not only to video information but also to still image information. That is, FIG.
Picture Objets 1013 shown in (b) is recorded in "one picture format of MPEG2". When recording bitmap format or JPEG format still image information captured by a digital camera, the format is converted and recorded in Picture Objects (picture object) 1013 in FIG. 16B. The JPEG format current image is recorded in specific object information (specific content information) 2008 that can be used only. Link information 2 for an information playback device of a specific manufacturer
003 can be used to reproduce a high-resolution (high-quality) JPEG current image.

Variable Speed Playback Only normal playback speed information is recorded in Cell Playback Information 1108 shown in FIG. For example, when performing FF (high-speed reproduction) or FR (high-speed winding) at double speed and quadruple speed, it is necessary to designate dropped frame reproduction. Information indicating a playback procedure corresponding to FF or FR is recorded in advance in the extended Cell Playback Information 2114, and only the information playback device of a specific maker can perform FF or FR playback using the link information 2003.

Audio dubbing insertion processing Video Objects (video object) in FIG.
If it is desired to overwrite audio information by dubbing while reproducing a video already recorded in 1012, only the audio information to be additionally recorded is recorded in the Audio Obje in the common information 2001 conforming to the standard.
Record in cts 1014. Then the above Video Objects
(Video object) The video information in Video Objects 1012 and the Audio Objects 1014 recorded as a post-record as information in place of the corresponding information in Cell Playback Information 1108 for reproducing the video already recorded in 1012. Creates information indicating the mechanism for simultaneously playing back internal information, and expands Cell Playback In in specific information 2002 that can be used only by specific manufacturers.
Record in formation 2114. Only the information playback device created by a specific manufacturer is the extended Cell Play Inform
Using the ation 2114, the above-described video information and post-record audio information can be simultaneously reproduced and output.

Display of Video Information After Special Editing The common information 2001 conforming to the standard does not include special editing information for video. For example, V in FIG.
When it is desired to perform special editing processing of “fade-in” and “chroma key” on the OB 1404, FIG.
Figure 3 included in Video Object Information 1107
Vid extended by creating management / control information in which special edit processing information of “fade-in” and “chroma key” is added to the management / control information for VOB 1404 in (d)
Recorded in eo Object Information 2115. Extended Vide for information playback devices manufactured by specific manufacturers
o The corresponding information recorded in the Object Information 2115 is read, and the video after the special editing process is displayed and output. Extended Video Object Information 2
In 115, the special editing information is described in the EDL format.

(3) Link Form C: Processing for Inserting Tokuchi Information The processing method shown in FIG. For example, in an information reproducing device created by a general manufacturer, Ce as shown in FIG.
ll 1441 → Cell 1442 → Cell 1443 will be described as an example. On the other hand, the specific maker records Cell * in the expanded Cell Playback Information 2114 of FIG. 16B, and specifies the insertion location as “immediately after Cell 1442” in the link information 2003. When the specific maker reproduces the PGC 1446 shown in FIG. 3 (h), it uses the link information 2003 to read “Cell 1441 → Cell 14
Can be played and displayed in the order of 42 → Cell ＊ → Cell 1443 ”.

As a specific embodiment, there is an automatic CM insertion using the above method.

(4) Link Form D: Function Expansion Processing The Video Object Information and the
This is a method to add your own extended function directly to Cell. The following are specific examples.

Parental Lock and Security Function For example, only the VOB 1404 in FIG. 3 is provided with a security management using a password setting and a parental lock function. This password information is recorded in the extended Video Object Information 2115 shown in FIG.

Small-Screen Simultaneous Display Function For example, extended function information that enables small-screen display only to Cell 1442 in FIG. 3 (g) and allows another image to be displayed in parallel with the small screen is shown in FIG. c) Extended Cell P
layback Information 2114.

Displayed image characteristic improving function The reproduced image of a video recorded by a camcorder or the like is dark, fogged, or poor in color tone due to backlight or insufficient authentication. The extended Video Object Infor of FIG.
Parameters such as “brightness / darkness adjustment” and “color tone adjustment” can be recorded in the mation 2115, and parameters for improving image characteristics are set when editing after recording. The information reproducing apparatus of the specific maker uses the link information at the time of reproduction to correct the image characteristics according to the parameter value and display the corrected image characteristics.

User-settable recording / playback location designation information For example, the location that the user last viewed during the previous playback is shown in FIG.
If the information is recorded in the extended PGC Control Information 2113 of (c), the next time the user performs the reproduction, the reproduction can be continued from that point.

<<< 5 >>> Explanation on Category ID Information is recorded on the information recording medium (Optical Disk 1001) by dividing it into a plurality of contents (such as PTT1407 and PTT1408 in FIG. 3). In addition, this information recording medium (Op
In the tical disk 1001), common information 2001 conforming to the standard and specific information 2002 usable only by a specific maker are recorded for each content. Further, on this information recording medium (Optical Disk 1001), link information 2003 indicating the relationship between the common information 2001 conforming to the standard and the specific information 2002 is recorded. Here, different functions can be realized for each content by using the category ID described below.

FIG. 18 shows the contents of function information (category ID) 2040 common to a plurality of companies with respect to specific information in the information held by the link information shown in FIG. FIG. 18 shows, as an example, a list of category IDs of company A. The symbols of the common function contents and the link form shown in FIG. 18 coincide with the contents described in “<4> Description of Link Form”.

As shown in FIG. 18, an information recording medium (Optica
l Information recorded in the Disk 1001) (PT in FIG. 3 (c))
According to the present invention, the usable information recording / reproducing apparatus or the manufacturer name of the information reproducing apparatus is different depending on T1407 (one content) and PTT1408 (one content), and the corresponding category ID is changed and settable. There are features. As a result, for example, a parental lock is applied to the entire adult video, and a category ID capable of releasing the parental lock only for a portion that may be shown to a child can be set. In this case, by enabling the category ID to be set according to the recorded contents, it is possible to greatly contribute to the healthy development of young people.

When only a plurality of specific manufacturers implement a specific function in common with the agreement, the function information (category ID) 2040 common to the plurality of companies regarding the specific information described above is effectively used. For example, companies A, B, C, and D have their own agreements, and a common function is category ID.
Consider a case where settings are made such that common use of common functions other than 6, 9, and 10 is possible. Common functions other than the category IDs 6, 9, and 10 shown in FIG. 18 can be used not only by the company A but also by the companies B, C and D according to FIG. 18, respectively. Therefore, for example, the company B searches for the link information in which the company A is described from the drive maker ID 2035 in the link information shown in FIG. 13 and finds the link information in the category ID 2040 among 1, 2, 4, 7, and 12
Look for any, and if found, use it in common with Company A.
This also indicates that the usable drive maker can be changed in accordance with the recorded contents, similarly to the above.

Incidentally, Company A, Company B, Company C, and Company D may be considered as manufacturers of the information recording / reproducing apparatus, or may be regarded as vendors of the information recording / reproducing apparatus.

<< 6 >> Method of responding to change in content of common information 2001 based on standard by editing process Recorded on the same information storage medium (Optical Disk 1001) by editing process with information recording / reproducing device (recorder) of another company A method of determining whether or not the link information set in the information reproducing apparatus of the company after changing the content has an influence will be described below.

The Edit Control Informa shown in FIG.
FIG. 19 shows the data structure inside the Option 1023.

