JPH118834A - Optical disk - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To coordinate a viewing form that introduces special reproduction just as a title marker intends. SOLUTION: A multimedia optical disk has an object recording area that is divided into plural subareas, and a block is recorded in each subarea. The block includes more than one moving picture data and management information. The management information in each block is effective in a reproducing device only in a time zone of a second unit in which moving picture data belonging to the same block is reproduced, and the management information in each block has user operation limitation information that shows whether to limit a user operation in an effective time zone or not.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical disk on which information signals are recorded and a reproducing apparatus therefor, and more particularly to an optical disk on which objects including digital moving picture data, audio data, and sub-picture data are recorded.

[0002]

[Prior art]

<First Prior Art> Recording media such as optical disks are indispensable for distribution and sales of music software and video software. Users can rent these storage media at rental shops,
You can enjoy them at home by purchasing them at record stores. In the market, laser disks are widely used as recording media for video software, and CDs (Compact Discs) are widely used as recording media for music software.

When an optical disk is used as a recording medium for video software, video is recorded in a spiral track from the inner circumference to the outer circumference. When the recording is performed in this manner, the order of the reproduction direction is such that the direction from the inner circumference to the outer circumference in the spiral track is the forward direction, and the direction from the outer circumference to the inner circumference in the spiral track is the reverse direction. By irradiating a light beam while rotating the optical disk in the forward direction, recorded information is read. The reproduction of the recorded information is performed as described above. In addition, there are various special reproductions such as fast forward reproduction and rewind reproduction. Fast-forward playback refers to playback in the forward direction while skipping recorded information on a spiral track in a certain unit. Rewind playback skips recorded information on a spiral track in a reverse unit in a certain unit. Playing while playing.

If the operator instructs fast-forward playback, the optical pickup reads the recorded information on the spiral track in the forward direction while skipping a predetermined unit. Conversely, if the operator instructs rewind reproduction, the optical pickup reads recorded information on the spiral track in the opposite direction while skipping a predetermined unit. If the operator does not like the output information, he can instruct the user to perform fast-forward playback so that the user can view the information in a short time. Alternatively, by instructing rewind reproduction, the missed information can be confirmed again.

<Second Prior Art> It is no exaggeration to say that the fast forward reproduction / rewind reproduction of the optical disk is a classic reproduction function. The trend of video software in recent years has been to increase the interactivity, and it is expected that interactive software will become the mainstream in the future. The first basic technology of interactive software is distributed recording. That is, instead of recording the video of about one hour length sequentially on a spiral track, the video is cut into several pieces of several seconds or several minutes in length, and these pieces are scattered on a plurality of arcs of the spiral track. Record in order. The second basic technology is a random reproduction in which a plurality of pieces of video information are reproduced in an arbitrary order by a plurality of control data. The control data for random reproduction is configured by pairing the read order of the shredded video and the address information indicating the arc of the spiral track on which the video is recorded. This control data
There are many different combinations of the reading order, and the user can select one of them. When the reproduction by one piece of control data is completed, the disc reproducing apparatus presents to the operator several branch destinations of the video reproduction through a menu or the like. When the operator selects any one of the branch destinations, the corresponding data is read out of the plurality of control data, and the reading of the video is entrusted to it. If such an operation is repeated many times, the reproduction path can be switched in any number of ways in accordance with the menu selection.

With such first and second basic technologies,
It is possible to realize interactive software for a detective drama that has a plurality of story developments. In addition, it will be possible to add interactivity to video software such as product catalogs, sightseeing mooks, and teaching materials for English conversation. For example, in the case of a sightseeing mook, video information of a plurality of hotels, video information of a plurality of sightseeing spots, video information of a plurality of meals, video information of a plurality of experience sports such as surfing and diving are recorded on an optical disk, and a budget, The user is allowed to select a favorite sport or the like, and the video information of the hotel or sport is reproduced according to the selection result.

[0007]

However, the fast forward reproduction in the first prior art is not very desirable for some title creators. This is because even if an advertisement is inserted into a video recorded on an optical disc, it may be overlooked by fast-forward playback.

[0008] Price competition in video software is intense. Tourism Mook software and sales promotion software can not be expected to sell as high as movie hits,
The title creator who creates them must lower the selling price or provide it free of charge. For this reason, the title creator is forced to recruit hotels, airlines, and tour companies to travel to and sponsor their commercials. However, even if an advertisement image is inserted by soliciting a sponsor in this way, the operator easily overlooks the operation by easily performing a fast-forward operation.

In TV broadcasting, commercial on-air has been established for a long time. This is because it is impossible to fast-forward the broadcast contents when receiving a TV broadcast. When viewing video software, the content of the video can be fast-forwarded freely depending on the mood of the operator, so that a commercial inserted with the cooperation of the sponsor is often overlooked by the fast-forward. Ideally, fine-grained control of rejecting the fast-forward function only during commercial periods and canceling acceptance except for commercials is desired,
Conventionally, there is no technology for realizing such a function.

[0010] Even if it is not an advertisement image, if it is a video that is extremely important to the title creator, for example, "Travel Mook" where the travel destination is abroad, travel rules, precautions for local actions, emergency contact information, The video content, such as how to deal with a crime or accident, must be watched and understood by the operator. In addition, the operator must ensure that the operator can view and understand the video contents that may cause trouble if the departure date and time, the fee, the cancellation method, etc. are not transmitted properly. It is necessary for the operator to view such content at all costs. However, contrary to the intent of the title creator, if the operator instructs fast-forward, these images are easily skipped.

Further, in the interactive software according to the second prior art, when an operator performs an old-generation special playback such as fast-forward playback during playback of the interactive software, a phenomenon occurs that impairs the usefulness of the interactive software. There is a second problem of obtaining. For example, the interactive software of “Travel Mook” is provided with a tree-shaped reproduction path including many branches and a linear reproduction path having no branches. In the former, several types of courses are presented to the operator by a menu, and this menu is displayed.
This is a highly interactive reproduction path for determining a branch destination in accordance with a determination operation for. The latter is a reproduction path of the digest version created by extracting the flashy parts and the parts that are likely to be interesting.

It is assumed that the operator has selected a tree-shaped reproduction path. A tour conductor man appears on the screen and begins explaining what is likely to be difficult, such as immigration procedures. It is assumed that the operator hates such a description and operates fast-forward playback. The fast-forward is operated and the explanation of the man is finished quickly, and a menu appears on the screen to present a course selection of “city course” or “beach course”. In this menu display, input by the operator is awaited, and playback progress is stopped. Since the operator has skipped the explanation of the tour conductor earlier, he cannot understand how these courses are, and cannot determine which one to select. The operator feels "succumbed" and operates rewind playback to return to the explanation of the tour conductor, and this time he listens to the explanation firmly and hopes for menu selection. When the above-mentioned city course is selected, it is assumed that a live-action video introducing a cheap shop for women's accessories and cosmetics is displayed. It is assumed that the operator does not show interest in such contents and operates fast-forward playback. The fast-forward playback is operated, and the description of the above-mentioned store is quickly finished. On the screen, a menu for presenting a course selection of “cheap course” or “gourmet course” appears again. You should be able to easily understand what these "cheap courses" and "gourmet courses" are, just by watching the videos up to that point. The title creator has edited Travel Mook in that way. However, the operator sees only these beginnings and executes fast-forwarding, overlooking those courses. As in the previous case, the operator wants to select the menu without fail by rewinding to a live-action image of a cheap shop and listening to the explanation firmly.

When fast-forwarding is performed, rewinding is performed every time a menu appears, so that he / she hesitates to perform fast-forwarding playback while watching interactive software with awkward playback. It is assumed that the operator has selected and viewed the “digest video”. This digest video is a collection of flashy and interesting parts of the recorded contents of the optical disc, and there is no problem even if it is viewed fast forward. However, since the operator has repeatedly experienced the trouble of fast-forwarding and rewinding in viewing the previous branch route, he / she hesitates to view the digest video in fast-forwarding. Although this digest video contains duplicate contents such as introduction of a cheap accessory store for women and cosmetics, it is in a state of watching these with patience.

When verifying the above phenomenon, the operator should skip reproduction of the video on the digest video path including no branch, and should not perform skip reproduction on the reproduction path including many branches. When actually performing skip reproduction, the skip reproduction is interrupted each time a menu is reached, and the operator performs inefficient reproduction of rewinding the video to make an accurate selection.

Considering that such a situation has occurred,
If the operator performs skip reproduction, it may be better to automatically select the branch destination of the reproduction progress. In this case, since the description of the conductor and the menu display are reproduced in a short while, the operator does not get lost in selecting the course. However, as the user advances through the course one after another by fast-forward playback, the current playback position in the structure of the entire path is lost. Even if various scenes appear on the screen, it is impossible to know what the scene is, how it is displayed here, and what position you are on the reproduction path.

[0016] Even if the title creator sees such a branch automatically in the skip reproduction, the arrangement of the menus and the branches devises the story development, or even if the theme is raised, they are not user-friendly. It ends without being transmitted to. Such automatic branching neglected the title creator's idea. A first object of the present invention is to provide an optical disc that allows an operator to reliably view video contents considered important by a title creator, such as advertisements, contents of a contract, contents of a contract, and the like.

A second object of the present invention is to provide an optical disk capable of skillfully incorporating the effectiveness of trick play while eliminating the execution of trick play that would impair the usefulness of interactive software. is there.

[0018]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first object of the present invention is an optical disc having a data area for storing a plurality of video objects, wherein the video objects have one or more blocks, wherein the blocks are: Video data,
The optical disk has management information for the moving image data of the block, and the management information is achieved by the optical disc indicating whether to restrict a predetermined user operation on the reproduction apparatus of the optical disc.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a data area for storing a plurality of video objects constituting a video sequence, video sequence information indicating a predetermined reproduction order of the video objects, and the video sequence information indicated by the video sequence information. And an index area for storing position information indicating a position of the video object on the optical disk, wherein the index area further includes video sequence management information for all the video objects indicated by the video sequence information. And the video sequence management information is achieved by the optical disc indicating whether to restrict a predetermined user operation on the playback apparatus of the optical disc.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As a multimedia optical disk in this embodiment, a digital video disk (hereinafter abbreviated as DVD) which realizes a recording capacity of about 4.7 Gbytes on one side on an optical disk having a diameter of 120 mm is preferable. In the following description, items are described as follows to facilitate understanding. At that time, a classification number is attached to the left of each item. The number of digits of the classification number means the hierarchical depth of the item. The highest order of the classification numbers is (1) and (2), (1) relates to an optical disk, and (2) relates to a reproducing device (disk reproducing device). (1.) Physical structure of optical disk (1.1) Logical structure of optical disk (1.1.1) Logical structure-video title set (1.1.1.1) Video title set-video object (VOB) (1.1.1.1.1) Video object ( VOB)-Video pack (1.1.1.1.2) Video object (VOB)-Audio pack (1.1.1.1.3) Video object (VOB)-Sub-picture pack (1.1.1.1.4) Video object (VOB)-Management Information pack (1.1.1.2) Video title set-Video title set management information (1.1.1.2.1) Video title set management information-PGC information (1.1.2) Logical structure-Video manager (2.1) Outline of disc playback device ( 2.2) Components of disc playback device (2.2.1) Components of disc playback device-signal separation unit 86
(2.2.2) Components of Disc Reproducing Apparatus—Internal Configuration of System Control Unit 93 (1.) Physical Structure of Optical Disc FIG. 1A is a diagram showing the appearance of a DVD, and FIG.
Is a sectional view thereof. FIG. 1C is an enlarged view of a circle of FIG. 1B. The DVD 107 is configured by laminating a first transparent substrate 108, an information layer 109, an adhesive layer 110, a second transparent substrate 111, and a printing layer 112 for label printing from the lower side of the drawing.

The first transparent substrate 108 and the second transparent substrate 111 are reinforcing substrates of the same material, but both have a thickness of about 0.6 mm. That is, both bases are roughly 0.5mm to 0.7mm
Is the thickness. The adhesive layer 110 is provided between the information layer 109 and the second transparent substrate 111 and adheres both.

The information layer 109 has a reflective film such as a metal thin film adhered to the surface in contact with the first transparent substrate 108. Concavo-convex pits are formed at a high density on this reflective film by a molding technique. The pit shape is shown in FIG. Each pit in FIG. 1D has a length of 0.4 μm to 2.13 μm, and is arranged in a spiral shape at a radial interval of 0.74 μm to form one spiral track.

By irradiating these pit rows with the light beam 113, information is extracted as a change in the reflectance of the light spot 114 as shown in FIG. DVD
Since the numerical aperture NA of the objective lens is large and the wavelength λ of the light beam is small, the diameter of the light spot 114 is about 1 / 1.6 in diameter compared with the light spot of CD.

A DVD having such a physical structure can record about 4.7 Gbytes of information on one side. The recording capacity of about 4.7 GB is almost eight times as large as that of a conventional CD. Therefore, in the case of DVDs, the image quality of moving images can be greatly improved, and the reproduction time can be improved to 2 hours or more compared to 74 minutes of a video CD.

The basic technology for realizing such a large capacity is to reduce the spot diameter D of the light beam. Since the spot diameter D is given by a calculation formula of spot diameter D = laser wavelength λ / numerical aperture NA of the objective lens, the spot diameter D is narrowed down by further reducing the laser wavelength λ and increasing the numerical aperture NA. be able to. It should be noted that when the numerical aperture NA of the objective lens is increased, coma occurs due to the relative tilt between the disk surface and the optical axis of the light beam, which is called tilt. In order to reduce this, in DVDs, the thickness of the transparent substrate is reduced. Another problem that the mechanical strength is weakened when the transparent substrate is made thinner is raised. However, the DVD is reinforced by bonding another substrate, thereby overcoming the problem of strength.

To read data from a DVD, a 650 nm red semiconductor laser with a short wavelength and the NA of an objective lens are used.
An optical system whose (numerical aperture) is increased to about 0.6 mm is used. This, combined with the reduction of the thickness of the transparent substrate to about 0.6 mm, has led to an information capacity of about 4.7 Gbytes that can be recorded on one side of an optical disc having a diameter of 120 mm. With such a large capacity, one movie produced by a movie company can be recorded on one common disc and provided to a large number of different languages. The recording capacity of 4.7 Gbytes realized by these basic technologies has a surplus even when a plurality of moving image data and audio data are recorded.

FIG. 2A schematically shows a spiral track formed from the inner circumference to the outer circumference of the information layer.
Data reading from the spiral track is performed for each unit called a sector. The internal structure of the sector is shown in FIG.
As shown in (1), it comprises a sector header area, a user data area, and an error correction code storage area. The sector address in the sector header area is used to identify each sector. The disc reproducing apparatus finds which one of a large number of sectors should be read by using the sector address as a clue.

The user data area stores data of 2 KByte length. The error correction code storage area stores an error correction code for the user data area in the same sector. The disk reproducing apparatus performs error detection using the error correction code when reading the user data area of the same sector, and performs error correction as well, thereby guaranteeing the reliability of data reading.

(1.1) Logical Structure of Optical Disk FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a logical structure of the disk. In FIG. 3, the physical sectors are arranged in ascending order according to the sector address, and the lead-in area, the volume area following the lead-in area, the volume area following the lead-in area, and the lead-out area following the volume area are identified by the identification information included in the sector address. They are roughly divided into areas.

In the "lead-in area", data for stabilizing operation at the start of reading of the DVD player and the like are recorded. On the other hand, the "lead-out area" is an area for notifying the playback apparatus of the end of playback, and has no significant data recorded therein. The “volume area” is an area in which digital data constituting an application is stored.
It manages the physical sector to which it belongs as a logical block. A logical block is identified by a unit in which consecutive physical sectors are assigned serial numbers, with the first physical sector of the data recording area being numbered zero. A circle b301 in FIG. 3 shows a logical block group in the volume area. Numerical values such as #m, # m + 1, # m + 2, # m + 3,... Assigned to many logical blocks in a circle are logical block numbers.

As shown in FIG. 3, the volume area is further divided into a volume management area and a file area.
In the volume management area, according to ISO13346,
File system management information for managing a plurality of logical blocks as a file is stored. The file system management information is information that clearly indicates the correspondence between the file names of a plurality of files and the addresses of the logical blocks occupied by each file, and the disc playback device uses this file system management information as a clue. To implement disk access in file units. That is, given a file name, all logical block groups occupied by the file are calculated by referring to all system management information, and these logical block groups are accessed to extract only desired digital data.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a file area. FIG.
As shown in the figure, the file area contains a video manager (Vi
deo Manager) and multiple video title sets (Video T)
itleSet) is stored. These are composed of a plurality of continuous files, and the recording location is calculated based on the file system management information. The reason for being a continuous file is that the data size of the moving image data is enormous, and if this is made into one file, the file size exceeds 1 GB.

