MXPA00007924A - Record carrier, and apparatus and method for playing back a record carrier, and method of manufacturing a record carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

Record carrier, apparatus and method for playing back a record carrier, method of manufacturing a record carrier. On a record carrier (1) of the invention on which is recorded at least a first stream of data (2) representing a video item, a second stream of data (3) representing a graphics item, a control program (4) for controlling interactive playback of said items. The program (4) has a first (130) and a second program portion (140). The first program portion (130) comprises primary data (130.1), relating to shape properties of a graphics object. The second program portion (140) is to be executed after the first program portion in case of compliance of user input with a predetermined condition specified in the program, which second program portion (140) specifies a visual feedback in response to the user input, that the second program portion (140) comprises secondary data (151-156), relating to at least an additional visual property of the graphics object. The invention also pertains to an apparatus and a method for playing back a record carrier and a method for manufacturing the record carrier.

Description

REGISTER CARRIER, AND APPARATUS AND METHOD TO REPRODUCE A REGISTRATION CARRIERS, AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF A REGISTRATION CARRIERS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an apparatus for reproducing a record carrier on which are recorded at least a first data stream representing a video element, a second data stream representing a graphic element, and a control program for controlling the interactive reproduction of the elements, the apparatus comprises, - means for selecting a data stream to be read from the carrier, means which are controlled by the control program, reading means for reading the control program and the selected stream of the record carrier, video generating means for generating a pixel-based representation of the video element in the first stream, - graphics generating means for generating a pixel-based representation of the graphic element in the second stream, - input means for receiving the user's input, an apparatus which is adapted to execute a first porc program of the control program comprising at least primary data related to the shape properties of a graphic object, to execute a test to make the user input comply with a condition specified in the control of the control program and to execute a second portion of the control program program to give visual feedback in response to user input, The invention is further related to a method for reproducing a record carrier, the method comprises the following steps, - reading a control program that has a first and second portions of the register bearer program, executing the first portion of the program comprising primary data relating to properties of a graphic object, - requesting the user's input, - performing a comprehensive test of the program so that user input meets one condition, - after user input comply with such condition, execute the second portion of the program to give visual feedback to the user input, - select a data stream that represents a video element and / or graphic element, the selection depends on the user input, - read the flow of the record carrier and generate a pixel-based representation of the element in the flow. The invention also relates to a record carrier on which at least one first data stream representing a video element is registered, a second data stream representing a graphic element, a control program for controlling reproduction interactive of the elements, program which has a first portion of the program that includes primary data related to properties of a graphic object and a second portion of the program which will be executed after the first portion of the program in case the user's input meets a predetermined condition specified in the program, the second portion of the program which specifies a visual feedback in response to user input. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a record carrier method according to which a first data stream representing a video element is stored in the record carrier, a second data stream representing a graphic element is stored in the record carrier. stored in the record carrier, - a control program for controlling the interactive reproduction of such elements is stored in the record carrier, which program has a first portion of the program which comprises primary data, related to properties of a graphic object and a second portion of the program which will be executed after the first portion of the program in case the user input meets a predetermined condition specified in the program, second portion of the program which specifies a visual feedback in response to user input, characterized in that the second portion of the program c it includes secondary data, related to at least one additional visual property of the graphic object.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The SVCD standard is set forth below in the writing of the work SC100B / NP177 / PTD-003 specifies an apparatus for reproducing elements of games, a game element is an element of audio, and / or video and / or graphic . In this way, if desired, a graphic element can be reproduced in a synchronized manner with a video element, for example, in the form of a subtitle that accompanies a video element. A representation based on pixels will be interpreted as a representation in the form of a two-dimensional array of image elements. According to the SVCD standard the apparatus comprises means for controlling the interactive reproduction of the elements in the record carrier by means of a reproduction control program. This program includes structures denoted as "game list" and "selection list". The first structure specifies a sequence of game elements to be executed sequentially. The last structure allows a user to choose which elements of the game will be reproduced and in what order. The selection list contains among other things a reference to an element of the game. The latter is for example a graphic element which comprises a graphic element representing a menu having different parts of the menu corresponding to the elements of the game in the record carrier that is available to the user. The parts of the menu, for example, are in the form of a brief description of the corresponding game element or a logo representing the available game element. The shape properties of a graphic object are defined as properties needed to reconstruct the shape of the graphic object in the pixel-based representation. In the SVCD standard, the shape properties are defined in the structure "visualization data" in the form of encoded data throughout the execution. The reference in the selection list is the primary data related to the properties of form given that it refers to the