The Audio & Video Data Area shown in FIG.
When the data in 1009 is edited (including when new data is added), history information on editing (addition of new data) is always recorded in the editing history information 2141 in FIG. 19B. As the edit history information 2141, the date / time and time information 214 at which the edit (additional record or change) was performed together with the detailed information 2149 on the contents of the edit history
4, 2145 and 2146 are recorded. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 19C, the date / time information 2145 and 2146 that have been edited up to three generations before are recorded together with the date / time information 2144 that was last edited.

Link information 2003 having the data structure shown in FIG. 13 is an information storage medium (Optical Disk 1001).
As shown in FIG. 20D, plural numbers 2163 to 2167 are recorded on the upper part. For example, a case where link information # β 2164 is used will be described. One piece of link information # β 2164
Are the classification items 202 in FIG. 20 (e) or FIG.
0 is recorded, and in particular, a classification item 2020 of “time information 2027 regarding this link information” therein is recorded.
As shown in FIG. 20 (f) (or FIG. 13), “time (year / month / day) information 2 when this link information was last recorded”
061 ”is recorded. The time (date) 2061 at which the link information was last recorded is reproduced to read the date and time when the link information # β 2164 was last created or edited / changed. This date / time and FIG. 19
The information in the Audio & Video Data Area 1009 shown in (c) is compared with the date / time when the information was last edited. Audio & V if the latter date is earlier or at the same time
It is considered that the link information # β 2164 has been created or changed (changed) at the same time as or after the last editing of the information in the ideo data area 1009. In this case, link information # β 2164 can be used without any problem.

Conversely, after the time when link information # β 2164 is created or changed (changed), Audio & Video Data
When the information in Area 1009 is edited (“FIG. 19 (c) last edited date / time information 2144” is changed to “FIG. 20 (f) Link information was recorded last). Audio & Video Data Area 1009 after creating or changing (editing) link information # β 2164 (when the date is later than the time (year / month / day) information 2061 ″)
Was changed, the link information # β 216
There is a possibility that 4 cannot be used. The management control information 2011 (FIG. 12) in the common information 2001 conforming to the standard includes PGC Control In as shown in FIGS.
formation 1103, Cell Playback Information
2162 to 2155, Video Object Information 21
67 to 2169 record year / month / date / time information 2151 to 2159 in which all information is created / changed (edited) last. Therefore, in the above case, the link information # β
2164 common information 2001 conforming to the standard specified by
Find out where in the. In the embodiment of FIG. 20, link information # β
2164 is Video Object Informatio as the link source
Since n # 2 2168 is specified, this Video Objec
The information of the date / time information 2158 that last created / changed (edited) t Information # 2 2168 is reproduced and compared. Date / time information 215 when Video Object Information # 2 2168 was last created / changed (edited)
If the time (date) 2061 when the link information # β 2164 was last recorded is equal to or later than that of the video object information # 8, Video Object Information # 2 2168
Is regarded as edited and the link information # β
2164 can be used without any problem. Video Object
Information # 2 Link information # rather than date / time information 2158 that last created / changed (edited) 2168
Time (date) when β 2164 was last recorded Information 2
If 061 is earlier, link information # β 2164
After setting Video Object Information # 2 2168
Has been changed, so the link information # β 2164
May not be available. In this case, the information recording / reproducing apparatus performs a "repair content automatic operation for automatically changing and restoring the content of the specific information usable only by the specific manufacturer in accordance with the change of the common information content conforming to the standard" shown in FIG. Video Object Informat using “Inspection information 2042”
where ion # 2 2168 is changed and link information # β
The specific information 2002 usable only by the specific manufacturer is determined by determining how to change / correct the specific information 2002 usable only by the specific manufacturer corresponding to 2164.
Perform automatic change / repair processing.

Also, Video Object Information # 22
168 is changed / edited, the date / time information 2158 created / changed last is changed according to the date / time of change / edit, and link information # β 2164 and # γ 2165 corresponding thereto are changed. , # Δ 2166 Specific information 2002 that can be used only by the specific manufacturer
And changes the date / time information of each "link information last recorded (date) information 2061".

The information storage medium (Optical) shown in FIG.
Since the Disk 1001) is excellent in portability, it is highly likely that the Disk 1001) will be used instead of a plurality of information recording / reproducing devices. Therefore, for example, in the information recording / reproducing apparatus of Company A, the link information 21
After setting 64, the information recording / reproducing apparatus of Company B changes / edits the link source part in the common information 2001 conforming to the standard, so that the link information 2164 cannot be used. As described above, (1) “Last changed / modified (edited) time information” is recorded on both the link information 2164 side and the common information 2001 side, and the time information is compared before the link information 2164 is used. By doing this, the validity of the link information can be confirmed. (2) "Correction content automatic inspection information 204"
The major feature of the present invention is that by prerecording “2”, even if there is a change (edit) in the common information 2001 conforming to the standard, the content of the specific information 2002 can be automatically restored. Yes.

<< 7 >> Setting method of link source (designated location in common information based on standard) corresponding to each link information Link source (designated in common information based on standard) corresponding to each link information in the present invention As shown in FIG. 21, there are four types of embodiments of the setting method of (location). (The symbols of (A) to (D) are set for each setting method.) A pit string that cannot exist in the common information 2001 conforming to the standard (for example, all 8 bytes are followed by “1”)
Is arranged at an arbitrary position, the pit string is set as a “tag” of a specified location setting, and the insertion position of the “tag” is set as a specified location of a link source. An information reproducing apparatus that does not use the link information can ignore the influence of the link information by skipping from the “tag” information to the space immediately after the inserted data size information. The “pointer information” is placed after the “tag” information, and the corresponding link information (ID information or link information number 2) in the “pointer information”
031) (FIG. 21A) and “tag”
There is a method of arranging link information 2003 directly after the information (FIG. 21B). In the latter case, the link information is distributed and arranged in the common information 2001 conforming to the standard. The method of the above two embodiments is suitable for the link mode A (call processing from the external program / specific information side) shown in FIG.

The tag information is, for example, "1" for all 8 bytes.
For example, bit information that cannot exist in the common information 2001 is configured and inserted into the common information 2001, and “pointer information” or “link information” is arranged immediately after the bit string comes. In a drive (information reproducing apparatus) created by a drive maker that does not use link information, the pointer size or link information size described immediately after this tag information is checked, and the range is skipped.

On the other hand, link form B shown in FIG.
(Partial exchange processing), link form C (specific information insertion processing) and link form D shown in FIG. 17 (function extension processing)
In the case of, the specified range of the link source is PGC Control Informa
Option 1103, Cell Playback Information 110
8, Video Object Information 1107 is determined. (It is also possible to fix the specified range of the link source as described above even in the link mode A (call processing from the external program / specific information side) in FIG. 15). In this case, FIG. The setting method D) is suitable.

In the setting method (C), each PGC Control Inf
ormation 1103, Cell PlaybackInformation 110
8. This is a method in which an information recording field for specifying link information (ID information or link information number 2031) in Video Object Information 1107 is created in advance.

The method of setting the designated place of the link information without changing the common information 2001 most compliant with the standard (without burdening the common information 2001) is the method of (D). This is a method that has information about the link range. “Number 2044 of designated link locations in common information conforming to standard” of FIG. 13 “First priority designated link location information 204 in common information conforming to standard”
“5” to “second priority link designation range information in standard-compliant common information” are information items set on the assumption that the method (D) is adopted.

<< 8 >> Explanation of the Location of Link Information First, the file structure in the case where there is no link information 2003 and specific information 2002 corresponding to the extended function will be described.

