718results about "Read-only discs" patented technology

In a digital television recording method, programs are selected for recording based on analysis of program schedule information, user preferences, and the priority of previously recorded programs if there is insufficient memory.

Optimizing operation of a media player during rendering of media files. The invention includes authoring software to create a data structure and to populate the created data structure with obtained metadata. The invention also includes rendering software to retrieve the metadata from the data structure and to identify media files to render. In one embodiment, the invention is operable as part of a compressed media format having a set of small files containing metadata, menus, and playlists in a compiled binary format designed for playback on feature-rich personal computer media players as well as low cost media players.

A playback apparatus not only plays back an AV stream recorded on a BD-ROM but also downloads an update kit from a WWW server (500) and writes it on a local HD (12). The AV stream stored in the local HD (12) includes an audio stream for an additional language. A control unit (16) reads the AV stream recorded on the BD-ROM and the AV stream recorded in the local HD (12) in units of access units. An audio decoder (6) obtains a necessary audio frame from the access units read from the BD-ROM and the local HD (12) and plays it back. A video decoder (4) obtains video data from the access unit read from the BD-ROM and plays it back.

If, in encoding and recording an AV stream, time_controlled_flag as the attribute information is set to 1, the relation between the time lapse of an AV stream and the amount of data bytes of the AV stream is linear within a preset error range. If the time_controlled_flag of the AV stream file is set to 1, and a certain time portion of the stream is erased by way of partial stream erasure, an unoccupied area corresponding to the erased time portion and which can be recorded at a bitrate indicated by TS_average_rate may be created on the disc.

For a content-prerecorded large capacity disc-shaped recording medium, a user interface having high flexibility is accomplished. Button image data, corresponding sound data as an effect sound, and control commands for the sound data and image data are multiplexed with a stream and recorded on the disc. A scenario reproduced from the disc is stored in a buffer 104. The image data and sound data are stored in a buffer 105. Image data is read from the buffer 105 in accordance with a scenario and expanded to a graphics plane 133. In addition, corresponding sound data is read from the buffer 105 and reproduced by a sound player 106D. When a button image is varied in accordance with a state change of the button, an effect sound is reproduced. As a result, a more effective user interface is accomplished.

A musical jukebox is disclosed which provides for: fast archiving of songs; a flexible user interface; easy and convenient entry of, access to and / or display of data relating to songs archived by the jukebox; easy and convenient search and locate capabilities for locating, reviewing, retrieving and / or playing songs stored in the jukebox; and low cost relative to the functionality, features, conveniences and user-friendliness provided by the jukebox. Fast of flush archiving of songs (as well as other data and signals) is accomplished by first saving sets of data without compression, which allows the data to be entered quickly, and then, compressing later at an appropriate time. A unique MP3 bit allocation encoding scheme is used to compress data. A unique memory allocation supports fast data archiving. The user interface employs two-way communication between a remote control and the jukebox. A searchable song database is structured to enable very fast searching by music category, and also by title and artist. The jukebox is provided with an on-board song track database to automatically identify new songs input to the jukebox.

A BD-ROM playback apparatus plays back a text subtitle stream during a playback of moving pictures. A reserved area of a PSR stores therein, as a supplementary language, an identifier of a language in which the playback apparatus is not capable of decoding a text subtitle stream, due to inconvenience caused during display of the text subtitle. The set-up unit 32 inquires of a user whether the user wishes to increase the number of languages in which subtitles are displayable even if inconvenience may be caused during the display. In the case where the user performs an affirmative operation in response to the inquiry, the stream selection unit 17 selects a text subtitle stream corresponding to the supplementary language from the plurality of text subtitle streams.

A storage file system is provided for data stored on a storage medium, and particularly for storage of data on optical disc storage medium. Each successive or alternate file of data included in the storage medium is represented by a respective allocation extent list with each allocation extent identifying locations of data segments for each file. Data in some data segments or portions of data segments may be shared by two or more files with each file having a respective allocation extent list entry referencing that segment and each such allocation extent maintaining byte-accurate pointers to the start and end of the data relevant to each file within the data segment. An allocation space table containing respective entries for each reference to a data segment or portion of a data segment, and optionally a free-space table identifying those data segments or portions of data segments available for rewriting, may be provided to allow for rapid reclamation of free within the storage medium.

An optical disk includes: a data region; and a management region. The data region stores first audio data obtained by expressing audio information in accordance with first audio attributes and second audio data obtained by expressing the audio information in accordance with second audio attributes which are different from the first audio attributes, and the management region stores management information for enabling selective reproduction of one of the first audio data and the second audio data.

