JP3345412B2 - Recording method, reproducing apparatus, and reproducing method for recording medium with improved performance of interactive reproduction progress - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording method, a reproducing apparatus, and a reproducing method for a recording medium on which multimedia data is recorded, and more particularly to an improvement in a reproducing function in an interactive application.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a laser disk and a video CD have been known as an optical information recording medium for recording and reproducing audio information and moving image information and a recording and reproducing apparatus therefor. A laser disk realizes recording of analog moving image data for about one hour on an optical disk having a diameter of about 30 cm, and has been actively used as a recording medium for movies and music videos. However, since the laser disk is not an appropriate size in consideration of portability and storage, a more compact recording medium has been demanded.

A video CD has a diameter of 12c, which was originally a disk for audio recording, by recording a moving image having a large data amount by a digital data compression method having a high compression ratio called an MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) method.
This realizes recording and reproduction of moving images on a CD (Compact Disc). Video CDs have a compact disk size, but have a video resolution of about 352 x 24
It was only 0 pixels. (Interactive application) Recently, a new recording medium that can record a movie application with high image quality and that can be used in a field called an interactive application has been required. Here, the interactive application refers to an application having a plurality of reproduction paths and performing reproduction through an interactive operation with the user. For example, interactive applications include aerobics self-study teaching materials having moving images of individual exercises, guides for overseas travel and the like. In addition, an application called an interactive movie in which an interactive function is added to a conventional movie has been devised. In an interactive movie, there are a plurality of stories of a movie in parallel, and the story progress is realized by user participation by allowing the user to determine the branch of the story in the progress of playback. This is effective in enhancing the sense of unity. For example, in the case of a story about a dragon and a swordsman, a video in which the dragon suddenly appears in front of the swordsman is played, and the menus “Option 1: Escape” and “Option 2: Fight” are displayed. This is the branch point of reproduction. At this time, the image is branched and played back to the video corresponding to the option selected by the user. (Interactive application control) Video C
Taking D as an example, an interactive application in the prior art will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. The interactive application here will be described using a multi-story inference drama (multi-story means that there are several story developments) as an example.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing moving pictures 1 to 5 constituting an inferential drama and their reproduction order. In this example, the moving image 1 is a moving image in which the detective enters the room. The moving image 2 is a moving image in which a desk in a room is close-up and a pen and glasses are displayed. The moving image 3 is a menu image and “1”
It includes two menu items having label information of “glasses” and “2 pens.” Video 4 is a video that is played when the menu item “1” glasses is selected, and the glasses are closed. The video 5 has the menu item “2”
This is a moving image that is reproduced when “pen” is selected, and “pen” is brought up in close-up. Other videos are omitted.

[0005] FIG.
An example of storage of five digital data representing each of the moving images 5 will be described. The video CD stores five pieces of digital data and a plurality of pieces of reproduction path data for controlling the reproduction order of the moving images 1 to 5. Although one piece of digital data is stored in a continuous area of a disk, it is not necessary that all moving image digital data be stored in a continuous area.
As shown in the figure, the data may be discretely stored in the storage area of the optical disk.

FIG. 3 shows a plurality of reproduction path data stored in a video CD. There are two types of playback path data: one is to give a playback order to a plurality of moving image data, and the other is to switch the branch of playback progress. The former type is called a playlist, and specifies the order in which the moving images are reproduced. The playlist also includes link information for designating the next reproduction path after the reproduction of the specified moving image has been completed.

[0007] The latter type is called a selection list, and includes a plurality of branch destination reproduction path candidates and a menu address. The menu address is a recording address of a menu image that indicates that there are a plurality of branch destinations.
The menu image includes a plurality of menu items as in the case of the moving image 3 described above, and the identification numbers of the menu items are associated with the identifiers of the branch destination reproduction paths.

In FIG. 3, reproduction path data 1, 3, and 4 are playlists, and reproduction path data 2 is a selection list. The identification number of each menu item corresponds to a numeric key on the panel of the remote controller, and when the user presses the numeric key, the reproduction proceeds to the corresponding branch destination. Next, an operation when the video CD shown in FIG. 2 is reproduced by the reproducing apparatus will be described.

[0009] When the reproduction start is instructed, the reproducing apparatus reads the first reproduction path data 1 from the optical disk and stores it in the internal memory. The reproduction device determines a moving image to be reproduced according to the reproduction order of the moving image indicated by the reproduction path data 1. After the determination, the pickup is moved to the recording address of the moving image, and the digital data of the moving image is read from the optical disk. The read digital data is subjected to predetermined signal processing, converted into a video output signal and an audio output signal, and output to the display speaker.

When the moving image 1 is reproduced through the above processing,
As shown in FIG. 1, a moving image of a scene in which a detective enters a room with a desk is played for several seconds. When the reproduction of the moving image 1 is completed, the reproduction of the moving image 2 is performed, and the desk closes up on the screen. With this close-up, the pen and glasses appear on the screen for several seconds. If all the moving images described in the reproduction path data have been reproduced, the next reproduction path data is read via the optical pickup by referring to the stored link information of the reproduction path data 1. After the reading, the reproduction path data 1 is discarded, and the next reproduction path data is read into the internal memory via optical reading. In this example, the reproduction path data 2 is stored in the memory instead of the reproduction path data 1. In the case of this example, since the newly stored reproduction path data 2 is a selection list, a menu video presenting a plurality of branch destinations is displayed. In this example, the moving image 3 is displayed as a menu, and ““ 1 ”glasses”,
The menu item ““ 2 ”pen” is shown to the user.

When the user watches a menu image and presses a button corresponding to a menu item on the remote controller, the reproducing apparatus determines reproduction path data of a branch destination corresponding to the button. Subsequently, the reproduction path data 2 which is the selection list stored therein is discarded, the pickup is moved to the recording address of the determined reproduction path data of the branch destination, and the reproduction path data of the branch destination is read out to the internal memory.
In this example, if the user selects “1” glasses,
The reproduction path data 3 is stored in the storage.
If "2" pen is selected, the reproduction path data 4 will be stored in the memory, and if new reproduction path data is stored in the memory, the reproduction progress control will be continued in the same manner. In this example, if the reproduction path data 3 is stored in the memory, the moving image 4 is reproduced in accordance with the data, and the glasses are brought up on the screen.

When the reproduction path data 4 is stored in the memory, the moving image 5 is reproduced, and the pen closes up on the screen. If the reproducing apparatus repeats the above operation for the above-described optical disc, it is possible to proceed with the reproduction to the branch destination video one after another by selecting the menu item. In this way, the story development of the interactive software changes in various ways, so that the user can enjoy the multi-story as if he were a detective appearing in the video.

[0013]

However, the above-described interactive application using a video CD or the like has the following problems in the progress of reproduction. Hereinafter, the problem of the menu of the application of the multimedia optical disc will be described with reference to a specific example. (1) The problem of interactive responsiveness To realize one playback branch in a video CD, as described above, the optical pickup of the playback device moves the moving picture 2 → the playback path data 2 → the moving picture 3 → the playback path data 3 or 4 → Video 4
Or, the moving picture and the reproduction path data must be read out sequentially as in the case of 5. Reading the reproduction path data as needed has the advantage that the memory capacity inside the reproduction device may be small. On the other hand,
Switching between moving image reading and reproduction path data reading causes a seek operation of the optical pickup. There is a disadvantage that the playback operation is temporarily interrupted by this seek operation. In particular, as the number of playback branch points increases, the temporary interruption of the playback progress greatly reduces the responsiveness of the interactive playback progress. Poor responsiveness is a major obstacle to making interactive applications attractive to users.
As described above, it has been difficult to smoothly realize the progress of the reproduction of the interactive application with a fast response. (2) Problems for realizing menus for interactive movies Further, there is a problem that the progress of reproduction is stopped when the selection designation by the user is not accepted in a menu (a branch point of the progress of reproduction) used in an interactive movie or the like. . For example, in the previous example of a dragon and a swordsman, a menu of "flee" and "fight" are displayed at the same time as the dragon appears from the other side of the horizon. At this time, if the user fails to make this determination, the reproduction progress will be stopped. As described above, an interactive movie cannot be viewed like a normal movie for a user who is not interested in participating in the story or a user who cannot select at the turning point.

An object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium recording method, a reproducing apparatus and a reproducing method thereof, which realize a high responsiveness and a high degree of interactivity while improving the performance of progress of application reproduction by menu operation. It is in. That is, at each playback branch point of the interactive application, according to the content of the application, a recording method of a recording medium capable of performing smooth playback with appropriate and simple user operation,
An object of the present invention is to provide a reproducing apparatus and a reproducing method.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium recording method capable of realizing an optimum user operation in accordance with the story contents and scene at each branch point in the interactive reproduction progress, and a reproduction apparatus therefor. And a reproducing method.

[0016]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium recording method comprising the steps of: creating a video object; and recording the created video object on a recording medium. The video object is composed of a plurality of units. Each unit includes video data in a predetermined time unit, sub-video data to be reproduced at the same time, and highlight information effective during reproduction of the video data in the unit to which the video object belongs. And the sub-picture data is a menu image including a plurality of buttons representing display options, and the highlight information is executed when the button is determined for sub-picture data in the same unit. The command includes a command for each button to be operated and information on a button to be selected immediately. For the operation, it is configured to specify a button to be migrated to forcibly determined state.

Here, the sub-picture data in a plurality of units in a predetermined section of the video object constitutes one menu image multiplexed and displayed with moving image data, and is reproduced while the menu image is displayed. The unit includes address information for returning to the menu image after branch reproduction from the menu image to another video object, and the address information includes a plurality of units for storing sub-picture data constituting the menu image. May be configured to indicate the recording position of the first unit.

Here, the selection immediate determination button information may include a flag for each button, and each flag may indicate whether it should be forcibly shifted to a determination state at the time of selection. A reproducing device of the present invention comprises: a reading device for reading data from the recording medium; a reproducing device for reproducing moving image data and sub-video data read by the reading device and outputting the video data and the sub-video data as display video signals; Receiving means for receiving a user's instruction for a menu, controlling reproduction in accordance with the highlight information read by the reading means and the received user's instruction, and selecting the button specified by the selection immediate confirmation button information. Control means for forcibly shifting the button to a fixed state when a user operation is performed.