A video title set stores one or more DVD applications called titles in groups. A plurality of titles grouped in a movie application corresponds to a case where there is a theater release version or an uncut version of the same movie. This is because the titles such as theatrical release version and uncut version share a lot of video data, and it is more efficient to use video by grouping and managing them.

The video title set V1 of the video title sets shown in FIG. 4 is recorded. Video title set V1 is interactive software "Travel Mook". This interactive software is realized by the characteristic data structure of the optical disc in this embodiment. Interactive software "Travel Mook" is a movie book. A movie book is an electronic publication that includes a number of high-quality live-action videos of several seconds and several minutes in length, and has a logical structure imitating a book such as a catalog or chapter on its playback path.

"Travel Mook" is a title set consisting of three titles, each of which is called <Hawaii Islands Course>, <Saipan Island Course>, and <Guam Island Course>. The video manager stores information on a menu for the user to select a title to be reproduced from all titles stored in a plurality of video title sets. Hereinafter, the video title set and the video manager will be described in detail.

(1.1) Logical Structure—Video Title Set FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the data structure of the video title set. A video title set is a video object (VO
B: Video Object) and video title set management information for managing the reproduction order of the plurality of video objects.

(1.1.1) Video Title Set-Video Object (VOB) “Video Object (VOB)” is a digital moving image,
An object containing digital audio. Note that since this example is interactive software "Travel Mook", the individual VOBs # 1, 2, 3, 4,... Shown in FIG. It corresponds to one scene such as a scene where a scene of an overflowing city area is photographed, and a scene where a young man enjoys surfing along the beach.

The data structure of the "video object (VOB)" has a configuration in which a plurality of VOB units (VOBU) are arranged in chronological order from the top. The VOB unit (VOBU) is reproduction data of about 0.5 to about 1.0 second. As shown in the detailed configuration at the arrow in FIG. It is composed of a plurality of types of pack data such as AB. Each of the pack data has a data size of 2 KBytes. By collecting and reintegrating the pack data for each type, the digital data becomes a digital data string constituting moving image data, audio data, sub-picture data, and control data. In addition, the digital data sequence re-integrated for each type may be referred to as an elementary stream, and the VOB may be referred to as a program stream or a system stream including a plurality of elementary streams.

In order to simplify the explanation, the pack data of all the VOB units are arranged with regularity in FIGS. 5 and 6, except that the management information pack is arranged at the top. Since they are taken out after being buffered by the playback device, they need not be arranged adjacently for each type, but are actually arranged together. Also, V
The total number of packs belonging to the OB unit and the number of packs for each type do not need to be the same because moving images, audios, and sub-pictures include variable-length compressed data. Actually, the number of packs differs for each VOB unit. Also, although there are two moving image packs in the VOB unit, the transfer rate to the playback device assigned to the moving image is about 4.5 Mbit. Hundreds of video packs will be included.

A moving picture pack stored in a video object (VOB) is composed of at least one GOP by digital data of a moving picture pack belonging to one VOB unit.
(GropOf Pictre) to form digital moving image data. The GOP (Grop Of Pictre) here is one unit at the time of decompression of compressed digital moving image data.
Image data for 2 to 15 frames. For GOP, MPEG2 (Moving Pictre Expert Grop, I
SO11172, ISO13818) defines the details.

FIG. 6 shows the relationship between each pack in a video object (VOB) and one scene of a moving image. In the figure, a moving image material of one scene is shown by a horizontally long rectangle, and is arranged above the VOB. Also, three channels of audio material are indicated by three horizontally long rectangles, and are arranged below the VOB. Further, two-channel sub-picture materials are shown by two horizontally long rectangles, and are arranged below the sound material. The downward arrow extending from the moving image material indicates how the moving image material is recorded in the data field of each pack.

Following these downward arrows, moving pictures from the beginning of one scene to 0.5 seconds are MPEG-compliant I picture (Intra-Pictre) and P picture (Predictive-Pictre).
), B picture (Bidirectionally predictive Pictr
It can be seen that the data is encoded in the data field of the video packs 1 and 2 in the VOB unit 1 after being encoded in e).
(Note that, as described above, the data is actually stored in several hundred packs, but for convenience of explanation, the description is continued below assuming that the data is stored in two packs.) The moving image from 0.5 seconds to 1.0 second is also encoded into I-picture, P-picture, and B-picture, and then recorded in the data fields of video packs 3 and 4 in the next VOB unit. Although not shown, a moving image of 1.0 second to 1.5 seconds is also encoded and recorded in the data field of the video pack in the next VOB unit.

Thousands and tens of thousands of I-pictures and B-pictures were taken of live-action images of beach scenes filled with foreign tourists and coral reefs where colorful and colorful tropical fish swim.
Pictures are encoded into P-pictures, and are distributed and recorded in the data fields of a plurality of moving picture packs in each VOB unit. "Travel mook" by such distributed records
In the above, the scene of the beach and the scene of the coral reef are incorporated into one scene. The data distributed and recorded in the data field of the moving image pack in the VOB is called moving image data.

The packs constituting the VOB unit will be described individually with reference to FIGS. (1.1.1.1) Video Object (VOB) -Moving Picture Pack FIG. 7 shows the data structure of a moving picture pack. Moving image pack in the figure (shown as video pack in the figure)
The data structure of "pack header" specified in MPEG
It consists of a "packet header" and a "data field".
It has a data size of 2Kbytes per pack. The “Pack header” contains the pack start code, SCR (System
Clock Reference) describes MPEG-compliant data, and the “packet header” contains a stream ID,
Packet length, STD (System Target Decoder) buffer scale size, PTS (Presentation Time Stamp), DTS
(Decoding Time Stamp) is described.

The stream ID in the “packet header” is drawn below the packet header in FIG.
10 0000 ”. This indicates that the elementary stream formed by this pack is a moving image stream. The SCR and PTS of the moving image pack are used for synchronization adjustment with the decoding processing of the audio pack and the decoding processing of the sub-picture pack. Specifically, the video decoder on the disc player side adjusts the time of the reference clock based on the SCR,
The moving image data in the data field is decoded, and the reference clock waits for the time described in the PTS. When the time is counted, the decoding result is output to the display side. By waiting for the output based on the contents described in the PTS, the video decoder eliminates a synchronization error between the sub-video output and the audio output.

(1.1.1.2) Video object (VO
B) -Audio Pack FIG. 8 shows the data structure of audio packs A to C. As can be seen by comparing FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the data structure of the audio pack is basically the same as the data structure of the moving image pack, and includes a “pack header”, a “packet header”, and a “data field”. The difference is that the stream ID of the “packet header” is set to “1011 1101”,
Substream ID in the first 8 bits of the data field
Are provided (see hatched portions in the figure).
The stream ID is “1011 1101”, indicating that the elementary stream formed by this pack is the private stream 1. MPEG is a private stream
Is a stream used in addition to the moving picture stream and the MPEG audio stream. In this example, since a sound other than the MPEG sound is used, a private stream is used.

The “pack header” of the audio pack describes MPEG-compliant data such as a pack start code and SCR, as in the case of the video pack. MPEG-compliant data such as PTS and DTS are described. The SCR and PTS of the audio pack are for decoding the video pack,
It is used for synchronization adjustment with decoding of the sub-picture pack. Specifically, the audio decoder of the disc reproducing apparatus adjusts the time of the reference clock based on the SCR, decodes the audio data in the data field, and sets the reference clock.
Wait for the time indicated on the PTS to be counted. Since the decoding process of the audio data is lighter load than that of the moving image data and the sub-video data, the output waiting time of the audio data is much longer than that of the moving image data and the sub-video data. When the time is counted, the decoding result is output to the speaker. By waiting for the output based on the contents described in the PTS, the audio decoder eliminates a synchronization error between the video output and the sub-video output.

Each of the audio packs A to C differs in the setting of the substream ID in the data field. As shown in the description of “Substream ID” in the figure, the audio pack
For A and B, the upper 5 bits of the substream ID are "10100"
In the audio pack C, the upper 5 bit length of the substream ID is set to “1000 0”. This is to identify that the audio packs A and B are of the linear PCM system and the audio pack C is of the Dolby AC-3 system. The major difference between the linear PCM method and the Dolby AC-3 method is that the linear PCM method has an LR component,
The lbyAC-3 system has an LR component and a surround component.

The lower 3 bits of the sub stream ID are linear PC
It is provided for giving a channel number to each of the M system and the Dolby AC-3 system. In this example, linear PC
Since two channels are used in the M system and one channel is used in the Dolby AC-3 system, three audio elementary streams are identified. Note that the elementary streams of audio and sub-video other than the moving picture elementary stream are collectively referred to as sub-streams. A video object (VOB) can have a maximum of eight audio substreams, and a substream ID
Are assigned identification codes of 0 to 7 as identification codes of the respective audio substreams. In the example of FIG.
Two channels are used in the linear PCM system and one channel is used in the Dolby AC-3 system.

The "data field" contains a linear PCM
Digital audio of the Dolby AC-3 format is recorded.
The relationship between the three-channel dubbed sound of one scene of a movie and the data field of the audio pack will be described with reference to FIG. Similarly to the video pack, the arrow extending from the audio material in FIG. 6 to the VOB audio pack indicates that three-channel audio data is encoded by the above two methods,
This indicates that data is recorded in the data field of each audio pack in units of 5 seconds. That is, the dubbed sound of the A channel from the beginning of the one scene to 0.5 second is VOB
Recorded in the data field of audio pack A-1 in unit 1, the dubbed voice from 0.5 to 1.0 second is V
It is recorded in the data field of the audio pack A-2 in the OB unit 2. Although not shown, the audio from 1.0 second to 1.5 seconds from the beginning is recorded in the data field of the audio pack A-3 in the next VOB unit. still,
As described above, since the synchronization timing of the audio with the moving image is set by the PTS, the audio data that completely matches the moving image data included in the VOB unit is the same as the VO.
It does not need to be included in the B unit, and is actually the previous VOB
Sometimes stored in a unit.

Similarly, the dubbed sound of the B channel from the beginning of the one scene to 0.5 sec. Is recorded in the data field of the audio pack B-1, and the dubbed sound from 0.5 sec. To 1.0 sec. Recorded in the field. Then, although not shown, the sound from the beginning to 1.0 second to 1.5 seconds is recorded in the data field of audio pack B-3.

The dubbed voice of the C channel from the beginning of the one scene to 0.5 seconds is recorded in the data field of the audio pack C-1, and the dubbed voice from 0.5 seconds to 1.0 second is recorded in the data field of the audio pack C-2. Be recorded. Although not shown, the sound from 1.0 second to 1.5 seconds is recorded in the data field of the audio pack C-3. The three-channel data distributed and recorded in the respective data fields of the audio packs A to C are hereinafter referred to as audio data A, audio data B, and audio data C. For example, by setting an English voice-over sound to audio data A, setting a French voice-over sound to audio data B, and setting a Japanese voice-over sound to audio data C, the operator can switch between them. .

(1.1.1.3) Video object (VO
B) -Sub-picture pack FIG. 9 shows the data structure of the sub-picture pack. FIG.
8 and FIG. 8, the data structure of the sub-picture pack is basically the same as the data structure of the audio pack. That is, it is composed of a “pack header”, a “packet header”, and a “data field”, and a substream ID is provided in the first 8 bits of the data field.

The “pack header” describes MPEG-compliant data such as a pack start code and SCR, as in the audio pack. The “packet header” describes the stream ID, packet length, STD buffer scale size,
MPEG-compliant data such as TS and DTS are described. The SCR and PTS of the sub-picture pack are used for synchronization adjustment with the decoding of the moving picture pack and the decoding of the audio pack. Specifically, the sub-video decoder on the disc playback device side performs the time alignment of the reference clock based on the SCR, decodes the sub-video data in the data field, and counts the time when the reference clock is described in the PTS. Wait for. Performing such a waiting time is because the processing loads of run-length decoding, video data decoding processing involving motion compensation prediction in addition to intra-frame decoding and intra-field decoding, and audio data decoding are significantly different. It is. In addition, decryption of video data is each GO
This is because, although essential for P, decoding of the subtitle may be performed every few seconds. When the time of the SCR is counted, the sub-picture decoder outputs the decoding result to the display side. By waiting for the output based on the contents described in the PTS, the sub-picture data decoder eliminates a synchronization error between the moving image output and the audio data output.

The stream ID of the “packet header” of the sub-picture pack is set to “1011 1101” indicating a private stream as in the audio pack, but the setting of the sub-stream ID in the data field is different. That is, in the sub-picture packs A and B, the upper three bits of the sub-stream ID are set to “001” (see the hatched portion in the figure).

The lower 5 bits of the sub-stream ID are provided for giving a channel number to the sub-picture pack. In this example, two sub-picture elementary streams are identified. Note that the elementary streams of audio and sub-video other than the moving picture elementary stream are collectively referred to as sub-streams. Video object (VO
B) can have a maximum of 32 sub-video sub-streams, and the sub-stream ID is given an identification code of 0 to 31 as an identification code of each sub-video sub-stream.

In the "data field", image data compressed by the run-length code and display control information for drawing the image data are recorded. The sub-picture is drawn on the screen by the image data recorded here. The display control information allows the drawn sub-picture to be scrolled up / down, color-palette-converted, and contrast-converted. Paused.

In the example of FIG. 6, the sub-picture packs A and B exist in the VOB unit, so that the subtitles of two channels are
The data can be distributed and recorded in the data fields of the sub-picture packs A and B in each VOB unit. For example, by displaying subtitles in English with the sub-picture data A and displaying subtitles in French with the sub-picture data B, the operator can switch between them.

Further, the sub-picture data is used for drawing a menu. FIG. 11 shows an example of a menu in “Travel Mook”. "Recommended course" in Fig. 11
“Tour content diagnosis course” is a menu item that can be selected by the user and is called an item. Details when the sub-picture is used as a menu item will be described later.

(1.1.1.4) Video object (VO
B) -Management Information Pack One management information pack is always arranged at the head of the VOB unit, and valid management information is stored during the reproduction of the VOB unit. FIG. 10 shows the data structure of the management information pack. The video pack, the audio pack, and the sub-picture pack are composed of one packet, whereas the management pack is composed of two packets. Of the two packets,
One is a PCI packet (Presentation Control Informati
on Packet) and one DSI packet (Data Search Inform
ation). The data structure is slightly different from the data structure of the video pack and the audio pack, and includes “pack header”, “system header”, “packet header of PCI packet”, “data field of PCI packet”, and “DS”.
A packet header of an I packet and a data field of a DSI packet. In the “system header”, management information of the entire VOB unit having this management information pack at the top is stored in accordance with MPEG. The transfer rate required for the entire video, the transfer rate required for each of the moving image stream, the audio stream, and the sub-video stream and the specification of the buffer size are stored.

The stream IDs of the two “packet headers” of the management information pack are identified by the identification code “1011 1111” indicating the private stream 2 as shown by hatching in the figure.
Is set. (1.1.1.4.1) Management Information Pack-DSI Packet FIG. 12 shows the internal structure of the DSI. As shown in the figure,
Is composed of DSI general information, double-speed search information, and angle information.

The DSI general information indicates the logical block number of the management information pack, and includes the I-picture address of the video pack in the same GOP as the management information pack. In the example of FIG. 12, the DSI general information indicates the addresses of three I pictures included in the GOP unit. The double-speed search information is a table that stores a skip destination address for skip playback for each skip amount. The skip reproduction has a forward direction and a reverse direction. The forward and reverse directions on the optical disk are such that the direction from the inner circumference to the outer circumference in the spiral track is the forward direction, and the direction from the outer circumference to the inner circumference in the spiral track is the reverse direction. The table stores the address of the management information pack of the nearest VOB unit every 0.5 seconds in the forward direction and the backward direction based on the address of the current management information pack. For example, FWD60
If so, the address of the management information pack of the VOB unit to be reproduced after 30 (0.5 × 60) seconds by normal reproduction is stored. Similarly, FWDI1,2, ..., 13, shown in FIG.
14,15,20,60,120,240, BWDI1,2 ... 13,14,15,20,60,12
At 0,240, the address of the management information pack of the VOB unit to be reproduced is stored with 0.5 second precision. Note that the actual speed of the skip reproduction is determined by which value of the above-mentioned table is used by the skip reproduction instruction key of the disc reproducing apparatus. Also, when the remote control of the disc reproducing apparatus has a jog dial or the like for variably setting the speed of the skip reproduction by the rotation angle, it is possible to perform the variable speed skip reproduction using all the values in the table. Become.