graphic element comprising the display data. The selection list also contains references to the elements of the game from which the user can make a choice (available game elements) and assigns a rectangular region to each of the available game elements. Indicating in a rectangular region, the user can focus on an available game element. That element of the available game can be later activated by the user, for example, by pressing a button. By focusing on or activating an available game element the menu part within the corresponding rectangular region is highlighted as a visual feedback after the user input. The distinction of the rectangular region is made by means of a color search table. In the rectangular region that corresponds to the game element that is focused or activated after the color search table is loaded with color values that differ from those outside the rectangular region. This has the disadvantage that only one part can be individually highlighted if that part of the menu has a rectangular part which does not contain another part of the menu. This restricts the feedback capabilities of the known apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION One purpose of the invention is to provide means which allow for improved feedback upon user input. According to this purpose, the apparatus is characterized in that the second program portion of the control program comprises secondary data which are related to an additional visual property of the graphic object, the apparatus being adapted to generate the visual feedback reproducing a representation based on pixels of the graphic object based on the primary data and the secondary data. According to this purpose the method for reproduction is characterized in that the second portion of the program comprises secondary data that relate to at least one additional visual property of the graphic object and because the visual feedback is a representation of the graphic object based on the primary and secondary data. According to this purpose, the record carrier of the invention is characterized in that the second portion of the program comprises secondary data., which are related to at least one additional property of the graphic object. According to this purpose, the method for manufacturing a record carrier is characterized in that the second portion of the program comprises secondary data related to at least one additional visual property of the graphic objects. The measures of the invention allow an improved response to the user input. According to these measures, the execution of the second portion of the program of the control program has the effect that an additional property to which secondary data are related is assigned to the graphic object, the properties of which were assigned in the first portion of the program. An attractive embodiment is characterized in that the graphic object comprises two or more parts, for example parts of the menu, which have mutually different color codes and because the secondary data relates to at least one color value which will be assigned to a code color. Assigning a color value to a part of a graphic object, instead of assigning the color to a region, it is possible to individually highlight that part even if there is not a region that exclusively contains that part. In practice, dozens of elements of the game may be available in the record carrier. In an attractive mode, the color code is represented by at least 6 bits. This allows the apparatus to separately highlight a part of the object that corresponds to each of the available game elements. Another additional visual property is for example visibility. This property can be used to selectively present one of a set of parts of an object. The set of parts of the object is for example a set of arrows which each point to an additional set of parts of the object each of which symbolize an element of the available game. Again, another additional property of a graphic object can be assigned, for example, to the place where it will be presented. An additional visual property of a graphic object is its orientation. The graphic object in the last two cases is for example an arrow, which is superimposed on a video image. Visual feedback is given by having the arrow pointing towards an object in the video image. Preferably the primary data relates to the shape properties since the primary data is a reference for a data structure comprising data forms representing the shape properties. This has the advantage that the control program can be relatively small, so that it can easily reside in the internal memory of a reproduction apparatus. Otherwise, the control program may comprise the shape data. In both cases the feedback to the user's input is not delayed by loading the data in a way, because the load has already taken place before the user's input is requested. Preferably, the data structure comprises additional data, the secondary data is related to an additional visual property since the secondary data comprises modification data which include a reference indicating the location of the additional data within the structure, the modification data and additional data that represent the additional visual property. This has the advantage that the modification data and with these the program can be compact. The structure comprising the shape data and the additional data may already be loaded into a memory of the apparatus before the user input is requested, so that the processing of additional data does not delay the visual feedback. The control program may comprise a plurality of first and second portions of the program, for example to represent a nested menu structure to the user. When data structures are not included in the program, but reference is made to this by means of the primary data only it needs to be present in the memory of that data structure which is relevant to the current request of the user input, so that the amount of memory required is limited. It is particularly advantageous if the data further comprises one or more color values. A relatively large set of color sets may be required to allow visual feedback in practical cases. Through this measure it is achieved that the set of color values does not need to be incorporated in the control program. The modification data included in the program are for example in the form of an order comprising the reference which instructs a reproduction apparatus to load one or more color values in a color lookup table starting from the location in the memory indicated by the reference. In an advantageous embodiment of the record carrier the data comprised in the second stream and the data related to a graphic object are in a form which can be processed by common graphic generating means. This has the advantage that an apparatus can be used in which the graphic generating means only generate a pixel-based representation of the graphic element in the second stream, but also generate the pixel-based representation of the graphic object.