All information recorded in the data area 1004 in FIG. 1B is recorded in file units, and the relationship between the data files is managed by a directory structure as shown in FIG.

Under the root directory 1450, a plurality of sub-directories 1451 are provided so as to be easily classified for each file content to be recorded. In FIG. 2, FIG.
(C) Each data file related to Computer Data recorded in Computer Data Area 1008 and 1010 is Comp
uter Data storage sub-directory 1457, recorded in Audio & Video Data Area 1009
udio & Video Data is recorded under rewritable video title set RWV_TS1452. Also DV
Figure 1 shows the video information recorded on the DVideo disc.
When copying to (a), video title set V
IDEO_TS1455 and audio title set
Copy it under AUDIO_TS1456.

The control information 1011 shown in FIG.
The information is recorded as one file as recording / reproducing video management data. In Figure 2, the file name is RWVIDEO_C
Named ONTROL.IFO. In addition, the same information is recorded for backup as a file named RWVIDEO_CONTROL.BUP.

In FIG. 2, Video Objects 1 shown in FIG.
All video information data belonging to 012 are collectively recorded in a Video Objects File 1447 having a file name of RWVIDEO.VOB. In other words, the Video Objects shown in Fig. 1 (d)
All video information data belonging to 1012 are continuously combined in one VTS (Video Title Set 1402) as shown in FIG. 3 (b), and are continuously recorded in one file called Video Objects File 1447. Is done. (That is, all files are collectively recorded in one file without dividing the file for each PTT (Part_of_Title) 1407 and 1408.) All still image information data belonging to Picture Objects 1013 is called RWPICTURE.POB. Picture of file name
Collectively recorded in the Objects File 1448. Pict
ure Objects 1013 includes a plurality of pieces of still image information. Digital cameras use a recording format that records each still image as a separate file.
In the embodiment of the present invention, unlike the recording format of the digital camera, all the still images included in Picture Objects 1013 are continuously connected in the same format as in FIG.
One Picture Objects Fi with file name RE.POB
The feature of the embodiment of the present invention lies in that the information is collectively recorded in le1448.

Similarly, all audio information belonging to Audio Objects 1014 is also stored in one Audi file with the file name RWAUDIO.AOB.
o Collected in the Objects File 1449,
All thumbnail information belonging to bnail Objects 1016 is also RWTH
Thumbnail Objects File 14 named UMBNAIL.TOB
58 are collectively recorded.

[0245] Video Objects File 1447, Pict
ure Objects File 1448, AudioObjects File 14
49, Thumbnail Objects File 1458 is all AV
Handled as File 1401.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, additional recording / reproduction information 1454 that can be used at the time of video recording / reproduction can be recorded at the same time, and the information is collectively recorded as one file. In the example, the file name is RWADD.DAT.

An embodiment of the present invention relating to the location of link information will be described in comparison with the file structure of FIG. In the embodiment of the present invention, there are four kinds of arrangement place embodiments including each application example.

First, an embodiment in which the link information 2003 is arranged in the common information 2001 shown in the first row of FIG. 22 will be described. In the case of the above embodiment, the link information 200
3 is Control Information 1011 in Fig. 2 = RWVIDEO_CON
TROL.IFO (Recording / playback video management data) and Control Infor
backup data of mation 1011 = RWVIDEO_CONT
ROL.BUP (Recording / playback video management data backup) 2
Recorded together in the file. The detailed recording location in the two files is EditControl I shown in FIG.
Link information 2 in FIG. 19B in nformation 1023
All the link information are collectively recorded in the recording location 003. The inside of the link information 2003 is shown in FIG.
, A plurality of link information 2163 to 2167 are arranged continuously.

In the embodiment in which link information is arranged in the specific information 2002 shown in FIG. 22, for example, a common file 2181 for recording specific information = RWADD.ADD as shown in FIG.
Specific information 2002 in (a type of recording / reproducing additional information 1454)
Means the state recorded along with.

All link information is collectively arranged in a unique place. As shown in FIG. 23 shown in FIG. 22, a unique link information file 2 is stored under the subdirectory 1451 of the rewritable video title set RWV_TS 1452.
171 = RWLINK.DAT is set, and FIG.
As shown in (d), individual link information 2163 to 216
7 are arranged side by side. This unique link information file 2171 = RWLINK.DAT is positioned as a kind of the recording / reproducing additional information 1454 = RWADD.DAT (recording / reproducing video additional information) shown in FIG.

The embodiment shown in the fourth row of FIG. 22 in which the link information used for each drive maker is collectively arranged means a file structure as shown in FIG. That is, subdirectories (subdirectory 2185 dedicated to company A, subdirectory 2186 dedicated to company B) are created under the root directory 1450 for each drive maker, and link information 2191 dedicated to company A is created.
= Set a link information file for each drive manufacturer, such as LINKINFO_A.IFO. In the link information file, individual link information 2163 to 2167 are arranged and recorded side by side as shown in FIG. << 9 >> Description of Placement of Specific Information Used Only by Specific Maker FIG. 23 shows an embodiment of a method of arranging specific information 2002 usable only by the specific maker in the present invention. Basically, it is recorded in a subdirectory 1451 of a rewritable video title set RWV_TS 1452 in which common information 2001 conforming to the standard is recorded. FIG.
As shown in the figure, the directory 2173 for company A's specific information
= Directory 217 for RWADD_A, Company B specific information
4 = RWADD_B and specific information 200 for each drive manufacturer
The directory where 2 is recorded is separated. FIG.
In order to change the specific information of the company B, for example, the specific information 2176, 217
The risk of breaking 7 is prevented. In addition, as shown in FIG.
02, the management / control information 2006 that can be used only by a specific manufacturer is the specific management / control information 21 dedicated to the company A in FIG.
76 = Recorded in the file RW-A-CONTROL.IFO,
The contents of the specific object information (specific content information) 2008 that can be used only by the specific maker are the specific object information 2177 dedicated to company A in FIG. 23 = RW-A-OBJECT.VOB.
Is recorded in the file.

FIG. 24 shows another embodiment relating to a method of arranging the specific information 2002 which can be used only by a specific manufacturer in the present invention. The feature is that all the specific information 2002 is collectively recorded in one file regardless of the drive maker of the information recording / reproducing apparatus which created the specific information 2002. Common file 2 for recording this specific information
The file 181 is named RWADD.DAT, and is located under a rewritable video title set RWV_TS 1452 in a common subdirectory 1451 in which common information 2001 conforming to other standards is recorded. The common file 2181 for recording this specific information is positioned as a kind of the recording / reproducing additional information 1454 = RWADD.DAT (recording / reproducing video additional information) shown in FIG.

FIG. 25 shows another embodiment of the method of arranging the specific information 2002 that can be used only by a specific maker according to the present invention. In FIG. 25, unlike FIG. 23 and FIG. 24, the specific information 2002 is stored in the subdirectory 14 of the rewritable video title set RWV_TS 1452.
It is arranged outside 51. Root directory 1 for each drive maker of information recording / reproducing device that records specific information
Sub-directories (sub-directory 2185 dedicated to company A and sub-directory 2186 dedicated to company B) are respectively created under 450, and specific information 2002 is recorded under them. Further, of the specific information 2002 usable only by the specific manufacturer shown in FIG. 12, the management / control information 2006 available only by the specific manufacturer is the specific management / control information 2192 dedicated to the company A shown in FIG. The content of the specific object information (specific content information) 2008 recorded in the file and usable only by the specific maker is the specific object information 2193 = dedicated to the company A in FIG.
Recorded in the file A-OBJECT.VOB.

