KR20090035893A - Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding multi-media data - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for encoding/decoding multimedia data are provided to manage and reproduce many media contents efficiently by implementing the user interface as one file. A method for encoding/decoding multimedia data comprises a step of receiving multimedia data including image data field, media data field, media information field, and menu description field, a step of displaying menu using the menu information, and a step of decoding media data corresponding to the user input through the menu. A slide show track field corresponding to the image data field includes timing information for creating slide show using a plurality of images included in the image data field and a file composed of the media data field, media information field and menu description field.

Description

Method and apparatus for encoding / decoding multimedia data {Method and apparatus for encoding / decoding Multi-media data}

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for encoding / decoding multimedia data including video data, audio data, image data, and the like, and more particularly, to a plurality of media contents in which a user includes video content in a portable media player or the like. The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for encoding / decoding for efficiently managing and reproducing video data.

In a multimedia data processing method that integrates and encodes and decodes various types of media data such as video, audio, image, and text data, the amount of data is so large that it takes time for encoding / decoding and time for data transmission. There has been an increase, and there is a problem that it is difficult to integrate and manage a lot of media content as described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a multimedia data structure capable of effectively managing, encoding and decoding a plurality of media contents including video content, and providing a method and apparatus for encoding / decoding multimedia data using the same. There is.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a decoding method comprising: a media data area including a video data area, an audio data area, and an image data area; A media information area including a plurality of track areas corresponding to each of the plurality of data areas; And a menu description area including menu information for displaying a menu providing an interface between a user and data included in the media data area. Displaying a menu using the menu information; And extracting and decoding media data corresponding to a user input using the menu from among media data included in the media data area, wherein a slideshow track area corresponding to the image data area is stored in the image data area. It includes timing information for composing a slideshow using a plurality of included images, characterized in that the media data area, the media information area, and the menu description area constitute a single file.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an encoding method comprising: generating a media data area including a video data area, an audio data area, and an image data area; Generating a media information region including a plurality of track regions corresponding to each of the plurality of data regions; And generating a menu description area including menu information for displaying a menu providing an interface between a user and the data included in the media data area.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a decoding apparatus comprising: a media data area including a video data area, an audio data area, and an image data area; A media information area including a plurality of track areas corresponding to each of the plurality of data areas; And a menu description area including menu information for displaying a menu providing an interface between a user and data included in the media data area. A first decoder which displays the menu by decoding the menu information; And a second decoder configured to extract and decode media data corresponding to a user input using the menu among media data included in the media data area.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an encoding apparatus, including: a multimedia track generator configured to generate a plurality of track areas corresponding to each of a video data area, an audio data area, and an image data area; A menu description area generation unit generating a menu description area including menu information for displaying a menu providing an interface between a user and data included in the media data area; And a file structure generation unit configured to configure the plurality of track areas and the menu description area into one multimedia data file.

The multimedia data having the structure as described above may be included in the digital broadcast signal, and may be transmitted through digital media.

According to the method and apparatus for encoding / decoding multimedia data according to the present invention, a plurality of media contents and a user interface for managing the plurality of media contents are constituted by a single file and a plurality of media contents are generated by only a small amount of data. Efficiently manage and play them. This can reduce the processing and transmission time of multimedia data.

Hereinafter, a method and apparatus for encoding / decoding multimedia data according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the overall structure of multimedia data according to the present invention. As illustrated, a multimedia data file may include a file type area, a file meta area, a media information area, and a media data area. have.

The file type area indicates the format of the multimedia data file and may be expressed in the format or version of the file. For example, when the file type is "mp42", this may indicate that the multimedia file format is an MPEG-4 version 2 format.

The media data area includes a plurality of media data areas. For example, the media data area may include a video data area and an audio data area as shown in FIG. 1, and each of the media data areas includes media data.

The media data area may further include a plurality of areas including text data or image data in addition to the video data area and the audio data area. In addition, the video data area may store data including a plurality of video contents, and the audio data area may store data including a plurality of audio contents.