The apparatus is preferably adapted to execute synchronized commands in the control program. This has the advantage that visual feedback can occur in a dynamic way. Dynamic visual feedback provides an effective way to alert the user. An attractive embodiment of the apparatus is characterized in that the graphics generating means comprise graphics decoding means for generating a representation based on intermediate pixels, storage means for storing the representation based on intermediate pixels and means for modifying graphics to generate a representation based on pixels from the intermediate pixel-based representation based on the modification data. This embodiment makes it possible to store the intermediate pixel-based representation of the graphic object before the user input is requested and calculate a pixel-based representation from the intermediate pixel-based representation after the user's input is received. With this, the response time between user input and visual feedback is further reduced. There are several possibilities to represent the shape of graphic objects. The date of the form can be for example in the form of a set of codes which indicate for each of a set of pixels whether this is a background pixel or if it is a pixel of the object. In the case that the object contains more than one part, the code can indicate to which part the pixels belong. The shape data can for other circumstances be in compressed form, for example in the form of a contour-based coding, for example, a coding of parts in the object in the form of a list of lines surrounding the object. In another embodiment the parts of the object are encoded in the form of a block code, where the shape of the part of the object is encoded in the form of a plurality of blocks of decreasing size. In a preferred embodiment, the shape data is compressed in the form of a long code. This has the advantage that the representation based on intermediate pixels can be generated with a relatively simple equipment while achieving a considerable reduction of data. It should be noted that the first and second flows are not necessarily separated from each other. They can be multiplexed into a common flow. Multiplexing the video and graphics flow is very useful if a video element and a graphic element (for example, by subtitling) are to be reproduced in a synchronized manner. In one embodiment of the apparatus of the invention it has digital outputs to provide a first, a second and a third image signal which respectively represent the pixel-based representation of the video element, the pixel-based representation of the graphic element and the based representation in pixels of the graphic object to a visual representation device. A third image signal is superfluous in one embodiment of the apparatus, wherein the graphics generating means generates both the pixel-based representation of the graphic element and the pixel-based representation of the graphic object. The visual representation device referred to in the preceding paragraph may in turn have combining means to generate a pixel-based visual representation resulting from the image signals, and a video image generator to generate a video signal from the resulting pixel-based representation. Otherwise, the display device may have a video generator to generate an elementary video signal for each of the incoming image signals and combination means to generate a resulting video signal from the elementary video signals. . The combination means may for example superimpose the image / video signals or temporarily select one of the image / video signals or locally select one of the image / video signals.

The modification data of a graphic object may contain data related to the scenario of the combination means. Such a visual representation device can be integrated with the apparatus of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other aspects are elucidated in greater detail with reference to the drawings. Here: Figure 1 schematically shows a record carrier according to the invention, Figure IA schematically shows a data structure stored in the record carrier, Figure 2 shows a flow chart of the control program, Figure 3 shows an example of a form of visual feedback, Figure 4 shows a further example of visual feedback, Figure 5 shows schematically an embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 schematically shows a record carrier 1 according to the invention. On the record carrier is recorded at least a first data stream 2 representing a video element. A video element is preferably encoded in the MPEG format. The record carrier comprises a second data stream 3 representing a graphic element. The second stream 3 is in the form of a sequence of graphic pages. Such pages comprise data so that they represent properties of at least one graphic object and modification data representing additional visual properties of the graphic object. In the present example the second flow 3 is separated from the first flow 2. Otherwise the first and second flows can be multiplexed. For example, the first stream is encoded in an MPEG2 transport stream and the second stream is accommodated in the form of a private data stream in the MPEG2 transport stream. In a preferred embodiment, a graphic page comprises, in addition to the shape data and the modification data, a header and color look-up table data, also denoted as elut data. The content of a graphic page is indicated in detail in Table 1. In it, those four categories of data are indicated with capital letters: Table 1: Syntax of a graphic page Table 1: Syntax of a graphic page (continued) Table 1: Syntax of a graphic page (continued) The semantics of the fields included in the graphic page is as follows. In the "HEADER" category: * page_init_code indicates how many bits per pixel the graphic page will be presented. For example, the values 0x4734 and 0x4738 respectively indicate that a presentation at 4 bits per pixel and a presentation at 8 bits per pixel is intended. * page_data length indicates the length of the graphic page in bits * duration specifies the length of the time interval during which the graphic page will be presented * reserved and reserved2 space for future developments. In the category "COLOR SEARCH TABLE" * clmp_data_length indicates the number of data bits in the color lookup table. * Y_element_clut, Cr_element__clut, Cb_element _clut and bit_fill respectively represent the luminance data for a CLUT input, the chrominance data CR for the CLUT input, the chrominance data is seen for the CLUT input and a fill bit, the last for the example has the value of 0x00. In the category "FORM DATA": * number_of_objects indicates the number of graphic objects that are included in the graphic page. * total_object_data_length indicates the total number of bits for all object_data. * data_object is described in more detail with reference to Table 2. In the category "MODIFICATION DATA": The modification data is the form of one or more orders in a control structure ^ page. This last structure is described in more detail with reference to Table 6.

