JPH08147939A - Recording medium and recording medium reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To optimally select a desired story out of a recorded program group having plural stories in confirming how many stories are branched, on a screen. CONSTITUTION: An optical disk recorded with a program group having plural stories is recorded with display data 1-n on a menu screen for the purpose of prompting the user to select a story to be reproduced by showing how many stories are branched in the whole program and also recorded with menu screen management information for managing the display data of the menu screen in a read-in area 21. Then, the menu screen is displayed at branching points of the stories based on the menu screen management information, so as to prompt the user to select an arbitrary story, and the next program is reproduced according to the selected story.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording medium recording a program such as a movie having a plurality of stories and a recording medium reproducing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, MPEG (Moving Picture Image)
The standardization of moving picture compression technology represented by the Coding Expert Group) system has advanced, and it becomes possible to record information sources such as movies on a recording medium such as an optical disc having the same size (12 cm in diameter) as a CD (compact disc). It has become to. In addition, since it has become possible to record a moving image for a long time in this way, applications such as recording a movie having a plurality of stories on an optical disc are also expanding.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the structure of a program group having a plurality of stories. Here, each block is a program as a unit capable of continuous reproduction. The number assigned to each program indicates the order of the programs recorded on one side of the disc. One story consists of a set of one or more programs, and is one in which consecutive programs are connected in order according to the arrows in the figure. That is, in this example, there are three stories, the story 1 is the program in the order of 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 9, and the story 2 is the program in the order of 1 → 2 → 6 → 7 → 9. , Story 3 is reproduced by reproducing the program in the order of 1 → 2 → 8 → 9. In this case, which story is reproduced depends on the user's selection, and the story reproduction is executed by designating a desired story number before reproduction.

By the way, the number of branches of the story can be known to the user by referring to the instruction manual attached to the disc. If the user does not know this, the story selection is continued. This means that the main story will always play only the same story with preset software. This spoils the significance of having multiple stories on the medium, which is a great disadvantage for both the software provider and the user.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to improve the operability of story selection. In a program recorded with a plurality of stories, the number of branches of the story is displayed on the screen. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording medium and a recording medium reproducing apparatus capable of optimally selecting a desired story while checking the above.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a recording medium of the present invention records a plurality of groups of video data and audio data which are respectively reproduced in synchronization as a program, and the plurality of programs are at least A part of the program is reproduced in a predetermined order to form one story, and a plurality of stories are recorded according to a combination of the plurality of programs and a reproduction order. The first information recording area and the second information recording area in which the display information of the story selection screen for prompting the selection of the story to be reproduced are recorded.

The recording medium of the present invention (claim 2) is the recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the display information of the story selection screen includes information indicating the type of the existing story.

The recording medium of the present invention (claim 3) is the recording medium according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least timing information indicating a timing for displaying the story selection screen during reproduction of the recording medium, and the story. It further comprises a third information recording area in which the position information on the recording medium in which the display information of the selection screen is recorded is associated and recorded.

The recording medium of the present invention (claim 4) is the recording medium according to claim 1 or 2, and at least timing information indicating a timing at which the story selection screen is displayed during reproduction of the recording medium; Position information on the recording medium recording the display information of the story selection screen, and for setting an area for inserting and displaying a story number arbitrarily selected in response to the screen on the story selection screen It further comprises a third information recording area in which area setting information is recorded in association with each other.

In the recording medium of the present invention (claim 5), the entire data is recorded by using a group of main video data, sub video data and audio data which are synchronously reproduced based on a predetermined reproduction time as a data unit. In addition, a plurality of sets of one or more data units are recorded as a program, and the program group forms one story by reproducing at least a part of the program in a predetermined order, and combines and reproduces the plurality of programs. In a recording medium recorded so as to form a plurality of stories in order, a first information recording area in which each of the programs is recorded,
Display information of a story selection screen for prompting the selection of the story to be reproduced is recorded, and the display information includes character information indicating the type of the existing story and its background image information, and the background image information is the data. The character information is recorded as the main image data of the unit, and the character information is provided with a second information recording area recorded as the sub image data of the plurality of channels in different languages.

