WO2003091908A1 - Index management method, index display method, recording/reproduction device, and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

When recording index information (1l, 1m, 1n) of a plurality of data files recorded on a recording medium on that recording medium, arbitrary position information (1r, 1v, 1x) of each data file is stored in the index information. When a folder of a certain hierarchy is selected according to this position information, the data file stored in this folder and a book mark image of the data file are displayed at a high speed. Thus, by managing the book mark information by using the index management information, it is possible to instantaneously display and reproduce the book mark registered by a user only by referencing the index information.

Description

 Specification

Index management method, index display method, recording / reproducing device, and recording medium

Technical field

 The present invention records digital data such as a moving image, a still image, and sound on a magnetic disk such as a magneto-optical disk, an optical disk, or a hard disk, or a recording medium such as a semiconductor memory, and a representative image of the recorded digital data. More specifically, the present invention relates to an index management method, an index display method, a recording / reproducing device, and a recording medium using the technology, in which an index screen is displayed and data recorded from the index screen is reproduced. ·

Background art

 In recent years, personal computers, DVD recorders, digital cameras, and the like have become widespread as recording and reproducing devices for recording and reproducing data such as video and audio. These recording / reproducing devices are equipped with an index screen for displaying a list of recorded images, and a representative image of data recorded on the recording medium is displayed as a list of reduced still images. ing. The index screen displays a list of recorded data on the screen. This index screen allows the user to instantly select and play back the data to be played.

However, as the number of recorded data increases, the number of indexes also increases, and it becomes difficult to display all indexes on the display screen. For this purpose, techniques such as closing the index screen, providing a folder that can store files, and classifying index images have been adopted. In addition, the conventional recording / reproducing apparatus has a bookmark function that can register an arbitrary position in a recorded video or the like. Registered using the bookmark function As with the index image, a bookmark displays the image at the bookmark position of the moving image, and by selecting that image, playback can be started from the registered bookmark position (or time).

 Information for displaying the index screen is recorded in the index management information, and by selecting an index, the index information managed by the index management information is referred to, and the representative image recorded in the index information is displayed. It is displayed. Information for displaying the bookmark screen can be obtained by referring to the bookmark information stored in the overnight management information, and the representative image recorded in the bookmark information is displayed.

 Hereinafter, the structure of the conventional index file will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional data structure recorded on a recording medium. The conventional data structure recorded on the recording medium is composed of logical management information 10a and a data area 10b, as shown in FIG.

 The logical management information 10a is management information managed by a file system such as FAT (File Alloc ati on Tab 1 e) or UDF (Universal Disk Format). Information for referencing the file recorded in Ob is stored. The overnight area 10b is an area in which files managed by the logical management information 10a are recorded.

 Data area 10b stores multiple files up to file # 1 (10bl), file # 2 (10b2), file # 3 (10b3), and file #n (10b4). ing.

File # 1 (10bl) records an index file 10c for referring to the recorded data file. File # 2 (10b2) records data # 1 management information 10d and data # 1 (10e) for videos, still images, audio, text, etc. File # 2 (10b2) records data # 2 management information 10f and data # 2 (10g) such as video, still images, audio, and text Have been. File #n (10b4) records data #n management information 1 Oh and data #n (10i) such as video, still image, audio, and text. The empty area 10j is an area where nothing is recorded. The index file 10c includes index management information 10k for referring to the index information in the index file 10c, a plurality of index information # 1 (101), index information # 2 (10m), and index information #. n (10 n) is recorded. Index information # 2 (10m) includes header information 100 for storing file name and file attribute information, and representative image (thumbnail 10ml) or title 10m2, which is representative data of data # 2 (10g), or It consists of an intro 10m3. When the recorded data is an image, the representative data is management information including the representative image. When the recorded image is sound, the representative data is management information including the sound of the point. If the recorded data is an AV stream, it may include both the representative image and the intro sound. In addition, the representative data may be management information including text data for recording a title such as a date and a name of a recorded file.

 Data such as moving images, still images, and audio are recorded in data files along with data management information that is management information for reproducing data. The data # 2 management information 10 f includes header information 10 t for referring to management information recorded in the data management information, attribute information 10 u such as a data type of the bookmark image information and data creation date and time, and a bookmark position. Information and bookmark images are stored for each specified bookmark.

The bookmark # 1 position information 10 V stores the position information corresponding to the bookmark # 1 position 10 z 1 in the data # 2 (10 g). This position information is stored as the number of offset bytes from the beginning of data # 2 (10 g) or the playback time with data # 2 (10 g) as the origin. Bookmark # 1 Image 10w is the data corresponding to the location information stored in bookmark # 1 Location information 10V # 2 ( The image data for one frame in 10 g) is stored as a reduced image. Similarly, bookmark # 2 location information 10 X stores the location information corresponding to bookmark # 2 location 10 z 2 in data # 2 (10 g). The position information is stored as the number of offset bytes from the beginning of data # 2 (10 g) or as the playback time with data # 2 (10 g) as the origin. For bookmark # 2 image 10 y, one frame of image data # 2 (10 g) corresponding to the position information stored in bookmark # 1 position information 10 X is stored as a reduced image .

 Next, with reference to FIG. 11, FIG. 12 and FIG.

 Fig. 11 (1) and Fig. 11 (2) are schematic diagrams of the conventional index screen.

The representative image of a file and the representative image of a bookmark are displayed without displaying the folder shown in the directory structure in the index file shown in Fig. 4.The directory structure in the index file shown in Fig. 4 is the root folder. In the lower layer of 4a, an animal folder 4b, a child folder 4c, and a music folder 4d are stored.

 The lower layer of the animal folder contains animal 1 file 4e, animal 2 file 4f, and animal 3 file 4g. Further, a bookmark 1 (bkmkl) 4 ρ and a bookmark 2 (bkmk 2) 4 q are registered below the animal 1 file 4 e. In addition, a bookmark 1 (bk mk 1) 4 r is registered below the animal 3 file 4 g.

In the lower layer of the child folder 4c, a child 1 file 4h, a child 2 file 4i, a child 3 file 4], and a still image 1 file 4k are stored. Further, a bookmark 1 (bkmkl) 4 s is registered below the child 2 file 4 i. Under the music folder 4d, a POPS folder 41 and a music only folder 4m are stored. The music file 4 o is stored in the lower layer of the music only folder 4 m, the music video file 4 n is stored in the lower layer of the POPS folder 41, and the music video file 4 n is stored in the lower layer. The bookmark 1 (bkmkl) 4 t is registered.