<< 10 >> Description of Method of Reproducing / Displaying Information Using Link Information A procedure of a method of reproducing / displaying link information in the information recording / reproducing apparatus for video information recording shown in FIG. 10 will be described. The embodiment will be described by taking as an example a case where the information recording / reproducing apparatus for video information recording is a product of a drive maker A company. FIG. 26 shows a procedure for reproducing / displaying in this case.

First, the entire contents of the flowchart shown in FIG. 26 will be described.

(ST201) Start-up processing of the information recording / reproducing unit 101 The information recording medium (optical disk) 201 is rotated, and the focus / track servo of the optical head 202 is turned on to reproduce information from the information storage medium (optical disk) 201. To

(ST202) Fetching information necessary for recording / reproducing video information into memory The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 controls the information recording / reproducing unit 101 to transmit information from the information storage medium (optical disc) 201 to the Control Information 1011 information. And the link information file 2171 (FIG. 23).
(PU unit) 1530 in the semiconductor RAM unit.

(ST203) Extraction processing of link information created by Company A The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530
All link information in the link information file 2171 temporarily recorded in the section is searched, and the drive maker ID information 203 is searched.
5 (FIG. 13) extracts link information corresponding to company A.

(ST204) Processing for confirming whether or not the common information has been edited after the all link information setting time corresponding to company A The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 uses a semiconductor RAM
A in the link information file 2171 temporarily recorded in the
The last recorded date (date) information 2061 (FIG. 13) for each link information corresponding to the company is checked, and the last edit (including addition of new data) of the common information is performed. It is checked whether or not the common information has been edited after the all link information setting time corresponding to the company A as compared with the information 2144 (FIG. 19C).

(ST205) Judgment Whether or not the common information has been edited since the creation / change of all link information corresponding to Company A.

(ST206) Confirmation processing of the last edit time of the corresponding place in the common information designated by the link information of Company A The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 uses the semiconductor RAM
A in the link information file 2171 temporarily recorded in the
The last recorded date (date) 2061 (FIG. 13) for each link information corresponding to the company and the corresponding location in the common information designated by each link information (FIG. 13: designated location of link source and designated range 2026) Extract information. System control unit (M
(PU unit) 1530, temporarily recorded in the semiconductor RAM unit.
From the control information 1011 information, the date / time information 2151 to 2159 (FIG. 20) in which the link source designated place in the common information was last created / changed is extracted, and the temporal context between the two is examined.

(ST207) Judgment Whether or not the link source designated location in the common information has been edited since the creation / change of all link information corresponding to Company A.

(ST208) Specific Information Restoring Process Corresponding to Link Information Set Before the Last Edit Time of the Link Source For the link information set before the last edit time of the link source, the repair content automatic inspection information 2042 (FIG. 13) ), The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 automatically determines how the designated location of the link source has been changed, and responds to the corresponding specific information (specific management / control information dedicated to company A in FIG. 23). 2176 and the contents of the specific object information 2177) dedicated to the company A are changed. The timing information 2071 (FIG. 13) recorded at the end of the link information is updated to the repair timing.

(ST209) Processing for extracting link information of another company usable by the category ID The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 uses a semiconductor RAM.
A in the link information file 2171 temporarily recorded in the
The category information 2040 (FIG. 13) is checked for link information corresponding to a company other than the company. System control unit (MP
In the U section 1530, category IDs of other companies that can be used and recorded in advance in the semiconductor ROM section (information similar to the category IDs of the other companies that can be used by company A are recorded in advance in the same manner as in FIG. 18). Is compared with the other company's category ID recorded on the information storage medium (optical disk) 201, and usable link information of the other company is extracted from the comparison.

(ST210) Judgment Whether common information editing processing has been performed since the creation / change of usable link No information of another company checked in ST209.

(ST211) Confirmation processing of the last edit time of the corresponding location in the common information designated by the link information of another company The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 uses the semiconductor RAM
Lastly recorded time (date) information 2061 (FIG. 13) for each available link information of other companies in the link information file 2171 temporarily recorded in the section and the corresponding location in the common information designated by each link information (FIG. 13: designated location of link source and designated range 2026) Information is extracted. The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 creates / changes the last link source designated location in the common information from among the Control Information 1011 information temporarily recorded in the semiconductor RAM unit.
The time information 2151 to 2159 (FIG. 20) is extracted, and the temporal context between them is examined. ST208 is applied to the link information of another company that is finally set before the time when the corresponding location in the common information designated as the link source was last edited.
The restoration of the specific information 2176 and 2177 is not performed as in
Use prohibited.

(ST212) Inquiry of link information availability to user The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 utilizes the available individual link information selected by the above process to record / reproduce the video method recording (video recorder) An inquiry is made on the recording / reproducing recorder display section 1548 to ask the user whether to use the unique function of (1) or to use only the common information 2001 conforming to the standard to reproduce and display the information. If the user refuses to use the link information, the link information is not used, and the information storage medium (optical disk) is used using only the common information 2001 conforming to the standard.
The reproduction result is displayed on the recording / reproducing recorder display unit 1548 while reproducing the information from 201 (ST213) The reproduction / display processing using the link information and the specific information The semiconductor RA in the system control unit (MPU unit) 1530)
The contents of the link information file 2171 temporarily recorded in the M section are searched, and the common information 2001 specified in the link information specified by the user by the inquiry in ST212.
Extract the link source corresponding part in System control unit (M
From the Control Information 1011 information temporarily recorded in the semiconductor RAM unit in the PU unit 1530), the position of the link source designated location in the PGC Control Information 1103 (FIG. 20A) is recorded in another position of the semiconductor RAM unit. I do. PGC specified by the user for playback (FIG. 20)
While reproducing and displaying the common information 2001 with respect to (a)), when the reproduction place comes to the above-mentioned link source designated place, the specific information 2002 is called via the link information 2003, and the reproduction based on the unique function is performed. And display on the recording / reproducing recorder display section 1548.

The description of the flowchart shown in FIG. 26 will be continued. As described in “<6 >> Method of responding to change in content of common information 2001 based on standard by editing process”, “time information when link information was last recorded” recorded in link information shown in FIG. 2061 "
A place to check before and after the time between “the date / time information 2144 when the common information 2001 was last edited (content change / addition / deletion processing)” shown in FIG. 19C (ST2)
04) has a significant feature. As a result, after the corresponding link information is finally set, the content of the common information 2001 is changed (edited) by the information recording / reproducing apparatus for recording video information of another company
You can check if you have not done. If common information 200
In the case where the content of item 1 has been changed (edited), it is determined whether or not the location specified by the corresponding link information as the link source has been changed (edited) (after the link information was last set). (ST207 and ST210). If the link information is affected as a result of the editing, the drive maker ID information 2035 in the link information is checked. (1) When the link information is created by the company (Company A in the above embodiment) Automatically detects how the location specified by the link information as the link source has been changed by the editing process using the repair content automatic inspection information 2042 (FIG. 13) in the link information. Specific information 2 according to
002 side (FIG. 12) is automatically changed (ST in FIG. 26).
(2) If the link information is created by a company other than the company (Company A), use is prohibited (ST211 in FIG. 26). In the procedure shown in FIG. 26, the drive maker ID 2035 is used.
Is not only the company (Company A in the above embodiment), but even if the drive maker ID 2035 indicates another company, the category ID 2 which is the common function information about the specific information among a plurality of companies.
040 is read, and it can be used for link information that can be used for the company (Company A) (ST209 in FIG. 26).

