JP4613870B2 - Playback apparatus and playback method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a playback apparatus and playback method for moving image information recorded on an information recording medium such as an optical disc, and more particularly to a playback apparatus and playback method that do not have a network connection function.

Conventional video discs such as DVDs and playback devices thereof do not consider updating video information recorded on the discs. Therefore, it was impossible to update the information after selling the video disc. This is inconvenient for users because it limits the acquisition of the latest information, and for content creators, the opportunity to provide the latest information is limited, and multiple disc versions are available depending on the presence of subtitle information and additional information. It is necessary to produce and manage, which is a burden.

  For this reason, a method for realizing an information update function using a network and a local storage of a playback device has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2005-159589 (paragraphs 0057 to 0070, FIG. 1)

  In the information update method proposed heretofore, the playback apparatus needs a network connection function, but the playback apparatus does not necessarily have the network connection function. For this reason, it has been impossible to update information on a playback device that does not have a network connection function. Even a playback device having a network connection function is not necessarily connected to the network. For example, when the network is not drawn into the room where the playback device is placed, or when the network connection from the playback device is prohibited by a router or the like in order to use dial-up connection.

  Although it is possible to download the update information separately and record it in the local storage using a personal computer etc., the disc identification information and authentication information are required, and the recording location etc. on the local storage must also be specified. Therefore, it is difficult for general users to use.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is a moving image information reproducing device having a removable local storage but not having a network connection function or a moving image information reproducing device having a network connection function. The purpose is to provide a simple information update function using a personal computer etc. when not connected to the network.

A playback apparatus according to the present invention includes an information reading unit that reads information from a detachable first recording medium,
A connection unit connected to a detachable second recording medium and having a function of reading and writing information;
An extraction unit for extracting information relating to information update of the first recording medium included in the information read by the information reading unit;
A central control unit for controlling the information reading unit, the connection unit, and the extraction unit;
With
The central control unit
Update data acquisition information writing means for writing update data acquisition information including information related to information update of the first recording medium extracted by the extraction unit to the second recording medium via the connection unit;
The latest update information via the connection unit from the second recording medium in which the latest update information related to the first recording medium downloaded and acquired via an external device based on the update data acquisition information is written. Update information acquisition means for reading
It is equipped with.

Further, the reproducing method according to the present invention includes an information reading unit that reads information from a detachable first recording medium,
A connection unit connected to a detachable second recording medium and having a function of reading and writing information;
An extraction unit for extracting information relating to information update of the first recording medium included in the information read by the information reading unit;
A central control unit for controlling the information reading unit, the connection unit, and the extraction unit;
A playback method for a playback device comprising:
An update data acquisition information writing step of writing update data acquisition information including information related to information update of the first recording medium extracted by the extraction unit to the second recording medium via the connection unit;
The latest update information via the connection unit from the second recording medium in which the latest update information related to the first recording medium downloaded and acquired via an external device based on the update data acquisition information is written. Update information acquisition step to read
A reproduction step of reproducing information selected from the read latest update information and information recorded on the first recording medium .

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, when a disc is played back by a playback device having no network connection function, a download application is written on the local storage, and the local storage is connected to a computer such as a personal computer. Therefore, it is possible to provide a simple information update function in which update information can be acquired simply by starting a written download application.

Embodiment 1 FIG.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of a playback apparatus for explaining this embodiment. The playback apparatus 1000 includes an optical disk drive 1001 for reading information from a removable disk 1100, a memory 1002, and an AV decoder 1004. A controller 1005 for controlling the whole, a ROM 1006 for recording programs and data, and a local storage 2000 are attached and detached. A local storage interface 1003 for enabling connection is provided. As the local storage interface 1003, USB, CF, SD memory card, CardBus, ExpressCard, eSATA, or the like can be used. The ROM 1006 stores a download application that can be executed on a personal computer in addition to a program used for system control of the playback apparatus. This download application is created in a versatile format such as an application filed by adding additional information to the program so that it can be started by double-clicking, a shell script, a batch file, a Perl script, and the like, and can be executed on many personal computers. It is also possible to have multiple executable applications that can be executed on personal computers with different architectures.