 In Fig. 11 (1), the index display window 11A is a screen for displaying the index, and it is an animal 1 file 11e, animal 2 file 11f, animal 3 file 11g, child 1 file 11h, child 2 File 11 i, music 1 file 1 ln, still image 1 file 1 lk, child 3 file 11 j, and music 2 file 11 o are displayed.

 Buttons 11C and 11D are buttons for scrolling when the number of folders and files increases, and the bookmark display window 11B is a screen for displaying bookmarks. 1 IF is a button for scrolling when the number of bookmarks increases. Fig. 11 (2) shows the screen when the animal 1 file 11 e shown in Fig. 11 (1) is selected.The representative image obtained by reducing the image showing the position of the animal 1 file 11 e is displayed in the bookmark display window 11. In B, it is displayed as bookmark Γ1ρ and bookmark 1 1q.

 FIGS. 12 (1) and 12 (2) are schematic diagrams of a conventional index image, in which a folder, a file representative image, and a bookmark representative image shown in the directory structure in the index file shown in FIG. 4 are shown. it's shown.

 In FIG. 12 (1), an index display window 11A is a screen for displaying an index, in which an animal folder 12b, a child folder 12c, and a music folder 12d are displayed.

Fig. 12 (2) shows the screen when the animal folder 12b shown in Fig. 12 (1) is selected.Animation 1 file 12e, animal 2 file 12f, and animal 3 file 12g are displayed in the index display window. 11 A is displayed and the initial selection is In the case of file 12e, the arbitrary position of the already registered animal 1 file is displayed in the bookmark display window 11B as animal 1bkmk1 (12p) and animal lbkmk2 (12q). You.

 However, in the above-described conventional technique, since the data file is stored in the folder, the representative image cannot be displayed in the index display window 11A unless the lowermost folder is selected. For example, in FIG. 4, in order to display the music video file 4n in the index display window 11A, it is necessary to select the music folder 4d and further select the POPS folder 41.

 The bookmark image is stored as management information in the data file, and is positioned as data existing in the lower layer of the hierarchical file. Therefore, in order to display a bookmark image in the same way as a file stored in the hierarchical structure, select a folder, and unless the lowermost file is selected, display a bookmark image. Could not. For example, in Figure 4, to display bkmk l (4p), select animal folder 4b,

4 You must choose e.

Such an operation must be performed by the user, which complicates the operation for displaying an index image, which is a representative image of a required file. The bookmark image is stored as management information for each file, and is recorded in a file separate from the index file. For this reason, the operation procedure for acquiring the bookmark image becomes complicated, and it takes time to acquire the bookmark image. For example, in FIG. 10, in order to acquire a bookmark image, an index file 10c is acquired, and what kind of index information is searched based on the information of the index management information 1 Ok. Furthermore, index information # 2 (10m) is obtained, and from that information, data # 2 management information 10f stored in file # 3 (10b3) is obtained, and header information is obtained. Obtain bookmark # 1 image 10 w or bookmark # 2 image 10 y from information 10 t and attribute information 10 u.

 -Such an operation is required every time each bookmark is displayed. Even in the case of reproducing from the bookmark position, the bookmark position information must be obtained and reproduced by the same processing steps.

 The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and by managing bookmark information with index management information, a bookmark registered by a user can be instantaneously displayed and played back simply by referring to the index information. It is an object of the present invention to provide an index management method, an index display method, a recording / reproducing device, and a recording medium that can perform the operations.

 Note that Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-218158 discloses a technique for displaying the position of a moving image scene in an index manner. However, the technology described in the publication discloses a recording start time and a thumbnail recording time for the purpose of facilitating a search for a desired scene, and a method of displaying a desired scene based on a relationship between the difference times. This is a method of searching, and does not solve the above-described problem using classification by folders as in the present invention.

Disclosure of the invention

 An index management method according to the present invention is an index management method for recording index information of a plurality of data files recorded on a recording medium on the recording medium, wherein any position information of each data file is indexed by the index. The feature is to store it in information.

Here, the position information is time information from a reproduction start time in a recorded data file. The position information is the data amount from the beginning of the data file in the recorded data file. When the index information is the head of data, the position information is set to “0”. Further, the index information is a virtual tube. Information. In addition, the data of the data file corresponding to the location information is recorded. An index display method according to the present invention is a method of displaying index images of a plurality of data files hierarchically managed by a folder, wherein an index image included in a predetermined hierarchy and at least two levels below the hierarchy are displayed. This is characterized in that the index images included in the hierarchy are simultaneously displayed.

 Here, the index image is an image corresponding to an arbitrary position in the data file.

 An index management method according to the present invention is a method of managing index images of a plurality of data files hierarchically managed by a folder, wherein the index images included in at least two layers below a predetermined layer are stored in a folder. It is characterized by being stored in.

 A recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a data recording unit for recording data and management information for managing the data on a recording medium; and a management unit, a representative image, and attribute information of the recorded data. (A) index recording means for recording certain index information and index management information for managing the index information; (b) display means for displaying the recorded index management information; and (b) recording the index management information. Reproduction means for reproducing the recorded data, position information acquisition means for acquiring position information of the recorded data, and position information recording means for recording position information from the beginning of the data in the index information. It is characterized by including.

 Here, it is possible to output data corresponding to the position information recorded in the index information. Also, it is possible to refer to the position information recorded in the index information and start outputting from data corresponding to the position information.

 A recording medium according to the present invention is a recording medium for recording index information of a plurality of data files, and stores arbitrary position information of each data file.

It is characterized by being recorded in information. An index management method according to the present invention is an index management method for recording index information of a plurality of data files recorded on a recording medium on the recording medium, wherein any position information of the data file is stored as a data file. The index information is stored in the index information.

 Here, any position information of the data file recorded in the index information is

The position information of the data file recorded in the data file is the same as the position information of the same data file. The position information of the index information is independent of the position information of the data file. The position information of the index information is position information at which reproduction is stopped.

 The index management method according to the present invention is a method for managing a plurality of data recorded on a write-once recording medium.

-An index management method for recording index information of an evening file on the recording medium, wherein arbitrary position information of a data file is stored in the index information.

 The index management method according to the present invention is characterized in that data corresponding to arbitrary position information of each data file recorded in the index information is different from a data format of each data file.

 Since the index management method, the index display method, the recording / reproducing device, and the recording medium according to the present invention have the above-described configurations, it is possible to record bookmark information as index information in the index management information. A desired bookmark display can be realized only by referring to the management information. Also, index images and bookmark images to be acquired can be displayed instantaneously without selecting the lowest level folder or file.