Table 2: Syntax of data object Syntax No. of bits code start data object 16 length data object 24 width object 10 height object 10 Reserved 2 Bpp 2 Table 2: Syntax of data object Syntax No. of bits length_datos_campo_superior 16 length_datos_campo_inferior 16 for (i = 0; i < height_object; i ++ { line_of_pixel_data_to_field_superior () end_of_line_code} for (i = 0; i <object height; i ++). { line_of_pixel_data_for_the_lower_field () end_of_code_line} if (! aligned word ()). { bit zero The following semantic definition applies to the fields shown in this table. * object_data_start_code has a default value which indicates the start of the object_data. * object_id can be used to identify different objects within a graphic page. * object_data_length specifies the number of bytes in an object. * width_object indicates the number of pixels in each horizontal line of the graphic object. * object height indicates the number of lines in each of the two fields that comprise the graphic object. * bpp defines the number of bits per pixel in the decoded graphic object. The number of bits is for example defined according to Table 3.

Table 3: Example of a definition of bpp. Bpp Meaning '00' reserved 01 '2 bits per pixel? 10' 4 bits per pixel? Ll '8 bits per pixel * upper_field_data_length is an integer equal to the total number of bits of all the pixel data for the upper field including the code_line_finish. * lower_field_data_length is an integer equal to the total number of bytes of all the pixel data for the lower field including the code_line_finance. * end_of_line_code is a field that contains a default value to indicate the end of each line.

* The fields pixel_line_for_the_lower_field () and pixel_line_for_the_lower_field () can comprise one or more data blocks corresponding to the syntax of the data_line_line as described in Table 4.

Table 4 Syntax of line_of_pixel_data syntax No. of bits data type 8 if (data_types == 0xl0). { code_of_block_bpp2 () end_of_code_bpp2} if (data_types == Oxll). { code_of_block_bpp4 () end_of_code_bpp4_} if (data_types == 0x12 { codeblock_bpp8 () while (! bitalineado () { bit cero The following semantic definitions apply to the elements in the table: * datos_datos identifies the type of information in the block of code immediately after this field. identified according to Table 5.

Table 5 meaning of data_type.

A code_code_bpp2 () comprises encoded data along the execution of a pixel or a sequence of pixels with color codes in the range of 0-3. In an example of such code_block_bpp2 it is the code as described in PHB 34241, which is incorporated by reference in the present description.

The end_of_code_bpp2 () field has a predetermined content, for example six zero bits to indicate the end of a code_block_bpp2. A code_code_bpp4 () comprises encoded data along the execution of a pixel or a sequence of pixels with color codes in the range of 0-15. The code_block_bpp4 () can be defined in a way analogous to the code_block_bpp2 (). The end_code_bpp4 field has a predetermined content, for example eight zero bits, to indicate the end of a code_bpp_block. A code_code_bpp8 () comprises data encoded along the execution along a pixel or a sequence of pixels with color codes in the range of 0-255. The_code_bpp8 () can be defined in a way analogous to the code_block_bpp8 (). The end_code_bpp8 field has a predetermined content, for example eight zero bits, to indicate the end of a code_block_bpp8. To achieve that the field data_line comprises an integer number of bytes, the field is completed with zero bits if necessary according to the instruction "while (! Bytealigned ()) { Bit zero.}.".

In the following description, the modification data defining the additional visual properties of a graphic object is worked out in more detail. The mode data is stored in the record carrier in the form of commands in a structure known as "page_control". The control_page syntax is described in Table 6.

Table 6 Control syntax-page Syntax No. of bits start control code page 16 Reserved 8 length control page 24 cycle count 16 while (length processed <length control page). { relative stamping time 32 order list () } The semantics of the fields in the previous table are described below: * code_initial_control_page is a predefined value which indicates the start of the control information of the page. * page_control_length is an unsigned integer which indicates the number of bytes in the page_control () after this field. * With the field count_cycle you can specify how many times the execution of the sequence of orders will be repeated. Preferably a value of zero means that the sequence of commands is executed once. * The relative_time_lamp field allows a timing of executing order_list after this field. * The field list_orders comprises one or more orders which define additional properties of a graphic object. The syntax of the list_orders field is described in Table 7.

Table 7 Syntax lists orders Table 7 Syntax lists orders (continued) The semantics of the fields included in the table are the following. * length_list_list is an unsigned integer that indicates the number of bytes occupied by the orders after this field. * An order () determines a property of an object to be presented. The order has a first byte that indicates the type of order and can have additional bytes that form arguments of the order: An example is a "cut_load_page" command which assigns colors to the color codes. The syntax of this order is defined in Table 8.