The media information area includes track areas corresponding to each of the plurality of data areas included in the media data area, and each of the plurality of track areas includes information about media data included in the corresponding data area, for example. It may include temporal and spatial information of the media data.

Referring to FIG. 1, the media information area may include a video track area corresponding to the video data area and an audio track area corresponding to the audio track area.

The video track area may include authoring information about temporal information, spatial information, or meta information about the video data included in the video data area, for example, a title, a photographer, and the like of video content included in the video data. information).

The audio track area may include temporal information, spatial information, or meta information about the audio data included in the audio data area, for example, a title, composer, singer, performer, etc. of the audio content included in the audio data. The author may include information about the author.

The temporal information and the spatial information included in the track area may be play section information, position information, or size information of corresponding media data.

The file meta area may include an identification / location information area and a menu description area.

The identification / location information area may include information on an attribute for distinguishing a plurality of media data included in the media data area. For example, the identification / location information area may include identification information and location information of each of the plurality of media data. Can be.

The identification / location information area preferably includes a name, content type information, ID, location information, size information, and the like for each of the plurality of media data.

The following is an example of information included in the identification / location information area, and an example in which one video content and two audio contents are included in a media data area.

item_ID = 1 (video 1)

item_name = <rel. uri to video 1>

content_type = video

item_ID = 2 (audio 1)

item_name = <rel. uri to audio 1>

content_type = audio

item_ID = 3 (audio 2)

item_name = <rel. uri to audio 2>

content_type = audio

The item_ID is an identification number designated for each of the media contents, the item_name is a name of each of the media contents, and the content_type means a type of each of the media contents.

The identification / location information area may include a first area and a second area, and the first and second areas may include information about attributes of media data. For example, the first region may include a name and a content type of each of the media contents included in the media data region, and the second region may include information about a physical location and size of the media contents.

The handler type of the file meta area may be designated as "lsr1".

Referring to FIG. 1, the menu description area includes a menu description having information for displaying a menu that provides an interface between a user and media data. In order to provide a more interesting and convenient interface for the user, it is preferable that an animation effect is applied to the menu.

The menu may display a plurality of media contents included in a media data area, and may provide input means for allowing a user to select media to play among the plurality of contents. The user may grasp the multimedia contents included in the media data area by using the menu and manage the multimedia contents.

The menu descriptor included in the menu description area and the media data included in the media data area may be connected using the information included in the identification / location information area.

2 illustrates an embodiment of the configuration of the menu.

Referring to FIG. 2, the menu may include a background image 10 and one or more input means 20, 21, 22, 23 displayed on the background image 10.

An animation effect is applied to the background image 10 so that the change of the menu background screen can be displayed smoothly and interestingly. For example, when there is a user input using the input means 20, 21, 22, 23, an animation effect is applied to the background image 10 so that the background image 10 may change according to the user input. Can be.

Image data used as the background image 10 may be stored in a media data area.

The user may select any one of the input means 20, 21, 22, 23 through a mouse click or a key input to manage a plurality of media contents included in the media data area.

For example, the user may select the content list 21 to check a list of a plurality of media contents included in the media data area and select a content to play among them, and select the playback 20 to select the selected content. Can be played.

In addition, the user may select the chapter 22 to check the divided chapters of the media content, and may select any one of the chapters. Then, the user can select the summary 23 to grasp the brief content of the media content.

Since the input means 20, 21, 22, and 23 shown in FIG. 2 are only one embodiment of the method of constructing a menu according to the present invention, the menu is a user and multimedia content in addition to the input means shown in FIG. It may include various other input means necessary to provide a convenient interface between them.

The text data necessary for constructing the menu may be directly included by the menu descriptor or may be stored in a media data area.

The menu descriptor provides information about graphics, which are visual elements displayed in the menu, information about a spatial layout of the visual elements, and a temporal layout of media data to be displayed in the menu. (temporal layout), for example, information for synchronizing the media data, information on animation effects to be applied to the menu, and interactive events between the user and the menu, such as mouse clicks or key inputs. May contain information.

The menu descriptor may use a language such as a light-weigh application scene representation (LASeR), a scalable vector graphics (SVG), or a binary format for scene (BIFS). In addition, the LASeR, SVG or BIFS may be implemented in XML (eXtensible Mark-up Language) format or Binary encoded format.