 Hereinafter, an outline of specific configurations of the index management method, the index display method, the recording / reproducing device, and the recording medium according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

Fig. 2 (1) and Fig. 2 (2) show the index screen when the present invention is applied. It is a schematic diagram which shows a display example.

 2 (1) and 2 (2), an index display window 2A displays an animal folder 2b, a child folder 2c, and a music folder 2d. Potan 2C and Potan 2D are used to scroll when the number of folders and files increases, and Potan 2E and Potan 2F scroll when the number of bookmarks increases. It is a button to do.

 When animal folder 2b is selected, the bookmark display window 2B displays bookmark images of each file of animal 1 file 2e, animal 2 file 2f, and animal 3 file 2g stored in the animal file. The animal 1 bkmk1 bookmark 2p, the animal 1bkmk2 bookmark 2q, and the animal 3bkmk1 bookmark 2r are displayed.

 Fig. 2 (2) shows a screen displaying animal folder 2b and displaying files in the hierarchy below it. Animal 1 file 2e, animal 2 file 2f, and animal 3 file 2 The g index image is displayed. Here, if you select Animal 1 file 2 e, the bookmark display window shows the animal 1 b km k 1 bookmark 2 ρ, animal 1 b kmk 2 bookmark 2 registered only in animal 1 file 2 e. q is displayed.

 In addition, index information, which is a bookmark, can be registered in a folder in the same manner as conventional index information, so that a bookmark list folder or a bookmark desired by a user can be stored in the folder. Figure 3 shows an example of the display. If you select bookmark folder 3X in Fig. 3, you can display bookmark images of files stored in all folders.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure of a recording medium according to the present invention. Fig. 2 (1) is a schematic diagram of the initial index screen, and Fig. 2 (2) is a schematic diagram of the index screen when an animal folder is selected.

 Fig. 3 (1) is a schematic diagram of the initial index screen using a bookmark folder, Fig. 3 (2) is a schematic diagram of the index screen when a bookmark folder is selected, and Fig. 3 (3) is a music folder when a music folder is selected. Fig. 3 (4) is a schematic diagram of the index screen when a bookmark folder in the music folder is selected.

 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining the relationship between folders, files, and bookmarks registered in the index file.

 FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for registering a bookmark in an index file.

 Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the bookmark display procedure using the index file.

 FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure for registering a video file in bookmark management information.

 FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a conventional procedure for displaying a bookmark based on bookmark management information of a moving image file.

 FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention.

 FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure of a conventional recording medium.

 FIG. 11 (1) is a schematic diagram of a conventional initial index screen, and FIG. 11 (2) is a schematic diagram showing a conventional bookmark display when one animal file is selected. FIG. 12 (1) is a schematic diagram of a conventional initial index screen using folders, and FIG. 12 (2) is a schematic diagram showing a conventional bookmark display when one animal file in an animal folder is selected.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure when a part of the bookmark information recorded in the data file is stored in the index file. Figure 14 shows the bookmark location information.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the data overnight structure at the time of recording.

 FIG. 15 is a flowchart in the case where each bookmark position information is bookmark position information indicating the same time. '

 FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure when an index file and a shot moving image file are recorded on a write-once recording medium.

 Fig. 17 (1) Schematic diagram of the bookmark screen when the bookmark image corresponding to the bookmark position information displays the entire image, and Fig. 17 (2) shows the bookmark image corresponding to the bookmark position information. It is a schematic diagram of a bookmark screen when displaying a range.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

 Hereinafter, an embodiment of an index management method, an index display method, a recording / reproducing device, and a recording medium according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a data structure recorded on a recording medium.

 The data structure recorded on the recording medium is composed of logical management information 1a and data area 1b as shown in FIG.

 The logical management information l a is FAT (F i l e A l l o c a t i on Tab l e

) And UDF (Un iversa 1 Disk Format) are management information managed by the file system.Information for referring to the file recorded in the data area 1b is stored. ing. The data area lb is an area where a file managed by the logical management information 1a is recorded.

 The data area lb records files up to file # 1 (lb1), file # 2 (lb2), file # 3 (lb3), and file #n (lb4). .

File # 1 (lbl) is an index that references the recorded data file. File 1c. File # 2 (lb 2) records data # 1 management information Id and data # 1 (le) such as video, still image, audio, and text. File # 2 (lb 2) records data # 2 management information 1f and data # 2 (1 g) such as video, still image, audio, and text. File #n (lb 4) contains data #n management information 1h and data #n (1 i) such as video, still image, audio, and text. The free area 1 j is an area where nothing is recorded. The index file 1c includes index management information 1k for referring to the index information in the index file 1c, a plurality of index information # 1 (11), index information # 2 (lm), and index information. Report #n (I n) is recorded.

 Index information # 1 (1 1) is header information 1 o for storing file name and file attribute information, and representative image # 1 (1 p) which is representative data of data # 1 (le). It consists of. This representative data is management information including the representative image when the recorded image is an image, and is management information including the intro sound when the recorded image is a sound. The representative data may be management information including text data for recording a title such as the date and time or name of a recorded file.

 Index information # 2 (lm) stores header information 1Q, bookmark # 1 position information 1r, and bookmark # 1 image 1s when a bookmark is specified. Data such as moving images, still images, and audio are recorded in a data file together with data management information, which is management information for reproducing data.

 Data # 2 management information 1f includes header information 1t for referring to management information recorded in the data management information, and attribute information 1u such as the type of bookmark image information and the date and time of data creation. The bookmark position information and the bookmark image are stored for each specified bookmark.

Bookmark # 1 Location information 1 V is bookmark # 1 in data # 2 (1 g) Position information corresponding to position 1 z 1 is stored. The position information stores the number of offset bytes from the beginning of data # 2 (1 g) or the playback time with data # 2 (1 g) as the origin. In the bookmark # 1 image lw, one frame of image data # 1 (1 g) corresponding to the position information stored in the bookmark # 1 position information 1V is stored as a reduced image. Similarly, bookmark # 2 position information lx stores the position information corresponding to bookmark # 2 position 1 z 2 in data # 2 (1 g). In the position information, the number of offset bytes from the beginning of data # 2 (1 g) or the reproduction time with data # 2 (1 g) as the origin is stored. Bookmark # 2 Image 1 y is a bookmark # 2 Location information 1 X Image data for one frame of data # 2 (1 g) corresponding to the location information stored in X is stored as a reduced image. It is.