A specific embodiment of ST213 in FIG. 26 is shown.

In the case of “search processing using search information” as a unique function, search information is recorded in advance in management / control information 2006 (FIG. 12) that can be used only by a specific maker, and the recording / reproducing recorder The user selects information using the content displayed on the display unit 1546 (FIG. 10), and as a result, the link information 200 is extracted from the information extracted from the management / control information 2006 that can be used only by the specific manufacturer.
3 using the Video Object Inform in the common information 2001
ation # 2 2168 (FIG. 20 (c)) and reproduce / display it.

As an original function, for example, C in the recorded information
When "variable speed reproduction" is performed only at the M place, for example, FIG.
(B) Cell Playback Information #c 2164
Is the CM part in the recorded information. High-speed playback of that part via link information # ε 2167 (
FF) partial exchange processing 2121 in which information for
Supported extended Cell Playback Information 211
4 (FIG. 16) is a file RW-A-CONTROL.IFO (FIG. 2) for the specific management / control information 2176 dedicated to the company A as the management / control information 2006 (FIG. 12) usable only by the specific manufacturer.
Recorded in 3). The PGC C shown in FIG.
When reproducing and displaying the ontrol information 1103, the Cell Playback Information #c 2164 part is replaced with the expanded Cell Playback Information 2114, and the CM part is displayed at high speed. << 11 >> Description of Method for Simultaneously Recording Common Information, Link Information, and Specific Information FIG. 27 is a flowchart of a procedure for simultaneously recording common information 2001, link information 2003, and specific information 2002.

First, the entire contents of the flowchart shown in FIG. 27 will be described.

(ST221) Start-up processing of the information recording / reproducing section 101 The information storage medium (optical disk) 201 is rotated, and the focus / track servo of the optical head 202 is turned on to reproduce information from the information storage medium (optical disk) 201. To

(ST222) Processing for creating a dedicated directory for recording specific information on an information storage medium Information recording / reproducing apparatus for recording / reproducing information (video recorder)
The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 receives a command for simultaneously recording common information, link information, and specific information from the user. Information storage medium (Optical Disk 1001
Then, a directory RWADD-A 2173 (FIG. 23) for company A specific information is created on the optical disc 201) (if the directory already exists, the above processing is omitted).

(ST223) The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 controls the information recording / reproducing unit 101 to fetch information necessary for recording / reproducing of video information into the memory, from the information storage medium (optical disk) 201 to the Control Information 1011 information. And the link information file 2171 (FIG. 23) and the specific management / control information 2176 file dedicated to the company A, and read the system control unit (MPU
Unit) is temporarily recorded in the semiconductor RAM unit in 1530. Link information file 2171 or specific management for company A
If the control information 2176 file has not been created yet, the process of reading the uncreated file is not performed.

(ST224) Temporary storage processing of specific information Specific object information (specific content information) 2008 that can be used only by a specific manufacturer is input to the AV input unit 154 in FIG.
2, the system control unit (MPU unit) 153
ADC1552 in the form in which the specific object information is input without converting the above information by the instruction from 0.
→ V encoder 1555 → Formatter 1556
→ Data processor 1536 → Information recording / reproducing unit 1
01 → temporary storage unit 15 via temporary storage unit 1534
34, as the specific object information 2008. The data passes through the V encoder 1555 and the formatter 1556 as a transfer path, but here, the data as it is input is transferred without performing data conversion.

(ST225) Object Information Recording Location Setting Processing The object information 2007 and the specific object information 2 conforming to the standard are obtained from the Control Information 1011 information (and the link information file 2171) read in ST223.
008 recording location (positioning viewed from management / control information)
Set.

(ST226) Object information 2007 creation processing conforming to the parallel standard The information input from the AV input unit 1542 in parallel with the above ST222 is recorded by the V encoder 1553 and the A encoder 1554 in a recording format (MPEG2 or the like) conforming to the standard. )
After the data is converted to the format shown in FIG.
(F) Reconstruct the data structure as shown in FIG.
(ST227) Recording process of object information and specific object information based on the standard on the information storage medium A command is issued from the system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 to the information recording / reproducing unit 101, Storage media (Opt
file for recording specific object information 2177 dedicated to Company A on the ical Disk 1001 and the optical disk 201).
Creates OBJECT.VOB 2177 (omitted if it already exists). Under the control of the system control unit (MPU unit) 1530, the information recording / reproducing unit 101 reads out the standard-compliant object information 2007 and the specific object information from the temporary storage unit 1534. 2008 is read alternately and the information storage medium (Optical
It is recorded on the Disk 1001 and the optical disk 201). Object information 2007 conforming to the standard is shown in the Vid
eo Object File 1447 or Picture Object File 14
48, additional recorded in Audio Object File 1449. Specific object information (specific content information) 2008 that can be used only by a specific manufacturer is additionally recorded in a specific object information file RW-A-OBJECT.VOB2177 dedicated to company A in FIG.

(ST228) Additional recording processing of management / control information 2005 conforming to standard When system controller (MPU) 1530 completes the recording processing on the information storage medium in ST227, management / control information 2005 conforming to the standard is completed. 23, the additional contents according to the recording result of ST227 are summarized, and the Control Infor
RWVIDEO_CONROL.IFO and R recorded by mation 1011
The information recording / reproducing unit 101 is controlled so that additional information is additionally recorded in the two files WVIDEO_CONTROL.BUP, and the recording process is executed.

(ST229) Additional recording process of management / control information file usable only by specific manufacturer At this stage, specific management / control information 21 dedicated to company A in FIG.
If the 76 file RW-A-CONTROL.IFO does not exist, the above file is newly created (if it already exists, new creation is unnecessary).

The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530
Based on the recording result of the specific object information (specific content information) 2008 in T227, the specific management
The contents to be additionally recorded in the control information 2176 file RW-A-CONTROL.IFO are summarized, and the information recording / reproducing unit 101 is controlled to perform an information additional recording process on the file.

(ST230) Link Information Addition Process At this stage, if the link information file 2171 shown in FIG. 23 does not exist, a new link information file is created (if it already exists, new creation is unnecessary).

The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530
Each management control information 101 recorded in T228 and ST229
The contents of the link information to be added are summarized based on the contents of 1, 2176, and the information recording / reproducing unit 101 is controlled to record the additional information in the link information file 2171 RWLINK.DAT.

As shown in FIG. 13, the link information to be added also records information such as: drive maker ID information 2035, category ID, and information 2042 for automatic inspection of restoration of specific information. The date (time) when the additional link information is set in ST230 is recorded or updated with respect to the time (date) 2061 when this link information was last recorded / changed shown in FIG.

Further, the description of the flowchart shown in FIG. 27 will be continued. Specifically, DV (digital video tape) or digital camera 1543 (Fig. 10)
An example will be described in which a still image in the JPEG format photographed in step 1 is recorded on the information storage medium (optical disc) 201. In step ST224 and ST227 in FIG. 27, DV format digital video information or JPEG format still image is recorded in the specific object information 2177 recording file RW-A-OBJECT.VOB dedicated to company A in FIG. Specific control and control information 21 dedicated to company A
It is recorded in the recording file RW-A-CONTROL.IFO of 76 (ST229).