Table 8 Syntax of the order "clut_load_page ' Table 8 Syntax for the command "clu _charge_page '(continued) The semantics of this order is as follows: * order_code is the field that identifies the order. It is intended that this order be to load data into a color lookup table that assigns colors to the color codes. When this order is executed, a number of elements_clut is ordered equal to the number_of_inputs of the CLUT data included in the graphic page in the color search table. The data is loaded in ascending order. The cron_data_initial element is the index of the first clut_ element in the CLUT data that is loaded. It is also loaded in the entry of the color search that has the index entry_inicio_clut. The record carrier further comprises a control program 4 for controlling the reproduction of video and / or graphics and / or audio elements. By way of example, Figure 2 shows a flow chart schematically showing a method for reproducing a record producer according to the invention. In a first section of the program 110 the control program 4 is read from the record carrier. The control program 4 for example has the form of a set of linked lists. The set comprises at least a first type of list, hereinafter denoted as a list of games that defines a set of audio and / or video elements and / or graphics that are reproducible in sequence. The set also comprises a second type of list, hereinafter denoted as a selection list which defines the bifurcation in the sequence of the elements of the game on the control of the user. In the present example, the control program starts with a list of games. Consequently, this list of games is executed in the section of the program 120. This list of games can for example show an overview of the contents of the record carrier. If the execution of the game list is defined or interrupted, the control goes to the first selection list. The selection list has a first portion that forms a first portion of the program and a second portion that forms a second portion of the program. The first portion of the program executed in the program section 130 comprises primary data 130.1 related to the shape properties of a graphic object. In this mode the primary data is known as the data structure 5. This data structure, which is shown schematically in Figure IA, comprises data of form 5.3, which represent the shape properties of the graphic object. In the present example, the data structure 5 also contains other data, ie the header 5.1, the data of the color search table 5.2 and the modification data 5.4, required to make a graphic page as described in Table 1 The data structure 5 and the control program 4 are stored in mutually non-superimposed data areas in the record carrier 1, so that the record carrier 1 can be easily loaded from the record carrier without loading the data structure 5. During the execution of the first portion of the program 130 the data structure 5 is read from the record carrier 1 and stored in a memory. By executing the first portion of the program 139, a graphic image is generated that represents one or more objects on the graphic page 5. The user is then requested to input it. The selection list comprises a portion signal 140, comprising program sections 141-146, which form a second portion of the program. The second portion 140 is to be executed after the first portion of the program 130 in the event that the user input meets a predetermined condition specified in the program. The latter is verified in the program sections 131, 132, 133 and 134. The program section 131 discriminates the selection I, II or III indicated by the user and the sections of the program 132, 133 and 134 discriminate if the user focuses (F) or a selection is activated (A). The second portion of the program 140 has program sections 141, 146 specified by a visual feedback in response to user input. The second portion of the program 140 comprises secondary data (151-156). Secondary data comprises modification data which includes a reference to the additional data to the additional data within the data structure 5. Here the additional data comprises one or more color values in the CLUT 5.2 data in the data structure 5. More particularly, the modification data is a "clut_load_page" order as described with reference to Table 8. The reference to the additional data is formed by the entry "clutch_start_initiation" mentioned in the table. In particular, the second portion of the program comprises three groups of modification data, 151 + 152, 153 + 154, 155 + 156 for each of the three selections. Each group of modification data has a first subgroup 151, 153 and 155 and a second subgroup 152, 154 and 156. The first subgroup of modification data is to be assigned to the graphic object if a user focuses on the corresponding selection.

The second group will be assigned to the graphic object if the user activates the corresponding selection. The modification data in each of the first and second subgroup differ from each other in that the clut_load_page commands have mutually different values in the entry denoted by the clut_data_initial_ element. Activating a selection executes a reproducible element corresponding to that selection in the section of the program 147, 148 or 149. Focusing on a selection not yet executed, however the user can indicate that this selection will be executed if given below an order to activate. The second portion of the program 140 comprises a reference to a list (for example a list of games) to be executed if the corresponding selection is activated. An example of an initial graphic image generated for such purpose is shown in Figure 3. The data of form 5.3 in the data structure 5 referenced by the primary data in the first program portion 130 of the control program comprises at least data from form of a graphic object comprising the following parts of the object: a first 201, a second 202 and a third arrow 203 and the words "choose an option" 204. The graphic object further comprises the words: "option I" 205, " option II "206 and" option III "207. These words correspond respectively to the first I, second II, and third III selection. The background, which does not pretend to the object, is indicated by the reference number 200. During the processing of the first portion of the program 130, the representation based on intermediate pixels is generated from the data of form 5.3, which are referred by the primary data 130.1. In the representation based on intermediate pixels, each pixel is assigned a color code corresponding to one of the parts of the object (201-207) or the background (200). The color code is represented by at least 6 bits, here 8 bits. Subsequently, a representation based on pixels is obtained by means of a color search table which assigns a color value that represents a color to each of the color codes. The following table gives an example of how the color codes are assigned to the background and the parts of the object and how the colors are assigned to the color codes.