 Bookmark # 1 Position information 1 r is the bookmark position lz 1 of data # 2 (1 g) in the data file, and the number of offset bytes from the beginning of data # 2 or playback time when played Record

 FIG. 13 shows the configuration of management information when specific bookmark information from bookmark information recorded in a data file is stored in an index file.

 The index file is composed of mooV information 13a and mdat information 13b as shown in FIG. This data structure is an example of a data structure in the case of a QuickTime file format. The moo V information 13a is an area for storing management information for managing data, and the mdate information 13b is an area in which actual data is recorded.

The md at information 13b includes header information 13c for managing the size of all data recorded in the md at information, and Index ex 1e information 13d for managing a plurality of indexes, and an index. It is composed of a series of thumbnail images corresponding to. Data includes titles and intros in addition to thumbnail images. A configuration in which data is stored for each index information may be used.

 Index x Tab 1 e information 13 d contains multiple images such as Index x # l (13 k) and Index # 2 (1 3 1), which manage the representative images of the captured movie file. Index information for the representative image is recorded up to Index #n (13 m). Also, multiple bookmark index information such as boo km arki nd ex # l (13 n) and bo okma rki nd ex # 2 (13 o) for managing arbitrary position information of the shot movie file is boo kma rki Recorded up to nd ex # n (13 p). In addition, Folderindex # l (13Q) and Folderindex # 2 (13r) for managing a plurality of pieces of index information collectively are recorded.

 Next, the image data corresponding to each index information is recorded as necessary. In FIG. 13, the thumbnail data of Index # l (13k) is Index # 1 Image 13e, Index # 2 (13 1) thumbnail data is recorded as Index # 2 image 13f up to Index g #n image 13g. Next, the thumbnail data of bo okma rki nd ex # l (13 n) is boo kma rki nd ex # l! L 3h, and the thumbnail data of bookma rki nd ex # 2 (1 3 o) is boo kma rkindex # Two images 13 i are recorded up to boo kma rkindex # n image 13 j.

 Here, the Index Table information is recorded before each thumbnail image, but the Index TabE 1 information may be stored at the end of the file. Although the mooV information is recorded before the mdat data, the mooV information may be stored immediately after the mdat data.

 Further, in FIG. 13, although there is no image data corresponding to FoldeRinde, a configuration may be employed in which an image corresponding to IndeX or bokakmarkinex is stored in the same manner.

At the beginning of md at 13b, as shown in Table 13s of the header information management information, m The header identifier indicating dat information and the size of md at to determine the amount of data of md at data are recorded.

 As shown in Table 13t of Index Table Information Management Information, Index Table Information 13d contains the number of index information and the index information of the captured movie file. # 2 is the bookmark information that stores the thumbnail corresponding to an arbitrary position of the movie file registered by the user up to Index x # n b 0 0 kma rki nd ex # l, boo kma rkindex # 2 force oo kma Up to rkin index # n, Folder index x # l and Folder index 2 for separately managing the registered index information are recorded.

The index information of the recorded movie file and the bookmark information for storing the thumbnail corresponding to an arbitrary position of the movie file registered by the user are the management information shown in Table 13u of the management information of the Index X information. Be recorded. Indext ype is management information indicating the type of Index information, and as shown in Table 13 x of Indextype information, F i 1 e, boo kma rk, resu me,; Last P ayb ack Con One of the following types is recorded: t en ts, last grateboo kma rk. Index number is management information for uniquely managing each index information, and a unique numerical value is recorded on a recording medium. F i 1 e name records the file name of the movie file registered as an index as text data. F i 1 en am e may convert each file name to a unique value. The data size is the data size of the data to be stored corresponding to the index information. When the data is a thumbnail, it corresponds to the data size of the image data. If the corresponding data is recorded as a fixed size, this datasize may be omitted. The data duration is management information indicating the data reproduction time. Data that requires a long playback time, such as video thumbnails When recording, it is information indicating a reproduction time for reproducing the data. O f ί set one time is management information indicating arbitrary position information of the movie data. When Ind type is bookma rk, time information from the beginning of the movie file to the designated bookmark position Record When the Ind ex type is F i 1 e, Of fset — time records either the beginning of the movie file or the location information of the movie file arbitrarily specified by the user. be able to. At the beginning of the movie file, 0 is recorded in ffffset_time. If Index xt ype is resume, Offset — time records the position information when playback is stopped halfway. When recording a thumbnail of a movie file corresponding to the position information, a thumbnail corresponding to the position information of this ffset_time may be recorded. This Offset-time can be used to restart playback of a file in the middle of playback from the position where playback was stopped. In this case, refer to the movie file, search for the position corresponding to 0 ffset-time and start playback. Also, when the moving image thumbnail information is included as the index information, the position corresponding to 0 ffset-time is searched by referring to the moving image thumbnail stored in the index file, and the reproduction is started. For playback, one index in the index screen can be played back as a reduced image, or the entire screen can be played. As a result, when a playback instruction is issued again, it is possible to continue playback from the position where the playback was stopped for each file.

Folder nd ex # l is index information when Index ye is LastPlabackContents, and is management information for managing the last played movie file. At this time, in F olderindex # 1, nd ex type, the number of tables, and Last P lay bac k Con t ent st ab le are recorded. La st P 1 a 3 ^ back Con t en tst ab le, La st P l ayb ac k C As shown in Table 13 y of the management information of “on title table”, the index of the last played movie file is recorded. In the embodiment, the number of tables is fixed to five, but a configuration in which the number of Tab 1 e is arbitrary may be used.

 Folder dedex # 2 is index information in the case of Index d e e force a st C r e a t e b o o km a r k, and management information as shown in Table 13w of management information of F o 1 d e r i n d e x information is recorded. La s t

As shown in Table 13z of the management information of Last CrEat ebookmarkt ale, Ind e numb e r of the bookmark information registered last is stored. In the embodiment, the number of tables is fixed to five, but a configuration in which the number of Tab 1 e is arbitrary may be used. Since the bookmark information in the data management information is recorded in the index file when the bookmark is specified, the bookmark information may not be stored in the data file. However, in that case, when copying the file, the bookmark information must also be copied appropriately. Also, when recorded on another device such as a PC, the bookmark information must exist in the data file. The index file may be a general-purpose file format such as QuickTime or ASF, and may have a configuration in which index information is managed as each track.

 Although the representative image and the bookmark image are stored as the index information, the index information may be virtual index information including only management information that refers to the original index information.

 In addition, the recording medium having the above-described configuration includes a writable recording medium such as an optical disk, a memory, and a hard disk; a read-only recording medium such as a CD or a DVD-Video; Any recording medium that can be written only once may be used.