The angle information is a table in which a plurality of recording locations of angle cells in a multi-angle period are listed. A multi-angle period is a camera angle from the front, a camera angle from the side, a camera angle from the sky, a camera angle from the diagonally above, etc.
This refers to a period in which a plurality of images capturing the movement of a subject and the transition of a scene from a plurality of camera angles are interleaved and recorded. Here, the angle cell is a video taken at a camera angle from the front, a video taken at a camera angle from the side, a video taken at a camera angle from the sky, or taken at a camera angle from an oblique top It refers to a section of the VOB that includes video. The angle cells are numbered 1, 2, 3,.... When the operator designates these numbers with numerical keys such as a remote controller, the disc reproducing apparatus reads the management information pack address of the angle cell corresponding to these numbers from the angle information, and moves the optical pickup to the addresses. The operator causes the disc reproducing apparatus to cyclically change the angle cell from which the data is read out by pressing a key (angle switching key) for instructing the counting of the angle cell number. As a result, it is possible to reproduce the scene by appropriately switching the scene from the front, right side, and obliquely above.

(1.1.1.4.2) Management Information Pack—PCI Packet The PCI packet mainly includes highlight information for asking the operator for an interactive input from the optical disk side (see FIG. 14) and one-sided information from the operator. PCI user operation restriction information that specifies whether or not a trick play execution request is permitted (this PCI user operation restriction information is an information element of “PCI general information” shown in FIG. 13. “PCI general information”
Contains information for designating the playback start time and end time of the VOB unit to which the VOB unit belongs, but the relationship with the present invention is sparse, so that the description is omitted. ).

Since the management information pack is located at the head of the VOB unit, it takes only 0.5 seconds until the moving image pack, audio pack and sub-picture pack of the same VOB unit are read out and the next management information pack is read out on the buffer. In the unit period, the highlight information and the PCI user operation restriction information included in the management information pack are developed in the buffer in the disk reproducing device according to the data structure of FIGS. After this period, the highlight information and the PCI user operation restriction information are overwritten by the highlight information and the PCI user operation restriction information included in the next VOB unit. Only while the video pack, audio pack, and sub-picture pack of the VOB unit are sequentially read from the optical disc, the PCI user operation restriction information of the VOB unit is developed on the buffer. When a key interrupt requesting execution is generated, whether or not to start the interrupt processing in the disk reproducing device is determined by the contents of the PCI user operation restriction information.

For example, in the same VOB unit as certain PCI user operation restriction information, a video pack, an audio pack, and a sub-picture pack corresponding to the contents of the advertisement and the rules are included. Startup is prohibited. in this case,
Activation of the interrupt processing for fast-forwarding the advertisement or the contents of the rule is rejected by the PCI user operation restriction information. In this way, the PCI user operation restriction information can define whether or not to activate the interrupt processing according to how the video pack belonging to the same VOB unit has the video content.

(1.1.1.4.2.1) PCI General Information The data structure of the PGC user operation restriction information is represented as shown by a broken line in FIG. There are various types of trick play in a disk playback device in addition to fast-forwarding, and the PCI user operation restriction information individually specifies whether or not to activate these types of trick play interrupt processing. The vertical arrangement in FIG. 13 indicates PCI general information.Ba
ckward_Scan () ~ PCI general information.PrevPG_Search (), TopPG_S
This indicates that whether or not to activate an interrupt process for a plurality of types of special reproduction such as earch () is individually defined.

The PCI general information Backward_Scan () is
If a rewind playback operation is performed after the point at which the management information pack containing general information is read, 1-bit information specifies whether to permit or reject the interrupt processing corresponding to the operation. Expressed by PCI general information.
Forward_Scan () indicates whether if a fast forward playback operation is performed after the point at which the management information pack including the PCI general information is read out, whether to execute an interrupt process corresponding to the operation or to reject the operation The regulation is expressed by 1-bit information.

The PCI general information.Pause_On () is used to execute an interrupt process corresponding to the operation when a reproduction pause operation is performed after the management information pack including the PCI general information is read. The permission or rejection of whether to reject or not is expressed by 1-bit information. PCI General Information.An
gle_Change () is, when an angle cell switching operation is performed after the management information pack including the PCI general information is read, whether to execute an interrupt process corresponding to the operation or reject the operation. The permission / denial rules are expressed by 1-bit information.

PCI general information.SubPicture_Stream_Change ()
If the sub-picture data switching operation is performed after the point at which the management information pack containing the PCI general information is read, the permission / prohibition rule for whether to execute the interrupt processing corresponding to the operation or to reject the operation Is represented by 1-bit information. PCI general information.Audio_Stream_Change () contains the P
If a voice switching operation is performed after the point at which the management information pack containing CI general information is read, whether to execute the interrupt processing corresponding to the operation or to refuse is specified by 1-bit information. expressing.

Description of PCI general information.Menu_Call (Volume) to PCI general information.PrevPG_Search () and TopPG_Search () will be postponed. This is because they set permission or denial of unexplained functions. (1.1.1.4.2.2) PCI packet-highlight information "Highlight information" is control information for accepting an operation on a menu drawn by a sub-picture pack, and has a data structure shown in FIG. Have. Reference sign h
As shown in FIG. 2, the highlight information further includes general highlight information, item color information, and item information # 1, # 2, # 3, # 4, # 5,.
-Consists of # 36. Item information # 1, # 2, # 3, # 4, # 5 ... # 36
The management information pack is given for each item displayed at the read timing. For example, in the example of FIG. 11, two menu items of “recommended course” and “tour content diagnosis course” are items, and in this case, item information # 1 to item information # 3
Up to 6 will be entered. Note that this area has a fixed length, and no effective information is stored in the item information for items that are not used. Up to 36 item information items can be set, that is, up to 36 menu items can be displayed in one screen.

Before describing the details of the configuration information of the highlight information, an outline of the menu used in this playback apparatus will be described for convenience of explanation. First, items that are menu items include a standard state, a selected state, and a confirmed state, which are switched by a user's selection of a menu item or a confirming operation. Supplementing FIG. 11 as an example, when this menu is displayed, as a default operation, the disc reproducing apparatus displays item # 1 in a selected state and the rest in a normal state. If the standard state of all items is white, the selected state is blue, and the confirmed state is red, only the menu item corresponding to item # 1 will be displayed in blue. This allows the user to
It is possible to confirm which menu item is in the selected state (this menu item is also called the menu item pointed by the cursor) and is waiting for execution.
If the user wants to change the menu item in the selected state, the user can press any of the up, down, left, and right keys of the remote control of the disc reproducing apparatus to instruct the change of the selected item.
As will be described later, the disc reproducing apparatus manages, for each item, the item number to be changed when the up, down, left, and right keys are pressed, and returns the item # 1 to the normal state color, that is, white, according to this. Change the previous item to the selected blue color. When the desired menu item is in the selected state, the user can confirm the selected item by pressing the enter key of the remote controller.
The item that has transitioned from the selected state to the final state changes from blue to red and is finalized, and executes the command defined in the final state. In the example of FIG. 11, the reproduction control is performed according to the menu items.

The explanation of the outline of the menu is now completed, and the explanation of the highlight information is continued. (1.1.1.4.2.2.1) Highlight Information-Item Color Information "Item color information" is information indicating a select color-determined color for an item as indicated by reference numeral b6 in FIG. The select color is a color given to the item selected by the user, and the confirmed color is a color given to the item that has been confirmed by the user. There are three patterns for each combination of the selected color and the confirmed color, and the specification of each color includes a color specification and a mixing ratio with respect to the background color.

(1.1.1.4.2.2.2) Highlight Information-Item Information “Item information # 1, # 2, # 3, # 4, # 5... # 36” is replaced by reference numeral b3. As shown, "color pattern number", "start coordinates
X1, `` Start coordinate Y1, '' `` End coordinate X2, '' `` End coordinate Y
2), “Peripheral position information”, and “Highlight command field”.

The “color pattern number” designates one of the color patterns of the selected color and the confirmed color included in the “item color information”. "Start coordinate X1", "Start coordinate Y1", "End coordinate X2", "End coordinate Y2" indicates the range and color specified by "Color pattern number" when the user selects or confirms the item. Indicates whether to convert to a ratio. "Peripheral position information" is "Destination item number when up key is pressed"
The destination item number when the down key is pressed, the destination item number when the right key is pressed, and the destination item number when the left key is pressed. Indicates the destination item of the time.

The "highlight command field" designated by reference numeral y303 is a command field associated with each item information, and the command described in this field is used only when the operation of deciding the item is performed. Performed by The confirmation operation in the disc reproducing apparatus is, for example, pressing an “Enter” key by specifying an item with a cursor, pressing a numerical key corresponding to the item, or the like. The commands described in the highlight command field include a branch command for branching to another reproduction path in accordance with the item confirmation operation, and an addition / subtraction command for adding or subtracting a score in accordance with the item confirmation operation.

A description example of a branch command for a highlight command field in item information is shown below. ｛Case 3 勧 め Recommended tour Branch command “Link PGC2” Tour content selection Branch command “Link PGC3” In the branch command described in the highlight command field of item information, numerical values such as PGC2 and 3 are
P added to PGC information in video title set management information
Indicates the GC number. The PGC information is information mainly defining a playback path, and a plurality of pieces exist in the video title set management information. For example, when VOB # 9 is reproduced and the operator performs a determination operation on the item at the timing when the menu shown in FIG. 11 is displayed, the branch command “Li” described in the highlight command field of the item information # 1 is displayed.
nk PGC2 ”and execute it. Thereby, the reproduction path of the optical disc branches to PGC information # 2.

(1.1.1.4.2.2.3) Highlight Information-Highlight General Information Highlight general information is a "change flag from previous VOB unit" as shown in the vertical arrangement indicated by reference numeral h4 in FIG. , “Highlight information valid section start position”, and “highlight information valid section end position”. The “change flag from previous VOB unit” has a 2-bit length field. If “00” is described in this field, it indicates that the highlight information including the “change flag from previous VOB unit” does not include valid item color information and item information. . If "01" is described in this field, this "previous VOB"
Highlight information including the "change flag from unit" indicates that the pack becomes valid from this pack. The valid highlight information is written into a highlight information buffer (a buffer for storing the highlight information, which will be described later) in the disc reproducing apparatus. 『1
0 ”indicates that the highlight information of the previous VOB unit is still valid in this VOB unit. In this case, the highlight information buffer is not overwritten. If "11" is described, the previous VOB
Indicates that only the highlight command in the highlight information has been changed from the unit. In this case, the disc playback device is instructed to write only the highlight command to the buffer.

That is, the disc reproducing apparatus can check whether or not the setting information of the menu item has been changed based on the "change flag from previous VOB unit", and can update the highlight information in units of VOB unit. In addition to the above, it is possible to detect a case where no change is necessary, and to avoid a complicated update process from occurring for each VOB unit.

The "highlight information valid section start position" and the "highlight information valid section end position" indicate the valid section of the highlight information. The data structure of each VOB and each pack shown in FIG. 5 is as described above. Next, how the data contents described in the VOBs of the video title set shown in FIG. 5 are different from each other will be described with reference to FIGS. 16 to 18.

GOP00 to GOP among VOB # 1 in FIG.
A few minutes long, including 200, is a live-action video that introduces advertisements for tour companies and airlines, as drawn out with arrows. A few minutes long including GOP250 to GOP450 is a live-action video that introduces famous beaches as shown by arrows.

In VOB # 2, a period of a few minutes including GOP00 to GOP200 is a live-action video that introduces the equipment guide of the local luxury hotel A as drawn by an arrow. GOP250
The period of several minutes including GOP450 is a live-action video that introduces the hotel charges and the check-in / check-out method as shown by pulling out with arrows. GOP100 to GOP2 among VOB # 3
The period of several minutes including 00 is a live-action video that introduces an economy hotel as shown by an arrow.

In FIG. 17, of VOB # 4, GOP100-GO
The period of several minutes including P200 includes a video pack, a sub-picture pack, and a management information pack for drawing the first menu. The video pack stores the background image of the menu, the sub-picture pack stores graphics for changing the menu item to a selected color and a confirmed color, and the management information pack is executed when the menu item is confirmed. Stores command information. Information for user interaction assigned to this menu item is called an item. This menu includes items that offer two courses, a hotel grade, a deluxe course and an economy course, and these items are associated with item information # 1 and item information # 2 in PCI, respectively. . The item information includes a command for switching the reproduction path called LinkPGC5, and the item information includes a command for switching the reproduction path called LinkPGC6.

In VOB # 5, a period of several minutes including GOP100 to GOP200 includes a sub-picture pack for drawing the second menu. The menu is "diving course",
Items for selecting a course such as “City Sightseeing Course” are included, and those two items are associated with item information # 1 and item information # 2 of PCI. Item information # 1 includes a command for switching the reproduction path to PGC7, and item information # 2 includes a command for switching the reproduction path to PGC8.

The several-minute period including GOP100 to GOP200 of VOB # 6 is a live-action video of several minutes in length that introduces coral reefs and tropical fish as indicated by arrows. In FIG. 18, VOB #
The period of several minutes including GOP100 to GOP200 of No. 7 is a live-action video of several minutes long that introduces a diving spot, as indicated by an arrow. The period of several minutes including GOP300 to GOP400 is a live-action video of several minutes, which introduces various diving precautions and emergency measures as indicated by the arrows.

GOP100 to GOP200 of VOB # 8 are live-action images introducing city sightseeing. GOP300 to GOP400 are live-action videos that introduce various precautions in urban activities and contact information in the event of being involved in an accident, as shown by the leader lines. A period of several minutes including GOP100 to GOP200 of VOB # 9 includes a sub-picture pack for drawing the third menu. The menu includes two items in which character strings “recommended tour” and “select tour contents” are drawn.
1 and item information # 2. Item information # 1
"LinkPGC # 2" which branches the playback path to PGC information 2 "LinkPGC # 2" which branches the playback path to PGC information 3 in item information # 2
C # 3] is included.

GOP00-GOP2 of VOB # 1 corresponding to advertisement section
In 00, the P of the PCI user operation restriction information
It is assumed that CI general information.Forward_Scan () is set to non-permission. This is to prevent the advertisement inserted at an angle from being overlooked by the operator performing the fast-forward operation. This concludes the description of the video object (VOB) of the video title set in FIG.
Next, the configuration of the video title set management information of the video title set will be described.

(1.2) Video Title Set Management Information The video title set management information stores information for managing a plurality of reproduction orders of the video object group described above. That is, if it is a video title set that stores "Travel Mook" in this example, the video title set management information indicates how the scene should be developed when each of the Hawaiian Islands, Saipan Island, and Guam Island courses is selected. Are stored.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the video title set management information. As indicated by reference numeral a5 in FIG. 19, the video title set management information includes a video title set management table, a video title set section title search pointer table, and a PGC management information table. "Video title set management table"
Is header information of the video title set management information, and stores pointers to storage positions of the video title set section title search pointer table and the PGC management information table.

The "video title set title search pointer table" is an index of a plurality of program chain groups stored in the PGC management information table, and which PGC information should be executed first when a title is selected. Is designated by a pointer to the storage position of the program chain. In this example, the courses of the Hawaiian Islands, Saipan, and Guam in “Travel Mook” are stored in association with PGC information serving as entries.

The "PGC management information table" has a reference
As shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of PGC information # 1, # 2, # for all video objects stored in the video title set
.. #N are stored. One of these pieces of PGC information is read out to a buffer of the disk playback device, and the disk playback device sequentially reads out VOBs to the decoder based on the playback path indicated by the PGC information read out to this buffer.

When reading of one reproduction path is completed, another piece of PGC information is read from the optical disk, and the PGC information that has been developed on the buffer until that time is overwritten by the newly read PGC information. You. The disc player sequentially reads the VOBs to the decoder based on the reproduction path indicated by the PGC information newly read into the buffer. In this way, the PGC information is read out onto the alternate buffer, and the disc reproducing apparatus constantly obtains a new reproducing path from the optical disc, and based on this, obtains the VO
B is read.

Each PGC information describes the reproduction order of one or more video objects. In some cases, two or more pieces of PGC information specify that the same video object is to be reproduced. For example, taking the video title set of FIG. 5 as an example, if the playback order of video objects is described in the PGC information in the order of VOB # 1, VOB # 2, VOB # 3, and VOB # 4, the video object is VOB # 1, VOB # 2, VO
Playback is performed in the order of B # 3 and VOB # 4. In another PGC information, the reproduction order of the video objects is VOB # 3, VOB # 2, VOB #
If the video object is described in the order of 1, VOB # 4, the video object is reproduced in the order of VOB # 3, VOB # 2, VOB # 1, VOB # 4.