The result of the color assignment that only the first 201 of the three arrows 201-203 is visible, so that it is clear to the user that initially the selection I referred to by "option I" was focused. At the moment in which the user provides an entry indicating that it is desired to focus on another selection, for example indicating with a indicating device, a second portion of the list executed. If, for example, the user indicates a rectangular area corresponding to the words "option II", a pixel-based representation of the graphic object is reproduced on the basis of the primary data 130.1 and the relevant secondary data, here the modification data 153. In the present example the modification data 153 in the form of an order 153 clut__load_page. The execution of this order has the effect that a set of memory color values is read starting at a place indicated by clut_start_initial_factor and written in the color lookup table starting at the place of clut_home entry. The number of color values written in the color search table is defined by the number_of_inputs. This has the effect that the color values corresponding to the colors "blue", "red", "blue" respectively are assigned to the color codes 5, 6 and 7 respectively. Now the arrow 2 becomes visible and the arrow 1 becomes invisible so that it is clear to the user that the second selection II is now focused. In the same way the arrow 3 can be made visible, to focus on the third selection III. If a user decides to activate a selection so that the corresponding reproduced item is played, the part of the corresponding object can be highlighted by assigning additional modification data in the second portion of the selection list, until such portion is actually executed. For example, the words "option II" corresponding to the third selection III can be highlighted by assigning a color value corresponding to a bright shade of green to a color indicator 4 in the program section 146. To give even more noticeable feedback the secondary data in the second portion of the program 140 may contain page_control information comprising a first time_relative_state, a first order_list, a second relative stamped time and a second command_list. For the first time_relative_state a value corresponding to a time interval of 0 second is set, so that the first list_orders is executed immediately after activation by the user. This first list_orders, for example, comprises again an order which assigns the color value corresponding to the bright shade of green to the color code 4. The second time_relative_step is that corresponding to a time interval of, for example, 1 second. The second list_orders includes an order which assigns a color value corresponding to the color "green" again to the color code 4. This page_control information has the effect that the words "option III" shine. The commands can be repeated a number of times which is specified by the count_cycle field in the page_control information (see Table 6). At the moment when the activated element starts playing, the presentation of the graphic page is interrupted. The apparatus of the invention has already executed the first portion of the program, i.e. a first portion of the selection list when the user is suggested to enter. After the user input the device only has to execute commands which assign additional visual properties to the graphic object, the form of which has already been described in the data in a manner referred to by the primary data in the first portion of the list. It is not necessary to load the data again, so that the device can give a quick feedback to the user input. As an example, a record carrier of the invention may comprise travel information about a plurality of countries. For that purpose, the record carrier executes elements for each of those cities. The selection of executing elements is activated by a control program in the record carrier. The first portion of that control program comprises primary data in the form of a reference to form data which is comprised in a complete graphic page. This graphic page, which is the form shown in table 1, represents a map showing the plurality of countries, for example the countries 301-308 as illustrated in Figure 4. For each of the parts of the object that represents a country was assigned a unique color code and each color code was assigned an initial color value so that two neighboring countries do not have the same color. The color code is represented by at least 6 bits, here 8 bits. Afterwards, the user is asked to enter. By indicating a place on the map, the user can focus on one of the countries. Thereafter the user enters a second portion of the program of the control program comprising secondary data executed so that a new pixel-based representation of the graphic object is reproduced on the basis of the primary data and the secondary data. In the present example, the secondary data is another set of color values to which color codes will be assigned. This has the effect that the part of the object 301 that represents the country that is being focused is presented with a different color, preferably a color that is not found in another part of the map. In a method according to the SVCD standard, the user input would be reflected by highlighting a rectangular region 310 that contains country 301. This would have the effect, however, that also neighboring countries 302-308 are highlighted since they are locked in that region. region 310. This confuses the user because it is not clear which country is being targeted. Another disadvantage is that it is not possible to use a single color to highlight, because it would imply that at