The following is an embodiment of the menu descriptor described using LASeR.

<lsru: NewScene>

    <svg width = "400" height = "250" viewBox = "0 0 400 250">

<!-Main menu->

<g id = "title_page" visibility = "visible">

<!-Background image->

<image id = "title_image" xlink: href = "# item_ID_of_imag e" width = "400" height = "250" x = "0" y = "0" />

<!-Menu options->

<rect x = "10" y = "109" width = "100" height = "15" rx = "8" fill = "rgb (255, 150, 70)" />

<text id = "play_btn" x = "20" y = "120" font-family = "Verdana" font-size = "12" fill = "white">

play </ text>

...

</ g>

<!-Video playback->

<g id = "video_playback" visibility = "hidden">

<video xlink: href = "# item_ID_of_video" begin = "play_ btn.click" type = "video / mpeg" ...>

<audio xlink: href = "# item_ID_of_audio" begin = "play_bt n.click" type = "audio / mpeg" ...>

<a xlink:href="#item_ID_of_text" begin="play_bt n.click" type="text/3gpp" ...>

</ g>

...

</ svg>

</ lsru: NewScene>

The menu descriptor may include a plurality of elements for describing graphics, animation effects, spatial layouts, temporal layouts, and information about an event between a user and a menu as described above.

For example, the menu descriptor may include graphics displayed on a menu, text, an element for an image, an element for multimedia data, and an element for an animation effect to be applied to the menu. have.

The information on the animation effect included in the menu descriptor may include grouping information of the animation effect, size information of media data to which the animation is applied, opacity effect information, geometric transformation effect information, and the like. The grouping information is information representing a combination of animation effects to be applied to a menu, and the size information is information describing a change in size of an image.

The opacity effect information refers to information describing a fade-in or fade-out effect of an image. In addition, the geometric transformation information may be information describing effects such as transition between images, scale transformation of an image, rotation, skew, and the like.

The animation area may include information on the motion path of the image or information on the motion path of the objects included in the image, and may include color change information or shape information of the image. The shape information of the image may be a rectangle, a circle, an ellipse, a line, a polyline, a polygon, or the like. In addition, the animation region may include attribute control information for changing attributes of the media data for various animation effects applicable to the media data.

The following is an embodiment of animation information included in a menu descriptor, and describes opacity effect information, scale conversion information, and size conversion information.

<lsru: NewScene>

<svg>

<g id = "Article_Image">

<animate attributeName = "opacity" calcmode = "linear"

values = "0.00: 1.00: 1.00: 1.00: 1.00: 1.00: 1.00: 1.00"

dur = "8.0" repeatDur = "indefinite" />

<animate Transform attributeName = "Transform" type = "scale" additive = "sum" calcmode = "linear"

values = "1.00 1.00: 1.00 1.00: 1.00 1.00: 1.00 1.00: 0.50 1.00: 0.00 1.00: 1.00 1.00"

dur = "8.0" repeatDur = "indefinite" />

<image width = "200" height = "15-" #sampleID = 1>

</ image>

</ g>

</ svg>

</ lsru: NewScene>

The symbol (<) means start and the symbol (>) means end. The symbol (/) means the end of the context to be defined. For example, <svg> through </ svg> is a bundle, <g id = "Article_image"> through </ g> is a bundle, and <image width = "200" height = "150" # sample = 1> through </ image> is a bunch. In <g id = "Article_image">, "g" represents a group, Article_iamge represents the name of group (g), and "opacity" and "transform" are the names of animation attributes or animation effects, respectively. Indicates. The sum is meant to represent the sum of animation properties. The symbol dur represents information on the reproduction section of the image data, and means that the symbol is not defined.