Next, the data structure of the PGC information will be described. (1.1.2.1) Video title set management information-PGC information As described above, the PGC information is information for defining a playback path, and mainly includes VOs in the video title set.
Among B, which are read out and in what order are specified, "Which reproduction path is connected following itself",
"How to group VOBs to be reproduced by itself""If an operator requests execution of special reproduction while VOBs are being reproduced in their own reproduction order, interrupt processing is performed accordingly. "Whether to execute or not" is attached to its own reproduction path. As described above, since various control information is attached to one playback path, the PGC information is
As shown by reference numeral a7 of 0, “PGC connection information”
It is composed of “PGC general information”, “PG map”, “VOB position information table”, and “PGC command table”.

[0095] The "VOB position information table" instructs the disc reproducing apparatus which VOB should be read and in which order in the PGC information. And each VOB in the order
Is instructed from where to where is recorded on the optical disk, and the disk reproducing apparatus is caused to scan this range with the optical pickup. The reading order of VOBs and the scanning range of the optical pickup when each VOB is read out are represented by a list of VOB position information. The notation of the VOB position information is indicated by reference numeral a9. As indicated by the reference numeral a9, in the present embodiment, the VOB position information is
It is expressed by the offset to B and the number of VOB blocks. VO
At the time of reading B, the disc reproducing apparatus calculates the logical block number of the logical block in which the VOB is recorded by using the offset number and the like included in the VOB position information as a clue, and is designated by the “number of blocks”. The logical blocks on the track are scanned in the forward or backward direction by a number.

The “PGC link information” is information indicating “which playback path is linked following itself” and, after its own PGC information, stores link destination information indicating which PGC information is read out to the buffer. doing. Disc playback device is one PG
When the reproduction by the C information is completed, the next PGC information is determined in accordance with the “PGC connection information”, and the determined PGC information is overwritten by reading out the determined PGC information from the optical disk to the buffer. As a result, the PGC information on the buffer is updated, and the reproduction control is continued based on the reproduction path indicated by the updated PGC information.

The “PG map” is information indicating “how to group VOBs reproduced by itself”, and associates a plurality of PG numbers indicated by reference numeral a10 with entry VOBs. It has a table-like data structure. PG (ProGram) is a group of a plurality of VOBs whose reproduction order is given by the PGC information,
Entry VOB is the VOB located at the beginning of each PG
Means

For example, if the PGC information # 10 is VOB # 1, 2, 3,
Nine VOBs, such as 4, 5,..., 9 are given a playback order. Here, VOB # 1 is set as the entry VOB of PG1,
OB # 3 is set as the entry VOB of PG2, and VOB # 6 is set as PG
Set it to entry 3 VOB. Then, VOB # 1-V
OB # 2 is grouped into PG1, and VOB # 3 to VOB # 5 are
GOB is grouped into G2, and VOB # 6 to VOB # 9 are grouped into PG3.

[0099] The PG map is provided for browsing by the disc reproducing apparatus when an instruction to change the read position is given by the operator. Here, the “read position change instruction” includes “move to next PG”, “move to previous PG”,
The instruction "move to top PG" is given by the operator. If the operator instructs the disk playback device to “move to the previous PG” while the disk playback device is reading VOB # 4, the PG name to which VOB # 4 belongs and the PG The preceding PG name and its entry VOB are read by the disc player. VOB # 4 belongs to PG2, and
Since G becomes PG1, the disk reproducing apparatus starts reading VOB # 1 which is the entry VOB of PG1. If the operator instructs “move to the next PG” while the disk playback device is reading VOB # 4, the PG to which VOB # 4 belongs
Name, PG name located next to the PG, and its entry
The VOB is read by the disc player. VOB # 4
Belongs to PG2, and the next PG is PG3. Therefore, the disc playback device is VOB # 6 which is the entry VOB of PG3.
Starts reading.

When the operator instructs the disk playback device to “move to the next PG” while the disk playback device is reading VOB # 4, in the PG map in the above example,
The PG name to which the VOB # 4 belongs and the entry VOB of the PG name located at the top of the PG map are read by the disc reproducing device. Since the first PG is PG1, the disc reproducing apparatus sets the entry VOB of PG1 to V
The reading of OB # 1 starts.

The "PGC command table" stores an addition / subtraction command and a branch command attached to the "VOB position information table". The disc reproducing apparatus executes the command described here before and after reading the VOB based on the “VOB position information table”. Reference sign
"PGC user operation restriction information" specified by a11
Is a table listing conditions of permission-non-permission of whether to execute a function according to the operation (permission) or reject the operation (non-permission) when a key interruption signal for trick play is generated. Its use is close to the PCI user operation restriction information included in the management information pack. Since only the PCI user operation restriction information is included in the VOB unit, whereas the PGC user operation restriction information is included in the PGC information, the first difference is that the PGC user operation restriction information is Compared to the PCI user operation restriction information, the period in which data is expanded in the buffer is extremely long.

More specifically, since the PCI user operation restriction information exists as many as the number of VOB units, 0.5
While the PGC user operation restriction information is constantly updated at a time frequency of seconds, the PGC user operation restriction information is developed in the buffer while all VOBs described in the “VOB position information table” on the buffer are being read. Of course, when all the VOBs described in the “VOB position information table” are read, the PGC user operation restriction information on the buffer is changed to the next PGC.
Although it is overwritten by the information, in the case of “Travel Mook”, it takes a long time to reproduce all the VOBs described in the “VOB location information table”. The restriction information will have been deployed on the buffer for a period of about tens of minutes.

If a key interrupt requesting execution of trick play is generated during the period of time enough, the disc reproducing apparatus determines whether to execute the interrupt process depending on the contents of the PGC user operation restriction information in the PGC information. Decide what to do. The second difference is that the special playback is performed only during a period in which the PCI user operation restriction information shows a specific video content (such as the above-described advertisement and rules) during the period when the VOB is being played. PGC user operation restriction information is based on the "VOB location information table" in the same PGC information, whereas the video content of several VOBs is used. Is used for invalidating the start of the interrupt process for special reproduction regardless of the video content.

To further pursue, the PCI user operation restriction information synchronizes with the video content of each VOB unit to refuse the activation of the special playback interrupt process only during the period when the specific video content is displayed, and accepts other than that. On the other hand, the PGC user operation restriction information is based on the “VOB position information table” of the PGC information and what kind of VOBs appear on the screen in sequence (the “VOB position information table” indicates the VOB position information table). Is set, the permission / rejection rule is set as to whether the activation of the trick play is appropriate or not.

Here, it is assumed that the “VOB position information table” of the PGC information # 31 specifies that only the selected VOB relating to the Hawaiian Islands course is to be read. PGC information # 3
It is assumed that the PGC user operation restriction information of No. 1 prohibits the activation of the fast-forward interrupt processing. This allows the PG
The C information # 31 is recorded on the optical disc as a "fast-forward invalid playback path" for viewing the selected scene.

“VOB position information table” of PGC information # 32
Is intended to be viewed as a digest video by reading only the head part of all VOBs of the live-action video relating to the Hawaiian Islands course. Also
It is assumed that the PGC user operation restriction information of the PGC information # 32 permits the start of the fast-forward interrupt process. As a result, the PGC information # 32 is recorded on the optical disc as a "reproduction path capable of fast-forward reproduction". Initiation of the fast-forward interrupt process that tries to watch in a short time of the course
Although rejected with C information # 31, it is possible with PGC information # 32. The PGC information # 31 and the PGC information # 32 are differentiated into a "fast-forward playback invalid playback path" and a "fast-forward playback possible playback path" while reproducing the same video content.

A third difference is that a menu in which PCI user operation restriction information is drawn by a sub-picture is used.
The point is that it is not possible to set whether or not the cursor operation and the determination operation with respect to, and the cursor operation and the determination operation with respect to the menu in which the PGC user operation restriction information is drawn by the sub-picture can be rejected. First to third
By using the PGC user operation restriction information in the PGC information in addition to the difference of the above, a "control mechanism having two aspects" can be provided. The “two aspects” here means fast-forward, rewind, angle switching, and control information related to interactive operations, while preserving control information on the management information pack side.
This means disabling the activation of functions using them on the C information side. In such a control mechanism having two aspects,
By setting the user operation restriction information on the PGC information side, the title creator can freely adjust to what level the contents of control by the DSI packet and PCI packet in the management information pack are released to the operator. By applying such adjustments, a playback path for fully exhibiting interactivity and a playback path for demonstration in which all or part of the interactive control is executed after omitting them are provided in one optical disc. In advance, these reproduction paths can be appropriately switched and used depending on the situation where the optical disc is reproduced.

For example, the control based on the highlight information includes moving the cursor up, down, left, and right, and executing a highlight command at the time of confirming operation. When disabled, the cursor can be moved up / down / left / right by user operation when playback is being performed based on the PGC information, but the highlight command is executed no matter how many times the Enter key is pressed and the confirmation operation is performed. Not done. In the example of FIG. 12, a phenomenon occurs in which, even if the cursor transitions between the items of the "recommended course" and the "tour content selection course", the branch command associated with each item is not executed.

As described above, the interactive operation is partially invalidated.
PGC information that has PGC user operation restriction information and a branch command that automatically determines the branch destination is:
It can be used as an auto-demo version of "Travel Mook" to promote sales at stores. In other words, by displaying beautiful live-action footage at the storefront and displaying items in accordance with this, it attracts the interest of passing passersby, and also makes the passerby actually move the cursor, and on the other hand that there is interactivity. On the other hand, the branch by the highlight command which is the key of the interactivity is prohibited at the store while appealing. In addition to highly interactive PGC information, by providing demonstration PGC information that partially disables interactive operations,
It is possible to switch between two reproduction paths of “for product” and “for demonstration”. The difference with the PCI user operation restriction information has been described above, and the details of the PGC user operation restriction information will be individually described.

The vertical arrangement under the reference numeral a11 in FIG.
GC general information.Backward_Scan ()-PGC general information.PrevPG_Sea
This indicates that the activation or non-activation of interrupt processing for a plurality of types of special reproduction such as rch () and TopPG_Search () is individually defined. PGC general information.Backward_Scan () executes the interrupt processing corresponding to the operation when the operator performs the rewind playback operation during the period when the VOB is read by the PGC information including the PGC general information. The permission / refusal rule of whether to execute or reject is expressed by 1-bit information.

PGC general information.Forward_Scan ()
If the operator performs a fast-forward playback operation while the VOB is being read by the PGC information including general information, whether to execute the interrupt processing corresponding to the operation or to refuse whether to reject the operation Is represented by 1-bit information. PGC general information.Pause_On () executes the interrupt processing corresponding to the operation when the operator performs a pause operation while the VOB is being read by the PGC information including the PGC general information. The permission or rejection of whether to reject or not is expressed by 1-bit information.

PGC general information. Angle_Change () is the PGC
If the operator performs an angle switching operation while the VOB is being read by PGC information including general information, whether to execute interrupt processing corresponding to the operation or to refuse whether to reject the operation Is represented by 1-bit information. PGC general information.SubPicture_Stream_Change () is an interrupt processing corresponding to the operation when the operator performs the operation of switching the sub-video data while the VOB is being read by the PGC information including the PGC general information. Is expressed or expressed by 1-bit information.

PGC general information. Audio_Stream_Change () is
If the operator performs an audio data switching operation during a period in which the VOB is being read by the PGC information including the PGC general information, whether to execute an interrupt process corresponding to the operation or to reject the operation Is expressed by 1-bit information. Upper_Item_Select (), Lower_I
tem_Select (), Right_Item_Select (), Left_Item_Selec
t () and Item_Activate () are the availability rules relating to the third difference.

Upper_Item_Select () is a destination item of the peripheral position information in the highlight information when the operator presses the up cursor key during the period when the VOB is being read by the PGC information including the PGC general information. The permission / refusal rule of whether to move the cursor to the upper item or to reject it as specified by is expressed by 1-bit information. Lo
When the operator presses the down cursor key during the period when the VOB is being read by the PGC information including the PGC general information, wer_Item_Select () is performed according to the designation of the destination item of the peripheral position information in the highlight information. The permission / rejection rule for moving the cursor to the item below or rejecting the item is expressed by 1-bit information.

Right_Item_Select () is the destination item of the peripheral position information in the highlight information when the operator presses the right cursor key during the period when the VOB is being read by the PGC information including the PGC general information. The permission / rejection rule of whether to move the cursor to the right item or to reject it as specified is expressed by 1-bit information. Le
When the operator presses the left cursor key during the period when the VOB is read by the PGC information including the PGC general information, ft_Item_Select () is specified as the destination item of the peripheral position information in the highlight information. The permission / rejection rule for moving the cursor to the item on the left or rejecting the item is expressed by 1-bit information.

Item_Activate () is a command of the highlight command field corresponding to the item information when the operator performs a confirming operation within a period in which the VOB is being read by the PGC information including the PGC general information. The permission / refusal rule of whether to execute or reject is expressed by 1-bit information. PGC general information.Menu_Call (Volume)
If the operator performs an operation of reading a volume menu during a period in which a VOB is being read by the PGC information including the PGC general information, an interrupt process corresponding to the operation is executed, or 1 bit for the refusal rule
Is expressed by the information.

PGC general information. NextPG_Search () is the PGC
If the operator performs an operation for instructing the reading of the next PG during a period in which the VOB is being read by the PGC information including the general information, the interrupt processing corresponding to the operation is executed or rejected. The permission / denial rules are expressed by 1-bit information. PGC general information.PrevPG_Search (), TopPG_Se
arch () is a VOB based on the PGC information including the PGC general information.
If the operator performs an operation for instructing the reading of the previous PG and the reading of the leading PG during the period during which is read, whether to execute an interrupt process corresponding to the operation or to reject the operation The regulation is expressed by 1-bit information.

In the description of the PCI user operation restriction information, the description of PCI general information. Menu_Call (Volume) to PCI general information. Info.P
The functions of revPG_Search () and TopPG_Search () are basically PGC
General information.Menu_Call (Volume)-PGC general information.PrevPG_Sea
The functions are the same as those of rch () and TopPG_Search (), and the permission / refusal setting of whether to accept functions such as volume menu and PG jump is set for each GOP.

The data structure of each piece of PGC information shown in FIG. 19 is as described above. Next, how the description contents of each PGC information of the video title set shown in FIG. 19 are different will be described with reference to FIGS. 13A to 13C. In FIG. 13A, the PGC general information of PGC # 1 is Fo
rward_Scan is disabled and VOB location information is VOB
The recording position of # 9 is described. Forward_Scan is set to Permitted for PGC # 2 PGC general information and VOB position information is V
The recording positions of OB # 1, VOB # 2, VOB # 3, VOB # 7, and VOB # 8 are described. Forward_Scan is set to non-permission in the PGC general information of PGC # 3, and the recording positions of VOB # 1 and VOB # 4 are described in the VOB position information. PGC general information of PGC # 5 is Forw
ard_Scan is set to non-permitted and VOB location information is VOB #
2. The recording position of VOB # 5 is described. Forward_Scan of the PGC general information of PGC # 6 is set to non-permission, and the VOB position information describes the recording positions of VOB # 3 and VOB # 5.
Forward_Scan of PGC general information of PGC # 7 is set to non-permission, and the VOB position information describes the recording position of VOB # 7. Forward_Scan of PGC general information of PGC # 8 is set to non-permission, and VOB position information describes the recording position of VOB # 8. In the above description, the VOB position information table The description of # 1, VOB # 2, VOB # 7, and VOB # 8 means that the PGC information # 2 is a digest version reproduction path in which scenes of sightseeing spots are collected. On the other hand, the other PGC information # 1, 5 to 8 describe the recording location of one or two VOBs in the "VOB position information table". It is intended that the other PGC information has been edited to introduce the contents of each VOB individually.

Focusing on the user operation, PGC
PGC general information of information # 2.Forward_Scan () is set to permitted, and PGC general information of other PGC information.Forward_Sca
n () is set to non-permitted. This is because the PGC information # 2 is a digest version, and is set by the title creator so that the operator can quickly view the recorded contents by fast-forward playback.

The other PGC information is provided to introduce the details of the leisure contents, and is branched by allowing the operator to look carefully and confirming the item with respect to the menu without fail. It is intended to ensure that the destination is selected. (1.1.1) Logical structure-video manager The video manager consists of video objects and PGCs.
It consists of a management information table and can be said to conform to the data structure of the video title set. The difference between the VOB of the video manager and the VOB of the video title set is that the video manager is specialized for the volume menu. Here, the volume menu is a menu for displaying a list of all titles recorded on the optical disc and selecting one of the titles. The optical disc is loaded into the disc reproducing apparatus, and the optical pickup is operated in the volume management area. Is displayed on the screen immediately after moving from to the file area.