Here, the control means further includes a detection unit for detecting that the user operation received by the reception means is a temporary reproduction instruction of another video object.
When the reproduction instruction is detected, a call unit that stores the address information and instructs a reproduction unit to reproduce the other video object, and a video including the menu image based on the stored address information. A configuration may also be provided that includes a restart unit that restarts the reproduction of the object.

The reproducing method of the present invention includes a reading step of reading data from the recording medium, a reproducing step of reproducing moving picture data and sub-picture data read in the reading step, and outputting the reproduced data as a display video signal. A receiving step of receiving a user instruction for a menu based on video data; and controlling playback in accordance with the highlight information read in the reading step and the received user instruction. And a control step of forcibly shifting the button to a fixed state when a user operation for selection is performed.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS <Physical Structure of Multimedia Optical Disk> First, the physical structure of a multimedia optical disk (hereinafter referred to as DVD: Digital Video Disk) in this embodiment will be described. FIG.
It is a figure showing appearance, section, enlarged section, and pit shape of VD.

In the external view of FIG.
It is about 12 cm like D. In the sectional view of FIG.
The VD 107 includes a first transparent substrate 108 having a thickness of 0.6 mm from the lower side of the drawing, an information layer 109 on which a reflective film such as a metal thin film is adhered, a second transparent substrate 111, and an information layer 109.
An adhesive layer 110 is provided between the first transparent substrate 111 and the second transparent substrate 111 to bond the two, and a printing layer 112 for printing a label is provided on the second transparent substrate 111 as needed.

The printing layer 112 is not essential for the DVD 107. If it is not necessary, the printing layer 112 may not be provided and the second transparent substrate 111 may be exposed. In FIG. 4, the lower surface on which the light beam 113 for reproduction is incident to reproduce information is referred to as a front surface A, and the upper surface on which the print layer 112 is formed is referred to as a back surface B. Irregular pits are formed on the surface of the first transparent substrate 108 in contact with the information layer 109 by a molding technique, and information is recorded by changing the length and interval of the pits. In other words, the pits on the second transparent substrate 108 are transferred to the information layer 109. Like the pit shape in the figure, each pit has a length of 0.4 μm to 2.13 μm, and is spirally arranged at intervals of 0.74 μm in the radial direction to form one spiral track. . The length of the pits is shorter than that of a conventional CD, and the track pitch, which is the pitch of information tracks formed by a pit row, is configured to be narrower, thereby improving the areal recording density.

The surface A of the first transparent substrate 108 where no pits are formed is a flat surface. The second transparent substrate is used for reinforcement and is the same material as the first transparent substrate 108 and has the same thickness of 0.6 mm and is a flat transparent substrate on both sides. Then, a light beam 113 from an optical head (not shown) is irradiated from the surface A shown below and converges on the information layer 109 to form a light spot 114.
An image is formed on the information layer 109, and the phase of the reflected light is different from that of the surroundings in a portion having a pit, so that optical interference occurs and the reflectance is reduced. As a result, the information is reproduced as a change in reflectance. Further, since the light spot 114 of the DVD 107 has a large NA and a small λ, the light spot 114 is about 1 / 1.6 in diameter as compared with the light spot of the CD. This has a recording capacity of about 4.7 GB, which is about eight times that of a CD. <Data Structure of Entire DVD> Next, the entire data structure stored in the DVD will be described.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the entire data structure of a DVD. A DVD has a lead-in area, a volume area, and a lead-out area on a single spiral track from the center to the outer periphery of the disk. In the “lead-in area”, data for stabilizing operation at the start of reading of the disk reproducing device and the like are recorded.

The "lead-out area" is an area for indicating the end of recorded information to the disc reproducing apparatus. The “volume area” is an area for recording various data constituting an application, and is physically composed of an extremely large number of logical blocks (also called sectors) as a one-dimensional array on a spiral track. Each logical block is 2k
It is a byte and is distinguished by a block number (sector address). This logical block size is the minimum read unit by the playback device.

This volume area further comprises a volume management area and a file area. The “volume management area” is secured from the first block by the number of blocks necessary for managing the entire disk.
onal Standards Organizaition) 13346 and other file names,
Information indicating the correspondence with the address of the logical block group occupied by each file is recorded.

[0028] In the "file area", at least one video title set and a video manager are recorded. In this embodiment, both the video title set and the video manager are handled as one file for convenience of explanation, but are actually recorded on the track by being divided into a plurality of continuous files. This is because, for example, when storing a movie, the file capacity becomes too large, and it is desirable to divide and record a plurality of continuous files in order to facilitate management in the playback device.

Each "video title set" is used for recording an individual title set. Specifically, a plurality of video objects (hereinafter referred to as VOs) representing partial moving pictures, sounds and still pictures of an application such as an interactive movie.
B) and information for controlling the reproduction thereof. Here, for example, when there are three versions of the same movie, such as an uncut version, a theater release version, and a television broadcast version, the title set is a generic name of three titles for each version. In this case, there are VOBs that can be shared between titles of different versions and individual VOBs that cannot be shared. In the video title set, the VOB of the shared portion and the VOB for each version are recorded.

A plurality of video title sets can be recorded so that a plurality of interactive applications such as not only a movie but also an interactive movie can be recorded, for the first time because of a huge recording capacity of about 4.7 Gbytes of DVD. It is realized. The “video manager” is for managing a title set of the entire disc, and specifically records a plurality of VOBs and information for controlling their reproduction. The data structure of the video manager is similar to that of the video title set, except that it is used for a special purpose. That is, the video manager is used to manage the title set of the entire disc. Therefore, the video manager can select the desired title set at the start of playback,
A VOB (group) for a system menu for setting / changing the reproduction control of the title set of the entire volume is recorded. <Data Structure of Video Title Set (Part 1)> FIG.
Shows the internal structure of each video title set in FIG. As shown in the figure, the video title set includes a VOB set including a plurality of VOBs and video title set management information for controlling a reproduction path of the VOB set.

The "VOB set" is composed of all VOBs that are elements of the title set, that is, VOBs that are shared by a plurality of titles, and VOBs that are individual parts of the title. Each "VOB" is a GOP (Group Of Picture)
Moving image data (video) in a predetermined time unit, a plurality of audio data to be reproduced simultaneously with the moving image, a plurality of sub-picture data to be reproduced simultaneously with the moving image, and a management pack for managing these And are interleaved. One management pack as shown in the figure,
A part including moving image data corresponding to a GOP, a plurality of audio data, and a plurality of sub-picture data is stored in a VOB unit (VOB U
nit). The plurality of audio data and the plurality of sub-picture data are selectively reproduced by the reproducing device.

"Audio A", "Audio B", "Audio
A plurality of audio data such as "C" can record voices in a plurality of different languages, such as Japanese and English, or can record male voices and female voices. Also, a plurality of sub-picture data such as “SP A” and “SP B” in the same drawing are still images multiplexed and displayed on a moving image, and can record, for example, subtitles in a plurality of different languages. In addition to subtitles, menus are a more important use of sub-picture data. That is, one or several sub-picture data are
It can be used to record menu images in interactive applications.

The management pack is 2 Kbytes in size, and stores information for managing data for each VOBU.
This includes highlight information for controlling button display and menu operation in a menu image of sub-picture data. The highlight information realizes interactivity in VOBU units in combination with the menu image based on the sub-picture data. <Data Structure of VOB> FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a more detailed data structure of the VOB. FIG. 1 also shows how the materials are interleaved and multiplexed together with the materials before being multiplexed by interleaving and the VOBs after being multiplexed.

The elementary streams (1) to (6) in FIG.
Are material examples before being multiplexed to form a VOB. Elementary stream (1) is MP
Video data compressed according to the EG2 standard.
It is interleaved and multiplexed in VOBUs in OP units. Here, the GOP is about 0.5 including at least one I picture.
This is compressed video data for seconds. One GOP is recorded in one VOBU.

The elementary streams (2) to (4) respectively include audio data (audio A to
C channel). In each audio channel, a portion substantially corresponding to the GOP of the moving image data in terms of time is recorded in the same VOBU as the moving image data. Elementary stream
(5) and (6) are sub-video data (sub-video A and B channels) respectively corresponding to the moving image data. In each sub-picture data, a portion temporally corresponding to the GOP of the moving image data is:
It is recorded in the same VOBU as the moving image data.

In the VOB after multiplexing, "video 1", "audio A-1", "audio B-1", "SP A-
Parts shown as "1" and "SP B-1" are actually recorded in the form of a set of a plurality of packs each having a size of 2 Kbytes. For example, the “video 1” portion is recorded as a set of a plurality of packs corresponding to one GOP. The reason for packing like this is DV
This is because it is the same size as a logical block (sector) of 2 Kbytes in D and is the minimum read unit by the reproducing apparatus. <Data Format of Each Pack> A more detailed data format of each pack and management pack constituting the moving image data, audio data, and sub-picture data in the VOBU will be described.

Each of the packs shown in FIGS.
(Packetized Elementary Stream) contains one packet called a packet, is composed of a pack header, a packet header, and a data field, and has a size of 2 Kbytes. Regarding “Pack header” and “Packet header”,
The description of the points conforming to MPEG2 is omitted, and here, information for identifying each pack type will be described. In the present embodiment, special packets called private packets 1 and 2 in MPEG2 are used to identify audio data, sub-picture data and management packs. Here, the private packet is a packet whose contents may be freely defined. In this embodiment, the private packet 1 is defined as audio data and sub-picture data, and the private packet 2 is a management pack. Is defined.

FIG. 8 shows a data format of a pack (hereinafter referred to as a video pack) which is a component such as "video 1" in FIG. The video pack has a pack header,
It consists of a packet header and a data field that carries a part of the GOP. Among them, the stream ID (for example, 1110 0000) in the packet header means that it is a video pack.