A system for converting TV content to an interactive TV game program uses viewer input pointing to “hot spot” objects in TV programs to enter answers in the game program. Viewers can point to hot spot objects whose locations are mapped in the image display frames of a TV program using a standard remote control and TV set-top box. In a preferred embodiment, the interactive TV game program is a crossword puzzle game offered through the TV's electronic program guide (EPG). Correct answers to the crossword puzzle clues can be entered by linkages from corresponding hot spot objects found in TV movies, ads, video spots, and other types of TV programs on the TV channels. Upon finding a hot spot object that corresponds to a correct answer, the viewer can use the directional arrow keys and “Select” or “Enter” key of the remote control to “click” on the object in the image display frame, and the corresponding answer is entered in the crossword puzzle being played, such as by changing transparent text overlaid on the grid of the crossword puzzle to a darkened color on the viewer's TV display, thus fixing the answer in the crossword puzzle. The viewer can enable “clue helpers” such as on-screen prompts or highlighting of clue answers to facilitate play. A viewer who does not use “clue helpers” may receive a higher score for each clue answer correctly found. Upon successful completion of the crossword puzzle, an “Award Page” can be displayed offering viewers prizes, premiums or other information.

A digital television recording method comprising: broadcasting a television program associated with a broadcaster set of parameters enabling access to a first set of predetermined portions of the program; operating an agent for determining whether to record the program and for associating with the program, upon recording of the program, an agent set of parameters enabling access to a second set of predetermined portions of the program; storing the program together with the broadcaster set of parameters and the agent set of parameters to generate an addressable program; retrieving at least a portion of the addressable program; displaying the at least a portion of the addressable program to a user, receiving from the user a user set of parameters enabling access to a third set of predetermined portions of the addressable program; editing the addressable program to include the user set of parameters enabling access to the third set of predetermined portions of the addressable program thereby generating an edited addressable program; and storing the edited addressable program.

A video processing system adaptively generates and processes volume / file structure and navigation data of different data format and converts data between different formats for decoding, recording and other applications. The system processes the volume / file structure and navigation data in distinct modes including (a) pre-processing, (b) contemporaneous and (c) post-processing modes. In addition, the system provides navigation information supporting navigation through different images of one or more video programs by parsing encoded packetized data representative of a sequence of individual images to determine parameters to support navigation through the sequence of individual images. The determined parameters are formatted into a predetermined data structure and incorporated into a pre-formed navigation data field.

An adding unit 14 of a broadcasting apparatus 11 attaches entry information to a content to be broadcast. The entry information specifies a content that is identical to the content to be broadcast out of a plurality of contents available for distribution by a distributing apparatus 12. A sending unit 15 of the broadcasting apparatus 11 broadcasts the content with the entry information attached thereto. An entry information recording unit 106 of a recording apparatus 30 records the entry information that is attached to the received content to a hard disk 104, and a requesting unit 107 requests the distributing apparatus 12 to distribute the content specified by the recoded entry information. A content distributing unit 21 of the distributing apparatus 12 receives the distribution request, and distributes the requested content to the recording apparatus 30. The recording apparatus 30 plays back the distributed content.

An optical disk includes: a data region; and a management region. The data region stores: at least one video object containing video information and audio information; and at least one audio object containing audio information. The management region stores first path information and second path information, the first path information indicating a first reproduction path including only the at least one video object, and the second path information indicating a second reproduction path including a combination of the at least one video object and the at least one audio object.

For encoding externally input AV signal to MPEG-TS that enables quickly conversion from MPEG-TS to MPEG-PS, data unit (Multiplexing Unit) is defined which includes a plurality of packet and has data size corresponding to data amount of one pack in MPEG-PS, and MPEG-TS is encoded for each defined data unit. Furthermore, time stamp information (ATS) added to a packet of MPEG-TS which is converted to MPEG-PS and time stamp information (SCR) added to a packet of the converted MPEG-PS are correlated with a predetermined formula.

A broadcasting method and a broadcast signal receiving apparatus is provided wherein auxiliary information, such as video and audio data, for supplementing broadcast information presented through a broadcasting network in an interlocked manner can be watched and listed to by the viewer. Broadcast information received from a broadcasting network is temporarily stored in a storage means of a broadcast signal receiving apparatus and a recording medium for storing auxiliary information used as a supplement to the broadcast information is mounted on the broadcast signal receiving apparatus. The broadcast information and the auxiliary information are then played back in an interlocked manner with a predetermined timing. As a result, a function to present information which can not be accommodated in a broadcast frame and a parental function can be implemented.

A data storage system having a non IC based memory and an IC based non-volatile memory for storing user data. In one example, the IC based non-volatile memory is implemented with MRAM. Examples of non IC based memory include e.g. hard disks, tape, and compact disks. In some examples, the IC based memory is utilized to store user data from an information device in order to increase the speed and / or the effective storage capacity of the data storage system. In some examples, a portion of a standard size block of user data can be stored on spaces of the non IC based memory that are deficient for storing a standard size block with the remaining portion being stored in IC based memory. Portions of a file of user data may be non-volatilely stored in the IC based memory in order to more quickly provide the file to an information device. For example, data of a file, that if stored in a location on the non IC based media would significantly increase the retrieval time of the file, can be stored in the IC based media.