  During normal playback, data read from the disc 1100 through the optical disc drive 1001 is temporarily stored in the memory 1002 and then returned to a video signal by the AV decoder 1004 and sent to a display device such as a television for display. Alternatively, data on the memory 1002 is interpreted by the controller 1005 to operate the disk 1100 and provide a user interface to the user. In this case, the user can enjoy video information and operations within the range of information contained in the disc 1100.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the reproducing apparatus and the reproducing method of the present invention. The playback apparatus 1000 is, for example, the playback apparatus shown in FIG. 3 described above and is a playback apparatus according to the present invention. Data such as video information and control information can be read by inserting a first recording medium that can be attached to and detached from the reproducing apparatus, that is, a disc 1100. Further, a local storage interface 1003 is provided so that data can be written onto the local storage 2000 by connecting the local storage 2000 which is a detachable second recording medium.
For the sake of explanation, the local storage 2000, the local storage 2000 ′, and the local storage 2000 ”are shown, but the same local storage is shown. Corresponding to changes in the contents of recorded data and operation steps. The notation has been changed to facilitate explanation.

  A computer 3000 such as a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as a personal computer) includes an interface capable of connecting the local storage 2000 and a network interface, and can acquire data from the network. The server 4000 is connected to the network and provides update information of the disk 1100.

  FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory diagram of the function described in FIG. Hereinafter, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 will be described together.

  First, the local storage 2000 is connected to the playback apparatus 1000 (S100). At this time, information about the disk 1100 has not been written in the local storage 2000 yet. Next, when the disc 1100 is inserted (S110), the reproducing apparatus 1000 starts reading information from the disc 1100. When information related to information update using the network is found on the disk 1100, the user is asked to confirm whether or not to use the information update function. When the user requests use of the information update function, predetermined information (disk identification information) such as a connection destination URL, a disk producer identifier, a disk identifier, and authentication information is collected from the disk (S120).

  Next, the information collected from the disk is processed into a format suitable for recording in the local storage, encrypted if necessary, and written in the local storage 2000 together with the download application extracted from the ROM 1006 (S130). The local storage in which the download application is written is denoted as local storage 2000 '. When the writing is completed, the user is prompted by a screen display or the like to remove the local storage 2000 '(S140).

  The user connects the local storage 2000 'removed from the playback apparatus 1000 to the personal computer 3000 (S200) and confirms the data recorded in the local storage 2000'. Next, the download application in the data recorded in the local storage 2000 'is activated by double clicking or the like (S210). The download application is created as an application archive, for example, and can be operated on many personal computers.

  The downloaded download application finds and connects to the server 4000 on the network using the connection destination URL information of the disk recorded together on the local storage 2000 ′, and is similarly recorded on the local storage 2000 ′. The disc identification information such as the disc producer identifier, disc identifier, and authentication information is transmitted to search for update information corresponding to the disc 1100 on the server 4000, and download is executed (S220).

  The update information downloaded on the personal computer 3000 is written in the local storage 2000 'after being expanded in a predetermined format (S230). Since the download application can check the position where the download application is started, when the update information is written, writing is performed in a predetermined arrangement starting from the position where the download application is recorded. Therefore, it is not necessary for the user to specify the writing position of the update information.

  For example, it is conceivable to place a download application at the top of the file structure of the local storage. In this case, the download application checks the position where the download application is started, creates a directory hierarchy from this position toward the lower layer, and writes data. When the download application is arranged at the highest level, it is necessary to add a disc title name to the download application or the disc identification information file so that the information update functions of a plurality of discs can coexist.

As another example, it is possible to create a directory hierarchy based on the disc creator identifier and disc identifier for the download application and disc identification information, and place it under the directory hierarchy. In this case, the download application checks the position where the download application is started, and if necessary from this position, creates a directory hierarchy by going back to the upper layer and writes the data.
There are many other possible variations in the location for writing download applications and disc identification information.

Note that the local storage in which the update information is written is denoted as local storage 2000 ”.
When the writing is completed, the user is prompted by screen display or the like, and the local storage 2000 "is removed (S240).

  The user connects the local storage 2000 ″ removed from the personal computer 3000 to the playback apparatus 1000 again. When the local storage 2000 ″ in which the update information is recorded is connected, the playback apparatus 1000 can read the update information in the local storage 2000 ″. When there is update information, the playback operation is performed by first reading the update list included in the update information and reading the data from the disk 1100 or the data from the update information in the local storage 2000 ”in units of data access such as files. Decide whether to read. The read data is temporarily stored in the memory 1002 in the same way as during normal playback, and then sent to the AV decoder 1004 to be played back as a video signal, or interpreted by the controller 1005 to provide disk operation and a user interface. It will be used.