When the image data is regarded as one sample, the size of the image to be implemented as the image data (# sampleID = 1) having an identification number (ID) of '1' is 200 in width and 150 in height. to be. Then, the transparency for the image data (# sampleID = 1) is linearly (calcMode = "linear") for 8 seconds (dur = "8.0") from the fully transparent (value = 0.00) to the original image (value = 1.00). Expresses an animation effect that changes over and over (repeatDur = "indefinite"). In addition, the size change ("transform", "scale") of the image data (# sampleID = 1) is half the size of the image in the horizontal direction from the original image size (value = 1.00) (value = y; x = 1.00; 0.50). ), An animation effect that is repeated continuously (repeatDur = "indefinite") for 8 seconds (dur = "8.0") in linear (calcMode- "linear"). It also depicts performing the two animation effects together (additive = "sum").

Image data consisting of one or more samples are divided in chunks, and samples in each chunk may be arranged in chronological order. In this case, each sample included in the chunk has its own unique identification number (ID), and the unique identification number (ID) of each sample may be assigned from '1'. In this case, the image data (# sampleID = 1) having '1' as the unique identification number ID represents the sample thereof, not the data itself.

Referring to FIG. 3, the video data area and the audio data area may each include a plurality of media contents, and the video track area and the audio track area may include track regions corresponding to each of the plurality of media contents. .

That is, the video data area includes data corresponding to N video contents, for example, a main feature, "making of" clips, actor interviews, image galleries, or the like. The video track area may include N video track areas corresponding to each of the N video contents.

Also, the audio data area may include data corresponding to M audio contents, and the audio track area may include M audio track regions corresponding to each of the M audio contents.

Each of the N video track areas and the M audio track areas may include temporal information, spatial information, or meta information about corresponding media content.

Referring to FIG. 4, the media information area may include a media meta area or a track meta area including metadata about a plurality of media contents included in the media data area. As shown in FIG. 4, the media meta area may be included in the media data area at the same level as the video track area and the audio track area, and the track meta area may be included in the track area.

The metadata may be used to provide additional information about the media contents to the user.

The metadata may include authoring information about the media contents, summary information about the contents of the media contents, or user histoty information about a user's access to the media contents. It may include.

The creation information may include a title, a produced artist, a short description, a user comment, or a date / time when the media content is included in the multimedia data file for each of the plurality of media contents included in the media data area. (File date / time) may be included. In addition to the above information, the creation information may include various property information related to generation of the media content, such as the performer of the video content, the creation date, the singer of the audio content, and the player.

The creation information may be included in the media meta area or in the track meta area in the track area. For example, authoring information about all video contents included in the video data area may be included in a media meta area, and authoring information about each of the video contents may be included in a corresponding video track area.

More specifically, information about the title or author of a movie included in the multimedia data file is included in the media meta area, and information about the title or author of each of the plurality of video contents included in the movie corresponds thereto. It can be included in the video track area.

The generation information on the audio content included in the audio data area may also be included in the media meta area or the track meta area in the audio track area corresponding thereto.

Media data included in the media data area may be hierarchically classified according to a predetermined criterion, and the metadata may include summary metadata including hierarchical grouping information about the classified media data. meta data).

The user can easily identify and search the media data included in the media data area using the summary metadata. For this purpose the hierarchical grouping information included in the summary metadata may be displayed on the displayed menu.

The summary metadata may be included in a media meta area, and hierarchical summary information of each media content among the summary metadata may be included in a corresponding track meta area.

Video content included in the video data area may be divided into a plurality of chapters, and the summary metadata may include information about the plurality of chapters. For example, the summary metadata may include summary information about each chapter of video content, information about scenes belonging to the chapter, information about a representative scene or representative image for each chapter, and the like.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the configuration of the chapter information.

Referring to FIG. 5, video content including L scenes may be classified into K chapters according to the contents of each scene. Each of the L scenes has summary information about its contents, and the L scenes may be classified into K chapters according to the summary information of the scenes.

The summary metadata may include information about the number of sorted chapters (K), positions in index and video data, summary contents of each chapter, indexes of scenes belonging to each chapter, and summary contents of each scene. It can be included as.

By using the chapter information displayed in a menu, a user can grasp an approximate content of the video content without looking at the entire video content, and can easily search and play the part or information of the video content to be viewed through it. .