At the same time, ST 226 and ST 226 in FIG.
227, the V encoder 1553 of FIG.
The SP encoder 1555, the A encoder 1554, and the formatter 1556 convert DV format digital video information or JPEG format still images into MPEG2 format digital video or MPEG2 I picture format still image information which is a recording format conforming to the DVD standard. Converted and standard-compliant object information 2007
(FIG. 12) Video Objects File 144 of FIG.
7, Picture Objects File 1448, Audio Objects F
Record in ile 1449. At the same time, the management and control information 2005 on them is also stored in two files RWVIDEO_CONTROL.IFO and RWVIDEO_
Recorded in CONTROL.BUP (ST228).

At the time of reproduction / display, the user is made to select which to reproduce. Based on the result, the object information 2007 conforming to the standard and the specific object information (specific content information) 20 that can be used only by a specific manufacturer.
Recorder / Reproducer Recorder Display 1
548 is displayed.

<< 12 >> Description of Method of Adding Link Information / Specific Information to Common Information Already Recorded FIG. 28 shows common information 2 already recorded on the information storage medium.
001, link information 2003, specific information 2002
Is a flowchart of a method for adding a symbol.

First, the entire contents of the flowchart shown in FIG. 28 will be described.

(ST233) Starting process of the information recording / reproducing unit 101 The information storage medium (optical disk) 201 is rotated, and the focus / track servo of the optical head 202 is turned on to reproduce information from the information storage medium (optical disk) 201. To

(ST234) The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 controls the information recording / reproducing unit 101 to fetch information necessary for recording / reproducing of video information into the memory, from the information storage medium (optical disc) 201 to the Control Information 1011 information. And the link information file 2171 (FIG. 23).
(PU unit) 1530 in the semiconductor RAM unit.

(ST235) The user receives the unique function contents and unique function setting range designation information by the user. The user can use the user interface using the recording / reproducing recorder display unit 158 to provide the user with the unique function of the information recording / reproducing apparatus (video recorder) for recording video information. Select the content and specify the range to specify the unique function. The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 interprets the unique function contents designated by the user using the Control Information 1011 information, which is management / control information 2005 compliant with the standard temporarily recorded in the semiconductor RAM unit.

(ST236) Information addition process to management / control information 2006 usable only by specific manufacturer The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 manages only the specific manufacturer based on the unique function contents and range specified by the user. -Create additional information to the control information 2006,
Specific management / control information file 217 dedicated to company A in FIG.
6 The information recording / reproducing unit 101 is controlled for RW-A-CONTROL.IFO to perform additional recording processing of information.

(ST237) Link Information Addition Process At this stage, if the link information file 2171 in FIG. 23 does not exist, a new link information file is created (if it already exists, new creation is unnecessary). The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 stores the temporary recording unit 1 in ST234.
The link information contents to be added based on the Control Information 1011 information temporarily recorded in 534 and the management and control information 2006 usable only by the specific manufacturer additionally recorded in ST236 are combined, and the information recording / reproducing unit 101 is controlled to link information. Record additional information in file 2171 RWLINK.DAT.

As shown in FIG. 13, the link information to be added also records information such as: • drive maker ID information 2035 • category ID • information 2042 for automatic inspection of the repair content of specific information. The date (time) when additional link information is set in ST237 is recorded or updated with respect to the time (date) 2061 when this link information was last recorded / changed shown in FIG.

The description of the flowchart shown in FIG. 28 will be continued. As a specific embodiment, for example, FIG.
An example of parental lock setting or security setting by password setting for Cell Playback Information #c 2164 will be described. A parental lock setting or a security setting is received from the user at the above location (ST235 in FIG. 28).

Link information # ε 216 for that part
7, the extended Cell Playback Infor corresponding to the partial exchange process 2121 in which the password information is additionally recorded via
mation 2114 (FIG. 16) is a file RW-A-CONTRO for specific management / control information 2176 dedicated to company A as management / control information 2006 (FIG. 12) usable only by specific manufacturers.
It is recorded in L.IFO (FIG. 23) (ST236). FIG.
PGCControl Information 1103 shown in 0 (a)
Cell Playback Information when playing / displaying
#C 2164 Cell Playback Info expanded
Replaced by rmation 2114. When the display timing of this portion comes, a password inquiry display to the user is displayed on the recording / reproducing recorder display portion 1548. Only when the user inputs a correct password without error, the reproduction / display of this portion becomes possible.

<< 13 >> Content of Processing when Editing Common Information 2001 FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing processing when editing the common information 2001.

First, the entire contents of the flowchart shown in FIG. 29 will be described.

(ST241) Start-up process of the information recording / reproducing unit 101 The information storage medium (optical disk) 201 is rotated, and the focus / track servo of the optical head 202 is turned on to reproduce information from the information storage medium (optical disk) 201. To

(ST242) The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 controls the information recording / reproducing unit 101 to fetch information necessary for recording / reproducing of video information into the memory, from the information storage medium (optical disk) 201 to the Control Information 1011 information. And the link information file 2171 (FIG. 23).
(PU unit) 1530 in the semiconductor RAM unit.

(ST243) Extraction processing of link information created by Company A The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 uses a semiconductor RAM
All link information in the link information file 2171 temporarily recorded in the section is searched, and the drive maker ID information 203 is searched.
5 (FIG. 13) extracts link information corresponding to company A.

(ST244) The user receives the information of the editing content in the common information by the user interface using the recording / reproducing recorder display section 158. The user can receive the information conforming to the standard of the video information recording information recording / reproducing apparatus (video recorder). It is responsible for receiving instruction information on the editing contents in the information 2001. The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 is a semiconductor RA
Management / control information 20 conforming to the standard temporarily recorded in M section
The specific method for editing specified by the user is determined by using the Control Information 1011 information of 05.

(ST245) Execution of Editing Process in Common Information The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 executes the common information 200 conforming to the standard based on the processing method determined in ST244.
1 for the information storage medium (optical disk) 201 by controlling the information recording / reproducing unit 101 as necessary.
The recording process for is performed.

(ST246) Update processing of the last created / changed date / time information in the management / control information conforming to the standard. The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 uses the standard based on the editing processing performed in ST245. Management and control information2
005 is changed, and the information recording / reproducing unit 101 is controlled to rewrite the files RWVIDEO_CONTROL.IFO and RWVIDEO_CONTROL.BUP relating to Control Information 1011 shown in FIG. The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 simultaneously outputs the date / time information created / changed at the end of the part related to the editing (of 2151 to 2159 in FIG. 20,
FIG. 19 and a portion related to a portion changed at the time of editing)
Last edited date / time information 214 shown in (c)
4 is executed. (ST247) Content change processing of link information of Company A related to editing The system control unit (MPU unit) 1530 selects the drive maker ID information 2035 (FIG. 13) extracted in ST243 from the link information corresponding to Company A in ST245. The link information that is affected by the editing process performed on the common information 2001 is searched for, the specific information 2002 portion designated as the link destination of the link information is changed in accordance with the editing process, and the change result is read by the information recording / reproducing unit 101. To the files 2176 and 2 in the directory 2173 for company A specific information.
Change and record the contents of 177. System control unit (MP
U section) 1530 updates and records the last recorded / changed time information 2061 (FIG. 13) of the link information corresponding to all companies A regardless of the influence of the editing.

The description of the flowchart shown in FIG. 29 will be continued. "<6 >> Method of responding to change in content of common information 2001 based on standard by editing process" and "<
<10 >> Description of Method of Reproducing and Displaying Information Using Link Information "also when the information storage medium (optical disc) 201 is used by another company's information recording / reproducing apparatus after editing the common information 2001. It is necessary to perform a recording process for making the link information available, that is, the "date / time / time information 215 of last creation / change" of the portion changed by editing.
1 to 2159 ”(FIG. 20) and“ date / time information 2144 last edited ”2144 as a whole (ST2).
46) (ST246), and at the same time, update the "last recorded time information 2061" in the link information and change the corresponding specific information content (ST247).

