Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
  • H04N5/76—Television signal recording
  • H04N5/84—Television signal recording using optical recording
  • H04N5/85—Television signal recording using optical recording on discs or drums
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/102—Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers
  • G11B27/105—Programmed access in sequence to addressed parts of tracks of operating record carriers of operating discs
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/19—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier
  • G11B27/28—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording
  • G11B27/30—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on the same track as the main recording
  • G11B27/3027—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel by using information detectable on the record carrier by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording on the same track as the main recording used signal is digitally coded
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B27/00—Editing; Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Monitoring; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/10—Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
  • G11B27/34—Indicating arrangements 
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N9/00—Details of colour television systems
  • H04N9/79—Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
  • H04N9/80—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback
  • H04N9/82—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback the individual colour picture signal components being recorded simultaneously only
  • H04N9/8205—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback the individual colour picture signal components being recorded simultaneously only involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B2220/00—Record carriers by type
  • G11B2220/20—Disc-shaped record carriers
  • G11B2220/25—Disc-shaped record carriers characterised in that the disc is based on a specific recording technology
  • G11B2220/2537—Optical discs
  • G11B2220/2562—DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N9/00—Details of colour television systems
  • H04N9/79—Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
  • H04N9/80—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback
  • H04N9/804—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components
  • H04N9/8042—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components involving data reduction
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N9/00—Details of colour television systems
  • H04N9/79—Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
  • H04N9/80—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback
  • H04N9/804—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components
  • H04N9/806—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components with processing of the sound signal
  • H04N9/8063—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback involving pulse code modulation of the colour picture signal components with processing of the sound signal using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N9/00—Details of colour television systems
  • H04N9/79—Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording
  • H04N9/80—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback
  • H04N9/82—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback the individual colour picture signal components being recorded simultaneously only
  • H04N9/8205—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback the individual colour picture signal components being recorded simultaneously only involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
  • H04N9/8227—Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback the individual colour picture signal components being recorded simultaneously only involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal the additional signal being at least another television signal

Definitions

• This invention relates to Digital Versatile Discs, previously known as Digital Video Discs (DVDs) and more particularly to a technique for facilitating selection among, and interaction with, different audio/visual (A/V) streams embedded on a DVD.
• DVDs Digital Versatile Discs
• A/V audio/visual
• DVDs typically include at least one, and usually several A/V/ streams in parallel synchronism to each other. Often such A/V streams comprise different recordings of the same scene shot from a different angle. Hence, such different A V streams are often referred to as "angles".
• Multi-angle navigation a process known as "multi-angle navigation” whereby a viewer selects a desired angle by selecting an associated icon on a display screen.
• the DVD specification adopted by the manufacturers of DVDs and associated playback devices defines a process known as "multi- angle video" whereby a content author can define as many as nine concurrent A/V streams, any one of which can appear on a display screen at any time.
• multi- angle video a process known as "multi- angle video” whereby a content author can define as many as nine concurrent A/V streams, any one of which can appear on a display screen at any time.
• the viewer can switch seamlessly among a set of synchronized A/V streams by actuating a command via a button on a DVD player or on the remote control device for such player.
• buttons, subtitles, and other graphical elements displayed over video are identical to that in other streams.
• HLI button highlight information
• a method for enabling a viewer to seamlessly select among a plurality of audiovisual streams recorded on a storage medium commences by detecting a first navigation data packet within at least one stream. A determination is made from the navigation packet which of the other streams lie in synchronism, and which highlight properties exist, including selection commands, within at least one stream for selecting among the synchronous streams. Then at least one synchronous stream highlight property, e.g. a selection command, undergoes a modification of at least one of its appearance, location, and execution functionality for subsequent display to the viewer. A viewer who receives a display command can thus effect a switching of streams.
• a content author can embed unique interactive buttons with unique attendant properties into each of the parallel streams in a manner that allows the viewer to interact with the streams and execute commands, such as changing seamlessly to another parallel A/V stream, selecting alternate audio or subtitle content, or jumping to other presentation content.