the borders between the focused countries and their neighboring countries were not visible within the rectangular region 310. Figure 5 shows schematically an apparatus for reproducing a register carrier as described with reference to Figure 1. The apparatus comprises means 421, here in the form of a central processor, which are controllable by the control program. The apparatus further comprises reading means 410. The reading means 410 is provided with control means 411 for selecting data, for example a data stream, in the record carrier after instructions given by address signals 412 of the central processor 421 The reading means serve to read the control program 4 and the selected flow of the record carrier. An output 413 of the reading means 410 is coupled to the collective conductor of the system 420 of a customary computer system to give and read information about the path of a data signal 414. In addition a central processor 421, a RAM 422 and a ROM 423 are connected to the collective conductor of the system 420. The apparatus is provided with input means 424 and 425 for receiving the user input. The apparatus further has demultiplexing means 430 for receiving the data stream of the reading means 410 via the collective conductor of the system 420. The demultiplexing means 430 demultiplexes the data stream in a first stream, and a second data stream and a third flow of data which are contained in the data flow. A first output 431 of the demultiplexing means 430 is coupled to an input buffer 440 of the video decoding means 441 to reproduce a pixel-based representation 442 of the video element of the first stream. A second output 432 of the demultiplexing means 431 is coupled to an input buffer 450 of a first page store 451 for the graphics decoding means. A third output 433 of the demultiplexing means 430 is coupled to an input buffer 431 of the audio decoding means 432. It is intended that the first page store 451 serve to store a graphic page. An output of the page store 451 is coupled to a first input 452 of the selection means 454a. An output of the selection means 454 is coupled with the graphics decoding means 455 to generate an intermediate pixel-based representation 456 of the shape data in the second stream. In the representation based on intermediate pixels 456 each pixel is assigned a color code corresponding to a part of the object. An output of the graphics decoding means 455 is coupled to the decoding means 457A and 457B to generate a pixel-based representation 458 of the intermediate pixel-based representation 456 and the modification data. In the present embodiment, the decoding means comprises a color lookup table 457a which assigns a color to each color code generated by the graphics coding means 455, a combination table 457B which allocates a combination factor to each color code and a 457C combiner or mixer. The combiner or mixer 457C generates a pixel-based representation 458 of the incoming signals, i.e. the signal 442 representing the pixel-based representation of the video element of the pixel-based representation generated by the modification means 457A and 457B and a return signal generated by a background generator 459. The weighting factors for combining the signals received by the combiner or mixer 457C are determined by the signal generated by the combination table 457B. The graphics decoding means 455, the color search table 457A, the color combination table 457B and the combiner or mixer 457C form the graphics generating means. The apparatus is adapted to execute a first portion of the program 130 of the control program 4 comprising at least first data related to the shape properties of a graphic object. The apparatus is further adapted to execute at least 131-134 for the user input to meet a condition specified in the control program 4 and to execute a second portion of the program 140 of the control program 4 to give a visual feedback in response at the user's entrance. The apparatus of the invention is characterized in that it is adapted to execute a control program 4 in which the second portion of the program 140 comprises secondary data 151-156 which relate to an additional visual property of the graphic object. The apparatus of the invention is further adapted to generate visual feedback by reproducing a pixel-based representation 458 of the graphic object on the basis of the primary data 130.1 and the secondary data 151-156. Up to that point the apparatus comprises a second page store 460 for storing a page 5 comprising data of form 5.3 and modification data 5.4 of the graphic object. At the input of the second input store 460 is coupled to the collective conductor of the system 420, so that the central processing unit 421, when processing a control program 4, can load the data structure 5 comprising the data form 5.3 and the modification data 5.4 in the second page store 460. During processing of the first program portion 130 of the control program 4, the apparatus loads the data structure comprising the form data 5 from a location in the carrier of record 1 referred by the primary data 130.1. An output of the second page store 460 is coupled to a second input 453 of the selection means 454. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the graphics decoding means 455, here in the form of an operating length decoder, generates the representation based on intermediate pixels 456 on the basis of the primary data in the control program 4. The graphics modification means 457A, 457B and 457C generate the pixel-based representations 458 of the representation based on intermediate pixels 456 on the basis of the secondary data in the control program 4.