In FIG. 5, a plurality of scenes belonging to video content are classified into chapters of one layer, but the chapters may be classified using two or more layers. That is, two or more chapters among the K chapters shown in FIG. 5 may be regrouped into one upper chapter, and in this case, the information on the regrouping may be included as the chapter information in the summary metadata.

The plurality of video contents included in the video data area may be classified into a plurality of groups according to respective subjects, and the summary metadata may include information about the plurality of groups. For example, the summary metadata may include summary information that briefly indicates a subject of each of the plurality of groups.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the configuration of the summary information, in which video content having six different subjects is included in a video data area.

Referring to FIG. 6, six video contents may be classified into three groups according to the subject matter. As shown in FIG. 6, each of the six video contents is on the subject of science, domain, mathematics, ballet, opera, baseball, soccer, and according to the subject, education, arts and sports in three groups. Can be classified.

The summary metadata may include, as the summary information, information on the number (3) and the index of the classified groups, the subject of each group, the index of video contents belonging to each group, the subject of each video content, and the like.

In addition, images included in one video content may be classified into a plurality of groups according to respective subjects, and the summary metadata may include summary information as described above for the classified plurality of image groups. Can be.

The user can easily grasp the contents of many video contents included in the video data area by using the summary information displayed in the menu, and can easily search for video contents related to a desired topic among the video contents.

 In FIG. 6, a plurality of video contents belonging to video data are classified into groups of one layer, but may be classified into groups of two or more layers. That is, any two groups of the three groups shown in FIG. 5 may be regrouped into one higher group, and in this case, the information on the regrouping may be included as the summary information in the summary metadata. .

In addition, the metadata may include usage histoty information that is information about user inputs performed on media contents included in a media data area. For example, the user history information may be information about a record in which the user has accessed media contents included in the media data area in the past.

The user history information includes identification information about video content that the user has watched, information about a point at which playback is stopped when the user has not watched the video content to the end, information about a user's start time or end time, or the number of viewing times. Etc. may include access information of the media content of the user.

When there are a plurality of users of the multimedia file including the media contents, the user history information is preferably generated for each user.

In addition, in order to manage user history information for each user, the user history information is included in a metadata file separate from the multimedia data file including a file type area, a file meta area, a media information area, and a media data area. It is preferable.

The user may use the user history information to determine the contents and time of the access made to the multimedia data file in the past. More specifically, the user may watch one of the video contents included in the video data area. If the viewing is interrupted while the video content is interrupted, the viewing may be started from the interrupted point when the video content is to be viewed again.

8 illustrates an embodiment of a structure of a multimedia data file according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, the media data area may further include a text data area or an image data area in addition to the video data area and the audio data area. When the media data area includes a text data area, the media information area preferably includes a text track area corresponding to the text data area.

The text data included in the text data area may be data having a character string separated by line units, and in this case, each line may be treated as a sample in which a reproduction unit is used.

The text data may be displayed in synchronization with any one of a plurality of media data included in a media data area, for which one of the plurality of track areas, for example a text track area, may be the timing information of the text data. It may include.

For example, the text data may include information about subtitles of video content or lyrics of audio content, in which case it may be displayed in synchronization with the video or audio contents.

When the text data includes a plurality of character strings, any one of the plurality of track areas may include reproduction section information, position information, and size information of each of the plurality of character strings. The plurality of strings may be displayed in synchronization with the media content.

The image data included in the image data area may be used as the background image of the menu displayed by the menu descriptor, and the animation effect described by the menu descriptor may be applied to the image data as described above.

Video data included in the video data area may be compressed data according to various video coding methods such as MPEG-4 AVC (Advanced Video Coding), MPEG-2, H.263, MPEG-4 Part 2, and various video coding methods. Among them, it may be efficient to be data compressed using a video coding scheme defined in ITU-T H.264.

The audio data included in the audio data area may be compressed data according to various audio coding schemes such as MP3 or AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), and MPEG-4 HE-AAC (High Efficiency Advanced Audio Coding) among the various audio coding schemes. It may be efficient to be data compressed using. In addition, a scalable audio coding method such as bit sliced arithmetic coding (BSAC) may be used to compress the audio data.