FIG. 9 shows a data format of a pack (hereinafter referred to as an audio pack) as a component such as "audio A-1" in FIG. An audio pack includes a pack header, a packet header, and a data field in which audio data is placed. The stream ID (1011 1101) in the packet header is the private packet 1
Means that Further, the upper 5 bits of the sub-stream ID (10100XXX or 1000XXX in the figure) in the data field indicate that the data is audio data and its encoding method, and the lower 3 bits indicate which channel it is.

FIG. 10 shows the data format of a pack (hereinafter referred to as a sub-picture pack) which is a component such as "SP A-1" in FIG. The sub-picture pack contains a pack header,
It consists of a packet header and a data field carrying image data. Among these, the stream ID (1011 1101) in the packet header means that it is a private packet 1. Furthermore, the upper 3 bits of the substream ID (001XXXXX in FIG. 3) in the data field mean that the video data is sub-picture data, and the lower 5 bits indicate which channel it is.

FIG. 11 shows the data format of the management pack shown in FIG. Management packs include pack headers, PCI
Packet (Presentation Control Information Packe
t), DSI packet (Data Search Information Packe
t). Among these, the stream ID (1011 1111) in the packet header means that it is a private packet 2. Further, the substream ID (0000 0000) in the data field means a PCI packet, and the substream ID (0000 0001) means a DSI packet.

In the DSI packet, information for managing synchronization between moving picture information and audio information and information for realizing special reproduction such as fast forward and rewind reproduction are recorded.
These pieces of information include return address information indicating the start position of the VOBU including the head of the sub-video data when the menu image based on the sub-video data is recorded over a plurality of VOBUs. The return address to the sub-picture is such that when the "menu" key on the remote control is pressed by a user operation during application playback, the video manager jumps to the system menu and switches the stream of audio and sub-picture. After that, it is used to restart the reproduction of the application again.

Highlight information for realizing user interaction is recorded in the PCI packet. The highlight information includes control information for responding to a user operation when a menu image is reproduced by sub-picture data in the same VOBU, and auxiliary control information for acting for the user operation on the menu. Here, the user operation is an input operation using a cursor key, a numeric keypad, an enter key, or the like on a remote controller of the playback device. More specifically, highlight information will be described using a menu image example shown in FIG. In this menu image, five menu items (1 golf, 2 skis, 3 tennis, 4 canoe,
Next menu). The highlight information for the menu image includes control information indicating that there are five buttons, a selected color and a confirmed color of each button, a command to be executed when each button is confirmed, and the like. In addition to this, the highlight information is used as the auxiliary control information as described above, such that a button to be forcibly determined when no user operation is performed, a button to be determined simultaneously with selection, and a selection using the numeric keypad are prohibited. Contains control information indicating buttons and the like. <Data Structure of Management Pack> FIG. 13 is a diagram hierarchically showing a more detailed data structure of the management pack. FIG.
As described above, the management pack includes PCI and DSI. As described above, the PCI includes highlight information. <Schematic Data Structure of Highlight Information>
The highlight information in the CI includes general highlight information on general highlight display, button color information for changing the display color of a button in a menu, and button information for defining the content of each button. Here, the highlight display means that, for each button in the menu image, a button in a selected state and a confirmed state is displayed so as to be distinguished from other buttons. As a result, menu display according to the operation status of the user is realized. <Detailed Data Structure of Highlight General Information> In the drawing, highlight general information includes a highlight state, a highlight start time, a highlight end time, a button selection end time,
It is composed of the total number of buttons, the number of selectable buttons, the forced selection button number, and the forced confirmation button number.

The "highlight state" is a video display section (VOBU) of about 0.5 seconds targeted by the PCI packet.
Indicates the state of highlighting, such as whether or not a button exists, and if so, whether or not it has the same content as the highlight information of the previous PCI packet. For example, the highlight state is
It is represented by the following two bits. Highlighted state "00": There are no buttons on the menu in the video display section by this VOBU. Highlighted state "01": A new button exists. Highlighted state "10": Same button as the previous VOBU. Highlight state "11": Same button as the previous VOBU except for the highlight command.

"Highlight start time", "highlight end time", and "button selection end time" indicate the start and end of highlight display and the last time at which a button can be selected, respectively. These times start from the start of the reproduction of the VOB. In the playback device, a system time starting from the start of playback of the VOB is counted as a reference clock for the entire playback operation. With these times, the playback device can synchronize the display of the menu image with the sub-picture data and the highlight display of the menu image.

"Total number of buttons" indicates the number of buttons used among the maximum 36 buttons. Each button is assigned a button number from 1 to the total number of buttons. Assuming that, for example, j is set in the “number of selectable buttons”, selection is permitted when a numeric key is input for buttons 1 to j. That is, selection of the button having the number of j + 1 or more by the numeric keys is prohibited.

"Forced selection button number" indicates an initial selection button at the time when highlighting is started. If the forcible selection button number is 0, it indicates that there is no initial forcible button. In this case, the selection button number stored inside the playback device is used. “Forced confirmation button number” indicates a button number to be automatically confirmed when none of the buttons is confirmed after the button selectable section ends. Incidentally, 63 and 0 are magic numbers which are not button numbers. That is, 0 means unspecified (invalid) as in the case of the forced selection button number, and 63 designates a button in a selected state at the time of button selection end time without specifying a specific button number. Means that. This allows
With a menu used in an interactive movie application, playback can be advanced without interruption even if the user does not confirm it. <Detailed Data Structure of Button Color Information> FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a more detailed data structure of button color information and button information.

The button color information includes button color 1 information, button color 2 information, and button color 3 information, and three types of button color groups are prepared for buttons on the menu. One of three types is designated for each button. In the present embodiment, the maximum number of buttons that can be used is 36, but assigning different color changes to all buttons is redundant, so each button specifies one of three types. .

Each of the button color 1 to 3 information is composed of selected color information and fixed color information. The “selection color information” is information indicating a color to be colored when a button is selected by an arrow key or the like (in a selected state), and includes a highlight one color code, a highlight two color code, a pattern color code, and a background color. Consists of code. How to use these four colors properly will be described based on a menu image example shown in FIG. If the “4 canoe” button is in a selected state, for example, the display frame surrounding the numeral “4” is highlighted in one color, the display frame surrounding “4 canoe” is highlighted in two colors, and the character “4 canoe” is a pattern. The color and the background of the character become the background color.

The "confirmed color information" is information indicating a color to be generated when a button in a selected state is confirmed. Like the selected color information, an emphasized color 1 code, an emphasized color 2 code, a pattern color code, It consists of a background color code. Regarding the correspondence between each of these color codes and the buttons in the menu image,
This will be described in more detail.

The menu image based on the sub-picture data is image data of 2 bits per pixel. The 2-bit code for each pixel is: highlight color 1, highlight color 2, pattern color,
Specify which of the background colors. For example, the bit assignment is as follows. The 2-bit code “00” is the background color (pixel of the background portion). 2-bit code "01"
Is the pattern color (the pixels that make up the text). The 2-bit code “10” is the highlight color 1 (one of a button frame and a double frame). The 2-bit code “11” is the highlight color 2 (the other of the double frame of the button, etc.).

The emphasis color 1 code, emphasis color 2 code, pattern color code, and background color code in the button color information are actually 24 bits with respect to the 2-bit code specified for each pixel of the sub-picture data. Used to convert to specified color data. More specifically, each of the emphasized color 1 code, the emphasized color 2 code, the pattern color code, and the background color code is a 4-bit code (hereinafter referred to as a 4-bit color code), and designates one of 16 colors. . That is, the forced one-color code, the forced two-color code, the pattern color code, and the background color code are four-bit codes for converting a two-bit code (each of four types can be classified) designated for each pixel into one of 16 colors. It is. These 4-bit codes are further converted into 24-bit color codes by a color conversion table in the playback device during playback. <Detailed Data Structure of Button Information> As shown in FIG. 14, the button information records information for a maximum of 36 buttons 1 to 36. Hereinafter, each of the button 1 to 36 information is referred to as button n information.

The button n information includes button position information, adjacent button information, and a button command. The “button position information” further includes a button color number, a start XY coordinate, an end XY coordinate, and a selection immediate decision flag. The “button color number” specifies which one of the button color 1 to 3 information in the button color information is to be used.

The “start XY coordinates” and “end XY coordinates” are
As shown in FIG. 12, the upper left coordinate and the lower right coordinate of the rectangle are specified to specify the highlight area of the button, and the range of the button colored according to the selected color information and the determined color information is shown. The “selection immediate confirmation flag” is a flag indicating whether or not the state immediately shifts to the confirmation state when the button is selected. This is a flag for performing the operation of pressing the enter key by the user on behalf of the user and reducing the number of key inputs by the user. For example, when the button is selected by an arrow key, the state shifts to the final state without a user operation of pressing the final key.

The "adjacent button information" is information indicating other button numbers that are present above, below, right and left of the button in the menu image. Thereby, it is possible to realize the movement of the button selection by the user's arrow key operation. In the “button command”, a command to be executed when the button is set to a fixed state is recorded. The command is a command for controlling playback of the playback device, and includes, for example, a command for instructing a branch and a command for operating a register inside the playback device. <Details of Button Command> FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a specific example of a command used as a button command set for each button in the button information. Each instruction consists of an operation code and an operand. Some instructions require more than one operand.

In the figure, a Link instruction is a program chain (hereinafter abbreviated as PGC) specified by an operand.
Instruct branch reproduction to. Here, the program chain (PGC) is a VO that is reproduced in a predetermined series.
The row B or the reproduction path. Details of the PGC will be described later.
The CmpRegLink instruction specifies, as operands, a register number, an integer value, a branch condition, and a branch destination PGC number, and instructs to branch to the PGC only when the value of the register satisfies the branch condition for the integer value. I do. The branch condition is = (match),> (large), <(small), and the like.

The SetRegLink instruction has a register number, an integer value, an operation content, and a branch destination PG as operands.
A C number is specified, and a value obtained by calculating the value of the register and the integer value is stored in the register, and then the branch to the PGC is instructed. Here, the operands indicating the operation contents are: = (assignment), + (addition),-(subtraction), * (multiplication), / (division), MOD (residual remainder), AND (logical product), OR
(OR), XOR (Exclusive OR), and the like.