Next, application examples of the present invention will be described.

According to the present invention, program (software) information described in various program languages such as "C language", "visual C" and "JAVA (registered trademark)" is recorded on an information recording medium, and the program information is recorded from the information recording medium. The present invention can also be applied to a program (software) recording method in an information processing apparatus that reproduces (software) information and performs an execution process according to the contents of the reproduced program (software). That is,
The information recording method (program language description rule) for recording on the information recording medium reproduces the program (software) from the information recording medium, and the reproduced program (software)
The present invention can be applied to an information recording system which is standardized in common among a plurality of manufacturers that manufacture an arithmetic processing device that performs an execution process according to contents and is commonly recognized.

In the field of arithmetic processing (computer section), arithmetic processing programs are described in accordance with the rules (standards) of various programming languages such as "C language", "Visual C" and "JAVA". If a command that deviates from the rules of the above programming language is described in the program, it will be rejected as an error.

For example, processing functions that can be controlled by programs related to “communication protocol”, “graphical user interface”, “image processing function”, etc. are greatly restricted by the programming language used. That is,
The function cannot be differentiated and unique. On the other hand, there are many requests to execute functional processing that exceeds the above-mentioned restrictions on a specific programming language. In various programming languages, the program is upgraded every time a new function is added. However, it takes a lot of time to upgrade, making it difficult to add new functions in a timely manner in response to technological progress.

When the present invention is applied to a program recording method, it becomes possible to execute a function processing that exceeds the restrictions of the conventional program language on the conventional program language such as “C language”, “visual C”, and “JAVA”. A program control method that performs

When the present invention is applied to a program recording method, the "C language", "visual C", "JAV"
It is possible to provide a programming language with command extensibility even in a conventional programming language such as A ". As a result, each information processing device (computer) has a function that exceeds the restrictions in the conventional programming language. Processing can be added.

Next, the points of the present invention will be summarized.

Information created in accordance with a recording format (recording method) conforming to a standard for recording video information, audio information, still image information, and the like on an information recording medium is referred to as “common information 2001 (FIG. 12)”. Record on an information recording medium. The common information 2001 also includes program (software) information such as “C language”, “visual C”, and “JAVA” created according to the conventional programming language rules (command rules).

Further, information created in a recording format (recording method) that does not conform to a standard for realizing the functions unique to the information recording / reproducing apparatus manufacturer or the functions unique to the information recording medium manufacturer is referred to as “specification that can be used only by a specific manufacturer. Information 2002 (FIG. 12) "is recorded at a position different from the recording location of the common information 2001 on the information recording medium. Specific information 200 that can only be used by this specific manufacturer
2 includes extended program (software) information such as “C language”, “visual C”, and “JAVA” that is created by using new command information that does not follow the conventional programming language rules.

In order to make the specific information 2002 usable, “link information 2003” indicating the relationship between the common information 2001 conforming to the standard and the specific information 2002 usable only by each specific manufacturer is further recorded on the information recording medium. Record.

The link information 2003 includes:-manufacturer information of an information recording / reproducing apparatus usable for each specific information 2002 or model information of an usable information recording / reproducing apparatus;-common information for each specific information 2002 "Information on link form of specific information" indicating the relationship with information 2001 is described.

In the description of the above embodiments, the information recording / reproducing apparatus for recording video information, audio information, still image information, etc. on the information recording medium and reproducing the information from the information recording medium, and the recording method thereof, have been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the above-described embodiment can be applied to a conventional programming language such as "C language", "visual C", or "JAVA" in a similar manner to a programming language having command extensibility.

In this case, an information processing apparatus (computer) corresponds to the information recording / reproducing apparatus. The common information 2001 conforming to the standard includes conventional information such as “C language”, “visual C” and “JAVA”. The program (software) created in accordance with the program language rules of the above corresponds. ・ The information recording medium is a HDD (hard disk drive), MO, or DVD on which the program (software) is recorded.
-Optical discs such as RAM are supported.-The specific information 2002 that can be used only by specific manufacturers conforms to the conventional programming language rules such as "C language", "Visual C", and "JAVA" created on the information processing device (computer) side. The program (software) data created according to the unique command information that does not follow the above corresponds to the link information 2003. The link information 2003 corresponds to the call command or link command (anchor information) that calls between the two programs (software). .

Further, in this case, in the information content list of one piece of link information shown in FIG. 13, drive maker ID information (drive maker name) which can use specific information related to this link information Etc.) 2
035 is changed to “manufacturer ID information 2035 of the information processing apparatus (computer) that can use the specific information related to this link information”. To model information 2073 of an information processing apparatus (computer) that can use the information.

According to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) Recording of information on an information recording medium
The present invention is directed to a place (recording area of specific information 2002) on an information recording medium for recording information (unique information other than the standard-compliant common information 2001) independently created by a manufacturer of an information recording / reproducing apparatus capable of reproducing. For the first time. As a result, the manufacturer of the information recording / reproducing apparatus can record unique information on the information recording medium without being restricted by the standard.

(1-1) On the information recording medium for recording program (software) data, "C language", "Visual C", "JAVA"
Location on an information recording medium for recording program (software) data created according to unique command information that does not comply with the conventional program language rules (specific information 2002)
Recording area) is secured for the first time by the present invention. As a result, "C language", "Visual C", "JAV"
It is possible to add program (software) information according to command information created independently by an information processing apparatus (computer) that does not comply with the conventional programming language rules, such as A ″.

(2) Common information 2001 conforming to the standard in the specific information 2002 area usable only by the specific manufacturer
The information corresponding to the unique function set by the manufacturer of the information recording / reproducing apparatus can be stored in the specific information 2002 recording area without being restricted by the function set by the conventional standard. Recording becomes possible.
As a result, each manufacturer can provide the information recording / reproducing device with its own function, and the uniqueness and differentiation between the information recording / reproducing devices can be brought out. As a result, the development of an information recording / reproducing apparatus in terms of functions based on the principle of competition is expected.

(2-1) An information processing device (computer) that does not follow the conventional programming language rules, such as “C language”, “visual C”, and “JAVA”, is uniquely provided in the specific information 2002 area usable only by the specific manufacturer. Because it is possible to record program (software) information according to the created command information, each manufacturer can have its own information processing device (computer),
Uniqueness and differentiation between information processing devices (computers) can be brought out. As a result, the development of information processing devices (computers) in terms of functionality based on the principle of competition is expected.

(3) Common information 2001 conforming to the standard in the specific information 2002 area usable only by the specific manufacturer
The information corresponding to the unique function set by the manufacturer of the information recording / reproducing apparatus can be stored in the specific information 2002 recording area without being restricted by the function set by the conventional standard. Recording becomes possible.
As a result, a new function can be added to the information recording / reproducing apparatus at any time in response to the progress of technology, and the function of the information recording / reproducing apparatus can be advanced in accordance with the progress of technology.

(3-1) The information processing device (computer) that does not follow the conventional programming language rules, such as “C language”, “visual C”, and “JAVA”, is uniquely provided in the specific information 2002 area usable only by the specific manufacturer. Because it is possible to record program (software) information according to the created command information, each manufacturer can have its own information processing device (computer),
It is possible to add a new function to the information processing device (computer) in response to the progress of technology, and the function of the information processing device (computer) can be advanced according to the progress of technology.