Here the secondary data are the modification data comprised in a control program 4. The apparatus has storage means 461 for storing an intermediate representation 456 of a graphic object, so that it is not necessary to recalculate the intermediate representation 456 each time a new modification is loaded into the second page store 460. The number of physical components may be limited because the graphics generating means 455, 457A, 457B, 457C are both used to generate a pixel-based representation of the elements 458 graphics in the second stream 3 delivered by the second 432 of the demultiplexer 430 and the graphic objects referred to by the control program 4. In order to achieve that each of the graphic image is reproduced from the second stream 3 or from the graphic objects referred to by the control program 4, selection means 454 selects one of the signals received in the first and second gives entries 452, 453 of them. The selection is determined by a control signal Sw sent by CPU 421 to selection means 454 via the collective conductor of system 420. The apparatus is adapted to execute timing commands in the control program. Up to that point the apparatus comprises timing means 462.

Claims (25)

1. CHAPTER CLAIMING Having described the invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, what is claimed is contained in the following CLAIMS: 1. An apparatus for reproducing a record carrier on which are recorded at least a first data stream representing a video element, a second data stream representing a graphic element, and a control program for controlling the interactive reproduction of the elements, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises, means for selecting a data stream to be read from the record carrier, means in which they are controllable by the control program, reading means for reading the program of control and selected stream of the record carrier, - video generating means for generating a pixel-based representation of the video element in the first stream, - graphic generating means for generating a pixel-based representation of the graphic elements in the second flow, - input means for receiving the user input, apparatus which is adapted to execute a first portion program program of the control program which comprises at least primary data (130.1) related to the shape properties of a graphic object, to execute a test so that the user input complies with a condition specified in a control program and to execute a second portion of the control program program to give visual feedback in response to user input, which comprises, a second portion of the control program program comprises secondary data which relate to an additional visual property of the graphic object, the The object is adapted to generate visual reproduction by reproducing a pixel-based representation of the graphic object on the basis of the primary data (130.1) and the secondary data. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the graphic object comprises two or more parts having mutually different color codes, and because the secondary data is related to at least one color value which is to be assigned to a color code. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the color code is represented by at least 6 bits. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the primary data (130.1) relates to the shape properties since the primary data comprises a reference to a data structure comprising data in a form that represents the shape properties. 5. The apparatus in accordance with the claim 4, characterized in that the data structure further comprises data and that the secondary data is related to the additional visual property since the secondary data comprises modification data which include a reference indicating the location of the additional data within the structure of the data. data, modification data and additional data represent the additional visual property. 6. The apparatus in accordance with the claim 5, characterized in that the additional data comprise one or more color values. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the graphic generating means also generate the pixel-based representation of the graphic object. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus is adapted to execute timing commands in the control program. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the graphics generating means comprises graphics decoding means for generating a representation based on intermediate pixels, storage means for storing the representation based on intermediate pixels and graphic modification means for generating a pixel-based representation of representation based on intermediate pixels based on the modification data. 10. The apparatus in accordance with the claim 9, characterized in that the graphics decoding means comprise a decoder of execution length. 11. A method for reproducing a record carrier, the method comprising the following steps, - reading a control program having a first and a second portions of the record carrier, executing the first portion of the program comprising primary data related to the shape properties of a graphic object, - requesting the user's input, - performing a comprehensive test of the program so that the user's input meets a condition, - after the user's input meets such a condition of executing the second portion of the program for the visual feedback given to the user input, - selecting a data stream representing a video element and / or a graphic element, the selection depends on the input of the user, - reading the data stream of the user of the user. register and generate a representation based on pixels of the element in the flow, characterized in that the portion of the second program comprises dat The secondary objects related to at least one additional visual property of the graphic object and because the visual feedback is a representation of the graphic object on the basis of the primary data and the secondary data. 12. The method in accordance with the claim 11, characterized in that the graphic object comprises two or more parts having mutually different color codes, and in that the secondary data relates to at least one color value which will be assigned to a color code. 13. The method according to the claim 12, characterized in that the color code is represented by at least 6 bits. 14. The method according to the claim 11, characterized in that a data structure comprising a flow of data representing shape properties of the graphic object is read from a place in the record carrier, which is referenced by the primary data before the step of requesting user input . The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the data structure further comprises data, since the secondary data is related to the additional visual property since the secondary data comprises modification data which include a reference indicating the location of the additional data within the data structure, the data structure is stored in a memory before the user's input is requested, and the additional data is retrieved from a place in the memory indicated by the reference included in the secondary data after it has been received in the user's data. 16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that the additional data comprise one or more values. 17. A record carrier on which are recorded at least a first data stream representing a video element, a second data stream representing a graph element, a control program for controlling the interactive reproduction of the elements , program which has a first portion of the program that includes primary data related to properties of a graphic object and a second portion of the program which will be executed after the first portion of the program in case the user input complies with a predetermined condition specified in the program, second portion which specifies a visual feedback in response to user input, characterized in that the second portion of the program comprises secondary data, related to at least one additional visual property of the graphic object. 18. The record carrier according to claim 17, characterized in that the graphic object comprises two or more parts having mutually different color codes and because the secondary data is related to at least one color code value which is going to be assigned to a color code. 19. The record carrier according to claim 17, characterized in that the color code is represented by at least 6 bits. 20. The record carrier according to claim 17, characterized in that the primary data is related to the shape properties and that the primary data comprises a reference to a data structure comprising data in a way that represents the shape properties. 21. The apparatus in accordance with the claim 20, characterized in that the data structure further comprises data and that the secondary data is related to the additional visual property since the secondary data comprises modification data which include a reference indicating the location of the additional data within the structure of the data. data, modification data and additional data represent the additional visual property. 22. The record carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional data comprise one or more color values. 23. The record carrier according to claim 17, characterized in that the data comprised in the second stream and the data related to the graphic object are in a form which can be processed by common graphic generating means. 24. The record carrier according to claim 17, characterized in that the shape properties of the graphic object are represented in the form of encoded data throughout the execution. 25. A method for manufacturing a record carrier, method in which a first data stream representing a video element is stored in the record carrier, - a second data stream representing a graphic element is stored in the record carrier , a control program to control the interactive reproduction of the elements is stored in the record carrier, program which has a first portion of the program which comprises primary data (130.1), related to the shape properties of a graphic object and a second portion of the program which is to be executed after the first portion of the program in the event that the user's input meets a predetermined condition specified in the program, second portion of the program which specifies a visual feedback in response to user input, characterized in that the second portion of the program comprises secondary data, related to at least one additional visual property of the graphic object.