Since the volume menu is specialized, there are the following first and second differences between the video manager and the video title set. First,
As shown in FIG. 6, the VOB of the video title set includes moving image data of a photographed video, a sub-picture pack, and an audio pack.
It merely includes a moving picture pack, a sub-picture pack, and a management information pack of a background image for a menu. Second,
The branching destination of the branching command described in the PGC information and highlight information of the video title set does not exceed the area of the video title set, whereas the branching command described in the video manager includes several commands on the optical disc. This is a point where the title of the video title set is a branch destination and straddles between the video title sets. FIG.
Shows the data structure of the video manager. As shown in FIG. 43, the “video manager” includes a “video object for menu”, a “PGC management information table for menu”, and a “title search pointer table”.

"Video object for menu" is, as its name implies, a VOB specialized for a volume menu. That is, it includes a sub-picture pack for displaying a volume menu and a management information pack for performing reproduction control according to a cursor operation and a confirmation operation on the menu. FIG. 44 is an explanatory diagram of a display image for the volume menu. The volume menu video object has a plurality of items y611, y612, y613, and y616. These items are contents for specifying any one of the titles such as “Travel Mook” <Hawaii Islands Course> and “Travel Mook” <Guam Course>. When the user performs a determination operation on such an item, a title to be reproduced is specified. In the management information pack existing in the VOB, highlight information of the number of titles on the optical disk in FIG. 44 is entered. The "TitlePlay" command in which each video title set and each title is a branch destination is stored in the highlight command field of the highlight information.

"Menu PGC management information table"
This is PGC information specialized for a volume menu, and describes the recording location of the menu VOB so that the menu VOB is read out when the disc is loaded into a disk playback device. This PGC information is read out by the disk reproducing device immediately after the optical disk is loaded in the disk reproducing device and the optical pickup moves from the volume management area to the file area. As a result, the volume menu appears on the screen.

The “title search pointer table” is
This is an index for specifying the title set to which each title belongs and the title number assigned to each title in the title set. (2.1) Outline of Disc Reproducing Apparatus An optical disc reproducing apparatus (DVD player) will be described. FIG. 22 is a diagram showing the external appearance of the DVD player 1, the television monitor 2, and the remote controller 91.

The DVD player 1 has an opening in the front of the housing, and a drive mechanism for setting an optical disk is provided in the depth direction of the opening. On the front of the DVD player, a remote control receiving unit 92 having a light receiving element for receiving infrared rays emitted by the remote control is provided.
2 generates an interrupt signal indicating that the key signal has been received.

A video output terminal and an audio output terminal are provided on the back of the DVD player. By connecting an AV code to the video output terminal and the audio output terminal, a video signal reproduced from the DVD can be output to the large television monitor 2 for home use. Can be. As a result, the operator can enjoy DVD playback images on a large-sized home television such as a 33-inch or 35-inch television. As can be seen from the above description, the DV of the present embodiment
The D player 1 is not used by being connected to a personal computer or the like, but is used together with the television monitor 2 as household electrical equipment.

The remote controller 91 is provided with a keypad which is biased by spring on the surface of its housing, and outputs a code corresponding to a pressed key by infrared rays. Also about 4-5 diameter
A cylindrical jog dial 810 of about centimeters is arranged on a panel of a remote controller, and when the operator twists the jog dial 810, the twist angle is converted into an electric signal by a rotary encoder. A / D converted values are output as infrared rays. (2.2) Components of disc playback apparatus FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a DVD player according to this embodiment. The DVD player includes a drive mechanism 16, a mechanism control unit 83, a signal processing unit 84,
It comprises a V decoder unit 85, a remote control receiving unit 92, and a system control unit 93. Further, the AV decoder unit 85
It comprises a signal separating section 86, a video decoder 87, a sub-picture decoder 88, an audio decoder 89, and a picture synthesizing section 90.

The drive mechanism 16 has a base on which an optical disk is set, and a spindle motor 81 which clamps the set optical disk and drives it to rotate. The base on which the optical disk is set is moved in and out of the housing by an eject mechanism (not shown). The operator mounts the optical disk with the base moved to the outside of the housing. When the optical disk is mounted on the base and the base moves inside the DVD player, the optical disk is loaded on the DVD player.

The mechanism control unit 83 controls a mechanism system including a motor 81 for driving the disk and an optical pickup for reading signals recorded on the disk. Specifically, the mechanism control unit 83 adjusts the motor speed according to the track position specified by the system control unit 93. At the same time, the pickup position is moved by controlling the actuator of the optical pickup, and when an accurate track is detected by servo control, rotation is waited until a desired physical sector is recorded, and continuous from the desired position. Read the signal.

The signal processing section 84 performs processing such as amplification, waveform shaping, binarization, demodulation, and error correction on the signal read from the optical pickup, converts the signal into a digital data string, The data is stored in a buffer memory (described later) in logical block units. The AV decoder 85 performs a predetermined process on the input digital data, which is a VOB, and converts the digital data into a video signal or an audio signal.

The signal separating section 86 receives the digital data string transferred from the buffer memory in units of logical blocks (packets), and determines the stream ID in the header of each packet and the substream ID in the data field. , Moving image data, sub-picture data, audio data, and management information. In this distribution, the moving image data is output to the video decoder 87. The audio data is output to the audio decoder 89, and the sub-picture data is output to the sub-picture decoder 88. The management information pack is output to the system control unit 93. At this time, the number of the signal separation unit 86 is specified by the system control unit 93. This number indicates one of the audio data A, B, and C and the sub-picture data A and B shown in the explanatory diagram of FIG. 6. When the number is given, the signal separation unit 86 The numbers are output to the audio decoder 89 and the sub-picture decoder 88, respectively. Then, the data other than the number is discarded.

(2.2.1) Components of Disc Reproducing Apparatus--Internal Configuration of Signal Separator 86 FIG. 24 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the signal separator 86 in FIG. As shown in FIG.
PEG decoder 120, sub-picture / audio separation unit 12
1, a sub-picture selection unit 122 and an audio selection unit 123. For each data pack transferred from the buffer memory, the MPEG decoder 120 determines the type of the pack by referring to the stream ID in the pack header. If the data pack is “1110 0000”, the MPEG decoder 120 outputs the pack to the video decoder 87. If it is “1011 1101”, the packet data is output to the sub-picture / audio separation unit 121, and if it is “1011 1111”, the packet data is output to the system control unit 93.

The sub-picture / audio separation unit 121
Regarding the packet input from the EG decoder 120,
If the substream ID in the packet header is "001 * ***
If it is "*", it is output to the sub-picture selecting unit 122. If the substream ID is “1010 0 ***” or “1000 0 ***”, the data is output to the audio selection unit 123. As a result, the sub-picture data of all numbers and all the audio data are output to the sub-picture selecting unit 122 and the audio selecting unit 123.

The sub-picture selecting section 122 outputs to the sub-picture decoder 88 only the sub-picture data of the channel 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 channel number is discarded. When the sub-picture data A and B shown in the explanatory diagram of FIG. 6 are English and French subtitles, respectively, and the sub-picture channel A is specified by the system control unit 93, the sub-picture selection unit 122 Is output to the sub-picture decoder 88, and the sub-picture packets B and C are discarded. Thus, only the English subtitles are decoded by the sub-picture decoder 88. Audio selection unit 1
23 outputs to the audio decoder 89 only the audio data of the number specified by the system control unit 93 among the audio data from the sub-picture / audio separation unit 121. Audio data other than the designated number is discarded. For example, audio data A, B, and C shown in the explanatory diagram of FIG. 6 are English, French, and Japanese, respectively.
When audio data A is instructed by the system control unit 93, the audio selection unit 123 outputs only the audio packet A to the audio decoder 89, and discards the audio packets B and C. As a result, only the English voice is decoded by the audio decoder 89.

[0136] The video decoder 87 decodes and decompresses the moving picture data input from the signal separating section 86 and outputs it to the video synthesizing section 90 as a digital video signal. When the sub-picture data input from the signal separation section 86 is run-length compressed image data, the sub-picture decoder 88 decodes and decompresses the decoded data and outputs the decoded data to the video synthesis section 90 in the same format as the video signal. I do. At this time, it is possible to convert the color palette of the image data according to an instruction from the system control unit 93. If the image data is a plurality of items and the operator moves the cursor with respect to these items, the system control unit 93 sends a palette conversion instruction (also referred to as a color change instruction) of the image data to the sub-picture decoder 88. give. Since this color conversion instruction is performed based on the item color number in the highlight information, the item is switched to the selected color or the confirmed color according to the color conversion instruction. By switching between the selected color and the confirmed color, the cursor transitions between items.

The description of the internal configuration of the DVD player 1 will be continued with reference to FIG. The audio decoder 89
The audio data input from the signal separating unit 86 is decoded, decompressed, and output 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 mixture ratio is based on the contrast described in the “item color information” of the highlight information, and can be changed for each GOP. This signal is transmitted by NTSC (National Televis
After being converted into a video signal of an ion system committee) system, it is input to the television monitor 2.

(2.2.2) Components of Disc Reproducing Apparatus--Internal Configuration of System Control Unit 93 The system control unit 93 controls the entire DVD player and has the internal configuration shown in FIG. According to FIG. 25, the system control unit 93 includes a buffer memory 94, a management information pack buffer 95, an embedded processor 96, a PGC information buffer 31, a highlight information buffer 32, a PCI
A user operation restriction information buffer 33 is provided.

The built-in processor 96 is formed by integrating a ROM storing a control program for the entire DVD player 1, a working memory, and a CPU. The CPU sends the addition / subtraction command and the branch command to the highlight information buffer 3
3, a command buffer for accumulating the fetched addition / subtraction commands and branch commands, a decoding unit for decoding the opcodes and operands in the command buffer, the contents held in the registers, and stored in the command buffer. An arithmetic unit for performing the operation of the operation content indicated by the operation code with the immediate value, and a bus for transferring the operation result of the arithmetic unit and the immediate value described in the operand to the register.

In the buffer memory 94, amplification, waveform shaping,
Data that has undergone processing such as binarization, demodulation, and error correction is written. If the written data is video title set management information, it is loaded into a buffer (not shown). On the other hand, in the case of VOB, the system control unit 93 transfers the data to the signal separation unit 86 one by one. If you transfer like this, AV
The management information pack is returned from the decoder unit 85.

The management information pack buffer 95 is a buffer for storing the management information pack sent back from the signal separation section 86. The embedded processor 96 includes the “previous general information” contained in the highlight general information in the stored management information pack.
By referring to the "changed flag from VOB unit", an instruction to overwrite the highlight information stored in the highlight information buffer 32 or an instruction to overwrite only the highlight command is given to the management information pack buffer 95. In response to this instruction, the management information pack buffer 95 overwrites the content held in the highlight information buffer 32 with the highlight information of the management information pack held by itself.

The PGC information buffer 31 stores the currently selected PGC information. In the PGC information buffer 31,
There is a PGC user operation restriction information buffer for storing the PGC user operation restriction information, and the PGC user operation restriction information is stored here in the format shown in FIG. The embedded processor 96 generates PGC general information in the PGC user operation restriction information accumulated in the PGC user operation restriction information buffer. Backward_Scan () to PGC general information.
By referring to Search () and TopPG_Search (), when a remote control operation is performed, it is determined whether or not to execute a function such as fast forward or rewind according to the operation.

The highlight information buffer 32 is a buffer in which the internal area is divided into a plurality of small areas. Highlight information is stored in each small area according to the format shown in FIG. The embedded processor 96 outputs the destination of the cursor from the highlight information buffer 32,
Select color / determined color and highlight command are extracted as appropriate. The highlight information stored in the highlight information buffer 32 is overwritten with a new one stored in the management information pack buffer 95 in accordance with an instruction from the embedded processor 96. That is, only the highlight information necessary for the location where the VOB is currently playing out of the huge amount of management information packs interleaved with the VOB is stored in the highlight information buffer 32.

The PCI user operation restriction information buffer 33 is a buffer for storing PCI user operation restriction information in the management information pack. Each time new PCI user operation restriction information is accumulated in the management information pack buffer 95, the embedded processor 96 accumulates the PCI user operation restriction information in the item information buffer 33. As a result, the PCI user operation restriction information is accumulated in the PCI user operation restriction information buffer 33 according to the format shown in FIG. The embedded processor 96 is a PC
I PCI general information in the PCI user operation restriction information stored in the user operation restriction information buffer 33. Backward_Scan () to PCI general information. PrevPG_Search (), To
By referring to pPG_Search (), when a remote control operation is performed, it is determined whether or not to execute a function such as fast-forward or rewind according to the operation.

The channel register 99 individually stores an audio channel number, a sub-video channel number, and an angle position number, and increments these numbers according to the number of times the angle switch key, the sub-image switch key, and the audio switch key are pressed. . In the case of audio data, the channel register 99
The channel number is switched in the order of A, B, C in accordance with the pressing of the voice switching key. When the number of presses reaches the third time, the channel is switched from channel number C to channel A.

Channel register 99 for sub-picture data
Changes the channel number to A or B according to the pressing of the sub-picture switching key.
Switch in order. When the number of presses reaches the second time, the channel is switched from channel number B to channel A. In the case of the angle position number, the channel register 99 switches the angle position number in the order of A, B, and C in response to the depression of the angle switching key. When the number of presses reaches the third time, the angle position number C is switched to the angle position number A.

As described above, the channel register 99 cyclically increments according to the number of times the angle switch key, the sub-image switch key, and the audio switch key are pressed. The numbers of the audio data and sub-picture data stored in the channel register are output to the system decoder 86 as channel control signals. A control program for interrupt processing in response to a key depression of the remote controller 91 is described in a ROM incorporated in the embedded processor 96. The procedure for the system control unit 93 to determine the type of the key interrupt when a key interrupt occurs due to the depression of the remote controller is shown in the flowcharts of FIGS.

The flowcharts in FIGS. 31 and 32 are configured to switch the interrupt processing depending on what kind of operation is performed on the panel on the remote controller 91.
FIG. 26 shows a panel configuration of remote controller 91. As shown in FIG. 26, the panel of the remote controller 91 includes an angle switch key 801, a sub-image switch key 802, a VolmeMen key 803,
A voice switching key 804, a PG jump key 805, a pause key 807, and a jog dial 810 are provided. When any one of these keys is pressed, FIG.
1. The processing shifts to a series of determination steps of Step 152 to Step 160 in FIG. In this list of determination steps, if No in step 152, the process proceeds to step 153, and if No in step 153, the process proceeds to step 154. As described above, Step 152 to Step 160
The steps are sequentially executed until one of the steps becomes “Yes”. If the angle switch key 801 is depressed, the result is Yes in step 153, and the interrupt processing flowchart of FIG. 35 is executed. If sub-picture switching key 8
When 02 is depressed, the answer is Yes in step 154, and the flow chart of the interrupt processing in FIG. 34 is executed.

If the VolmeMen key 803 is pressed,
In step 157, the result is Yes, and the flowchart of the interrupt process shown in FIG. 37 is executed. Pause key 807
Is pressed in step 155, the interrupt processing flowchart of FIG. 36 is executed. If the PG jump key 805 is depressed, the flowchart of the interrupt processing shown in FIG. 38 is executed. When the jog dial 810 is rotated, in step 152, Ye
s and FIG. 33 is executed.

If the cursor key is pressed, the answer is Yes in step 159, and
Referring to the GC user operation restriction information, it is determined whether the cursor movement operation is permitted. If permitted, in step 200 the cursor is transited between the items using the item information. When the Enter key is pressed, the answer is Yes in step 160 and step 2
At 03, the PGC user operation restriction information is referred to, and it is determined whether the confirmation operation is permitted. If permitted, in step 201, a branch command or an addition / subtraction command is read from the highlight command field of the item information of the item number and executed.

In the interrupt processing, seven items shown in FIGS. 33 to 38 are entered. FIG. 33 shows the fast forward key.
The following describes the procedure of the interruption processing when the rewind key is pressed and the jog dial 810 is rotated. PCI at step 170
General information.Forward_Scan () and PGC general information.Forward_Sca
See n (). If either of them is not permitted, the process returns without performing anything.
At step 1, the leading I-picture address in the management information pack address is read, and at step 172, the I-picture at this address is read by the video decoder 87. After reading out the I picture, the traveling direction of the optical pickup is determined based on the type of the key pressed in step 176 and the rotation direction of the jog dial. Thereafter, the flow shifts to step 173, where the type of the pressed key and the jog dial 81 are set.
On the basis of the rotation amount of 0, the skip amount is set to 1 to 15, 20, 60, 120,
Determined in the range of 240. In step 174, the management information pack address of the jump destination is obtained based on the traveling direction and the skip amount determined from the double speed search information table by referring to the DSI in the management information pack developed on the management information pack buffer 95. . Subsequently, the system control unit 93 instructs the mechanism control unit 83 to proceed to step 175 to advance the optical pickup to the calculated management information pack address.