Figure 4 shows the folders, files, and files registered in the index file. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a relationship between bookmarks.

 As shown in FIG. 4, the index file has a root folder 4a for indicating the index file. This Route folder 4a is a folder for managing the recording medium, and need not be displayed.

 Below the root folder 4a are an animal folder 4b, a child folder 4c, and a music folder 4d. Further, in the lower layer of the animal folder 4b, three files of an animal 1 (4e), an animal 2 (4f), and an animal 3 (4g) are registered.

 In addition, two bookmarks, bkmkl (4p) and bkmk2 (4q), are registered below the file of animal 1 (4e). In the lower layer of animal 3 (4 g), a bookmark of bkmk l (4 r) is registered. In the lower layer of the child folder 4, four files of child 1 (4h), child 2 (4 i), child 3 (4 j), and still image 1 (4k) are registered. In addition, a bookmark of bkmk l (4 s) is registered below the file of child 2 (4 i).

 In the lower layer of the music folder 4d, the POPS folder 41 and the music only folder 4m are registered. In the lower layer of the POPS folder 41, the music video file 4n is registered. In the lower layer of the music only folder 4m, Music file 4 o is registered. Further, in the lower layer of the music video file 4 n, a bookmark of bkmk l (4 t) is registered.

 An example of the index display screen in the above-described disk configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 (1) and 2 (2).

In the index display window 2A, an animal folder 2b, a child folder 2c, and a music folder 2d are displayed. Potan 2C and Potan 2D are buttons for scrolling when the number of folders / files is large, and Potan 2E and Potan 2F are for scrolling when the number of bookmarks is large. It is Potan. When the animal folder 2b is selected, the bookmark display window 2B displays the bookmark images of the animal 1 file 2e, the animal 2 file 2f, and the animal 3 file 2g stored in the animal file. Display the animal 1 bkmk 1 bookmark 2 p, the animal 1 bkmk 2 bookmark 2 Q, and the animal 3 bkmk 1 bookmark 2 r.

 Fig. 2 (2) shows the screen that displays the files underneath by selecting animal folder 2b and displaying the index images of animal 1 file 2e, animal 2 file 2f, and animal 3 file 2g. I have.

 When the animal 1 file 2 e is selected, the book mark display window 2 B shows the animal 1 bkmk 1 the book mark image 2 p registered only in the animal 1 file 2 e, the animal 2 b kmk 2 the bookmark image 2 Display Q. In this way, for each folder and folder folder file in each hierarchy, a list of bookmarks registered in the folder file is displayed.

 Index information, which is a bookmark, can be registered in a folder in the same way as conventional index information. Therefore, a display method that generates a bookmark list folder and stores the bookmark desired by the user in the bookmark folder is also considered. Can be Figure 3 shows a display example.

 Fig. 3 (1) is the initial index screen using the bookmark folder, and Fig. 3 (2) is the index screen when the bookmark folder shown in Fig. 3 (1) is selected.

 When the bookmark folder 3X is selected, all the bookmark images of the files stored in the bookmark folder 3X can be displayed.

Fig. 3 (3) is the index screen when a music folder is selected, and Fig. 3 (4) is the index screen when a bookmark folder in the music folder is selected. As described above, a configuration in which a bookmark folder exists in the hierarchy of each folder may be employed. Also, without displaying these bookmark folders, When a button such as an icon is selected, an index screen may be displayed.

 In the above-described embodiment, the bookmark is displayed. However, since the bookmark is positioned as the lowest layer information defined in the file, the bookmark is registered not only in the bookmark image but also in the folder. It may be configured to display a representative image of a file. By selecting a folder, a bookmark or index registered in a folder can be moved to the lowest folder in which the selected bookmark index image is stored.

 For example, in FIG. 4, when the animal folder 4b, the child folder 4c, and the music folder 4d are displayed, when the child folder 4c is selected, bkmk1 (4s) is displayed. If you select bkmkl (4s) and move to the bottom folder, you can move to the child folder 4c, and the child 1 file 4h, child 2 file 4i, and child in the child folder 4c Index images of 3 files 4 j and still images 14 k can be displayed.

 Next, a processing procedure in the index management method and the index display method according to the present invention will be described.

 FIGS. 5 to 8 are flowcharts showing processing procedures in the index management method and the index display method according to the present invention.

 First, referring to FIG. 5, a process for registering a puck mark in an index file will be described.

 When the user selects a video file for which to specify a bookmark from the index screen, the video file is played. Then, the bookmark is paused at the image to be registered, and the bookmark is registered in the index file.

At this point, as shown in FIG. 5, when the video file for which the bookmark is to be registered and the bookmark position are specified (step 1), the management information of the video file is selected from the video file selected and played by the user. Get (step 2) Based on the specified bookmark position, obtain the offset time from the start of bookmark creation or the number of offset bits from the beginning of the data to be played back (Step 3), and obtain a video corresponding to the obtained time or byte number. Get the frame image of the file (Step 4).

 Subsequently, a thumbnail image is generated (step 5). In this process, if the frame image of the video file is a bitmap image of, for example, 704 x 480 pixels, conversion to an image reduced to 160 x 120 pixels, and Converts a map image into a compressed image such as a JPEG image and an IFF image.

 Next, in order to record the bookmark management information including the thumbnail image of the generated bookmark position in the index file, the index file is read from the recording medium (step 6), and the necessary management information is obtained from the read index file. Yes (step 7).

 Next, the current folder is obtained from the index management information (step 8), and if necessary, moved to that folder. Next, fi-index management information is added to the current folder (step 9), and the reduced compressed image is stored as a bookmark thumbnail in the management information (step 10).

 Then, the index file storing the registered bookmark is written (step 11), recorded on the actual medium (step 12), and the bookmark is recorded in the index file (step 13). ).

Here, the case where the user registers the bookmark is described, but the registration of the bookmark may be a method of automatically registering the bookmark. For example, there is a method of automatically registering images at arbitrary regular intervals as bookmarks while capturing images. Also, in addition to displaying multiple bookmarks that are automatically registered as individual bookmarks in the index screen display, they are also used as video thumbnails that continuously display multiple bookmark images at the same location. be able to Next, a processing procedure for displaying a bookmark image on an index screen based on an index file will be described with reference to FIG.

 As shown in FIG. 6, the user designates a file or a folder storing a bookmark to be displayed from the index screen displayed in a list (Step 21).

 Subsequently, the index file is read (step 22), the index management information stored in the index file is obtained (step 23), and the bookmark management information recorded in the index management information is obtained (step 22). Step 2 4).