In addition, the image data included in the image data area may be data compressed by a coding method such as a Joint Picture Expert Group (JPEG).

8 shows another embodiment of the structure of a multimedia data file according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, the media data area includes a slideshow image data area including image data corresponding to a plurality of images, and the media information area is a timing for constructing a slide show by sequentially playing the plurality of images. It may include a slideshow track area including information.

The timing information of each of the plurality of image data may include information about a section or a playback order of playing the media data on a timeline.

The slideshow track area may be configured to include playback section information, data location information, and data size information for each of the plurality of image data. The image to be played back may be searched and extracted from the media data area using the position and size information.

The image data included in the slideshow image data area may be a still image image compressed by a Joint Picture Expert Group (JPEG) or the like.

The timing information may be expressed using a language such as a light-weigh application scene representation (LASeR), a scalable vector graphics (SVG), or a binary format for scene (BIFS). In addition, the LASeR, SVG or BIFS may be implemented in XML (eXtensible Mark-up Language) format or Binary encoded format.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a method of constructing a slideshow using the timing information as described above. The slideshow image data area has six image data, and the audio data area has three audio data. In this case, the text data area has four text data.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the data may be synchronized and reproduced by timing information of image data, audio data, and text data included in the slideshow track area.

The media data are dependent on one timeline, but because they have separate timing information, the playback sections may not coincide with each other. Each of the media data included in the media data area preferably has playback section information, location information, and size information.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a configuration of an apparatus for encoding multimedia data according to the present invention. The illustrated encoding apparatus includes a file structure generator 100, a multimedia track generator 120, and a meta data. It may include a data generation unit 130.

As described above, the file structure generation unit 100 generates a structure of a multimedia file including a file type area, a file metadata area, a media information area, and a media data area.

The multimedia track generator 120 stores a plurality of input media data in a plurality of data areas, and generates a plurality of track areas corresponding to each of the plurality of data areas in the media information area. For example, the multimedia track generator 120 may correspond to a video track area corresponding to a video data area, an audio track area corresponding to an audio data area, a text track area corresponding to a text data area, and a slideshow image data area. You can create a slideshow track area. In addition, the multimedia track generation unit 120 may generate timing information of a plurality of media data for configuring a slideshow and store the timing information in the slideshow track area.

The metadata generator 130 generates metadata and stores the metadata in a file meta area, track meta area, or media meta area. In addition, the metadata generator 130 may generate the menu descriptor as described above and store the same in the menu description area.

The order in which the file structure generation unit 100, the multimedia track generation unit 120, and the metadata generation unit 130 as described above may be changed, and two or more operations may be performed at the same time.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a first embodiment of a configuration of an apparatus for decoding multimedia data according to the present invention. The illustrated decoding apparatus includes a data input unit 200, a parser 210, and a first decoder 220. ) And a second decoder 230. The operation of the decoding apparatus shown in FIG. 11 will be described with reference to a flowchart showing the first embodiment of the decoding method according to the present invention shown in FIG.

The data input unit 200 receives the multimedia data (step 500). The parser 210 extracts a menu descriptor from the input multimedia data in step 510.

The second decoder 230 displays the menu providing an interface between the user and the media data using the extracted menu descriptor (step 520).

Referring to FIG. 13, the second decoder 430 for displaying the menu may include a descriptor decoder 431 and a rendering unit 432. The descriptor decoder 431 decodes the menu descriptor to decode the menu. After extracting the information for display, the renderer 432 performs a rendering using the extracted information to display a menu.

The user may select a plurality of media contents included in the multimedia data, for example, a plurality of video contents included in a video data area, to be viewed using the displayed menu.

The parser 210 extracts media data corresponding to the media content selected by the user from the media data area of the multimedia data using a menu in step 530.

The first decoder 220 decodes the extracted media data (step 540) and displays the media content selected by the user (step 550).

Referring to FIG. 13, the first decoder 420 for decoding the media data may include a video decoder 421, an audio decoder 422, a text decoder 423, and an image decoder 424. The video decoder 421, the audio decoder 422, the text decoder 423 and the image decoder 424 respectively decode video data, audio data, text data and image data included in the media data area.