The SetReg instruction has, as operands,
A register number, an integer value, and an operation content are specified, and an instruction is given to store a value obtained by calculating the value of the register and the integer value in the register. Here, the operand indicating the operation content is the same as the above-mentioned SetRegLink instruction. R
The “andom” instruction specifies a register number and an integer value as operands, and instructs to generate an integer random number between integer 1 and the integer value and store the generated random number in the register. <Data Structure of Video Title Set (No. 2)> Next, video title set management information for controlling the playback path of the VOB among the individual video title sets will be described.

FIG. 16 is a diagram hierarchically showing the data structure of the video title set management information of each video title set in FIG. Hereinafter, the layers in the figure are referred to as first to fifth layers in order from the left. The first layer in FIG.
Is as described above. As shown in the second layer of the figure, the video title set management information includes a video title set management table, a title search pointer table, and a PGC information table.

"Video title set management table"
Is header information of this video title set, and P
A pointer indicating the storage position of the GC information management table or the title search pointer table is recorded. The “title search pointer table” is an index of a plurality of PGCs stored in the PGC information management table, and records a pointer to a storage position of PGC information to be executed first for each title. For example, a pointer indicating the storage position of PGC information indicating the head PGC of the interactive movie is recorded.

The “PGC information management table” stores an arbitrary VOB from a plurality of VOBs recorded in a video title set.
This is a table for allowing OBs to be combined and played back in an arbitrary order, and is managed in units of PGCs in which a plurality of VOBs are combined in an arbitrary order. This PG
FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of C. PGC # 1 in the figure indicates a playback path from VOB # 1 to VOB # 2 in the video title set. PGC # 7 is VOB # 15 → V
A reproduction path of OB # 13 → VOB # 14 is shown.

To realize this, as shown in the third hierarchy of FIG. 16, the PGC information management table
Information # 1 to #m. Each PGC information is one PG
The configuration of C and the PGC to be reproduced next are designated. FIG.
As shown in the fourth hierarchy, each PGC information includes a color conversion table, PGC connection information, a pre-processing command group, a post-processing command group, and path information.

The "path information" is composed of position information of a plurality of VOBs, as shown in the fifth hierarchy, and is arranged in the order of reproduction. For example, the route information of PGC # 1 in FIG.
It consists of two pieces of position information # 1, # 2. This position information includes the logical address of the first sector of the VOB and the total number of sectors occupied by the VOB. The “post-processing command group” indicates a command to be executed after the PGC is reproduced. This command can set the command shown in FIG. 16, that is, the command used as the button command in the highlight information. For example, PGC # 1 in FIG. 17 is branched and reproduced to either PGC # 2 or PGC # 3. To realize this, CmpReg is added to the post-processing command group of PGC # 1.
A Link instruction may be set.

The "pre-processing command group" indicates a command to be executed before the start of the PGC reproduction. This command can also set the command shown in FIG. For example, S
It can be used to set an initial value in a register by an etReg instruction or the like. “PGC connection information” indicates the number of one PGC to be reproduced next. However, when a branch is performed by a branch instruction (CmpRegLink or the like) in the post-processing command group, it is ignored.

The "color conversion table" is a table for converting the above-mentioned 4-bit color code of the sub-picture data into actual color data designated by 24 bits.
As shown in the fifth layer of FIG.
Corresponding to each color of the bit color code (color 1 to color 16),
A 24-bit color code including luminance data and color difference data 1 and 2 is recorded. The color specification method is, for example, ITU-R-Rec.
See 601-1 etc.

The data structure of the optical disk has been described above, and the reproducing apparatus will be described. <External Appearance of Reproducing System> FIG. 18 is an external view of a reproducing system including a reproducing apparatus, a monitor, and a remote controller in this embodiment.

In the same figure, the playback device 1 has a remote control 9
1 according to an operation instruction from the optical disk (DV
D), and outputs a video signal and an audio signal. An operation instruction from the remote control 91 is received by the remote control receiving unit 92 of the playback device 1. The display monitor 2 receives a video signal and an audio signal from the playback device, and performs video display and audio output. This display monitor may be a general television. <Appearance of Remote Controller> FIG. 19 shows an example of the key arrangement of the remote controller 91. Here, keys related to the present invention will be described. The "menu" key is used to call a system menu by the video manager when playing any title such as an interactive movie. The “ten” key and the “direction (arrow)” key are for selecting menu items. The "Enter" key is for confirming the selected menu item. Other keys are the same as those of other AV devices. <Overall Configuration of Playback Apparatus> FIG. 20 shows the playback apparatus 1 of FIG.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the entire configuration of the embodiment. The playback device 1 includes a motor 81, an optical pickup 82, a mechanism control unit 83, a signal processing unit 84, an AV decoder unit 85, a remote control receiving unit 9
2. It is composed of a system control unit 93. The AV decoder unit 85 further includes a system decoder 86, a video decoder 87, a sub-picture decoder 88, and an audio decoder 8.
9, the image synthesizing unit 90.

The mechanism control unit 83 controls a mechanism system including a motor 81 for driving the disk and an optical pickup 82 for reading a signal recorded on the disk. In particular,
The mechanism control unit 83 adjusts the motor speed according to the track position instructed by the system control unit 93, and at the same time, controls the actuator of the optical pickup 82 to move the pickup position, and detects an accurate track by servo control. Then, rotation waiting is performed until a desired physical sector is recorded, and signals are continuously read from a desired position.

The signal processing unit 84 amplifies the signal read from the optical pickup 82, shapes the waveform, binarizes the signal, demodulates the signal,
After processing such as error correction, the data is stored in a buffer memory (not shown) in the system control unit 93. Of the data in the buffer memory, the video title set management information is held in the system control unit 93, and the VOB is stored in the system control unit 93.
Is further transferred from the buffer memory to the system decoder 86.

The AV decoder 85 outputs the signal-processed V
OB is converted into an original video signal or audio signal. The system decoder 86 determines a stream ID and a sub-stream ID for each logical block (pack) included in the VOB transferred from the buffer memory, and outputs video data to the video decoder 87, audio data to the audio decoder 89, and The video data is output to the sub video decoder 88, and the management pack is output to the system control unit 93. At this time, the system decoder 86 sends the audio data and sub-picture data of the number (channel) designated by the system control unit 93 from the plurality of audio data and the plurality of sub-picture data to the audio decoder 89 and the sub-picture decoder 88. Output each and discard the data other than that number.

The video decoder 87 decodes and decompresses the video data input from the system decoder 86 and outputs it to the video synthesizing section 90 as a digital video signal. When the sub-picture data input from the system decoder 86 is run-length compressed image data, the sub-picture decoder 88 decodes and decompresses the data, and outputs the decoded data to the picture synthesizing section 90 in the same format as the video signal. .

The audio decoder 89 decodes and decompresses the audio data input from the system decoder 86 and outputs it as a digital audio signal. The video synthesizing section 90 outputs a video signal obtained by mixing the output of the video decoder 87 and the output of the sub-video decoder 88 at a ratio specified by the system control section 93. This signal is converted into an analog signal and then input to a display device. <Structure of System Decoder> FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a structure of system decoder 86 in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the system decoder 86 includes an MPEG decoder 120, a sub-picture / audio separation unit 121, a sub-picture selection unit 122, and an audio selection unit 123.

The MPEG decoder 120 determines the type of each data pack included in the VOB transferred from the buffer memory by referring to the stream ID in the pack.
7, the packet data is output to the sub-picture / audio separation unit 121 for the private packet 1, to the system control unit 93 for the private packet 2, and to the audio selection unit 123 for the MPEG audio packet.

The sub-picture / audio separation unit 121
With respect to the private packet 1 input from the EG decoder 120, the type of the packet is determined by referring to the substream ID in the pack. The data is output to 123. as a result,
The sub video data of all numbers and all audio data are output to the sub video selection unit 122 and the audio selection unit 123.

The sub-picture selecting section 122 outputs to the sub-picture decoder 88 only the sub-picture data of the number designated by the system control section 93 among the sub-picture data from the sub-picture / audio separating section 121. Sub-picture data other than the designated number is discarded. The audio selection unit 123
Of the MPEG audio from the EG decoder 120 and the audio data from the sub-picture / audio separation unit 121, only the audio data with the number specified by the system control unit 93 is output to the audio decoder 89. Audio data other than the designated number is discarded. <Structure of System Control Unit> FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing the structure of the system control unit 93 in FIG.

The system control unit 93 includes a button control unit 93
0, system state management unit 935, command interpretation execution unit 9
36, a playback control unit 937, a button state control unit 933, and a key input receiving unit 938. Further, the button control unit 930 includes a PCI decoder 931, a highlight information analysis unit 932, and a highlight display control unit 934, and controls a response to a user's menu operation according to the highlight information in the management pack.

The PCI decoder 931 separates the PCI packet in the management pack sent from the MPEG decoder 120, and transfers the highlight information therein to the highlight information analyzing unit 932. The management packs are interleaved for each VOBU as shown in FIG.
A new management pack is transferred every 5 seconds. The highlight information analysis unit 932 analyzes the highlight information input from the PCI decoder 931 and displays a button state indicating how the button selection state changes for all buttons on the menu image based on the sub-video data. Generate a transition table.

The button state control section 933 holds the button state transition table generated by the highlight information analysis section 932, and further stores the button number in the selected state (current state) and the button number in the confirmed state. Hold and further control the change of state. FIG. 23 shows a specific example of the button state transition table. This button state transition table is based on the menu image based on the sub-picture data shown in FIG.

In FIG. 23, the “current state” column shows all buttons that can be selected. That is, S in FIG.
1 to S5 indicate that the buttons of button numbers 1 to 5 on the menu image are in the selected state, respectively. The number of “current state” is determined by the highlight information analysis unit 932 in FIG.
3 are generated in accordance with the total number of buttons. The “arrow key transition information” column indicates to which state to transition from the current state when an arrow key of the remote controller is input. The arrow key transition information is generated by the highlight information analysis unit 932 according to the adjacent button information in the highlight information.