The recording medium of the present invention (claim 6) is the recording medium according to claim 5, wherein at least timing information indicating a timing for displaying the story selection screen during reproduction of the recording medium, and the story selection. A third information recording area is further recorded in which position information on the recording medium on which screen display information is recorded and channel numbers of the sub-picture data displayed as character information on the story selection screen are associated with each other. It is equipped with.

Further, a recording medium reproducing apparatus of the present invention (Claim 7) is an apparatus for reproducing the recording medium of Claim 3, wherein the timing information and the position information are recorded from the third information recording area. Reading means, storage means for storing each of the information read from the third information recording area, and during reproduction of the recording medium, based on the timing information stored in the storage means, the story selection screen A display timing is detected, and when the timing is detected, the display information on the story selection screen is read out from a corresponding position in the second information recording area and reproduced based on the position information stored in the storage means. And a story selection screen reproducing means for reproducing the program arbitrarily selected from the outside and reproducing the program from the first information recording area. Those formed by and means for controlled so.

A recording medium reproducing apparatus according to the present invention (Invention 8) is an apparatus for reproducing the recording medium according to Claim 4, wherein the timing information, the position information, and the timing information are recorded in the third information recording area. Means for reading out the area setting information, storage means for storing each of the information read out from the third information recording area, and reproduction of the recording medium,
The display timing of the story selection screen is detected based on the timing information stored in the storage means, and when the timing is detected, the second information recording area is based on the position information stored in the storage means. A story selection screen for reading the display information of the story selection screen from a corresponding position in the area and reproducing it, and setting the story number insertion display area on the story selection screen based on the area setting information stored in the storage means. The reproducing means, the story number display means for displaying the story number arbitrarily selected from the outside in the story number insertion display area of the story selection screen, and the program forming the story arbitrarily selected from the outside First
And means for controlling to read and reproduce from the information recording area.

Further, a recording medium reproducing apparatus according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for reproducing the recording medium according to the sixth aspect, wherein the timing information, the position information and the sub information are recorded from the third information recording area. Means for reading the channel number of the video data, storage means for storing the respective information read from the third information recording area, and timing information stored in the storage means during reproduction of the recording medium. The display timing of the story selection screen is detected based on the detected timing, and when the timing is detected, the story selection screen is displayed from the corresponding position in the second information recording area based on the position information stored in the storage means. The display information is read, and the background image information is reproduced from the read display information, and at the same time, the sub information stored in the storage means is read. A story selection screen reproducing means for reproducing character information of a language type corresponding to a channel number of image data, and a control for reading and reproducing the program forming a story arbitrarily selected from the outside from the first information recording area. And means for doing so.

[0015]

That is, according to the present invention, since the display information of the story selection screen for prompting the selection of the story to be reproduced is recorded on the recording medium, the number of stories can be changed by reproducing and displaying the story selection screen. It is possible to prompt the user to perform a story selection operation while indicating whether or not there is a branch.

Further, according to the present invention, timing information indicating the timing of displaying the story selection screen, position information on the recording medium recording the display information of the story selection screen,
In addition, the display of the story selection screen can be optimally managed and controlled by area setting information for setting the area for inserting and displaying the number of the story arbitrarily selected in response to the screen on the story selection screen. it can.

Further, in the present invention, character information in different language types on the story selection screen is recorded as sub-picture data of the data unit for a plurality of channels on the recording medium, and at the time of reproduction, the language type corresponding to the specific channel is recorded. The character information of can be reproduced and displayed.

Therefore, it is possible to realize a recording medium and a recording medium reproducing apparatus capable of optimally making a desired story selection while confirming on the screen how many stories are branched.

[0019]

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall structure of an optical disk reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an optical pickup which irradiates an optical disc D with laser light and reads the intensity of the reflected light as a reproduction RF signal. Reference numeral 2 is a head amplifier that amplifies the output of the optical pickup 1. Reference numeral 3 is a waveform equalization circuit for equalizing the waveform of the output RF signal of the head amplifier 2.
A data slicer 4 obtains a binary signal from the RF signal after waveform equalization. A PLL circuit 5 generates a clock for data reproduction from the binary signal output from the data slicer 4. A data processor 6 controls demodulation and error correction of reproduced data and read / write of disk management information and menu screen management information for the memory 6a. 7 is a video for the data after error correction /
This is a system processor that performs processing such as audio separation and reproduction of sub-picture data. Reference numeral 8 is a decoding circuit for decoding the compression coded data which is the video data separated and output from the system processor 7. A video processor block 9 generates an output video signal from the decoded video data. The video processor block 9 includes a character generator (CG) 10 for generating a character to be displayed overlaid on the output image. Reference numeral 11 is an audio processor block for generating an output audio signal from the audio data separated and output from the system processor 7. Reference numeral 12 denotes a servo processor that controls various servos such as focus servo, tracking servo, and pickup feed control. And, 13 is a system M for integrally controlling the above-mentioned respective parts.
PU and 13a are memories dedicated to the system MPU.