 Subsequently, the number of bookmarks is obtained (step 25), and each bookmark is searched (step 26). Here, it is determined whether or not the thumbnail exists (step 27). If the thumbnail does not exist, the next bookmark is referred to. On the other hand, if the thumbnail exists, the thumbnail image is obtained (step 28), and the thumbnail image of the bookmark is displayed (step 29). By performing the above processing (steps 26 to 30) for each bookmark, it is possible to display as many bookmark images as the number of registered bookmarks. Next, referring to FIG. A processing procedure for recording bookmark management information in video file management information when a bookmark is added to a file will be described. When a user selects a video file whose bookmark is to be specified from the index screen, the video file is played. Then, the bookmark is paused at the image to be registered, and the bookmark is registered in the index file.

At this point, as shown in Fig. 7, the video file for which a bookmark is to be registered and the position of the bookmark are specified (step 41), and the management information of the video file is obtained from the video file selected and played by the user. (Step 4 2) Based on the specified bookmark position, obtain the offset time from the start of bookmark playback or the number of offset bytes from the beginning of the data to be played (step 43). Acquire the frame image of the corresponding movie file (step 44).

 Subsequently, a thumbnail image is generated (step 45). In this process, if the frame image of the video file is a bitmap image of, for example, 704 x 480 pixels, conversion to an image reduced to 160 x 120 pixels, and bit conversion Converts map images to compressed data such as JPEG and TIFF images. Next, in order to add a bookmark to the video file, the video file is read, the management information of the video file is obtained, the number of tracks is obtained from the management information of the video file (Step 46), Processing is performed (step 47). Subsequently, track management information is obtained (step 48), and it is determined whether or not the track is a thumbnail track (step 49). Here, in the case of a thumbnail track, a thumbnail registration process is performed (step 50), and if it is not a thumbnail track, the next track is searched (steps 47 to 51).

 Subsequently, it is determined whether or not a thumbnail track exists (step 52).

If no thumbnail track exists, a new thumbnail track is generated (step 53), and the thumbnail is registered (step 54). The management information of the video file is updated (step 55), and after all the tracks have been processed, the recording is performed on the media (step 56), whereby the bookmark information is recorded in the management information of the video file. Is done.

Next, a processing procedure for displaying a bookmark thumbnail image on the index screen based on the bookmark management information of the video file will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in Fig. 8, when the user specifies the file storing the bookmark to be displayed from the index screen displayed in the list (step 61). , Read the video file and get the management information stored in the video file

(Step 62), the number of tracks is obtained from the management information (Step 63), and processing is sequentially performed on each track (Step 64).

 That is, for each track, track information is obtained from the management information (step 65), and it is determined whether or not the track is a thumbnail track (step 66). If it is not a thumbnail track, search for the next track. On the other hand, in the case of a thumbnail track, the number of bookmarks registered in the track is obtained (step 67), and the processing is sequentially performed for the number of bookmarks (step 68). It is determined whether or not there is a thumbnail (step 69). If there is a thumbnail, a thumbnail image is obtained (step 70), and the thumbnail image of the book mark is displayed (step 71). On the other hand, if there is no thumbnail, the next bookmark is referred to (steps 68 to 72). By performing the above-described processing (steps 64 to 73) for each bookmark, it is possible to display as many bookmark images as the number of registered bookmarks.

 Next, a recording / reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The recording / reproducing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention has a configuration as shown in FIG. 9, in which an audio signal is input by an audio input unit 9a and a video signal is input by a video input unit 9b. Each signal is an analog or digital signal. In the case of an analog signal, the signal is converted to a digital signal.

 Then, the encoding / decoding processing unit 9c converts the encoded video and audio data such as MPEG2. The compression format may be MPEG1 or MPEG4 in addition to MPEG2, or may be JPEG or JPEG2000 in the case of video data only.

Also, the error correction signal is added by the error correction processing section 9d, and the Then, video and audio data are recorded on the recording medium 9f. When the recording medium is a disk medium, the control microcomputer 9g controls the servo processing unit 9h to perform recording. The control microcomputer 9g is controlled by the system microcomputer 9i.

 When playing back or displaying recorded data according to user instructions

The instructions from the user are processed by the input unit 9j, and the input instructions are processed by the system microcomputer 9i. The system microcomputer 9i issues a reproduction instruction to the control microcomputer 9g, and the control processing unit 9h is controlled by the control microcomputer 9g to read data from the recording medium 9f.

 The read data is demodulated through a modulation / demodulation unit 9e, error-corrected by an error correction processing unit 9d, and decoded by an encoding / decoding processing unit 9c. The audio data of the decoded data is converted into an audio signal by the audio output unit 9n and output. In addition, video data of the decoded data is an index screen. In order to perform synthesis with SD, the video synthesis unit 9 m performs a synthesis process or a switching process of video data and OSD data, and a video output unit. Output as video signal by 9 o.

 The index screen is processed by the system microcomputer 9 i, the index information and the index image (thumbnail) data are stored in the memory 9 k, converted to a video display screen by the OSD processing section 91, and then decoded. The video is combined with the video data and output as a video signal by the video output unit 9o.

 The video synthesizing unit 9m synthesizes the video data and the index screen when the recorded video data and the index screen are simultaneously displayed, but can output either one of the images. That is, the designated screen can be output by the system microcomputer 9i performing the switching control according to the instruction of the user.

Bookmark information is recorded in both index file and data file Alternatively, a structure may be used in which all bookmark information is recorded in the index file, and a structure in which the bookmark information is not recorded in the data file, and management information for identifying a combination of these data structures is provided. Hereinafter, each data structure will be described in detail.

 Up to now, the bookmark position information recorded in the index file is stored in the index file. However, when the user designates a bookmark, the bookmark information is stored in the directory file. :

You may record on both.

 Figure 14 shows the bookmark location data:

It is a schematic diagram which shows the data structure at the time of recording. The configuration from the logical management information 1a to the data # 2 management information is the same as that in FIG.

 Index information # 1 (1 1) is composed of header information 1 o for storing file name and file attribute information, and representative image # 1 (1 p) which is representative data of data # 1 (le). Have been. This representative data is management information including the representative image when the recorded data is an image, and is management information including the intro sound when the recorded image is a sound. Further, the representative data may be management information including text data for recording a title such as a date and a name of a recorded file or a name.

 Index information # 2 (lm) includes header information lq, bookmark # 1 location information 1r, bookmark # 1 image 1s, bookmark # 2 location information 1r2, and bookmark # 2 image 1s2. This is stored when a bookmark is specified. Data such as moving images, still images, and audio are recorded in a data file together with data management information, which is management information for reproducing data.