The "highlight display information" column shows the highlight of each button. The highlight display information is output by the highlight information analysis unit 932 from the start XY coordinates in FIG.
This is set according to the highlight area including the end XY coordinates. The “numeric key permission” column indicates whether or not selection using the numeric keys is permitted for each state. This information is set by the highlight information analysis unit 932 according to the number of number selectable buttons shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 23, button selection is permitted for buttons 1 to 4, and button 5 is selected.
Is not allowed.

The “selection and immediate confirmation” column indicates whether or not to enter the selection state for each button and at the same time determine whether the button is to be finalized. This information is set by the highlight information analysis unit 932 in accordance with the selection immediate determination flag shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 23, only the button 5 is set to be confirmed immediately.
The “button color number” column is a button color number for each button, and is set by the highlight information analysis unit 932 according to the button color numbers shown in FIG.

The “button command” column indicates a command to be executed when each button is in a fixed state, and is set by the highlight information analysis unit 932 in accordance with the button command shown in FIG. According to such a button state transition table, the response control to the user's menu operation is performed by the highlight display control unit 934 and the command interpretation execution unit 9.
36.

The highlight display control unit 934 instructs the sub-picture decoder 88 on the highlight area of the button in the selected state and the confirmed state and the color information designated by the button color number in accordance with the button state transition table. Controls highlighting. The system state management unit 935 is a buffer that temporarily holds digital data input from the signal processing unit 84. This part of the buffer area is PGC
The information is secured as a PGC information buffer 935a that holds information. When the digital data input to the system state management unit 935 is a VOB, the reproduction control unit 93
7 and is transferred to the system decoder 86, and if it is PGC information, it is stored in the PGC information buffer.

The command interpretation execution unit 936 executes the button command when the button is set to the fixed state.
The reproduction control unit 937 has a register set 937a,
The key input receiving section 938 performs interpretation execution of key input data and other overall reproduction control. The register set includes a plurality of registers (four registers R0 to R3). One of the registers holds the channel number of the currently reproduced sub-video data and the channel number of the audio data, and designates the sub-video selection unit 122 and the audio selection unit 123 with the numbers.

The key input receiving section 938 receives a key code indicating a key input from the remote control receiving section 92, and notifies the button state control section 933 and the reproduction control section 937. <Detailed Configuration of Sub-Video Decoder> FIG. 24 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of sub-video decoder 88. As shown in the figure, the sub video decoder 88 includes an input buffer 881, a sub video code generation unit 882, a sub video display control unit 883, a sub video code conversion table 884, and a compressed video signal generation unit 8.
85, a highlight code conversion table 886, a highlight area management unit 887, a sub-video signal generation unit 888, and a color conversion table 889.

The input buffer 881 holds the sub video data of the channel selected by the sub video selector 122 in the system decoder 86. Sub-picture code generation unit 882
Converts the image data in the input buffer, which has been run-length compressed, into bitmap data in which each pixel is represented by a 2-bit code.

The sub-picture display control unit 883 performs image processing such as display start and end of the image data, color change when using karaoke, and the sub-picture code conversion table 884 based on the color information recorded in the sub-picture data. Generate. The compressed video signal generation unit 885 refers to the sub-video code conversion table 884 for the sub-video part and the highlight code conversion table for the 2-bit code for each pixel output from the sub-video code generation unit 882. 886 is generated to generate a 4-bit 16-color code.

The highlight code conversion table 886 is
6 is a color conversion table from a 2-bit code to a 4-bit code of a highlight portion which is a partial area of image data. The highlight area management unit 887 stores the start XY coordinates and the end XY coordinates of the highlighted rectangular area, and prepares for reading by the compressed video signal generation unit 885. The sub-video signal generating unit 888 converts the 16-bit code of 4 bits per pixel output from the compressed video signal generating unit 885 into 24-bit 16.7 million color data based on the information of the color conversion table 889.

The color conversion table 889 stores the PG to be reproduced.
The 16 color information of the color conversion table in the C information is stored. <Schematic Process Flow of Reproduction Control by System Control Unit 93> FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a schematic process of reproduction control by the system control unit 93 in FIG.

First, when the system control section 93 detects that the disc has been set in the reproducing apparatus, the system control section 93 controls the mechanism control section 83 and the signal processing section 84 to control the disc rotation until stable reading is performed. Then, when it becomes stable, the optical pickup is moved to read the lead-in area first. Thereafter, the volume management area is read out, and the video manager shown in FIG.
22), the PGC group for the system menu is reproduced (step 123).

In accordance with the user operation in the system menu, the system control unit 93 reproduces the PGC for the title menu in the selected video title set (step 124), and based on the user's selection (step 125), the selected PGC is selected. The video title set management information corresponding to the title is read (step 126),
Branch to the PGC at the beginning of the title (step 12
7). Further, the PGC group is reproduced, and when the reproduction is completed, the process returns to step 124 (step 128). <Reproduction processing flow of program chain group> FIG.
26 shows a detailed flowchart of a process of reproducing a program chain group in step 128 in FIG. 25. The same applies to steps 123 and 124 in FIG.

In FIG. 26, first, the system control unit 9
3 is the corresponding P from the video title set management information.
The GC information is read (step 131). This PGC information is stored in the PGC information buffer 935a. Next, initialization is performed according to the PGC information in the PGC information buffer 935a. This initialization includes execution of a pre-processing command group and setting of a color conversion table (step 13).
2). By executing the pre-processing command group, for example, initial values of registers are set. At this point, the color conversion table shown in the fourth hierarchy in FIG. 16 is stored in the buffer memory in the system state management unit 935. Will be transferred.

Next, the position information specified in the path information in the PGC information buffer 935a is sequentially extracted, and
Reproduction control of each VOB # i (i is 1 to n) is performed (step 133). Specifically, the system control unit 93 controls the mechanism control unit 8 according to the position information set in the route information.
3 and the signal processing unit 84 start reading the VOB. The read VOB is stored in the AV decoder unit 8
5 and separated and regenerated. At this time, the separated video and sub-picture are displayed on a display screen (not shown), and audio output by audio data is started. When a branch command set as a button command is executed during the VOB playback, the PGC specified by the branch command is executed.
(Steps 135 → 131). When all the VOBs have been reproduced, a post-processing command group is executed (step 134). PG to be reproduced next
If C exists, the reproduction of a new PGC is started (step 1).
35 → 131). The PGC to be reproduced next is specified by a branch instruction in the post-processing command group or PGC connection information in the PGC information. <Reproduction of VOB> FIG. 27 shows step 133 in FIG.
6 is a flowchart showing a reproduction control process of an individual VOB (VOB # i) shown in #i.

First, the system control unit 93 controls the start of reading from the head address of VOB # i according to the i-th position information of the path information (step i1). Thereby, the digital data string of VOB # i is stored in the mechanism control unit 8.
3 and read by the signal processing unit 84. The read digital data sequence is temporarily input to the system decoder 86 via the system control unit 93 once. The system decoder 86 decodes the digital data sequence to determine a video pack, a sub-picture pack of any channel, an audio pack of any channel, and a management pack,
Each of the video decoder 87, the sub-picture decoder 88, the audio decoder 89, and the PCI in the system controller 93
Output to the decoder 931. Thereby, the reproduction of the moving image, the sound, and the sub-picture is started. Also, the management pack
It is input to the PCI decoder 931 approximately once every 0.5 seconds.

When the management pack is input (step i2), the PCI decoder 931 determines whether or not new highlight information is set in the management pack according to the highlight state shown in FIG. 13 (step i3). ), If it is new highlight information, the highlight information analyzing unit 9
32. The highlight information analysis unit 932 generates a button state transition table from the transferred highlight information. The button control unit 930 performs highlight processing shown in FIG. 28 based on the button state transition table (step i).
4). Here, the highlight processing refers to highlight display and interactive control based on highlight information.

Further, if the digital data string read from the DVD is not the end of VOB # i, the system control unit 93 waits for the input of the management pack (step i).
2). In this case, the above processing is repeated. If the end of the VOB is reached, the reproduction of the VOB #i ends. At this time, it is determined whether or not the end of VOB # i is based on the total number of sectors of VOB # i included in the position information. <Highlighting Process> FIG. 28 is a flowchart outlining the highlighting process (step i4 in FIG. 27).

When the highlight information is transferred from the PCI decoder 931, the highlight information analyzer 932 analyzes the highlight information, generates the button state transition table illustrated in FIG. 933 (steps 201 and 202). Button state control unit 93
No. 3 determines the initial state of the button according to the forced selection button number in the highlight information (step 203: see FIG. 29). Further, the button state control unit 933 compares the highlight start time with the system time inside the playback device, and when the highlight start time comes (step 20).
4: See FIG. 30) Highlight display processing is performed via the highlight display control unit 934 (step 205). After this,
Until the button selection end time is reached (step 205), the button state control unit 933 changes the state in response to the user's key operation (steps 207 and 208: FIG. 3).
3) Highlight display processing is performed. When the button selection end time comes, an end process is performed (step 206: see FIG. 31). <Button Initial State Determination Process> FIG. 29 is a more detailed flowchart showing the button initial state determination process (step 203 in FIG. 28).

After the generation of the button state transition table, if the forced selection button number is specified in the highlight information, the button state control section 933 holds the button number as the current state (step 211, 212). If the forced selection button number has not been specified, any button number (for example, the button number held as the previously selected state) is held as the current state (steps 211 and 213). <Highlight Display Processing> FIG. 30 is a more detailed flowchart showing the highlight display processing (step 204 in FIG. 28).

When the button initial state is determined and when the current state changes, the button state control unit 933 reads the highlight area of the button state transition table for the current state (button selection number) (step 221). ) It is set in the highlight area management section 887 inside the sub-picture decoder 88 through the highlight display control section 934 (step 222). At the same time, the selected color information of the button color information is set in the highlight code conversion table 886 inside the sub-picture decoder 88 through the highlight display control unit 934 according to the button color number in the button state transition table (step 22).
3). Thus, the sub-picture decoder 88 changes the color of the highlight area of the currently displayed sub-picture image. <Highlight End Processing> FIG. 31 is a more detailed flowchart showing the highlight end processing (step 206 in FIG. 28).