• a method is also provided for the content author to modify sub-picture and/or audio data within at least one of a plurality of audio-visual streams presented in parallel. This method commences by detecting a first navigation packet within at least one stream. A determination is made from the navigation packet which of the other streams lie in synchronism, and what audio and sub-picture packets exist within each stream. Then, the data payload of one or more audio and/or sub-picture packets is modified.
• An A/V stream in a parallel presentation will then have differing sub-picture and audio contents compared to the other synchronous streams.
• a content author can embed within each A/V stream unique audio and/or sub-picture content, providing an advantage over traditional methods, where alternate content must exist in additional sub-streams within each A/V stream.
• FIGURE 1 depicts a block schematic diagram of a present day DVD player useful for practicing the multi-angle navigation technique of the present principles
• FIGURE 2 depicts the relationship among an audio/visual stream, Video Object Units (VOBUs) and an Interleave Units (ILVUs)
• FIGURES 3 A and 3B depict two video screens each displaying two different angles, with each screen displaying an inverse angle arrangement from the other
• FIGURES 4A-4D each depicts a video screen with four angles in each of four separate arrangements in accordance with the present principles
• FIGURES 5A-5I each depicts a video screen showing one of nine separate angles arranged in different ways in accordance with the present principles.
• FIGURE 1 depicts a block schematic diagram of a prior-art Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) player 10 useful for practicing the DVD navigation technique of the present invention.
• the DVD player 10 includes a drive motor 12 that rotates a DVD 13 under the control of a servomechanism 14.
• a pick-up head motor 16 also controlled by the servomechanism 14, serves to displace an optical pick-up head 18 across the DVD 13 to read information carried thereby.
• a pre-amplifier 20 amplifies the output signal of the pick-up head 18 for input to a decoder 22 that decodes the optical information read from the DVD 13 to yield a program stream.
• a de-multiplexer 24 de-multiplexes the program stream into separate components: (a) an audio stream, (b) a video stream, (c) a sub-picture stream and (d) navigation information, typically in the form of metadata or the like.
• the audio, video, and sub-picture streams undergo decoding by a separate one of audio decoder 26, video decoder 28 and sub-picture decoder 30, respectively.
• a synchronizer 36 some times known as a presentation engine, serves to synchronize and combine the separately decoded audio, video and sub-picture streams into a video stream, with embedded audio for suitable reproduction in accordance with one of several known television formats, such as NTSC or PAL for example.
• a video digital-to-analog converter 34 converts the video stream into analog video for display on a display device (not shown) such as a television set, while an audio digital-to-analog-converter converts the embedded audio to analog audio for subsequent reproduction by the display device or by other means (not shown).
• a central processing unit (CPU) 38 typically in the form of a microprocessor with associated memory, or a microcomputer or microcontroller, serves to control navigation, as well as other aspects of the DVD player, in accordance with viewer commands entered through a viewer interface (U/I) 40, typically comprising the combination of an Infrared (I R) transmitter, in the form of remote control, and an VR receiver.
• I R Infrared
• the CPU 38 receives decoded metadata form the demultiplexer 24 and generates menu information for receipt by the synchronizer 32. In this way, the menu information ultimately undergoes display for viewing by the viewer. In response to the displayed information, the viewer typically will enter one or more commands through the U/I 40 for receipt by the CPU 38, which in turn, controls the servomechanism 14 to displace the pick-up head 18 to retrieve the desired program content.
• the DVD specification (DVD Specifications for Read-Only Disc / Part 3. VIDEO SPECIFICATIONS, Version 1.0, August 1996), defines the smallest object to which DVD navigation can apply as a Video Object Unit (VOBU).
• the VOBU typically contains multiplexed video, audio, sub-picture, highlight and other navigation data, corresponding to playback duration of 0.4 to 1.2 seconds.