(4) By providing the link information 2003, the common information 2001 and the specific information 200 conforming to the standard are provided.
The usage relationship between the two becomes clear. As a result, the information reproducing apparatus can use the specific information 2002 without error.

(4-1) By providing the link information 2003, the common information 2001 and the specific information 2 conforming to the standard are provided.
The usage relationship between 002 becomes clear. As a result, the information processing apparatus (computer) is able to use the specific information 200
2 available.

(5) Link information 2003 is provided, in which manufacturer information of usable information recording / reproducing apparatus or model information of usable information recording / reproducing apparatus is recorded for each specific information 2002. This makes it very easy for the information recording / reproducing apparatus to automatically determine the specific information 2002 that can be used. As a result, no error occurs in the information recording / reproducing device created by all manufacturers,
It is possible to utilize the specific information 2002 while ensuring high reliability.

According to the above-described embodiment, the following effective modes can be obtained.

(1) When the information recorded on the information recording medium is reproduced by the information recording / reproducing apparatus, it is possible to differentiate the functions and to show the originality for each information recording / reproducing apparatus having a different manufacturer or distributor. An information recording method for recording information on an information recording medium.

(2) When the information recorded on the information recording medium is reproduced by the information recording / reproducing apparatus, it is possible to differentiate the functions and make the information unique for each information recording / reproducing apparatus having a different manufacturer or distributor. An information reproducing method for reproducing information recorded on an information recording medium.

(3) When the information recorded on the information recording medium is reproduced by the information recording / reproducing device, it is possible to differentiate the functions and to show the originality for each information recording / reproducing device having a different manufacturer or distributor. An information recording / reproducing method for recording information on an information recording medium and reproducing the information recorded on the information recording medium.

(4) When the information recorded on the information recording medium is reproduced by the information recording / reproducing apparatus, it is possible to differentiate the functions and make the information unique for each information recording / reproducing apparatus having a different manufacturer or distributor. An information recording / reproducing apparatus for recording information on an information recording medium and reproducing the information recorded on the information recording medium.

(5) An information recording method for recording information on an information recording medium so that the function is expandable.

(6) An information reproducing method for reproducing information recorded on an information recording medium so as to have excellent expandability of functions.

(7) An information recording / reproducing method for recording information on an information recording medium and reproducing the information recorded on the information recording medium so that the function can be expanded easily.

(8) An information recording / reproducing apparatus that records information on an information recording medium and reproduces the information recorded on the information recording medium so that the function can be expanded easily.

[0340]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an information recording method, an information reproducing method, an information recording / reproducing method, and an information recording / reproducing apparatus having high expandability and flexibility.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a data structure on an information recording medium capable of recording and reproducing.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of a directory structure of a data file in a data area.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a data structure in an AV file recorded on an information recording medium.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing recording locations of video objects along an array on an information recording medium.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic structure of data in an allocation map table.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a schematic structure of data in PGC control information.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of video information reproduction using PGC.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a schematic structure of data in VTSI.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a VOB arrangement order according to VOBI.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram schematically showing an information recording / reproducing apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an outline (physical system) of the information recording / reproducing apparatus.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a relationship between common information and specific information conforming to a standard.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the contents of information held by one piece of link information.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing contents related to drive maker ID information.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a link mode A.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a link mode B and a link mode C.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a link form D.

FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining a category ID in Company A.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a data structure inside edit control information.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a link relationship and a time relationship between management / control information and link information conforming to a standard.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a method of setting a designated place in “common information conforming to a standard” corresponding to each piece of link information.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram related to the location of link information.

FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating a recording location (part 1) of specific information.

FIG. 24 is a diagram for explaining a recording location (part 2) of specific information.

FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating a recording location (part 3) of specific information.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for reproducing / displaying using link information by the information recording / reproducing apparatus of Company A;

FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for simultaneously recording common information, link information, and specific information by the information recording / reproducing apparatus.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for adding link information and specific information to common information already recorded on an information recording medium.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when editing processing is performed on common information already recorded on an information recording medium.

[Explanation of symbols]

201 information recording medium 101 information recording / reproducing unit 15
00: disk changer unit, 1530: system control unit, 1534: temporary storage unit, 1536: data processor, 1538: STC unit, 1542: AV input unit, 1
543: Digital camera, 1544: TV tuner, 1
548 recording / playback recorder display unit, 1552 analog-digital converter, 1553 video encoder, 1554
Audio encoder, 1555 ... sub-picture encoder,
1556: formatter, 1557: buffer memory,
1562 ... separator, 1563 ... memory, 1564 ...
Video decoder, 1565 ... Sub-picture decoder, 1567
... Video digital analog converter, 1568 ... Audio decoder, 1569 ... Audio digital analog converter.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hideki Mimura 70, Yanagimachi, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside the Toshiba Yanagicho Plant Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shinichi Kikuchi 3-3-9, Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo Toshiba A・ F-term in bu.E. Co., Ltd. (reference) AA17 AA26 AA28 DA15 DB02 DC01 DC11 DE01

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. At least video or audio stream information is recorded in a first area; management information referred to when the video or audio stream information is reproduced is recorded in a second area; Area 1 further stores extended content information as described above.
An information recording method, wherein information is recorded in one area, and extended management information corresponding to the extended content information is further recorded in the second area. 2. The management information includes control information for setting a reproduction order of the video or audio stream information, and the extended management information includes control information for setting a reproduction order of the extended content information. The information recording method according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The information recording method according to claim 2, wherein the control information is reproduction information for reproducing a content. 4. A video / audio recording means for recording at least video or audio stream information in a first area, and management information referred to when said video or audio stream information is reproduced in a second area. Management information recording means for recording the extended content information in the first area.
Extended content information recording means for recording in one area; and extended management information recording means for recording extended management information corresponding to the extended content information in the second area. Recording device. 5. The management information recording means records the management information including control information for setting a reproduction order of the video or audio stream information, and the extended management information recording means records the extended management information. 5. The information recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein information is recorded including control information for setting a reproduction order of the extended content information. 6. The information recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control information is reproduction information for reproducing a content. 7. A first area in which at least video or audio stream information is recorded, a second area in which management information referred to when the video or audio stream information is reproduced is recorded, A third area set in the first area and further storing extended content information; and a fourth area set in the second area and further storing extended management information corresponding to the extended content information. An information recording medium characterized by comprising an area. 8. The management information in the second area is control information for setting a reproduction order of the video or audio stream information in the management information, and the extended management information in the fourth area is The information recording medium according to claim 7, wherein the control information is control information for setting a reproduction order of the extended content information in the extended management information. 9. The information recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control information is reproduction information for reproducing a content. 10. Reading information from the information storage medium using an optical head that optically scans an information recording surface of the information recording medium and a signal processing unit that processes a signal obtained from the optical head, An information reproducing apparatus for reproducing, wherein: a means for reproducing at least video or audio stream information from a first area of the information storage medium; and the video or audio stream information is reproduced from a second area of the information storage medium. Means for reproducing management information for occasional reference; means for further reproducing extended content information from the third area set in the first area; and means for reproducing the extended content information in the second area. Means for reproducing the extended management information corresponding to the extended content information from the area (4). 11. The management information in the second area is control information for setting a reproduction order of the video or audio stream information in the management information.
11. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the extended management information in the area is control information for setting a reproduction order of the extended content information in the extended management information. 12. The information reproducing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control information is reproduction information for reproducing a content.