At the time when the button selection end time comes, the button state control unit 933 checks whether or not the forced confirmation button number exists in the PGC information buffer 935a (step 231). Forced confirmation button number is 1-36
Or, if it is 63, it indicates that the forced confirmation button exists, and if it is 0, it indicates that it does not exist. As a result of the check, if the forced confirmation button number is invalid (its value is 0), the button state control unit 933 deletes the highlight display through the highlight display control unit 934 when the highlight end time comes. (Steps 235 and 236).

If the result of the check indicates that the forced confirmation button number is valid (the value is other than 0), 1 to 3
If a specific button number up to 6 has been specified, the button is set to a fixed state, and if the button number 63 is specified, the currently selected button is set to a fixed state (step 233). Processing is performed (step 234). <Button Confirmation Process> FIG. 32 is a more detailed flowchart showing the button decision process (step 234 in FIG. 31).

The button state control section 933 displays the button in the confirmed state through the highlight display control section 934 in a confirmed color (step 241), reads out the button command of the button from the button state transition table, and executes the command interpretation execution section 936. (Step 242). Further, it is determined whether or not to branch by executing the button command (step 243).
om), the button determination process is terminated, and if the instruction is a branching instruction (Link, etc.), the process proceeds to step 135 shown in FIG. 26 to branch to another PGC. <Button state transition processing> FIG. 33 is a more detailed flowchart showing the button state transition processing (step 208 in FIG. 28).

When a key code is input from key input receiving section 938, button state control section 933 first determines an input key from the key code (steps 251 and 25).
4, 257). Next, if the input key is a numeric key (step 251) and the “numeric key permission” column corresponding to the “current state” in the button status transition table is yes, the button state control unit 933 (step 252). The number is held as the button number in the selected state (step 253). For example, if the numeric key 2 is an input key when the current state is S1 in FIG. 23, the current state is changed to S2. After the selection state is changed, if the “select immediately” column is “yes”, the number of the numeric key is held as the button number in the determined state (step 256), and the button determination processing is performed (step 258).

If the input key is an arrow key (step 254), the button number of the transition destination is obtained according to the "arrow key transition information" in the button state transition table, and the button number is held as a selected state (step 255). ). Further, if the “selection immediately confirmed” column is yes, the number of the numeric key is held as the button number in the confirmed state (step 2).
56) A button confirmation process is performed (step 258).

If the input key is the confirmation key, the button number retained as the current state is retained as the confirmation state button number (step 257), and the button confirmation processing is performed (step 258). <System Menu Calling and Returning Process> The reproduction control process of the PGC group has been described mainly with respect to the highlighting process. The call and return processing for the system menu to be executed will be described.

FIG. 34 is a flowchart showing a system menu call and return process. Playback control unit 9
37, it is determined whether or not the menu is displayed by the sub-picture data when the "menu" key is pressed (step 261). The sub-video data return address stored is stored in the buffer memory in the system status management unit 935 (step 262). Whether or not the menu is displayed depends on whether or not the system time is within a highlight section (from the highlight start time to the highlight end time). If the menu image is realized by sub-picture data in a VOBU that is earlier than the current VOBU, the same VOBU as the current management pack must be used to restart the current menu display.
This is because it is necessary to restart the reproduction from the first sub-picture data, not from the middle sub-picture data.

If the menu is not currently displayed, the start address of the current VOBU is stored in the system state management unit 935.
(Step 263). Further, the playback control unit 937 saves a system state indicating the current playback state (Step 263). This system state includes the button number in the selected state.

After that, the reproduction control section 937 controls reproduction of the system menu (step 265). The playback control of the system menu is the same as the playback control of the PGC group shown in FIG. When the user presses the “menu” key again while the system menu is being displayed, the reproduction of the system menu ends. At this time, the playback control unit 937
Restores the system state (step 266), and resumes reproduction from the return address (step 267). <Operation Example> Next, the operation of the multimedia optical disk and the reproducing apparatus thereof according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. <Example of forced confirmation> An operation example using the forced confirmation button will be described. FIG. 35 is an example of a title of an interactive application in which a dragon and a swordsman fight. PGC # 1
Scene 1 represents a display image 1 until the swordsman encounters the dragon. Scene 2 by PGC # 2 represents a display image 2 in which a menu of sub-video data is multiplexed.
Scene 3 by PGC # 3 represents a display image 3 which is a scene where the swordsman escaped. Also in this example, each PGC is 1 for convenience of explanation.
Of VOBs.

The sub-picture data in PGC # 2 is a menu image composed of a "1 fight" button and a "2 escape" button. In the button command of the button 1, a Link command to a PGC (not shown) indicating a fighting scene is set, and in the button command of the button 2, a Link command to a PGC # 3 indicating a scene 3 is set. Further, in this example, it is assumed that “63” is set as the forced confirmation button number shown in FIG. The forced confirmation button number “63” means that the button in the currently selected state is forcibly confirmed at the button selection end time. If the user is in scene 2
If the “2 escape” button is selected but the confirmation key is not pressed before the button selection end time, the playback control unit 937 determines the “2 escape” button in the selected state at the time of the button selection time. To Thus, the reproduction of the scene 3 starts.

Which button is to be used as the forcible confirmation button can be set by the title creator in accordance with story development, scene contents, and menu items. In the above example, the confirmation button is determined according to the user's selection state. However, the title creator may specify the confirmation button number directly to perform the playback more effectively in some cases. For example, as shown in the example at the bottom of FIG.
Represents a display image 2 ′ in which a menu including a “1 fight” button, a “2 escape” button, and a “3 do nothing” button is multiplexed, and a scene 3 by PGC # 3 is
Is a branch destination in the case of “3 Do nothing”, and represents a display image in which the dragon approaches the swordsman further. In the case of scene 2, if it is desirable to develop a story following "3 Do nothing", the forced determination button number for the PGC # 2 menu may be set to "3". By doing so, the reproduction proceeds from scene 2 to scene 3 even when there is no confirmation operation by the user. Accordingly, the most effective story development can be realized when the user is not interested in participating in the story.

Further, a case will be described in which a hidden button exists in addition to the menu button shown in FIG. 35 in the above-mentioned PGCs # 1 to # 3. The hidden button is a button that is not always displayed on the screen, and is assigned a common function in all scenes. In the titles of the swordsman and the dragon, for example, it is assumed that a map button and a status button exist as hidden buttons. Here, the map button is a button for calling a map of the adventure world where the swordsman lives. The status button is a button for calling an image displaying parameters such as the strength and score of the swordsman.

In this case, the map button is set to the numeral key “7”, and the status button is set to the numerical key “8”.
These can be realized by the button information shown in FIG.
That is, a LINK command to the PGC for displaying the map is set in the button 7 information shown in FIG. 14, and a LINK command to the PGC for displaying the status is set in the button 8 information. Just fine.
In addition, if the selection immediate determination flag of the button 7 information and the button 8 information is set, the user can see the map or the status only by pressing the numeric keys. Returning to the original scene from the display of the map or the status is shown in FIG.
Can be realized by the return address shown in FIG.

Further, the selection of the map button and the status button by the arrow keys can be prohibited, and the selection can be made only by the numeric keys. In this case, FIG.
It is sufficient that the button 7 and the button 8 are not set in any of the adjacent button information in the button information shown in FIG. By doing so, the hidden button is not selected by the arrow keys, and a state in which a button not displayed on the screen is selected can be avoided.

The following settings may be made for the display image 2 '. "2 Escape" is set as an initial selection button, and a selection immediate determination flag is set for a "1 fight" button and a "3 do nothing" button. In this way, after the display image 2 'is displayed, the user presses the "→" or "←" key and proceeds to the next scene at the same time, so that a more realistic story development can be realized.

Further, unlike the above, a map button, a status button, a "fight" button, a "flee" button,
The "button number" of the "do nothing" button is set in the button information as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 respectively,
The “number of selectable buttons” may be set to two. In this case, the map button and the status button of the hidden button can be selected with numeric keys, and the "fight" button,
The "escape" button and the "do nothing" button can be selected with the arrow keys. <Operation Example of Selection, Confirmation, and Selection Immediate Confirmation> FIG. 36 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a title. This title is an example of an interactive application for introducing various sports, and includes PGCs # 1, # 2, # 3,. In this example, for clarity, each PGC is 1
It is assumed to be composed of VOBs. Scene 1 by PGC # 1 is the introduction of this title. PGC #
Scene 2 by 2 is a part that appeals for pleasure such as golf and skiing. Scene 3 by PGC # 3 is a part that appeals for the enjoyment of baseball and volleyball. PGCs after PGC # 4 are scenes in which the contents of individual sports are introduced. In each of the PGCs in the figure, white portions represent video data, black portions represent management packs, and hatched portions represent sub-picture data. PGC # 1 does not need a menu image and has no sub-picture data.

The PGC # 2 has sub-picture data representing the image data of the menu image 1 in the second VOBU in FIG. Highlight information corresponding to the menu image 1 is recorded in the management pack in the same VOBU. The menu image 1 is the same as that shown in FIG. The button state transition table generated from the highlight information is the same as that in FIG. Highlight section (section from highlight start time to highlight end time)
Is from the start of reproduction of the third VOBU to the end of reproduction of PGC # 2. Also, the VOBUs after the third VOBU of PGC # 2 indicate that the highlight state in the highlight information is “10”, that is, that the highlight information is the same as the previous management pack. In this case, after the second VOBU reproduction of PGC # 2, the menu image 1 is multiplexed with the video data and displayed, and during that time, the user operation by the highlight processing becomes possible.

Since the menu image 1 is controlled according to the button state transition table of FIG. 23, the upward direction of the buttons 1 and 2 and the downward direction of the button 3 cannot be moved (cannot be selected) by the arrow keys. This is because the adjacent button information (upper button number of buttons 1 and 2 and lower button number of button 3) shown in FIG.

[0118] In the "downward direction" of the arrow key transition information of the button 4, a button 5 indicating "next menu" is described. In the "number key permission" field, button 1 to button 4
Up to the above, a numeric key can be selected by a numeric key using the numeric key permission flag, but the button 5 can be selected only by a downward key from the button 4. That is, button 1
Buttons 4 are used to advance the story development, and button 5 is used to switch the multi-page menu. In this way, the purpose of the operation keys of the remote controller can be properly used according to the menu contents and the meaning of the buttons for each scene.