FIG. 34 shows the procedure of the interrupt processing when the audio channel switching key and the sub-picture channel switching key are pressed. At step 161 in the flowchart of FIG. 34, it is determined whether the pressed key is the voice channel switching key.
Determine whether the key is a sub video channel switch key, and if it is an audio channel switch key, Audio_Stream_Chang of PGC general information
It is determined whether one of e () and Audio_Steram_Change () of the PCI general information is not permitted.

If it is a sub-picture switching key, SubPi of PGC general information
cture_Stream_Change (), SubPicture_Str of PCI general information
It is determined whether one of eam_Change () is not permitted. If both are permitted, step 162
And if either one is not permitted, return without doing anything. In step 162, the channel number of the sub-picture data or audio data is incremented in the channel register, and the incremented channel number (referred to as channel number i) is extracted. In step 163, the signal separation unit 86 is instructed to decode the pack having only the extracted channel number. By this instruction, FIG.
Among the audio packs A to C and the sub-picture packs A and B, the one to be decoded is switched.

FIG. 35 shows the procedure of the interrupt processing when the angle switch key is pressed. In step 140, it is determined whether one of Angle_Change () of the PGC general information and Angle_Change () of the PCI general information is not permitted. If both PGC general information.Angle_Change () and PCI general information.Angle_Change () are permitted, the process proceeds to step 141, and if either is not permitted, the process returns without doing anything. In step 141, the angle position number is incremented in the channel register, and the angle position number after the increment is extracted. In step 142, the management information pack address of the angle cell of the angle position number after the increment is read from the angle information of the DSI. After reading the management information pack address, the process proceeds to step 143 to instruct the mechanism control unit 83 to move the optical pickup to the address.

FIG. 36 shows the procedure of the interrupt processing when the pause key is pressed. In step 181, P of the PGC general information
It is determined whether one of ause_ () and Pause_ () of the PCI general information is not permitted. If either is non-permitted, the process returns without executing anything. If both are permitted, the control of the mechanism control unit is temporarily stopped in step 185, and
Causes the buffer in the video decoder to underflow. Subsequently, in step 186, the video decoder is kept in a frozen state. As a result, a still image is displayed on the screen.

FIG. 37 shows the procedure of the interrupt processing when the VolmeMen key is pressed. In step 210, M of PGC general information
It is determined whether one of enu_Call () and Menu_Call () of the PCI general information is not permitted. If either is not permitted, the process returns without executing anything. If both are permitted, the recording location of the video manager is acquired from the file system management information in step 211, and the process returns to step 21.
In step 2, the video manager opens the file and reads the menu PGC information into the PGC information buffer. In step 213, the menu video objects are sequentially read based on the menu PGC information, the menu video is displayed on the screen, and the highlight information of the menu video object is developed on the highlight information buffer. In step 214, the control waits for reception of the interrupt signal from the remote controller by the remote controller receiver. While waiting for this reception, the cursor key, En
The signal codes of the ter key and numeric keys are sent. Upon receipt of these, in step 215, processing based on the contents of the menu video object is performed. still,
The details are the same as the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 38 shows the procedure of the interrupt processing when the next PG, the previous PG, and the first PG search key are pressed. In step 191 of FIG. 38, it is determined whether one of PG_Search () of PGC general information and PG_Search () of PCI general information is not permitted. If both are permitted, the PG jump key pressed in step 192 is the key of “move to the next PG”, the key of “move to the previous PG”, or the “first PG”.
Is determined to be the key of “move to”. After the determination, the PG number of the PG where the optical pickup is currently located is referred to by referring to the PG map, and the “next”, “previous”, and “first”
Is determined. Furthermore, the entry VO of that PG
The VOB number of B is obtained from the PG map of the PGC information. In the step, the VOB position information of the VOB number of the entry VOB is instructed to the mechanism control unit 83.

(2.2.2.1) Specific Operation of Entry Program Chain of System Control Unit 93 FIG. 27 is an overall flow showing the processing contents of the system control unit 93. The operation of the DVD player 1 will be described with reference to FIG. When the eject button of the DVD player 1 is pressed, the base moves to the outside of the housing. With the base moved outward, the operator mounts the optical disk. When mounted on the base and the base moves inside the DVD player, the optical disc is loaded into the DVD player. In step 121, the system control unit 93 is in a state of waiting for insertion of an optical disk. When the loading of the optical disk is notified from an optical sensor or the like, the rotation of the disk is controlled by controlling the mechanism control unit 83 and the signal processing unit 84 while keeping the optical pickup 82 in the lead-in area. The rotation of the disk kept in the lead-in area is continued until the rotation operation is stabilized. When the rotation operation is stabilized, the optical pickup is moved from the lead-in area to the outer periphery and the volume management area is read. The video manager is read based on the information of the volume management area (step 122). Further, the system control unit 93 refers to the menu PGC management information table of the video manager, calculates the recording address of the volume menu program chain, reproduces it, and stores it in the PGC information buffer 31. If the program chain for the volume menu is held inside, the system control unit 93
With reference to the held PGC information, a video object (VOB) to be reproduced and its recording address on the optical disk are calculated. When the video object to be reproduced is determined, the system control unit 93 outputs a control signal to the mechanism control unit 83 and the signal processing unit 84, retrieves the determined video object from the optical disc, and reproduces it. As a result, the volume menu shown in FIG.
(Step 123).

Thus, "Travel Mook <Hawaii Islands>"
A title such as "Travel Mook <Guam>" appears on the screen of the TV monitor. It is assumed that the operator has selected and confirmed the menu item of interest by looking at the list of the titles (the details of the operation of the system control unit 93 when the selection of the menu item in the menu is determined will be described in the next section). "Pl
The title number is stored as the "ayTitle" command and its parameter, and this highlight command is executed by the system control unit 93 (step 125).
As an execution operation by the “PlayTitle” command, the system control unit 93 refers to a title search pointer table which is a part of the video manager, and determines a video title set (VTS) to which the video title belongs and a title number in the VTS. When the video title set is determined, the system control unit 93 outputs a control signal to the mechanism control unit 83 and the signal processing unit 84, reproduces the video title set management information of the determined title set, and outputs one of the video title set management information. The video title set section title search pointer table which is a section is taken out (step 12).
6).

If the video title set section title search pointer table can be extracted, the system control section 93
Refers to this and determines PGC information of a program chain for starting reproduction of a title to be reproduced. When the PGC information is determined, the system control unit 93 outputs a control signal to the mechanism control unit 83 and the signal processing unit 84, reproduces the determined PGC information, and stores this in the internal PGC information buffer 31. In this case, the stored PGC information for the volume menu is overwritten. If the PGC information for starting the reproduction of the title is held, the system control unit 93
Determines the video object to be reproduced and its recording address with reference to the held PGC information, and outputs a control signal to the mechanism control unit 83 and the signal processing unit 84 to reproduce the determined video object.

Thereafter, the system control unit 93 executes the held PG
According to the C information, the video objects to be reproduced are sequentially determined and the reproduction control is performed. When the reproduction of the final video object indicated by the PGC information is completed, the system control unit 93 refers to the PGC connection information that is a part of the PGC information and determines the next PGC information. The system control unit 93 that has determined the next PGC information discards the current PGC information, retains the next PGC information, and continues the reproduction in accordance with this (step 128).

(2.2.2.2) First Operation Example Reproduction Control for Video Title Set V1 In contrast to the specific example of the reproduction control shown in FIGS. 16 to 18 and 21, the flow chart shown in FIG. FIG. 42 schematically shows how the software control is performed. Arrows R100, R101, R102, R103,... In the figure indicate how PGC information is read out to the PGC information buffer 31 by step 127 in FIG. Explained individually, the arrow R1
00 is the PGC information shown in FIG.
This shows how # 1 is read.

An arrow R101 indicates that when the highlight command included in VOB # 9 is executed in step 201 in FIG. 32, the PGC information buffer 31 stores the P shown in FIG. 13A.
This shows how the GC information # 2 is read. Arrow R102
Means that the highlight command included in VOB # 9 is
13 shows that the PGC information # 3 shown in FIG. 13A is read out to the PGC information buffer 31 when executed in step 201 of FIG.

The broken arrows K100, K101, K102, and K in FIG.
.., 103, K104, K105, K106,... Show how the optical pickup moves to the VOB recording start position in step 134 of FIG. Explaining individually, the arrow K101 indicates that when step 134 of FIG. 30 is executed with respect to the VOB position information of the VOB # 1 of the PGC information # 2 shown in FIG. 13A,
This shows how the optical pickup moves to the head position of the recording location of VOB # 1. Arrow K102 is directed to VOB position information of VOB # 2 of PGC information # 2 shown in FIG.
This shows a case where the optical pickup moves to the head position of the recording location of VOB # 2 when step 134 is executed.

An arrow K106 indicates the PGC information # 3 shown in FIG. 13A.
30 shows a case where the optical pickup moves to the head position of the recording location of VOB # 1 when step 134 in FIG. 30 is executed for the VOB position information of VOB # 1. .. In the drawing indicate the manner in which the recording location occupied by the VOB is scanned by the optical pickup in steps 135 and 136 in FIG. If individually described, the arrow F101 indicates the thirteenth
30 shows how the optical pickup scans the VOB 9 when the steps 135 and 136 in FIG. 30 are repeatedly executed for the “VOB position information table” in FIG. Arrow F102 points to “VOB position information table” in FIG.
5. When step 136 is repeatedly executed, VOB #
1 shows a state where the optical pickup 1 is scanned by the optical pickup. The arrow F103 points to the “VOB position information table” in FIG.
This shows how VOB # 2 is scanned by the optical pickup when step 36 is repeatedly executed.

The software control of the system control unit 93 for the video title set V1 shown in FIG. 2B will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. Now, since “Travel Mook” <Hawaii Island> ”is selected, the PGC information buffer 31 stores the PGC information # 1. The VOB position information of PGC information # 1 describes the recording position of VOB # 9 as shown in FIG. 13A. Step 1
33, in step 134, the system control unit 93
The VOB position information of VOB # 9 is read from the VOB position information table of the PGC information # 1, and the mechanism control unit 83 is instructed to access the head position of the recording location based on the VOB position information. When the optical pickup moves to the head of the recording location under the control of the mechanism control unit 83, in step 136, the system control unit 93 instructs the mechanism control unit 83 to read data from the head position. In response to this instruction, the mechanism control unit 83 drives the optical disc to rotate. The repetition of this instruction is continued in step 135, so that the VOB
Are read out in packs.

By repeating this, GOP1 shown in FIG.
"Recommended tour" by sub-video data of 00 ~ GOP200,
A menu including two items, “select tour contents”, is drawn on the screen. Further, in the management information pack of these GOPs, item information of item information # 1 and item information # 2 exists, and is paired with each item. Specifically, “Link PGC # 2” branching to PGC information is described in item information # 1, and “Link PGC # 3” branching to PGC information is described in item information # 2 in their respective highlight command fields. ing. The operator had no idea where to go for the next long vacation, and was looking for a good destination. Look at the above menu, hold the remote control with your right hand, and use the thumb to "Recommended tour"
Press the numeric key corresponding to. While the reading of the logical block is repeated in steps 135 to 137, the system control unit 93 monitors the reception of the interrupt signal from the remote control receiving unit 92. Here, if the above-mentioned press is detected, step 137 becomes Yes and the flow shifts to the flowchart of FIG.

Here, since the numeric key has been pressed by the operator, all are No in Steps 152 to 157, and are Yes in Step 158. If “Yes” in step 158, it is confirmed in step 203 that PGC general information.Item_Activate () is permitted, and the process proceeds to step 201, where item information # 1 -item information # 2 of item information # 1 A command is read from the highlight command field and executed. The command described in the highlight command field is a branch command, and branches to another program chain based on the flowchart of FIG. The branch processing to the program chain will be described with reference to FIG. The flowchart of FIG. 29 shows processing specific to a branch command executed only when the command to be executed is a branch command. In step 71, the program chain number described in the branch destination field of the command is read. Here, the number of the PGC information # 2 is read. In step 72, the PGC described in the video title set management information
With reference to the start address of the management information table, the logical block at the start position of the recording location of the PGC information # 2 in the PGC management information table is calculated. In step 73, the optical pickup is moved to the logical block calculated by controlling the mechanism control unit 83. In step 74, the PGC information # 2 in the logical block data read via the optical pickup and mechanism control unit 83 is stored in the PGC information buffer 31.
In step 75, the stored PGC information is
Is recursively called, and a program chain reproducing process is performed on the newly stored program chain. With this, PGC information # 2 from the middle of VOB playback
A branch is made to

When branching to PGC information # 2, step 13
In step 3, the VOB position information is read from the VOB position information table of the PGC information # 2 shown in FIG.
, The system control unit 93 instructs the mechanism control unit 83 to access the head position of the recording location of VOB # 1.
When the optical pickup moves to the head of the recording location under the control of the mechanism control unit 83, Steps 135 to 1
At 36, the system control unit 93 controls the mechanism control unit 83 so as to sequentially read the logical blocks of the optical disk. By this, VOB #
1 is read out in pack units. Accordingly, the first
The packs of GOP00 to GOP200 shown in FIG. 3A are separated by the system decoder 86, decoded into a video signal by the video decoder 87, and synthesized with the sub-video by the video synthesizing unit 90, so that the advertisement of the tour company or the airline company is obtained. A few minutes long live-action video appears on the TV monitor. This is schematically shown in FIG.

It is assumed that the operator operates the jog dial 810 without interest in these images. By this operation, the step 137 in FIG. 30 becomes Yes, and the flow shifts to the flowchart in FIG. Since the jog dial 810 has been operated, the result in step 152 is Yes, and the routine goes to step 170 in FIG. The flowchart of FIG. 33 is a flowchart showing a procedure of an interrupt process of the system control unit 93 when a fast forward / rewind instruction is given to the remote controller. System control unit 9
3 refers to the user operation restriction information of the PCI general information and the PGC general information in step 170. Where PG
Since the C general information.Forward_Scan () is set to be permitted and the PCI general information.Forward_Scan () shown in FIG. 13A is set to be non-permitted, Step 170 becomes Yes and Steps 171 to 175 are performed. Is skipped, and the process returns to step 135 in FIG. No matter how many times the jog dial 810 is operated, the image is continuously reproduced, so that the advertisement image of the tour company or the airline can be viewed from the beginning to the end.

[0171] After the advertisement is displayed, GOP250 ~ in VOB # 1 is displayed.
The GOP450 pack is separated by the system decoder 86, decoded into a video signal by the video decoder 87, and combined with the sub-picture in the video combining unit 90, so that the tanned youngster enjoys sunbathing and plays with the waves. Spectacle,
A few minutes long live-action video that introduces the charm of the beach appears on the TV monitor, such as a scene of playing beach volleyball and a scene of enjoying a conversation with a surfboard in one hand. This situation is schematically shown in FIG.

The operator slightly rotates the jog dial 810 to view these images in a short time. When an interrupt signal for this rotation is notified from the remote control receiving unit 92, step 137 in FIG. 30 becomes Yes and FIG.
The flow shifts to the flowchart. Since the jog dial 810 has been rotated, step 152 becomes Yes, and the routine proceeds to step 170. In step 170, PCI general information.Forward_Scan () and PGC general information.Forward_Scan ()
See Since these are both set as permitted,
Step 170 becomes No and step 171, step 1
In step 72, the leading I-picture address in the management information pack address is read, and the I-picture at this address is read by the video decoder 87. After reading the I-picture, the process proceeds to steps 176 and 173 to determine the traveling direction and the skip amount from the rotation direction and the rotation amount of the jog dial 810, and refers to the double speed search information table in step 174 to determine the determined traveling direction. And a management information pack address corresponding to the skip amount. Subsequently, the system control unit 93 proceeds to step 175 to advance the read position of the optical pickup in the forward direction by the calculated skip amount.
Instruct 3 As long as the jog dial 810 is being rotated, the processing of the above steps 171 to 175 is repeated. With this repetition, the read position of the optical pickup is skipped in units of an integer multiple of the GOP, and the management information pack is read out several steps at a time, and only one of the 15 I-pictures in each GOP is displayed on the screen. Will be displayed on the screen.

The reproduction of VOB # 1 was completed in a short time by the fast forward reproduction. Upon completion of the reading of VOB # 1, step 13
The repetition control by 5 is completed, and the process proceeds to step 132. In steps 132 and 133, the system control unit 93 sets VOB # 1 in the “VOB position information table”.
Is read out from the VOB position information of VOB # 2 described next to
In steps 134 to 136, the mechanism control unit 83 is instructed to read data between logical blocks described in the VOB position information. By repeating this read instruction in step 135 for the number of "blocks" in the VOB position information, the VOBs are sequentially read in pack units from the head position of the recording location. Along with this, the VOB # 2 shown in FIG. 16 is obtained by decoding the packs of GOP00 to GOP200 into a video signal, and is synthesized by the video synthesis unit 90 with the sub-video. As a result, a live-action video introducing the luxurious facilities of the luxury hotel A such as the VIP room, the lobby, the guest rooms, and the outdoor pool appears on the television monitor.