The data # 2 management information 1f includes header information It for referring to the management information recorded in the data management information, attribute information lu such as the data type and data creation date and time of the bookmark image information, and the like. Bookmark position information and bookmark image are specified It is stored for each bookmark that was created. Bookmark # 1 position information 1 V stores position information corresponding to bookmark # 1 position 1 z 1 in data # 2 (1 g). The position information stores the number of offset bytes from the beginning of data # 2 (1 g) or the playback time with data # 2 (1 g) as the origin. In the bookmark # 1 image lw, image data for one frame of data # 2 (1 g) corresponding to the position information stored in the bookmark # 1 position information 1V is stored as a reduced image. Similarly, bookmark # 2 position information 1 X stores position information corresponding to bookmark # 2 position 1 z 2 in data # 2 (1 g). As the position information, the number of offset bytes from the beginning of data # 2 (1 g) or the playback time with data # 2 (1 g) as the origin is stored. In the bookmark # 2 image 1 y, image data for one frame of data # 2 (1 g) corresponding to the position information stored in the bookmark # 2 position information 1X is stored as a reduced image. Bookmark # 1 Position information 1 r is the bookmark position 1 z 1 of data # 2 (1 g) in the data file, the number of offset bytes from the beginning of data # 2, or the playback time when played. Record.

 As described above, in the configuration in which the bookmark location information is stored in the data file and the index file, each bookmark location information is the bookmark location information indicating the same time, and the bookmark location information indicating the different time. There are two ways of managing information.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart in the case where each piece of bookmark position information is bookmark position information indicating the same time, and describes a processing procedure in the index management method according to the present invention. When the user selects a video file for which to specify a bookmark from the index screen, the video file is played. Then, the bookmark is paused at the image to be registered, and the bookmark is registered in the index file. At this point, as shown in FIG. 15, when a video file for which a bookmark is to be registered is specified (step 81), the video file selected and played by the user is displayed. The management information of the video file is obtained from the aisle (step 82). If the video file is at the end of the file (step 83), it is assumed that there is no pause and the processing ends. The bookmark from the user is detected (step 84), and if no bookmark is specified, the file management information is obtained again. If the bookmark is specified, the offset time from the start of bookmark playback or the number of offset bytes from the beginning of the data to be played is obtained (step 85), and the video corresponding to the obtained time or byte number is obtained. Acquire the frame image of the file (step 86).

 Subsequently, a thumbnail image is generated (step 87). In this processing, if the frame image of the video file is a bitmap image of, for example, 704 x 480 pixels, conversion to an image reduced to 160 x 120 pixels, and ぴ bits Converts a map image to a compressed image such as a JPEG image or TIFF image. The index file is searched for a track for storing a thumbnail (step 88), and if there is no track for storing a thumbnail, a thumbnail track is generated (step 89), and the generated thumbnail is used as a thumbnail track. Register (step 90). The management information of the video file is updated (step 91), and after all the tracks have been processed, recording is performed on the media (step 92), whereby the bookmark information is recorded in the management information of the video file. You. Next, the index file is read from the recording medium to record the bookmark management information including the thumbnail image of the generated bookmark position in the index file (step 93), and the necessary management information is read from the read index file. Get it (step 94).

Next, the current folder is obtained from the index management information (step 95), and if necessary, moved to that folder. Subsequently, new index management information is added to the current folder (step 97), and the reduced compressed image is stored in the management information as a thumbnail of the bookmark (step 98). Then register The index file in which the bookmark is stored is written (step 99), recorded on the actual medium (step 100), and the bookmark is recorded in the index file.

 The management method when each piece of bookmark position information is bookmark position information indicating a different time can be realized by the flowcharts described in FIGS. 5 to 8 which have already been described. The device automatically adds the feature points as bookmark information to the video file, and the bookmark file specified by the user is added to the index file, and each bookmark information is independent time information. Means to manage the information.

 In addition, the bookmark position information may be stored only in the index file. This is effective when an index file is recorded on a rewritable recording medium and a captured moving image file is recorded on a write-once recording medium. It is also effective when the video file is write-protected or when the video file exists over the network. It is also conceivable to store the index file and the captured moving image file in a write-once recording medium. A schematic diagram showing the data structure in this case is shown in FIG. The configuration from the logical management information 1a to the # 1 management information is the same as that of FIG.

Index information # 1 (1 1) is header information 1 o for storing file name and file attribute information, and representative image # 1 (1 p) which is a representative data of data # 1 (le). It consists of. Index information # 2 (lm) includes header information 1 o 2 for storing file name and file attribute information, and representative image # 2 (1 p 2) which is a representative data of data # 2 (1 g). ). If the recorded data is an image, the representative data is management information including a representative image. If the recorded image is a sound, the representative data is management information including the sound of the event. The representative data may be management information including a text data for recording a title such as a date and a name of a recorded file. In index information # 2 (lm), header information lq, bookmark # 1 position information 1r, and bookmark # 1 image 1s are stored when a bookmark is specified. Data such as moving images, still images, and audio are recorded in a data file together with data management information, which is management information for reproducing the data.

 If a bookmark is specified, adding the bookmark information to the movie file # 2 (1 g) will duplicate the movie file itself, so disk space will be consumed just by adding the bookmark. Will do. Therefore, to add a bookmark without consuming as much disk space as possible, it is conceivable to add bookmark information to the index file. Therefore, it can be realized only by adding only the index file # 2 (1 c '). Index file # 2 (1 c ') contains index management information lk2, multiple index information # 1 (1 12), index information # 2 (lm2), and index information # 3 (lm3) . Index information # 1 (1 12) is a copy of index information # 1 (1 1), and index information # 2 (lm2) is a copy of index information # 2 (lm). Index information # 3 (lm3) is the index information of the newly added bookmark.Header information l Q, bookmark # 1 location information 1r, and bookmark # 1 image 1s are stored when the bookmark is specified. You. Data such as moving images, still images, and audio are recorded in data files along with data management information, which is management information for reproducing data. Book mark # 1 Position information 1 r is the bookmark position lzl of data # 2 (1 g) in the data file, the number of offset bytes from the beginning of data # 2, or when playing back Record the playback time.

 Next, a display example of a bookmark image corresponding to bookmark position information is described below. FIG. 17 is a display example of a bookmark image, in which (1) shows a method of displaying the entire image, and (2) shows a method of displaying a part of the image.