The parser 410 extracts timing information for configuring a slide show from the slideshow track area of the multimedia data, and the plurality of images decoded by the image decoder 424 uses the timing information to output an audio decoder 422 or a text decoder ( The audio data or text data decoded at 423 may be displayed in a slideshow in synchronization.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a second embodiment of a configuration of an apparatus for decoding multimedia data according to the present invention. The decoding apparatus illustrated in FIG. 12 includes a data input unit 300, a first parser 310, and a first decoder. And a second decoder 330 and a second parser 340. The operation of the decoding apparatus shown in FIG. 11 will be described with reference to a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the decoding method according to the present invention shown in FIG. A description of the same operation as described above with reference to FIGS. 10, 12, and 13 of the operation of the decoding apparatus shown in FIG. 11 will be omitted.

The data input unit 300 checks whether user history information, which is a record of a user's past input, exists in the input multimedia data (step 600).

If user history information exists, the first parser 310 extracts metadata including user history information from the input multimedia data, and the second orderer 340 extracts the user history from the extracted metadata. Extract the information.

As described above, the user history information may be input as a metadata file separate from the multimedia data file. In this case, the second parser 340 extracts the user history information from the input metadata file. .

In operation 610, the first decoder 320 decodes and displays the video data from which the viewing is stopped while the user watches, using the extracted user history information. The decoding apparatus according to the present invention may check before the step 610 whether the user should watch the video content from which the viewing is stopped from the stopping point.

If the user history information does not exist, it is checked whether the decoding apparatus can process the menu descriptor implemented by LASeR or the like (step 620).

If the decoding apparatus can process the menu descriptor, the second decoder 330 displays the menu using the menu descriptor extracted from the first parser 310 (step 640), and the first decoder 320 may be used by the user. The selected video content is decoded and displayed (step 650).

If the decoding apparatus cannot process the menu descriptor, the first decoder 320 decodes and displays the first video content among the plurality of video contents included in the video data area (operation 630).

However, even when the decoding apparatus may handle the menu descriptor, when the input multimedia data does not have the menu descriptor, as shown in step 630, the first decoder 320 may select one of the plurality of video contents included in the video data area. Decode and display the first video content.

The first video content may refer to video data that is positioned at the foremost position among data included in the video data area. In addition, in the case of video content and movie data having the highest priority among a plurality of video contents, It may also mean a main feature. The priority may be specified by a user.

The encoding / decoding apparatus according to the present invention described above is provided in a multimedia broadcasting transmission / reception apparatus such as digital audio broadcasting (DAB) or digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB), and may be used to encode / decode audio signals or audio signals. . The multimedia broadcasting transmission / reception apparatus may include a mobile communication terminal. In addition, the multimedia data having the above structure may be included in the multimedia broadcast signal.

The encoding / decoding method according to the present invention described above may be stored in a computer-readable recording medium that is produced as a program for execution on a computer, and multimedia data having a data structure according to the present invention may also be read by a computer. Can be stored in a recording medium. The computer readable recording medium includes all kinds of storage devices in which data that can be read by a computer system is stored. Examples of computer-readable recording media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage, and the like, and may also be implemented in the form of a carrier wave (for example, transmission over the Internet). Include. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. In addition, functional programs, codes, and code segments for implementing the user tracking method can be easily inferred by programmers in the art to which the present invention belongs. In addition, the bitstream generated by the above-described encoding method may be stored in the computer-readable recording medium or transmitted using a wired / wireless communication network.

The decoding apparatus according to the present invention described above may be provided in a mobile communication terminal, a multimedia player such as a portable multimedia player (PMP), and a playback device such as a personal digital assistant (PDA). In addition, the above-described decoding apparatus may be implemented in hardware and included in a reproduction apparatus or the like, or as described above, may be implemented in a reproduction apparatus in software.

While the above has been shown and described with respect to preferred embodiments of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, it is usually in the technical field to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims. Various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or the prospect of the present invention.