Next, the recording data format of the optical disc of this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data format of one side of the optical disc. As shown in the figure, the information recording area on one side of the optical disc is roughly divided into a lead-in area 21, a menu screen data area 22, a program area 23 and a lead-out area 24. Actually, data is recorded from the inner circumference to the outer circumference of the disk so as to form spiral or concentric tracks.

In the program area 23, a plurality of pieces of video data (moving picture compression coded data) and audio data to be reproduced in synchronization are recorded in units of programs 1 to m. In the menu screen data area 22, display data 1 to n of the menu screen for prompting the user to select an arbitrary story to be reproduced is recorded. The display data of this menu screen is, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, for the user, along with character information (story 1, story 2, story 3) indicating the type of story that exists, the user can select any story from each story. It consists of character information for requesting (select one for this disc ...) And background image information including a pictorial image 31 that briefly shows the contents of each story. Further, on this menu screen, a frame 32 for inserting and displaying a story number (indicated as "2" in the figure) arbitrarily selected by the user is displayed.
And n pieces of this menu screen data are recorded at each branch point of the story.

In the lead-in area 21, the above-mentioned menu together with the disc management information necessary for disc reproduction such as the start addresses and lengths of the programs 1 to m recorded on the optical disc, the reproduction order of each program for each story, etc. The menu screen management information necessary for displaying the screen is recorded. This menu screen management information is, for example, (1) data for displaying the menu screen, for example, data for displaying the menu screen 1 after reproducing the program 2 (2) physical address on the optical disc on which the menu screen data is recorded (3) Menu screen playback mode, for example, still image playback mode, etc. (4) Character language type on the menu screen, for example, Japanese, English, etc. (5) Position and size of frame where story selection number is inserted and displayed, ( 6) It consists of the display size of story selection numbers, etc. These are recorded in correspondence with each other for each menu screen. Next, the operation relating to the menu screen display represented by the moving image compatible optical disc reproducing apparatus of the present embodiment will be described. Main data area 2
It is assumed that the program group having the story structure shown in FIG. 9 is recorded in 3. In addition, in this operation example, the character language type on the menu screen is unified to Japanese. First, the system MPU 13 controls the optical pickup feed mechanism via the servo processor 12 so as to read information from the lead-in area 21 of the optical disc D. The information (disc management information and menu screen management information) read from the lead-in area 21 is stored in the memory 6a by the data processor 6.
The system MPU 13 stores the data necessary for reproducing the disc from the data in the built-in memory.

After that, the system MPU 13 stores in the memory 13
Based on the disc management information stored in a, control is performed so that reproduction is started from the first program 1 in the main data area 23. After the program 2 is reproduced after the program 1 and the reproduction of the program 2 is completed, the system MPU 13 determines that the current timing is based on the menu screen management information (display timing information of the menu screen) stored in the internal memory. Know that it is the display timing of.

When the system MPU 13 knows that it is the display timing of the menu screen 1, the system MPU 13 first determines from the menu screen management information stored in the memory 13a, the address on the optical disc in which the data of the menu screen 1 is recorded, and the menu screen. Check the playback mode of 1, the position and size of the story selection number display frame, the display size and position of the story selection number (horizontal and vertical coordinate information on the screen), and the like. Then, the menu screen data is read from the corresponding address (the corresponding address in the menu screen data area 22) on the optical disk, and the reproduction mode is controlled according to the reproduction mode and the position and size of the story selection number display frame. To do. As a result, a menu screen as shown in FIG. 4a is displayed. Thereafter, when the user selects and inputs an arbitrary story selection number, the character pattern corresponding to the input number is generated by the character generator 10 (see b in FIG. 4), and the story selection read from the memory 6a is selected. After the character pattern data is enlarged / reduced according to the display size of the number, it is displayed in the story selection number display frame 32 on the menu screen (see c in FIG. 4).