• Multiple sub-streams of audio and sub-picture data can exist in each VOBU (e.g. stereo and surround audio sub-streams and/or German and Portuguese subtitles.) This combination of such multiplexed data constitutes an "A/V stream.”
• A/V stream In a multi-angle segment, multiple A/V streams are interleaved together into a single Video Object (VOB) stream in order to allow quick access from one stream to another for seamless or near-seamless switching.
• VOB Video Object
• the DVD specification defines an Interleave Unit (ILVU) as a block of one or more VOBUs in order to align the A/V stream content of multiple angles with a common time stamp, providing synchronization of the A/V streams.
• the synchronizer 32 decodes and displays only the TLVUs corresponding to the currently selected A/V stream.
• the DVD specification defines a maximum size of the ILVU based on number of angles (i.e., number of available streams), scan speed of the physical device, and size of the decode buffer (not shown). If this maximum size is exceeded, seamless playback of any angle cannot be guaranteed.
• FIGURE 2 illustrates the relationship of multiplexed A/V stream data to VOBU and ILVU data structures for multi-angle video.
• each block of the program stream decoded by the decoder 22 of FIG. 1 includes a navigation packet (NVJPCK), a video packet (V_PCK), an audio packet (A_PCK) and a sub-picture packet (SP_PCK).
• NVJPCK navigation packet
• V_PCK video packet
• A_PCK audio packet
• SP_PCK sub-picture packet
• SML_AGLI in the navigation data structure (DSI ) portion of the NV_PCK at the beginning of each VOBU that includes a table of ILVU start points indicating the location where the next ILVU for each seamless angle is located.
• DSI navigation data structure
• ILVU start points indicating the location where the next ILVU for each seamless angle is located.
• HLI_GI Highlight General Information
• BTN_COLIT Button Color Information Table
• BTN_LT Button Information Table
• SML_AGLI Seamless Angle Information
• the above-described process typically occurs using a software utility that takes as input the VIDEO_TS directory of files intended for a DVD and outputs a modified VIDEO rS directory of files with the VOB streams adjusted according to the content author's intent.
• a software utility that takes as input the VIDEO_TS directory of files intended for a DVD and outputs a modified VIDEO rS directory of files with the VOB streams adjusted according to the content author's intent.
• the DVD movies appear in the VIDEO_TS directory
• the AUDIO_TS directory stores DVD audio.
• Such a software utility would exist comprise the following functions and classes for execution:
• This function searches for the VOB packet header indicator and retrieves the size of the IVLU block and reference data for the first video angle.
• This function retrieves the button, command, and ILVU size information, the location of which is defined in the DVD specification.
• This function checks the angle identifier and gets the button information from GetDataPosition(). Further, this function modifies the button information according to the viewer input. Process Angles ()
• This function initiates a loop through the VOB stream to locate and process each instance of seamless multi-angle data.
• This function establishes class definitions for the viewer interface by which the content author can specify the modification of each angle's button highlight information.
• FIGURES 3 A and 3B collectively depict a simple example of a switch between first and second angles 102 and 104, with each angle having associated video content.
• Each angle occupies a full frame of a video display and includes a button 106 appearing at the bottom of the frame.
• a viewer seeking to change angles click or otherwise actuates the button 106.
• FIG. 3 A with the angle 102 displayed full screen, a viewer clicks the button 106 to select angle 104 to appear full screen as shown in FIG. 3B.
• the angle 104 now displayed full screen in FIG. 3B, the viewer clicks on the button 106 in that screen to select the angle 102 to appear full screen as seen in FIG. 3 A.
• the button 106 which can appear either as a visible or invisible element, thus permits simple toggling from one angle to the other and back again.
• the command set for button 106 will have the following states angles 102 and 104
• FIGURES 4A-4E each depicts a multi-angle video displays comprised of four video angles 202, 204, 206 and 208, respectively, with one of the angles appearing full screen, and the others each appearing as "picture-in-picture” elements along the bottom of the full screen angle.
• Each of the "picture-in-picture angles” provides both a preview to that angle as well as a selector button allowing seamless switching to that angle.