Further, only the button 5 has a "selection and immediate decision" column.
If yes, when the button 4 is moved by the arrow keys, the processing automatically shifts from the selected state to the determination processing. At this time, the Link P specified as the button command of the button 5
GC # 3 is executed. As a result, the reproduction branch can be performed to the "next menu", that is, the scene 3 during the reproduction of the scene 2 without pressing the enter key. When the selection immediate confirmation flag is set as described above, the operation of pressing the confirmation key is performed by the playback device. The selection immediate confirmation flag is one of auxiliary control data for acting for a user operation.

The buttons 1 to 4 record branch instructions (Link instructions) to different PGCs, and the user can interactively branch to a desired image. <Example of system menu call / return> Next, FIG.
The operation in the case where the system menu is called during the reproduction of the PGC # 2 and the operation is returned will be described. In FIG. 37, P in FIG.
Only GC # 2 is shown. Also in this figure, for convenience of explanation, PGC # 2
Consists of one VOB.

In PGC # 2, VOBU # 3 to VOBU # 11 are highlight sections, and VOBU
Sub-picture data in BU # 2 is being reproduced. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2B, the DSI packet in all the management packs in the highlight section includes the VOBU shown in FIG.
The start address of # 2 is recorded as the return address.

Now, at the time of (1) in FIG. 36, that is, VOB
It is assumed that the "menu" key on the remote control is pressed during the reproduction of U # 6. At this point, the playback control unit 937
Suspends the reproduction of PGC # 2 and stores the return address set in the DSI packet of the management pack of VOBU # 6 in the highlight section, and stores the return address in the buffer memory in the system state management unit 935. . This return address is the start address of VOBU # 2. Further, the playback control unit 937 saves a system state such as a button number that is currently selected.

After that, the reproduction control section 937 controls the reproduction of the system menu. After the end of the system menu, the playback control unit 937 returns the system state and restarts playback from VOBU # 2 specified by the return address. In this way, even if the sub-picture data is recorded before the highlight section or at the beginning of the highlight section, after the system menu is temporarily called during the reproduction of the highlight section, It is possible to return to the menu that was displayed when the operation was interrupted again.

As described above, according to the multimedia optical disk and the reproducing apparatus of the present embodiment, it is possible to easily realize a good response and a high degree of interactiveness. Further, according to the present embodiment, even if the user does not designate a branch at the branch point of the reproduction progress, it is possible to realize a menu that does not interrupt the reproduction progress by performing the automatic branch.

Further, according to the present embodiment, when there is no decision operation by the user, the button selected by the user at that time can be automatically decided and the reproduction can be advanced. In addition, the automatic confirmation button may be a button predetermined by the application creator or a button selected by the user. Further, according to the present embodiment, erroneous operations by the user can be prevented by providing a button capable of selecting numbers and a button that cannot be selected. Even if the management of buttons is all simple with button numbers, this function allows both numeric key input and arrow key input. Also, the numeric keys and the arrow keys can be used properly according to the situation.

Further, according to the present embodiment, by setting the selection immediate determination flag, a two-stage operation consisting of a selection operation and a determination operation can be realized by a one-stage operation. Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible for an interactive application to reproduce and return to the system menu or another application during the reproduction of the application.

The highlight information in the above embodiment is:
If classified functionally, it is roughly classified into button control data for responding to a user operation on a button on a menu, and auxiliary control data for acting on behalf of a user operation on a menu. The auxiliary control data includes the button selection end time, the forced confirmation button number, the number of selectable buttons, the sub-image return destination address shown in FIG. 13, and the selection immediate confirmation flag shown in FIG. The button control data corresponds to other highlight information.

Although the numeric keys are used for button selection in the above embodiment, they may be used for button confirmation. In this case, step 2 in the flow of FIG.
What is necessary is just to change from 53 to proceed directly to step 258 (confirmation processing). At this time, the number of selectable buttons in the auxiliary control data means the number of selectable buttons. In addition, the selection immediate decision flag is valid only for the arrow keys (see FIG. 33). Furthermore, if all the numeric keys are buttons that can confirm the numbers, they have a function of immediately confirming the selection, so that the damage caused by the user's erroneous operation increases. Therefore, by setting the number of buttons whose numbers can be determined, the buttons whose numbers can be determined are separated from the buttons whose numbers are not determined, so that the buttons can be used appropriately in situations where damage is small.

In the above embodiment, the buttons that can be selected by the numeric keys are the buttons corresponding to the button numbers counted in ascending order from the button number 1 up to the “number of selectable buttons”. However, the button designation method is not limited to this, and for example, an offset value may be provided in the highlight general information. For example, assuming that the offset is 3 and the number of selectable buttons is 5, buttons 4 to 8 can be selected.

In the above embodiment, the optical disk is a DVD.
However, the present invention is not limited to this as long as a large amount of digital moving image data can be recorded. Further, the same effect can be obtained with a rewritable disk instead of a read-only disk. Further, these media are not limited to information recording media such as optical discs as long as the media can distribute video information and its control information in an interleaved manner.
For example, transmission may be performed via a wireless transmission medium such as a broadcast or a wired transmission medium such as a communication line. The transmission medium mentioned here includes a telephone line, the Internet, a LAN, satellite broadcasting, and the like. Since the video object of this embodiment is a kind of MPEG data called a system stream, the above transmission medium is transmitted as a transport stream in which these system streams are multiplexed.

In this embodiment, a video object stored at another position on the disc is selected as a branch destination in the menu. On the other hand, in the case of a transport stream, another system stream multiplexed on the transport stream is selected as a branch destination in the menu. In this case, the playback device may be provided with a receiving unit that receives the transport stream, instead of the motor 81, the optical pickup, and the mechanism control unit 83.

In the above embodiment, moving picture data is MPEG2
Although the case of digital video data of the system has been described,
It is not limited to this as long as it is moving image data that can form multimedia data together with audio and sub-pictures. Of course, it may be a digital moving image.

In this embodiment, the management pack is arranged for each GOP which is a unit for restoring a moving image. However, if the compression method of a digital moving image is different, the management pack may be arranged for each restoration unit of the compression method. Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which, during the menu display by the sub-picture data, the user branches to the system menu by pressing the “menu” key and returns to the original menu display by pressing the “menu” key again. The call of the system menu is not limited to the display of the menu by the sub-picture data, but may be the display of the subtitle by the sub-picture data. In this case, step 261 shown in FIG. 34 may simply determine whether or not subtitles are being displayed.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the return address of the sub-picture is recorded in the DSI packet has been described.
It may be recorded in a CI packet. Also,
The arrangement unit of the management pack for storing the highlight information is VO
It is not limited to every BU, but may be a video reproduction synchronization unit finer than 0.5 second to 1.0 second, for example, a video frame unit every 1/30 second.

Further, in this embodiment, one VO
The BU is configured to include one GOP.
May be included. However, in order to realize the interactive function with fine time accuracy, it is desirable that the reproduction time of the moving image is as short as about 1 or 2 seconds. In this case, the management pack is arranged at the head of a plurality of GOPs, and stores effective playback control information for the plurality of GOPs. <Method of Manufacturing Optical Disk> Finally, a method of manufacturing an optical disk according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 38 is a flowchart showing a method of manufacturing an optical disk according to the present embodiment. First, the data of the volume area shown in FIG. 5 is created by the logical data string creating device (step 191). This logical volume data creation device can create volume data having the data structure shown in FIG. 5 by using multimedia data editing software on a personal computer or a workstation. This volume data is recorded on a transmission medium such as a magnetic tape, and is converted into a physical data string by a physical data string creation device (step 192). This physical data string is obtained by adding data of a lead-in area, data of a lead-out area, and the like to volume data, and then performing an ECC (Error Correction Code) process. In the master disc cutting using the physical data sequence, a master disc of the optical disc is created (step 193).
Further, an optical disk is manufactured from the master created by the press device (step 194).

In the above manufacturing flow, the existing CD manufacturing equipment can be used as it is, except for a part of the logical data string creating apparatus relating to the data structure of the present invention. This point is described in Ohm's “Compact Disc Reader” co-authored by Heitaro Nakajima and Hiroshi Ogawa, and in Asakura Shoten “Optical Disc System”, Optical Discourse of the Japan Society of Applied Physics. (Industrial applicability) As described above, the multimedia optical disk according to the present invention has, for each small area, sub-picture data representing a menu including a plurality of buttons, button control data, and auxiliary control data. Since it has an area for recording a video object, it is suitable for control that achieves a good response and a high degree of interactivity for each small area. In addition, the playback device is suitable for realizing a smooth playback progress of an interactive application by an appropriate and simple user operation according to the content using the optical disc.

[0138]

According to the present invention, there is provided a recording medium recording method comprising the steps of: creating a video object; and recording the created video object on a recording medium. Each unit includes moving image data of a predetermined time unit, sub-video data to be reproduced at the same time, and highlight information effective during reproduction of the moving image data in the unit to which the unit belongs. The video data is a menu image including a plurality of buttons representing display options,
The highlight information includes, for sub-video data in the same unit, a command for each button to be executed when the button is in a confirmed state, and selection immediate confirmation button information,
The selection immediate determination button information is configured to specify a button to be forcibly shifted to the determination state in response to a user operation for selecting the button.

Here, the selection immediate determination button information may include a flag for each button, and each flag may indicate whether or not it should be forcibly shifted to a determination state at the time of selection. According to this configuration, the video object has sub-picture data representing a menu including a plurality of buttons and highlight information for each unit, so that a good response and high interactivity can be realized for each unit. . In addition, since the user operation can be performed on behalf of each unit by the selection and immediate confirmation button information, the performance of the interactive application reproduction progress can be improved. In particular, by setting the selection immediate confirmation button, a two-stage user operation including a selection operation and a confirmation operation can be realized by a one-stage operation. This is particularly effective for menus used in situations where immediacy is required.