After that, based on the input story selection number and the disk management information stored in the memory 13a,
The program to be reproduced next is determined, and the program reproduction is started. For example, if the story 1 is selected, the program 3 is reproduced next, and if the story 2 is selected, the program 6 is reproduced next.

In this embodiment, the position and size of the story selection number display frame 32 and the display size of the story selection number are as shown in (a), (b) and (c) of FIG.
It can be changed for each menu screen.

Next, a case where a character language type is added to the menu screen management information will be described.

If menu screen data is recorded for each character language type, the amount of data increases in proportion to the number of language types, which is not preferable. Therefore, the following method is used.

FIG. 6 shows the structure of the data unit. This data unit has a fixed reproduction time (for example, 0.
It is a unit of data based on (5 seconds), and includes a header area, a sub-picture area, an audio area, and a main-picture area. That is, the reproduction time of the sub video data, the audio data, and the main video data recorded in the sub video area, the audio area, and the main video area, respectively, is set to a fixed time. A program is composed of one or more data units.

Here, a simple image is displayed in the sub-image area.
It is possible to record channels. Therefore, in each channel of this sub-picture area, the character information of the menu screen data is recorded for eight countries in different languages for each channel, and the menu screen data (background image) other than the character information is recorded in the main picture area. By doing so, a menu screen in multiple languages can be displayed with a minimum amount of data.

The operation for displaying the menu screens corresponding to a plurality of languages will be described below.

When the system MPU 13 detects the display timing of the menu screen 1, first, from the menu screen management information stored in the memory 13a, the address on the optical disk where the data of the menu screen 1 is recorded and the reproduction of the menu screen 1 are reproduced. The mode, the position and size of the story selection number display frame, the display size of the story selection number, and the character language type on the menu screen are read. Then, the menu screen data is read from the corresponding address (the corresponding address in the menu screen data area 22) on the optical disk, and the reproduction mode is controlled according to the reproduction mode and the position and size of the story selection number display frame. To do.

At this time, the background image of the menu screen as shown in A of FIGS. 7 and 8 is read from the main video area of each data unit, and the sub-picture area of each data unit is read from FIGS. The character information of the channel corresponding to the above-mentioned character language type is read out as shown in B of FIG.

Thereafter, similarly, the character pattern corresponding to the story selection number input by the user is displayed in the story selection number display frame on the menu screen, and then stored in the input story selection number and the memory 13a. The program to be reproduced next is determined based on the disc management information, and the program reproduction is started.
Thus, according to the present embodiment, when the program reproduction has proceeded to the story branch point, a menu screen for prompting the user to select the story from there is automatically displayed, and the existence of the story branch and the existence of the story branch are detected through this menu screen. The number of branches of the story is posted to the user, and the story selection operation can be performed on this menu screen. Therefore, the operability of story selection can be dramatically improved, and a great benefit can be given to both the software providing side and the user side.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, when reproducing a recording medium in which a plurality of stories are recorded, a desired story selection is optimally performed while confirming on the screen how many branches the story has. It is possible to realize a recording medium and a reproducing apparatus for the recording medium, and to improve the operability of story selection.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an optical disc reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a data format of an optical disc.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a menu screen for story selection.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a display method of the menu screen shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a story selection number display frame and a story selection number on the menu screen shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a data unit.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a display method of a menu screen supporting multiple languages.

[Figure 8] Diagram showing the menu screen in English

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the structure of a program group having a plurality of stories.