  The operation after reading into the memory 1002 is not different from that during normal playback, but when reading into the memory 1002, the data on the disk 1100 and the update data in the local storage 2000 "are selected, so that the user When viewed from the disc, it appears that the disc 1100 has been updated and new information has been provided, In this way, even with the playback device 1000 having no network connection function, the download application is written to the local storage 2000, By performing the linkage operation, a simple information update function can be provided.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
In the above embodiment, the download application and the disc identification information are written separately. However, there are cases where the disc identification information is not desired to be shown to the user. Further, when the disc identification information is encrypted, it is necessary to prevent the decryption key from being seen by the user. In this case, it is possible to embed disc identification information in the application.
For example, a download application is recorded in the playback device 1000 as a model in the form of source code, and after collecting disc identification information, the source code is rewritten into a format including disc identification information, and then executed by performing processing such as compilation and archiving The data is converted into a format and written to the local storage 2000.
Further, it is possible to embed dummy data as disc identification information, create an execution format, record it in the playback apparatus 1000 as a model, and rewrite the portion relating to the disc identification information later.
In this way, it is possible to prevent the user from easily seeing the disc identification information or the like while keeping the operation of the information update function simple for the user.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
In the first and second embodiments, the playback apparatus 1000 has been described as having a download application or a download application template.
As another embodiment, a form in which the disk 1100 has a download application is also conceivable.
When the disc creator creates content data on the disc, operations and information necessary for future information update are created as a download application, and this download application is recorded together with the content data when the disc 1100 is manufactured. deep.

  The operation in this case is almost the same as in the first embodiment, and when the disc 1100 is inserted into the playback device 1000 connected to the local storage 2000, the playback device 1000 searches the disc 1100 and determines whether or not it has a download application. Investigate. If there is a download application, the download application is read and written in a predetermined location on the local storage 2000. The user connects the local storage 2000 ′ in which the download application is recorded to the personal computer 3000 and activates the download application to download the update information. Thereafter, the local storage 2000 "in which the update information is written can be connected to the playback apparatus 1000 to enjoy the updated contents.

In this way, since the information update function is provided via a device different from the playback device using the local storage, the information update function can be used even by a playback device that does not have a network connection function. Further, the information update function can be used in the same manner even when the playback apparatus is not connected to the network even if it has a network connection function.

It is a schematic diagram explaining this invention. It is an operation | movement flowchart explaining operation | movement of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the reproducing | regenerating apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  1000 playback device, 1001 optical disk drive, 1002 memory, 1003 local storage interface, 1004 AV decoder, 1005 controller, 1006 ROM, 1100 disk, 2000 local storage, 2000 'local storage, 2000 "local storage, 3000 personal computer, 4000 network

Claims (7)

An information reading unit for reading information from the detachable first recording medium;
A connection unit connected to a detachable second recording medium and having a function of reading and writing information;
An extraction unit for extracting information relating to information update of the first recording medium included in the information read by the information reading unit;
A central control unit for controlling the information reading unit, the connection unit, and the extraction unit;
In a playback device comprising:
The central control unit
Update data acquisition information writing means for writing update data acquisition information including information related to information update of the first recording medium extracted by the extraction unit to the second recording medium via the connection unit;
The latest update information via the connection unit from the second recording medium in which the latest update information related to the first recording medium downloaded and acquired via an external device based on the update data acquisition information is written. Update information acquisition means for reading
A playback apparatus comprising: The central control unit includes playback means for playing back information selected from the latest read information read out and information read out from the first recording medium. Playback device. The playback apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the update data acquisition information includes a download application. 4. The playback apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the download application is stored in the first recording medium. An internal storage unit,
4. The playback apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a download application is stored in the internal storage unit. 2. The reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information related to the information update of the first recording medium includes a disc producer identifier and a disc identifier of the first recording medium. An information reading unit for reading information from the detachable first recording medium;
A connection unit connected to a detachable second recording medium and having a function of reading and writing information;
An extraction unit for extracting information relating to information update of the first recording medium included in the information read by the information reading unit;
A central control unit for controlling the information reading unit, the connection unit, and the extraction unit;
A playback method for a playback device comprising:
An update data acquisition information writing step of writing update data acquisition information including information related to information update of the first recording medium extracted by the extraction unit to the second recording medium via the connection unit;
The latest update information via the connection unit from the second recording medium in which the latest update information related to the first recording medium downloaded and acquired via an external device based on the update data acquisition information is written. An update information acquisition step of reading
A reproduction step of reproducing information selected from the read latest update information and the information read from the first recording medium;
A playback method characterized by comprising:

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