The processing for VOB # 2 is performed by using VOB # 7,
When the processing is performed on the VOB position information of VOB # 8, the VOB position information is sequentially read out in the order of the “VOB position information table”,
The mechanism control unit 83 is controlled to control the arrows K103, K104,
As indicated by K105, the optical pickup moves to the head position of the recording location of each VOB. Then, VOBs are sequentially read as indicated by arrows F104, F105, and F106.

By reading out VOB # 2, the packs of GOP250 to GOP200 are decoded into video signals, and a live-action video of about 25 seconds in length introducing the hotel charges and the check-in / check-out method appears on the TV monitor. 7 shows a live-action video of several minutes long on the TV monitor that introduces various diving precautions and emergency measures. VOB # 8 shows a scene of a lively city scene shot on the screen, and a live-action video on the TV monitor that introduces various precautions regarding city behavior and contact information in the event of being involved in an accident.

When the reproduction of all VOB # 8 is completed, the flow returns to the flow chart of FIG. 27 from the flow chart of FIG. 30, and proceeds to step 81 of the flow chart of FIG. FIG.
The flowchart 8 shows the contents of the branching process based on the connection information. In step 81, the program chain number described in the connection information is read. here,
It is assumed that PGC information # 1 is specified as a branch destination. In step 82, the PGC management information table is referred to by referring to the start address of the PGC management information table described in the video title set management information in the video manager.
Calculate the logical block at the beginning of the recording location of GC information # 1. In step 83, the optical pickup is moved to the logical block calculated by controlling the mechanism control unit 83. In step 84, the PGC information # 1 in the logical block data read via the optical pickup and mechanism
The information is stored in the information buffer 31. 30 is called for the stored PGC information, and the program chain reproduction process is performed for the newly stored PGC information # 1.

The system control unit 93 instructs the mechanism control unit 83 to access the head position of the recording location of the VOB # 9 again from the VOB position information table of the PGC information # 1, and in steps 135 and 136, From here, the mechanism control unit 83 is instructed to sequentially read the data recorded in the logical block. As a result, VOB # 9 is sequentially read out in pack units from the head position of the recording location.

By this reading, a menu including two items of recommended tour and tour content selection is displayed again. In these GOPs, item information paired with respective courses such as item information # 1 and item information # 2 exists in the management information pack.
Item information # 1 branches the playback path to PGC information # 2 (L
inkPGC # 2 '', item information # 2 shows the playback path as PGC information # 3
"LinkPGC # 3" that branches to the respective highlight command fields. The operator decides to select the tour destination to the Hawaiian Islands, and presses a numerical value corresponding to the “tour content selection course” with the thumb. Step 135
While repeating the reading of the logical block in Step 137, the system control unit 93 monitors the reception of the interrupt signal from the remote control receiving unit 92. Here, if the above-mentioned press is detected, step 137 becomes Yes and the flow shifts to the flowchart of FIG. After the transition, all the results in Steps 152 to 157 become No,
In step 158, the result is Yes. If “Yes” in step 158, the process proceeds to step 201, where a command is read from the highlight command field on the item information # 2 side from item information # 1 -item information # 2 and executed. Here, since the command described in the highlight command field is a branch command, the PGC information # 3 specified as the branch destination of the command is stored in a buffer, and control according to this is performed. This allows VOB
Is branched to PGC information # 3 from the middle of the reproduction of.

[0179] VOB # from the VOB position information table of PGC information # 3
In step 134, step 135, and step 136, the mechanism control unit 83 is instructed to sequentially read data recorded in the logical block at the recording location of the VOB position information. As a result, VOBs are sequentially read out in packs from the head position of the recording location. Accordingly, the VOBGOP shown in FIG.
The pack of 00 to GOP200 is decoded into a video signal and is synthesized with the sub-video in the video synthesizing section 90, so that a live-action video of several minutes in length introducing an advertisement of a tour company or an airline appears on a television monitor.

The operator presses the fast forward key without showing interest in these images, but here the PCI general information.Forward_Sc
Since both an () and PGC general information. Forward_Scan () are set to non-permission, step 170 becomes Yes, and the processing of steps 171 to 175 is skipped, and the process returns to step 135 of FIG. No matter how many times the fast forward is pressed, video playback is continued, so that these videos can be viewed without skipping.

As shown by arrow F102 in FIG.
As VOB # 1 is read, GOP250 to GOP450
Are separated by a system decoder 86, decoded into a video signal by a video decoder 87, and combined with a sub-picture in a video combining section 90, so that the pack is several minutes long to introduce a famous beach such as a perfect sea bathing or surf spot. Appears on the TV monitor.

When all the packs of VOB # 1 are read, VOB # is set as the next-order VOB from the VOB position information table of PGC information # 4.
Then, in step 134, step 135, and step 136, the data recorded in the logical block of the VOB position information of VOB # 4 is sequentially read. The operator presses the fast forward key without showing interest in these images.

Here, in PGC information # 4, PGC general information.F
Since orward_Scan () is set to non-permission, step 170 becomes Yes and steps 171 to 17
The process of step 5 is skipped, and the process returns to step 135 of FIG. No matter how many times the fast forward is pressed, the video is continuously reproduced, so that these videos can be viewed from the beginning to the end.

By continuing the reproduction of VOB # 4, GOP100 to GOP200 display a menu in which the hotel grade includes two items such as a deluxe course and an economy course. Item information # 1 and item information # 2 are associated with the two items. The item information includes a command for switching the reproduction path called LinkPGC # 6, and the item information includes LinkPGC # 5
Command for switching the reproduction path. The operator was interested in a local luxury hotel and thought that he would definitely choose this place to stay on his next holiday. Hold the remote control with your right hand and press the value corresponding to the deluxe course with your thumb.

When this button is pressed, the branch command described in the highlight command field is executed, the PGC information # 5 designated as the branch destination of the command is stored in the buffer, and control according to this is performed. If fast-forward playback was performed before the menu was displayed, this menu was almost overlooked.However, fast-forward playback was prohibited in the PGC information where the menu was present, so it was possible to prevent the menu from being overlooked. .

As a result, the PGC information #
A branch to 5 is made. After the branch, the mechanism control unit 83 drives the optical disc to rotate so that the packs are sequentially read from the start position of the recording location of VOB # 2 from the VOB position information table of PGC information # 5 as indicated by an arrow K108. Let As a result, VOBs are sequentially read out in packs from the head position of the recording location. Accordingly, in VOB # 2 shown in FIG. 13A, a pack of GOP00 to GOP200 is decoded into a video signal, and a live-action video introducing luxury facilities of luxury hotel A such as an outdoor pool appears on a television monitor. .

The operator presses the fast-forward key without interest in these images. However, in PGC information # 6, PGC general information. 30, the processing of steps 171 to 175 is skipped, and step 13 of FIG.
Return to 5. No matter how many times the fast forward is pressed, the video is continuously reproduced, so that these videos can be viewed from the beginning to the end.

[0188] After the introduction video of the facility information, GOP250 to GOP4
At 50, the details of the accommodation such as the check-in / check-out method, the service charge, the accommodation charge, the tip, the manners, etc. of the luxury hotel A are displayed. Since the luxury hotel A is a traditional and prestigious hotel, the above items are particularly detailed. This is a must-have for tour companies that host tours to keep their travelers in mind. Since fast forward is set as non-permission in PGC information # 5, these items are prevented from being overlooked.

Subsequently, in step 135, data reading is continued for the number of blocks described in the VOB position information. When the data reading for the number of blocks is completed, the process proceeds to step 132 of the system control unit 93. In step 133, VO in step 135
Data reading is continued for the number of blocks described in the B position information. When the data reading for the number of blocks is completed, the process proceeds to step 132 of the system control unit 93. In step 133, the VOB position information of the next-order VOB # 5 is read from the VOB position information table of the PGC information, and steps 134, 135 and 13 are executed.
In step 6, packs recorded in the logical block are sequentially read from here.

Subsequently, the mechanism control unit 83 is controlled so that the arrow K
The optical pickup moves to the head position of the recording location of VOB # 9 as shown by 110, and the VOB # moves as shown by arrow F108.
9 are sequentially read. GOP100 to GOP200 are displayed, and a menu including an item indicating the type of leisure course such as diving and city sightseeing is displayed. 2
One item is associated with item information # 1 and item information # 2. Item information # 1 includes a command for switching the reproduction path to PGC7, and item information # 2 includes a command for switching the reproduction path to PGC8.

The operator holds a diving license, and intends to enjoy it on the next holiday. Hold the remote control with your right hand and press the value corresponding to the diving course with your thumb. By pressing this, the branch command described in the highlight command field is executed, and the PGC information #
7 is stored in the buffer, and control according to this is performed.

As a result, the PGC information # 7 is reproduced during the reproduction of VOB # 9.
Is read from the optical disk to the PGC information buffer 31, and after branching, the VOB # 7 in which the recording location is described in the VOB position information table of the PGC information # 7 is read in pack units. Along with this, the pack of GOP100 to GOP200 of VOB # 6 shown in the figure is decoded into a video signal, and a several minutes long live-action video introducing coral reefs and tropical fish appears on the television monitor.

The packs of GOP300 to GOP400 of VOB # 7 shown in FIG. 18 are read out, separated by the system decoder 86, decoded into a video signal by the video decoder 87, and synthesized with the sub-image by the video synthesis section 90. As a result, a live-action video of several minutes in length, which introduces various diving precautions and emergency measures, appears on the TV monitor. These are essential items that the tour company that organizes the tour needs to pay attention to travelers. PGC information #
Since fast-forward is set to be non-permitted in 7, these items are not overlooked even if the fast-forward key is pressed.

<Operation Example of Automatic Demonstration> With reference to FIG. 45, an example of realizing an automatic demonstration using the “control structure having two aspects” will be described. In FIG. 45, an arrow R201 extends from the automatic demonstration item y616 in the volume menu, and PGC information # 53 exists before the arrow R201.
PGC information # 53. Focusing on the PGC information # 53, the PGC information # 53 starts with the PGC information shown in FIG.
Similar to # 3, VOB # 1, VO by arrows K106 and K107
B # 4 is indicated. This is because PGC information # 53 is PGC information
Like VOB # 1, play VOB # 1 and VOB # 4 in order,
Location information table "is defined.

Focusing on the PGC information # 55, similar to the PGC information # 5 shown in FIG.
8. VOB # 2 and VOB # 5 are designated by K110. This is because PGC information # 55 has VOB # 2, VO like PGC information # 5.
This means that the "VOB position information table" is defined so that B # 5 is reproduced in order. Thus PGC information # 5
3. When the reproduction is performed according to the PGC information # 55, the same VOB as that shown in FIG. 42 is read, so that the "tour content selection course" and the "deluxe course" are sequentially reproduced on the screen of the television monitor. The same video as appears.

The difference between PGC information # 53 and PGC information # 3 is the PGC user operation restriction information and the PGC command table. An example of setting PGC user operation restriction information for an auto demonstration is as shown in FIG. 46.
The reason why the general information .Forward_Scan () is set to non-permission is to prevent a passerby from operating the video camera to quickly forward the image. Another purpose is to prevent a narration for a demonstration from being overlooked by a passerby.

The PGC general information .Backward_Scan () is set to be permitted. This is PGC general information, which is good if Forward_Scan () is set to disallowed, because if passersby are interested in the contents of the demo, This is to make sure that the video is viewed at all times.
PGC general information.Pause_On () is also set to permitted. This is the same reason that PGC general information .Backward_Scan () is set to be permitted. If a passerby is interested in the contents of the demo, you can watch a part of the contents carefully.

Of particular note is PGC general information.Upper_It
em_Select () to PGC general information.Item_Activate. Referring to this figure, PGC general information.Upper_Item_Select ()-PGC
General information.Lower_Item_Select () is set to all allowed,
Only PGC general information.Item_Activate () is set as non-permission. This is PGC general information.Upper_Item_Select () ~ PGC
This is because by setting the general information .Lower_Item_Select () to be allowed, the passerby who saw the automatic demonstration can move the cursor and emphasize that there is interactivity.

The reason why PGC general information.Item_Activate () is not permitted is that branching by a highlight command, which is the key to the interactivity, is prohibited at the store. While the execution of the highlight command is prohibited as described above, the PGC command table reads all the VOBs in which the VOB position information is described in the “VOB position information table”, and then moves to the PGC information # 55. (The command executed by the disc reproducing apparatus after reading all the VOBs is called a post-processing command as shown in the figure.) "Link PGC # 55" is described and highlighted. Instead of prohibiting the branch by the command, the disc reproducing apparatus is instructed to automatically branch to the PGC information # 55. As a result, the PGC information in the PGC information buffer 31 is
The # 53 is overwritten by the PGC information # 55, and the disc reproducing apparatus determines whether the arrows K108 and K110 are based on the PGC information # 55.
As shown in (5), VOB # 2 and VOB # 5 are sequentially read.

[0200] In the automatic demonstration, while the live-action video and sub-video similar to those of the "Hawaii Islands Course" are displayed on the screen, some of the branches required for the interactive operation are invalidated, so PGC information for demonstration is provided. As a result, it is possible to switch between the two reproduction paths of “for product” and “for demonstration”. It is assumed that a travel agency employee installs the DVD player 1 at the store and executes an automatic demonstration of the optical disc. VOB # 1 and VOB # 4 displayed by this automatic demonstration have enough attractiveness to attract passers-by. Passers by DV
It is assumed that the user approaches the D player 1, looks at the menu displayed by VOB # 4, holds the remote controller 91, and operates the up / down / left / right keys.

While the reading of the logical block is repeated in steps 135 to 137, the system control unit 93 monitors the reception of the interrupt signal from the remote control receiving unit 92. Here, if the above-mentioned press is detected, step 137 becomes Yes, and the flow shifts to the flowchart of FIG. Here, since the cursor key is pressed by the operator, steps 152 to 157 are performed.
Are all No, and in Step 159, it becomes Yes. If “Yes” in step 159, the process proceeds to step 202, where PGC general information.Upper_Item_Select () to P
Refer to GC general information.Left_Item_Select (). Since these are all permitted, the process proceeds to step 200. At step 200, the cursor is changed by instructing the sub-picture decoder 88 to change the color.

It is assumed that seeing the cursor freely move, the passerby has a pleasure and presses the "Enter" key of the remote controller 91 while the cursor is in the "economy course". Steps 135 to 13 in FIG.
While the reading of the logical block is repeated in 7, the system control unit 93 monitors the reception of the interrupt signal from the remote control receiving unit 92. Here, if the above-mentioned press is detected, step 137 becomes Yes and the flow shifts to the flowchart of FIG.

Here, since the "Enter" key has been pressed by the operator, all are NO in steps 152 to 157 and YES in step 160. If Yes in step 160, step 2
Shift to 03. In step 203, the remote control receiver 92 determines whether PGC general information.Item_Activate () is permitted or not. Since it is not permitted, return without doing anything. After returning in this way, execute the post-processing command "Link PGC # 55"
The PGC information # 55 is read into the information buffer 31, and VOB # 2 and VOB # 5 are read based on the preprocessing command. Passers-by are somewhat confused that a branch has been taken against their will, but by asking their employees, they know that this is an automatic demonstration. By such an automatic demonstration, it is possible to sufficiently appeal to tourists about the appeal of “Travel Mook”.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the PCI user operation restriction information exists in the management information pack, and whether or not the user operation for instructing the execution of the special reproduction such as fast forward and rewind is accepted or rejected. Since it is stipulated, it is possible to set whether or not to accept a key interruption process for special reproduction with an accuracy of about 1.0 second for each video content. This makes it possible to prohibit the execution of fast-forward while an image such as an advertisement and travel rules is displayed.

[0205] PGC user operation restriction information exists in the PGC information corresponding to the reproduction path, and whether or not special reproduction such as fast-forward and rewind is permitted is specified.
It is possible to prohibit the execution of fast-forward on the reproduction path where the branch exists, and permit the execution of the fast-forward on the reproduction path where the branch does not exist. That is, whether or not to execute the special reproduction can be differentiated for each reproduction path regardless of the video to be reproduced.