[Description of Codes] D ... Optical disc, 1 ... Optical pickup, 2 ... Head amplifier, 3 ... Waveform equalization circuit, 4 ... Data slicer, 5 ... PL
L circuit, 6 ... Data processor, 7 ... System processor, 8 ... Decoding circuit, 9 ... Video processor block,
10 ... Character generator, 11 ... Audio processor block, 12 ... Servo processor, 13 ... System MPU, 21 ... Lead-in area, 22 ... Menu screen data area, 23 ... Program area.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location G11B 20/12 103 9295-5D 27/34 P 9369-5D H04N 5/76 A

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of groups of video data and audio data which are respectively reproduced in synchronization are recorded as a program, and the plurality of programs form one story by reproducing at least a part of them in a predetermined order, and In a recording medium recorded so as to form a plurality of stories depending on a combination of the plurality of programs and a reproduction order, a first information recording area in which each program is recorded, and a story selection for promoting selection of the story to be reproduced A second information recording area in which screen display information is recorded, and a recording medium. 2. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the display information on the story selection screen includes information indicating a type of an existing story. 3. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein at least timing information indicating a timing at which the story selection screen is displayed during reproduction of the recording medium and display information of the story selection screen are recorded. A recording medium, further comprising a third information recording area in which position information on the recording medium is recorded in association with each other. 4. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein at least timing information indicating a timing of displaying the story selection screen during reproduction of the recording medium and display information of the story selection screen are recorded. Position information on a recording medium and area setting information for setting an area for inserting and displaying a story number arbitrarily selected in response to the story selection screen are recorded in association with each other. The recording medium, further comprising: 5. The entire data is recorded with a group of main video data, sub-video data and audio data, which are synchronously reproduced based on a predetermined reproduction time, as a data unit, and a set of one or more data units. Are recorded as a program, and the program group is recorded so that at least a part of the program is reproduced in a predetermined order to form one story, and a combination of the plurality of programs and the reproduction order form a plurality of stories. In the recording medium, a first information recording area in which each of the programs is recorded and display information of a story selection screen for prompting selection of the story to be reproduced are recorded, and the display information is a type of existing story. And the background image information thereof, the background image information being the main image of the data unit. While being recorded as data, the character information recording medium characterized by comprising a second information recording area is recorded as the sub-picture data for a plurality of channels wherein the data unit in different languages. 6. The recording medium according to claim 5, wherein at least timing information indicating a timing at which the story selection screen is displayed during reproduction of the recording medium and display information of the story selection screen are recorded. The recording medium further comprising a third information recording area in which the above position information and the channel number of the sub-picture data displayed as text information on the story selection screen are recorded in association with each other. 7. An apparatus for reproducing the recording medium according to claim 3, wherein the timing information and the position information are read from the third information recording area, and the timing information and the position information are read from the third information recording area. Storage means for storing each of the information that has been performed, during playback of the recording medium, detecting the display timing of the story selection screen based on the timing information stored in the storage means, and when the timing is detected, A story selection screen reproducing means for reading and reproducing display information of the story selection screen from a corresponding position in the second information recording area based on the position information stored in the storage means, and a story selection screen reproducing means arbitrarily selected from the outside. And a means for controlling to read and reproduce the program forming the story from the first information recording area. That the recording medium reproducing apparatus. 8. The apparatus for reproducing the recording medium according to claim 4, wherein the timing information, the position information, and the area setting information are read from the third information recording area, and the third information. Storage means for storing each of the information read from the recording area, and during playback of the recording medium, the display timing of the story selection screen is detected based on the timing information stored in the storage means. When detected, the display information of the story selection screen is read out and reproduced from the corresponding position in the second information recording area based on the position information stored in the storage means and stored in the storage means. And a story selection screen reproducing means for setting the story number insertion display area on the story selection screen based on the area setting information, The story number display means for displaying the story number arbitrarily selected from the section in the story number insertion display area of the story selection screen, and the program forming the story arbitrarily selected from the outside by the first information. A recording medium reproducing apparatus, comprising: means for controlling reading and reproduction from a recording area. 9. A device for reproducing the recording medium according to claim 6, wherein the timing information, the position information, and a channel number of the sub-picture data are read from the third information recording area; Storage means for storing each of the information read from the information recording area of No. 3, and detecting the display timing of the story selection screen based on the timing information stored in the storage means during reproduction of the recording medium, When the timing is detected, the display information of the story selection screen is read from the corresponding position in the second information recording area based on the position information stored in the storage means,
A story selection screen reproducing means for reproducing the background image information from the read display information and at the same time reproducing the character information of the language type corresponding to the channel number of the sub-picture data stored in the storage means. And a means for controlling the program so as to read and reproduce the program, which constitutes a story arbitrarily selected from the outside, from the first information recording area.