In Fig. 17, the captured video file 17A is a still image file for each frame. It indicates that the evening is continuous data, and the actual data format does not specify the data format such as compressed MPEG 2 stream, 1 frame JPEG data or uncompressed data . A one-frame image 17B corresponding to the bookmark position specified by the user is acquired, and the data is reduced and displayed as a bookmark image 17E in the bookmark display area 17D. For example, if the image size is 704 pixels x 480 pixels, it is displayed reduced to 160 pixels x 120 pixels. Reduced data is uncompressed data, data format that handles still images such as JPEG data, JPEG 2000 data, and TIFF data, and data format that handles graphic data such as GIF and PNG. The format such as ^ is not specified. (1) is a method in which the data to be displayed displays the entire frame data, and the entire screen is reduced. (2) is a method of displaying one part of the data equivalent to one frame. Select the part 17 C that the user wants to register as a bookmark in the data of one frame, and select the compressed or uncompressed data. Stored as If the selected image size is the same as the size of the bookmark image, for example, 160 pixels x 120 pixels, there is no need to perform reduction processing. The method of displaying a partial image of one frame is also effective, for example, in a case where data recorded in rectangular pixels is converted into square pixels and the same aspect ratio is obtained. In both (1) and (2), the thumbnail data need not have the same image quality as one frame of the movie file, and may be converted to a low-resolution image quality to reduce the data size. In addition, the bookmark information can be used as an edit point, and can be used as the IN point and 0 UT point when editing by specifying a bookmark on the index screen.

In the above, the embodiment in which the bookmark image registered in the index file is stored in the index file has been described. However, the bookmark image may be recorded as a separate file from the index file. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the backup images are mixed in one file. As described above, according to the index management method, the index display method, the recording / reproducing apparatus, and the recording medium according to the present invention, the index management information is recorded in the index management information as the book mark information as the index information. A desired bookmark can be displayed simply by referring to the display, and the display speed can be improved.

 Since only specific bookmark information of the bookmark information recorded in the movie file is included in the index information, for example, it is possible to have only the last registered multiple bookmark information as the index information. Become. Also, if the movie file and the index information have the same bookmark information, even if one of the files is destroyed and cannot be read, the bookmark information can be obtained from another file and registered again. . Even when a movie file is transferred to a personal computer, since the bookmark information is recorded in both files, even if the index information is transferred to the personal computer, it is only necessary to move the file. If the movie file and the index information have bookmark information with different meanings, the bookmark information of the index information is the bookmark information specified by the user, and the bookmark information in the movie file is a feature of the scene. The information can be automatically set by the device, and each bookmark can have a different meaning. The data structure in which the bookmark information is recorded only in the index information is effective when recording on the write-once recording medium. Since the index file has a much smaller data size than movie files, it is possible to add bookmark information to the index file and record the index file on a recording medium, consuming as much disk space as possible. Without this, bookmark information can be added.

Also, since index information, which is a bookmark, can be registered in a folder in the same way as conventional index information, it is possible to store a bookmark list folder or a bookmark desired by a user in a folder. The first operation burden can be reduced.

 In addition, when displaying bookmarks and indexes classified hierarchically by folders, simply selecting a folder allows a list of book indexes classified into that folder to be displayed. You can easily find the desired bookmark index. Then, by selecting the found bookmark or index and moving to the folder where the bookmark and index are stored, it is possible to find and play the related bookmark and index, or to record on the same folder. Become.

Industrial applicability

 According to the present invention, bookmark information in digital data such as a moving image, a still image, and audio is managed by index management information and recorded on a magnetic disk such as a magneto-optical disk, an optical disk, a hard disk, or a semiconductor memory. It can also be applied to personal computers, DVD recorders, digital cameras, etc. that record and reproduce these data.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. An index management method for recording a plurality of data: ¹¹ blue reports recorded on a recording medium on the recording medium,

 An index management method, wherein arbitrary position information of each data file is stored in the index information.

 2. The index management method according to claim 1, wherein the position information is time information from a reproduction start time in a recorded data file.

3. The index management method according to claim 1, wherein the position information is a data amount from a head of data in a recorded data file.

4. The index management method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the position information is set to "0" when the index information is the head of data. .

 5. The index management method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the index information is virtual management information.

 6. The index management method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein data of a data file corresponding to the position information is recorded.

7. A method of displaying index images of a plurality of data files hierarchically managed by folders,

 An index display method characterized by simultaneously displaying an index image included in a predetermined layer and an index image included in at least two layers below the layer.

 8. The index display method according to claim 7, wherein the index image is an image corresponding to an arbitrary position in a data file.

9. By selecting one of the index images included in at least two layers below the relevant layer, the lowest-level folder in which the selected index image is stored 8. The index display method according to claim 7, wherein the file is moved to a folder, and files and folders included in the folder are displayed.

 10. A method of managing index images of a plurality of data files hierarchically managed by folders.

 An index management method comprising storing index images included in at least two layers below a predetermined layer in a folder.

 1 1. Data recording means for recording data and management information for managing the data on a recording medium;

 Index recording means for recording management information of the recorded data, representative image, index information as attribute information, and index management information for managing the index information,

 Display means for displaying index management information of the recorded data;

 A reproduction means for reproducing the recorded data with reference to the management information; a position information obtaining means for obtaining the position information of the recorded data;

 A recording / reproducing apparatus comprising: position information recording means for recording position information from the beginning of data in index information.

 12. The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein an index index corresponding to the position information recorded in the index information is output.

 13. The recording / reproducing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein output is started from original data corresponding to the position information by referring to position information recorded in the index information.

1 4. Plural data: A recording medium for recording information,

 A recording medium characterized by recording arbitrary position information of each data file in index information.

36

Corrected form (Rule 91)

15. An index management method for recording index information of a plurality of data files recorded on a recording medium on the recording medium,

 An index management method, wherein arbitrary position information of a data file is stored in a data file and the index information.

 16. The arbitrary position information of the data file recorded in the index information is the same data file position information as the arbitrary position information of the data file recorded in the data file. The index management method according to claim 15.

 17. The index management method according to claim 15, wherein the position information of the index information is position information independent of the position information of the data file.

 18. The index management method according to claim 15, wherein the position information of the index information is position information at which reproduction is stopped.

 1 9. An index management method for recording index information of a plurality of data files recorded on a write-once recording medium on the recording medium,

 An index management method characterized by storing arbitrary position information of a data file in the index information. '

 20. The data format recorded in the index information corresponding to arbitrary position information of each data file is different from the data format of each data file. Item 10. The index management method according to any one of Items 5 to 19.