[0206] For example, during a period of an order such as 10 minutes or 20 minutes during which a series of VOBs are reproduced by the PGC information, when a key interrupt for executing the special reproduction is performed by the user operating the remote controller, the key is activated. Whether or not to execute the special reproduction interrupt process corresponding to the interrupt is determined based on the PGC user operation restriction information. If the route information of the playback path with high interactivity, such as interactively determining the branch destination, is set to reject the execution of the special playback interrupt processing, the operator does not know that the playback path has high interactivity. Even if the key is pressed indiscriminately, it is possible to prohibit the activation of the key interruption process of the special reproduction such as fast forward or rewind by the user operation restriction information. In this way, by prohibiting the activation of the special reproduction key interrupt processing in the reproduction path having high interactivity, execution of the special reproduction that impairs the interactivity can be eliminated.

If the path information of the reproduction path for sequentially viewing the video contents such as the digest video version is set to permit execution of the special reproduction interrupt processing, fast forward as the operator presses the key. It is possible to permit activation of interrupt processing when a key is pressed. In this way, by permitting the activation of the key interruption process of the special reproduction in the reproduction path intended for viewing the video, the reproduction path of the digest video version can be viewed using the special reproduction. Therefore, in the digest video reproduction path, the effectiveness of special reproduction can be skillfully incorporated.

In this embodiment, PGC general information.Uppe
r_Item_Select (), PGC general information Lower_Item_Select (),
PGC general information.Right_Item_Select (), PGC general information.Left_
Item_Select (), PGC general information.Item_Activate () allows you to individually set cursor movement, confirmation operation permission and non-permission, but PGC general information.Upper_Item_Selec
Information of PGC general information.Item_Select_and_Activate () may be provided instead of t () to PGC general information.Item_Activate (). This PGC general information.Item_Select_and_Activate
In parentheses, “0” and “1” represent whether cursor movement and confirmation operation are not accepted or accepted. In this way, the cursor movement and the acceptance of the confirmation operation may be permitted and non-permitted to be set by one bit.

In this embodiment, one VOB unit is composed of one GOP. However, if the playback time of the moving image to be stored is about 1 second, the present invention is not limited to one GOP, and two or more GOPs may be used. It goes without saying that three GOPs having a very short reproduction time may be constituted. Further, in this case, the management information pack is arranged at the head of a plurality of continuous GOPs, and stores effective reproduction control information for the plurality of GOPs.

In the present embodiment, the moving picture information includes MPEG2
Although the description has been given of the case of digital moving image data of the system, moving image data capable of forming an object together with audio and sub-pictures is not limited thereto. For example, a digital moving image of the MPEG1 system and a DC used in the MPEG system are used.
Of course, it may be a digital moving image by a conversion algorithm other than T (Discrete Cosine Transform).

In this embodiment, the management information 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, it is obvious that the compression unit is for each restoration unit of the compression method. . Lastly, a method of manufacturing an optical disc according to the present embodiment will be briefly described. The master prepares a number of video tapes taken by a video camera and music tapes recorded live, and digitizes the moving images and audio recorded on these tapes and uploads them to the nonlinear editing device. The editor creates menus and items using an application program such as a graphic editor while reproducing video and audio in frame units on the nonlinear editing apparatus. At the same time, a management information pack incorporating a highlight command is created using a GUI generator or the like. After creation, these are encoded according to the MPEG standard to generate moving picture data, audio data, sub-picture data, and management information packs. Once generated, VOB units are created from these on the non-linear editing device, and VOBs are created. When a VOB is created, a VOB number is assigned to the VOB, and PGC information # 1, # 2, # 3, # 4 ... # n, a video title set section title search pointer table, video title set management information Is created, and the above-described data structure is configured on the memory of the workstation.

After constructing the data structure, these data are converted into a logical data sequence so that they can be recorded in the file area. The converted logical data string is recorded on a transmission medium such as a magnetic tape, and further converted into a physical data string. This physical data string is obtained by adding ECC (Error Check Code), EF modulation, data of a lead-in area, data of a lead-out area, and the like to the volume data. Master cutting uses this physical data sequence to create an optical disk master. Further, an optical disc is manufactured from the master created by the press device.

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 device 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 Asakura Shoten "Optical Disc System", Optical Discourse of the Japan Society of Applied Physics.

[0214]

As described above, according to the present invention, an optical disk is an optical disk having a data area for storing a plurality of video objects, wherein the video objects have one or more blocks, and the blocks are , Moving image data, and management information for the moving image data of the block. Since the management information indicates whether or not to restrict a predetermined user operation with respect to the optical disc reproducing device, the object contains a block. There is management information that is valid only during the time zone in which the moving image data is reproduced. The user operation restriction information in the management information specifies whether or not the user operation restriction information for executing trick play such as fast forward and rewind is permitted, so that images such as advertisements and travel rules appear. In the meantime,
It is possible to switch the activation of the user operation process in synchronism with the temporal change of the video content, such as prohibiting the execution of fast-forward and prohibiting the execution of fast-forward while they do not exist.

[0215] Further, a data area for storing a plurality of video objects constituting a video sequence, video sequence information indicating a predetermined reproduction order of the video objects, and a video object indicated by the video sequence information on the optical disc. An optical disk comprising: a position information indicating a position; and an index area storing position information indicating a position, wherein the index area further stores video sequence management information for all the video objects indicated by the video sequence information; Since the management information indicates whether or not to restrict a predetermined user operation on the reproducing apparatus of the optical disc, a series of objects are reproduced.
When a user operation to perform trick play is performed by the user performing a remote control operation during the order period of minutes, 20 minutes, whether or not the user operation of trick play corresponding to the user operation can be performed is determined by the video. It is determined based on the user operation restriction information corresponding to the sequence. If the video sequence management information with a highly interactive playback order, such as interactively determining the branch destination, is associated with the user operation restriction information set to reject execution of the user operation for trick play, the highly interactive playback order Even if the operator inadvertently presses the key, the user operation restriction information can be used to prohibit the start of the user operation processing for trick play such as fast forward or rewind. In this way, by prohibiting the activation of the user operation processing of the trick play in the play order having a high level of interactiveness including the branch, the execution of the trick play that impairs the interactiveness can be eliminated.

[0216] The video sequence management information of the reproduction order for sequentially viewing the video contents like the digest video corresponds to the user operation restriction information set to permit execution of the user operation of the special reproduction. Thus, when the operator presses a key, a user operation process for trick play such as fast forward or rewind can be started. In this way, by allowing the user operation process of the special reproduction in the reproduction order for the purpose of viewing the video to be activated, the reproduction order of the digest video version can be viewed using the special reproduction. Therefore, in the playback order of the digest video, the effectiveness of the special playback can be skillfully incorporated.

[0217] The video object has one or more blocks, and the block has moving image data and management information for the moving image data of the block. The management information restricts a predetermined user operation. No, if the predetermined user operation is restricted by any one of the management information and the video sequence management information, it indicates that the predetermined user operation for the playback device of the optical disc is restricted. be able to.

According to the present optical disc, on the one hand, the information for requesting the operator to perform the cursor operation and the confirmation operation is provided in the management information, and on the other hand, the activation of the user operation processing by the operator is performed by the user in the second management information. This can be prevented by the operation restriction information. As a result, it is possible to realize on the playback device a control mechanism having two aspects of providing a restriction mechanism for cursor operation and confirmation operation on the object side, but prohibiting activation thereof from the reproduction order side. In such a control mechanism having two aspects, the title creator can freely adjust to what level the contents of the control destination on the object side are released to the operator by setting the user operation restriction information on the reproduction order side. Can be. By applying such adjustments, a reproduction order for fully displaying interactiveness and a reproduction order for demonstration in which all or part of interactive control contents are omitted are provided in one optical disc. In addition, these reproduction orders can be appropriately switched and used according to the situation in which the optical disk is reproduced.

[0219] Here, the management information and the video sequence management information have one or more flags indicating restriction of a predetermined user operation, and one of the flags is used to perform fast-forward playback of the video object and playback of the optical disc. A flag indicating a restriction on user operation instructing the apparatus; according to the present optical disc, the management information and the video sequence management information include one or more flags indicating a restriction on a predetermined user operation; The flag is a flag indicating a restriction on a user operation for instructing the playback device of the optical disc to pause playback.

[0220] Here, the management information and the video sequence management information have one or more flags indicating restrictions on a predetermined user operation, and one of the flags is used to perform fast-forward playback of the video object and playback of the optical disc. The management information and the video sequence management information have one or more flags indicating a predetermined user operation restriction, and the one flag is a flag indicating reproduction of the user operation. A flag indicating a restriction on a user operation for instructing the playback device of the optical disc to pause.

According to this optical disc, there is management information valid only in the time zone during which the moving image data in the block is reproduced in the object. The user operation restriction information in the management information specifies whether or not the user operation restriction information for executing trick play such as fast forward and rewind is permitted, so that images such as advertisements and travel rules appear. During the period, the execution of the fast-forward is inhibited, and the execution of the fast-forward is inhibited while they do not exist. For example, the activation of the user operation process can be switched in synchronization with the temporal change of the video content.

Here, the video object includes a main stream including moving image data, a first substream including management information for controlling reproduction of the moving image data, and audio data or sub-video data, and is selectively reproduced. A plurality of second sub-streams, wherein the block has a block header section and a block data section, and the block data section includes any one of the main stream, the first sub-stream, and the second sub-stream. Is stored, and in the block header portion,
The data stored in the block data portion of the block is a data identifier indicating whether the main stream is the first substream or the second substream, and the data stored in the block data portion is the second substream. In the case of a stream, a substream identifier indicating which of the plurality of second substreams belongs is stored, and the management information and the video sequence management information are one or more indicating a restriction of a predetermined user operation. And one of the flags is a flag indicating a restriction on a user operation for instructing the playback device of the optical disc to change the second substream selected for playback.

According to the present optical disc, the activation of the user operation processing for switching while providing various channels in the audio data and the sub-picture data on the other hand is prevented by the user operation restriction information in the second management information. can do. This allows
Even though the channel switching mechanism is provided on the object side, a control mechanism having two aspects of inhibiting activation thereof from the reproduction order side can be realized on the reproducing apparatus. In the control mechanism having such two aspects, by setting the user operation restriction information on the reproduction order side,
The title creator can freely adjust to what level the contents of the control destination on the object side are released to the operator. By applying such adjustments, a reproduction order for fully displaying interactiveness and a reproduction order for demonstration in which all or part of interactive control contents are omitted are provided in one optical disc. In addition, these reproduction orders can be appropriately switched and used according to the situation in which the optical disk is reproduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is an external view of an optical disk according to an embodiment. (B) It is sectional drawing of an optical disk. (C) It is an enlarged view of the part irradiated with a light spot. (D) is a diagram showing a pit row on the information layer 109.

FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram of a track arrangement in an information layer of an optical disc. (B) is an explanatory diagram of a physical sector in an information layer of an optical disc.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a logical structure of an optical disc.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a file area of an optical disc.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a data structure of a video title set.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a correspondence relationship between a moving image material, an audio material, a caption material, and each pack in a video object (VOB).

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an internal structure of a moving image pack.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the internal structure of an audio pack.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the internal structure of a sub-picture pack.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an internal structure of a management information pack.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a menu.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the internal structure of a DSI.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an internal structure of PCI user operation restriction information.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the internal structure of highlight information.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the internal structure of PCI general information.

FIG. 16: V recorded in video title set V1
It is a figure showing the contents of OB.

FIG. 17: V recorded in video title set V1
It is a figure showing the contents of OB.

FIG. 18: V recorded in video title set V1
It is a figure showing the contents of OB.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the internal structure of video title set management information.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a data structure of PGC information.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating the description content of each video title set management information in a video title set V1.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a playback device according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a DVD player 1 according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a system decoder 86.

FIG. 25 is a configuration diagram showing an internal configuration of a system control unit 93.

26 is a diagram showing a panel configuration of a remote controller 91. FIG.

FIG. 27 is a main flowchart showing processing contents of a system control unit 93;

FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing processing contents of the system control unit 93 at the time of branching;

FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing processing contents at the time of branch of the system control unit 93;

FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing processing contents of a system control unit 93 based on PGC information.

FIG. 31 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a key interrupt type determination process.

FIG. 32 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a key interrupt type determination process.

FIG. 33 is a flowchart showing a procedure of an interruption process when a fast forward / rewind key is pressed.

FIG. 34 is a flowchart showing a procedure of an interruption process when an audio / sub-picture key is pressed.

FIG. 35 is a flowchart showing a procedure of interrupt processing when an angle key is pressed.

FIG. 36 is a flowchart showing a procedure of interrupt processing when a pause key is pressed.

FIG. 37 is a flowchart showing a procedure of interrupt processing when a volume menu key is pressed.

FIG. 38 is a flowchart showing an interrupt processing procedure when the next PG, previous PG, or leading PG key is pressed.

FIG. 39 is a diagram showing a state where an advertisement is displayed on a screen of a television monitor.

FIG. 40 is a diagram showing a state where a beach scene is displayed on the screen of the television monitor.

FIG. 41 is a diagram showing a state where a diving scene is displayed on the screen of the television monitor.

FIG. 42 is a diagram showing the overall structure of a playback path constructed by a video title set V1.

FIG. 43 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a video manager.

FIG. 44 is a diagram showing an example of a volume menu.

FIG. 45 is a diagram illustrating an entire structure of a playback path of an automatic demonstration constructed by a video title set V1.

FIG. 46 is a diagram showing setting contents of PGC user operation restriction information for an automatic demonstration.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 DVD player 2 TV monitor 16 Drive mechanism 31 PGC information buffer 81 Spindle motor 82 Optical pickup 83 Mechanism control unit 84 Signal processing unit 85 AV decoder unit 86 Signal separation unit 87 Video decoder 88 Sub-video decoder 89 Audio decoder 90 Video synthesis unit 91 Remote control 92 Remote control receiving unit 93 System control unit 94 Buffer memory 95 Management information pack buffer 96 Embedded processor 99 Channel register 107 DVD 108 Transparent substrate 109 Information layer 110 Adhesive layer 111 Transparent substrate 112 Printing layer 113 Light beam 114 Light spot

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification symbol FI H04N 5/85 H04N 5/85 Z G11B 27/00 D (72) Inventor Kaoru Murase 367 Meiji, Ikaruga-cho, Ikoma-gun, Nara Prefecture Kurihara 105 (72) Inventor Kazuhiko Yamauchi 191-407 Ishizu Minamicho, Neyagawa City, Osaka (72) Inventor Nohisa Fukushima 6-14 C-508 Sekime, Joto-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An optical disc having a data area for storing a plurality of video objects, wherein the video objects have one or more blocks, wherein the blocks are moving image data and management of the blocks for the moving image data. An optical disc, comprising information, wherein the management information indicates whether to restrict a predetermined user operation on a reproduction apparatus of the optical disc. 2. The data area includes a spiral track in which a plurality of sectors are arranged from an inner circumference to an outer circumference in a reproduction order, and the blocks of the video object are stored in consecutive sectors. 2. The optical disc according to claim 1, wherein the management information is stored in a sector whose reproduction order is earlier than a sector in which the moving image data is stored. 3. A data area for storing a plurality of video objects constituting a video sequence, video sequence information indicating a predetermined reproduction order of the video objects, and a video object indicated by the video sequence information on an optical disk. An optical disc comprising: an index area for storing position information indicating a position; and the index area further stores video sequence management information for all the video objects indicated by the video sequence information; The optical disc, wherein the management information indicates whether to restrict a predetermined user operation on the reproduction apparatus of the optical disc. 4. The video object has one or more blocks, the block has moving image data and management information on the moving image data of the block, and the management information restricts a predetermined user operation. Indicating whether or not the predetermined user operation is restricted by any one of the management information and the video sequence management information. 4. The optical disc according to claim 3, wherein 5. The management information and the video sequence management information indicate a restriction of a predetermined user operation.
5. The optical disc according to claim 4, wherein the optical disc has at least one flag, and the one flag is a flag indicating a restriction on a user operation for instructing a reproduction apparatus of the optical disc to perform fast-forward reproduction of the video object. 6. The management information and the video sequence management information indicate a restriction on a predetermined user operation.
5. The optical disc according to claim 4, wherein the optical disc has at least one flag, and the one flag is a flag indicating a restriction on a user operation for instructing a playback apparatus of the optical disc to pause playback. 7. The video object includes a main stream including moving image data, a first sub-stream including management information for controlling reproduction of the moving image data, and audio data or sub-video data, and is selectively reproduced. The block has a block header section and a block data section, and the block data section includes any one of the main stream, the first substream, and the second substream. A data identifier indicating whether the data stored in the block data portion of the block is the main stream, the first substream, or the second substream. And when the data stored in the block data section is the second substream, A sub-stream identifier indicating which of the second sub-streams the number belongs to, wherein the management information and the video sequence management information have one or more flags indicating a restriction on a predetermined user operation. 5. The optical disc according to claim 4, wherein the one flag is a flag indicating a restriction on a user operation for instructing a reproducing apparatus of the optical disc to change the second substream selected for reproduction.