• the angles 202, 204, 206 and 208 respectively appear full screen with the other angles appearing as picture-in-picture elements. By clicking on a separate one of the angles appearing as picture-in-picture elements, a viewer can select and seamlessly switch to one of the alternate video angles.
• the selection button function associated with each angle of the angles 202, 204, 206 and 208 appear as follows:
• Example Embodiment #3 Direct FIGURES 5A-5I each depict one of nine separate angles 302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312,
• each angle represents a point of view on a grid.
• Five buttons respectively appear in each video angle, and each button lies in the same orientation as a separate one of the Select, Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys on a typical DVD player's remote control.
• the Select button (at the center) is highlighted by default, and the remaining buttons become automatically activated when the corresponding direction is selected. Therefore, when the viewer presses the Right Arrow key on the remote control, the corresponding (invisible) button (Button 4) will execute its command.
• Each of the five-buttons in each of FIGS. 5A-5I selects a corresponding one of the angles 302-318.
• the directional navigation via Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Left Arrow, or Right Arrow) from the center button (Button 3) is shown in the table below.
• directional navigation is disallowed when the function of the button navigated to would have no visible result (e.g.
• Angle 302 Angle 304: Angle 306: Up :None Up: None Up: None Left: None Left: Button 2 Left: Button 2 Right: Button 4 Right: Button 4 Right: None Down: Button 5 Down: Button 5 Down: Button 5
• the sub-picture and audio data within a particular sub-stream within each A/V stream in a parallel presentation can undergo manipulation to alter the information presented to the viewer, such as different audio commentary or audio mix within each A/V stream or different button shapes or subtitles.
• SML_AGLI Seamless Angle Information
• DVDDataSeachO This function searches for the VOB packet header indicator and retrieves the size of the IVLU block and reference data for the first video angle.
• GetDataPositionO This function retrieves the button, command, and ILVU size information, the location of which is defined in the DVD specification.
• DoVOBUChangeO This function checks the angle identifier and gets the A_PCK and SP_PCK location from GetDataPositionO .
• This function initiates a loop through the VOB stream to locate and process each instance of seamless multi-angle data.
• Example #1 Director's Commentary
• a seamless multi-angle presentation is used to provide visual director's commentary for a scene.
• Two A/V streams are presented in parallel.
• the first A/V stream presents the scene, while the second A/V stream presents the scene with an image of the director composited into the frame.
• Each A/V stream contains one sub-picture sub-stream and one audio sub-stream.
• the audio sub-stream of A/V stream 1 contains the actors' dialogue only.
• the audio sub-stream of A/V stream 2 contains the actors' dialogue mixed with the director's commentary.
• the sub-picture sub-stream of A/V stream 1 contains subtitles of the actors' dialogue only.
• the sub-picture sub-stream of A/V stream 2 contains subtitles of both the actors' dialogue and the director's commentary.
• the foregoing describes a technique for provided a method for enabling a viewer to seamlessly select among a plurality of audio-visual streams recorded on a storage medium by means of interactive elements that are unique for each stream. While the seamless selection technique of the present principles has been described with respect to the DVD specification, the technique also applies to HD DVD-Video Specification Version 0.9. Further the technique is also applicable to the so-called "Blue Ray” (BD) disc as well.
• BD Blue Ray

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Television Signal Processing For Recording (AREA)
• Signal Processing For Digital Recording And Reproducing (AREA)
• Indexing, Searching, Synchronizing, And The Amount Of Synchronization Travel Of Record Carriers (AREA)
• Management Or Editing Of Information On Record Carriers (AREA)

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  • 2005-04-19 EP EP05738647.6A patent/EP1738582B1/en not_active Ceased
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  • 2005-04-19 KR KR1020157002000A patent/KR101571651B1/ko not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2005-04-19 MX MXPA06012085A patent/MXPA06012085A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2005-04-19 US US11/578,904 patent/US9106883B2/en active Active
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