1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall structure of multimedia data according to the present invention.

2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of configuration of a menu that is a user interface.

3, 4, 7 and 8 illustrate embodiments of a structure of multimedia data according to the present invention.

5 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of configuration of chatering information included in metadata.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of configuration of summary information included in metadata. FIG.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a method of constructing a slideshow.

10 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a structure of a multimedia data encoding apparatus according to the present invention.

11 to 13 are block diagrams illustrating embodiments of a structure of a multimedia data decoding apparatus according to the present invention.

14 and 15 are flowcharts illustrating embodiments of a multimedia data decoding method according to the present invention.

Claims (16)

A media data area including a video data area, an audio data area and an image data area; A media information area including a plurality of track areas corresponding to each of the plurality of data areas; And a menu description area including menu information for displaying a menu providing an interface between a user and data included in the media data area. Displaying a menu using the menu information; And Extracting and decoding media data corresponding to a user input using the menu from among media data included in the media data area, The slideshow track area corresponding to the image data area includes timing information for composing a slideshow using a plurality of images included in the image data area, and includes the media data area, the media information area, and a menu description area. Multimedia data decoding method comprising the configuration of a file. The method of claim 1, And the menu description area is described as one of LASeR, SVG, and BIFS. The method of claim 2, Any one of the LASeR, SVG, and BIFS is implemented in XML foramt or binary encoded format. The method of claim 1, And wherein the menu displays information on a plurality of media contents included in the media data area. The method of claim 1, The menu includes a background image, wherein the animation effect included in the menu information is applied to the multimedia data decoding method. The method of claim 1, And the slideshow track area includes reproduction section information, position information, and size information of each of the plurality of images. The method of claim 1, The media data area further includes a text data area, the media information area includes a text track area corresponding to the text data area, The text track area may include timing information for displaying a plurality of character strings included in the text data area in synchronization with at least one of the plurality of media data included in the media data area. Way. The method of claim 1, The multimedia data decoding method of the multimedia data, characterized in that included in the broadcast signal. The method of claim 1, And multimedia data is stored in digital media. Generating a media data area comprising a video data area, an audio data area and an image data area; Generating a media information region including a plurality of track regions corresponding to each of the plurality of data regions; And Generating a menu description area comprising menu information for displaying a menu providing an interface between a user and the data contained in the media data area, The slideshow track area corresponding to the image data area includes timing information for composing a slideshow using a plurality of images included in the image data area, and includes the media data area, the media information area, and a menu description area. A multimedia data encoding method, comprising one file. The method of claim 10, The menu includes a background image, wherein the animation effect included in the menu information is applied to the multimedia data encoding method. The method of claim 10, And the slideshow track area includes play section information, position information, and size information of each of the plurality of images. The method of claim 10, The media data area further includes a text data area, the media information area includes a text track area corresponding to the text data area, The text track area may include timing information for displaying a plurality of character strings included in the text data area in synchronization with at least one of the plurality of media data included in the media data area. Way. A media data area including a video data area, an audio data area and an image data area; A media information area including a plurality of track areas corresponding to each of the plurality of data areas; And a menu description area including menu information for displaying a menu providing an interface between a user and data included in the media data area. A first decoder which displays the menu by decoding the menu information; And A second decoder configured to extract and decode media data corresponding to a user input using the menu from among media data included in the media data region, The slideshow track area corresponding to the image data area includes timing information for composing a slideshow using a plurality of images included in the image data area, and includes the media data area, the media information area, and a menu description area. Multimedia data decoding apparatus comprising one file. The method of claim 14, And the slideshow track area includes reproduction section information, position information, and size information of each of the plurality of images. A multimedia track generation unit generating a plurality of track areas corresponding to each of the video data area, the audio data area, and the image data area; A menu description area generator for generating a menu description area including menu information for displaying a menu providing an interface between a user and data included in the media data area; And A file structure generation unit configured to configure the plurality of track areas and a menu description area into one multimedia data file; The slideshow track area corresponding to the image data area includes multimedia data of each of the plurality of images for composing a slideshow using the plurality of images included in the image data area. Encoding device.

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