Here, the sub-picture data in a plurality of units within a predetermined section of the video object forms one menu image multiplexed with moving image data, and is reproduced while the menu image is displayed. The unit includes address information for returning to the menu image after branch reproduction from the menu image to another video object, and the address information includes a plurality of units for storing sub-picture data constituting the menu image. May be configured to indicate the recording position of the first unit.

According to this configuration, for example, a still image such as a menu image is stored by the first sub-picture data of a predetermined section, and the still image is continuously reproduced by a unit subsequent thereto. However, it is possible to resume from the original sub-picture data after temporarily calling other video data. Here, the selection immediate confirmation button information is
A flag may be provided for each button, and each flag may be configured to indicate whether the state should be forcibly shifted to the fixed state when selected.

The reproducing apparatus of the present invention comprises: a reading means for reading the data of the recording medium; a reproducing means for reproducing the moving picture data and the sub-picture data read by the reading means and outputting as a display video signal; Receiving means for receiving a user instruction for the menu by the sub-picture data; controlling reproduction in accordance with the highlight information read by the reading means and the received user instruction; Control means for forcibly shifting the button to a fixed state when a user operation for selecting the button is performed.

According to this configuration, the control means can realize a two-stage user operation consisting of a selection operation and a confirmation operation by a one-stage operation in accordance with the automatic confirmation button. The control unit may further include a detection unit configured to detect that the user operation received by the reception unit is a temporary reproduction instruction of another video object, and a detection unit configured to detect the address when the reproduction instruction is detected. A calling unit for storing information and instructing the reproducing unit to reproduce the other video object; and a resuming unit for resuming reproduction of the video object including the menu image based on the stored address information. It may be configured.

According to this configuration, for example, a still image such as a menu image is stored by the first sub-picture data of a predetermined section, and the still image is continuously reproduced by a unit subsequent thereto. However, after the calling section temporarily calls another video object, the restart section can resume from the original sub-picture data. The reproducing method according to the present invention includes a reading step of reading the data of the recording medium, a reproducing step of reproducing the moving image data and the sub-video data read in the reading step, and outputting the reproduced data as a display video signal. A receiving step of receiving a user instruction for a menu, a user controlling reproduction in accordance with the highlight information read in the reading step and the received user instruction, and selecting a button specified by the selection immediate confirmation button information And a control step of forcibly shifting the button to a fixed state when an operation is performed.

According to this configuration, a video object has sub-picture data representing a menu including a plurality of buttons and highlight information for each unit, so that a good response and a high level of interactivity are realized for each unit. be able to. In addition, since the user operation can be performed on behalf of each unit by the selection and immediate confirmation button information, the performance of the interactive application reproduction progress can be improved. In particular, by setting the selection immediate confirmation button, a two-stage user operation including a selection operation and a confirmation operation can be realized by a one-stage operation. This is particularly effective for menus used in situations where immediacy is required.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a moving image constituting a deduction drama in the related art 1
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a moving image 5 and its reproduction order.

FIG. 2 shows an example of storage of five digital data representing each of the moving images 1 to 5 in a video CD according to the related art.

FIG. 3 shows a plurality of playback path data stored on a video CD according to the related art.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an appearance, a cross section, an enlarged cross section, and a pit shape of a DVD in the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an overall data structure diagram recorded on a DVD.

FIG. 6 shows an internal structure of each video title set in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a more detailed data structure of a VOB.

FIG. 8 shows a data format of a video pack.

FIG. 9 shows a data format of an audio pack.

FIG. 10 shows a data format of a sub-picture data pack.

FIG. 11 shows a data format of a management pack.

FIG. 12 shows an example of a menu image based on sub-picture data.

FIG. 13 is a diagram hierarchically showing a more detailed data structure of the management pack.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a more detailed data configuration of button color information and button information in a management pack.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a command used as a button command set for each button.

16 is a diagram hierarchically showing the data structure of video title set management information in each video title set in FIG.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of a PGC.

FIG. 18 is an external view of a reproduction system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 19 shows an example of a key arrangement of a remote controller.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a playback device.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a system decoder.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a system control unit.

FIG. 23 shows a specific example of a button state transition table.

FIG. 24 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a sub-picture decoder.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a schematic process of reproduction control by a system control unit.

FIG. 26 shows a detailed flowchart of a reproduction process of a program chain group in FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing a VOB reproduction control process in FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing an outline of highlight processing in FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is a more detailed flowchart showing a button initial state determination process in FIG. 28;

FIG. 30 is a more detailed flowchart of a highlight display process in FIG. 28;

FIG. 31 is a more detailed flowchart showing highlight end processing in FIG. 28;

FIG. 32 is a more detailed flowchart showing a button confirmation process in FIG. 31;

FIG. 33 is a more detailed flowchart showing a button state transition process in FIG. 28;

FIG. 34 is a flowchart showing a system menu call and return process.

FIG. 35 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an interactive title.

FIG. 36 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an interactive title.

FIG. 37 is an explanatory diagram of a program chain.

FIG. 38 is a flowchart showing a method of manufacturing an optical disc.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 playback device 2 display monitor 4 button 81 motor 82 optical pickup 83 mechanism control unit 84 signal processing unit 85 AV decoder unit 86 system decoder 87 video decoder 88 sub-video decoder 89 audio decoder 90 video synthesis unit 92 remote control 92 remote control reception unit 93 System control unit 107 DVD 108 Transparent substrate 109 Information layer 110 Adhesive layer 111 Transparent substrate 112 Print layer 113 Light beam 114 Light spot 120 MPEG decoder 121 Sub-picture / audio separation unit 122 Sub-picture selection unit 123 Audio selection unit 881 Input buffer 882 Sub- Video code generation unit 883 Sub-video display control unit 884 Sub-video code conversion table 885 Compressed video signal generation unit 886 Highlight code conversion table 887 Highlight area tube Unit 888 sub-video signal generation unit 889 color conversion table 930 button control unit 931 PCI decoder 932 highlight information analysis unit 933 button state control unit 934 highlight display control unit 935 system state management unit 935a PGC information buffer 936 command interpretation execution unit 937 Reproduction control unit 937a Register set 938 Key input reception unit

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kaoru Murase 105, No. 105, Kurihara, 367, Ikaruga-cho, Ikoma-gun, Nara, Japan (56) References JP-A-8-339663 (JP, A) JP-A-7- 307080 (JP, A) JP-A-5-307373 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 5/76-5/956 G11B 20/10-20/12 G11B 27/00 G11B 27/10

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. A recording method for a recording medium, comprising: a step of creating a video object; and a step of recording the created video object on a recording medium, wherein the video object includes a plurality of units. Contains moving image data of a predetermined time unit, sub-video data to be reproduced at the same time, and highlight information valid during reproduction of the moving image data in the unit to which the sub-video data belongs. The highlight information is a command for each button to be executed when the button is in a confirmed state, and a selection immediate confirmation button for the sub-picture data in the same unit. Information, and the selection immediate confirmation button information is forcibly changed to a confirmation state in response to a user operation for selecting a button. Recording method of the recording medium, characterized by specifying a button to be rows. 2. The sub-picture data in a plurality of units in a predetermined section of the video object constitutes one menu image multiplexed with moving image data, and is reproduced while the menu image is displayed. The unit includes address information for returning to the menu image after branch reproduction from the menu image to another video object, and the address information includes a plurality of units that store sub-picture data forming the menu image. 2. The recording method according to claim 1, wherein the recording position of the first unit is indicated. 3. The selection immediate confirmation button information includes a flag for each button, and each flag indicates whether or not the state should be forcibly shifted to a confirmation state at the time of selection. Recording method. 4. A reproducing apparatus for reproducing a recording medium for recording a video object, wherein the video object is composed of a plurality of units, each unit including moving image data of a predetermined time unit and sub-data to be reproduced at the same time. The video data includes highlight information that is valid during reproduction of moving image data in the unit to which the unit belongs, and the sub-video data is a menu image that includes a plurality of buttons representing display options. The sub-video data in the same unit includes a command for each button to be executed when the button is in a confirmed state, and selection immediate confirmation button information. A user operation to specify a button to be forcibly shifted to a fixed state, and the playback device reads the data of the recording medium. Reading means for reading out, moving means and sub-picture data read by the reading means, reproducing means for outputting as a display video signal, receiving means for receiving a user instruction for a menu based on the sub-picture data, and reading means Controls the reproduction in accordance with the highlight information read out by the user and the received user instruction,
A playback device, comprising: control means for forcibly shifting a button designated by the selection immediate decision button information to a confirmed state when a user operation for selecting the button is performed. 5. The sub-picture data in a plurality of units in a predetermined section of the video object forms one menu image multiplexed with moving image data, and is reproduced while the menu image is displayed. The unit includes address information for returning to the menu image after branch reproduction from the menu image to another video object, and the address information includes a plurality of units that store sub-picture data forming the menu image. Indicating a recording position of the first unit, wherein the control unit further detects that the user operation received by the receiving unit is a temporary reproduction instruction of another video object; and Is stored, the address information is stored, and the reproduction means is instructed to reproduce the video object. A detecting section, based on the address information stored, the reproducing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a resuming restarter playback of the video object including the menu image. 6. The selection immediate confirmation button information comprises a flag for each button, and each flag indicates whether or not to force a transition to a confirmation state at the time of selection. Playback device. 7. A reproducing method for reproducing a recording medium for recording a video object, wherein the video object is composed of a plurality of units, each unit including moving image data of a predetermined time unit and sub-data to be reproduced at the same time. The video data includes highlight information that is valid during reproduction of moving image data in the unit to which the unit belongs, and the sub-video data is a menu image that includes a plurality of buttons representing display options. The sub-video data in the same unit includes a command for each button to be executed when the button is in a confirmed state, and selection immediate confirmation button information. A user operation to specify a button to be forcibly shifted to a fixed state, wherein the reproducing method includes: A reading step for reading out the moving image data and the sub-picture data read in the reading step, and a reproducing step for outputting as a display video signal; a receiving step for receiving a user instruction for a menu based on the sub-picture data; a reading step Controls the reproduction in accordance with the highlight information read out and the received user instruction, and forcibly confirms the button specified by the selection immediate confirmation button information when a user operation is performed. And a control step of shifting to a state.