Provided is a recording medium allowing random access to be performed in playing back 3D graphics. The recording medium comprises a digital stream area where a digital stream including temporally-arranged GOP pairs is recorded; and a map information area where map information is recorded, the map information indicating entry addresses in one to one correspondence with entry times on a time axis of the digital stream, each entry address showing a beginning of a corresponding GOP pair region in the digital stream area, wherein each GOP pair including first-type and second-type GOPs, each first-type GOP is data indicating a plain view picture set to be played back from a corresponding entry time, and each second-type GOP is data to be played back with a corresponding first-type GOP to provide a stereoscopic view, the data indicating a difference between a stereoscopic picture set and the plain view picture set.

A BD-ROM has recorded therein an AV Clip generated by multiplexing a video stream and an interactive graphics stream. The video stream representing a motion picture made of a plurality of pictures, and the interactive graphics stream representing an interactive display to be overlayed on the motion picture, where the interactive graphics stream includes state control information (ICS) stored in a packet and a graphics data sequence (ODS), and the packet includes a time stamp that indicates a time at which the initial display is performed, the time being obtained by adding a predetermined duration to a decode ending time (PTS) of graphics data positioned midway through the graphics data sequence (S-ODSsfirst, S-ODSslast).

Disclosed herein are a recording medium, an apparatus for forming the recording medium, and an apparatus and method for reproducing the recording medium. CPI (Copy Protection-related Information), identification information (CPI_Flag) indicative of recording or non-recording of the CPI, and / or a plurality of contents specific information (CSI) with different formats are recorded in a PIC (Permanent Information & Control data) zone of a high-density optical disc such as a BD-ROM (Blu-ray Disc-ROM). A formatting operation and mastering operation are performed under the condition that control data including the CPI, CPI_Flag and / or CSI is separated from main data. An optical disc device judges whether the optical disc has been illegally copied, with reference to the CPI, CPI_Flag and / or CSI read from the optical disc, and compulsorily stops a data playback operation upon judging that the disc has been illegally copied. Therefore, it is possible to effectively protect an optical disc from illegal copying, make an accurate and easy distinction between a legally made optical disc and an illegally made optical disc, and restrict reproduction of an illegally made optical disc.

A “path-enhanced” presentation is automatically generated from previously recorded “path-enhanced” multimedia based on time and location information associated with the multimedia. The path based on the time and location information is rendered over a two-dimensional map. The presentation indicates position and progress along the path, and at the same time, previously recorded multimedia corresponding to points or segments of that path are automatically played. When the moving icon reaches a location that is associated with multimedia, that multimedia is automatically played.

Entertainment content complementary to a musical recording is delivered to a user's computer by means of a computer network link. The user employs a browser to access the computer network. A plug-in for the browser is able to control an audio CD or other device for playing the musical recording. A script stored on the remote computer accessed over the network is downloaded. The script synchronizes the delivery of the complementary entertainment content with the play of the musical recording.

A method and system for segmenting video into an optimal set of video clusters that correspond loosely to one or more events, date ranges, time ranges, chapters or other logical segmentations of the digital video that is meaningful to the user. Video shots are selected from one or more video files on a computer-readable medium. The video shots are arranged in chronological order and a distance (e.g., time gap) between each successive pair of the arranged video shots is determined. Video clustering are generated as function of the determined ‘distances’ and / or user input, and an optimal video clustering is identified. After the optimal video clustering is identified, a time span for each of the video clusters is determined and a label is generated for each cluster. The clusters are then displayed for the user to browse using the generated labels and thumbnails derived from the video clips, transferred to a separate medium for display on another computer or other electronic device (e.g. DVD-video player) or made available for the user or other software to manipulate further.

An optical recording medium having a read-only storage area and a writable storage area and a recording / reproducing apparatus and method therefor. The optical recording medium is a hybrid disc having both the read-only storage area, which is suitable for mass production of information having the same contents, and the writable storage area on which data can be recorded, updated or added at a user's option. The read-only storage area has a structure that is completely compatible with a digital versatile disc read only memory (DVD-ROM) specification, and the writable storage area is compatible with the recording / reproducing characteristics of a writable DVD specification so that an existing reproducing-only apparatus can read information from the read-only storage area, and data can be recorded in the writable storage area using an apparatus obtained by minimally changing an existing recording / reproducing apparatus while maintaining the physical recording characteristics of the existing recording / reproducing apparatus.

A database search system that retrieves multimedia information in a flexible, user friendly system. The search system uses a multimedia database consisting of text, picture, audio and animated data. That database is searched through multiple graphical and textual entry paths. Those entry paths include an idea search, a title finder search, a topic tree search, a picture explorer search, a history timeline search, a world atlas search, a researcher's assistant search, and a feature articles search.

A video editing system uses simple heuristics and parameters on video footage to provide a condensed version of the footage. The editing system automatically provides either a finished condensed version of the footage or selects a plurality of clips based on the heuristics and parameters. The clips are optionally further edited by a user to produce a condensed version. The condensed version is transferable to any desired media suitable for storing video. A user interface enables the user to select heuristics to identify video clips from the footage. Parameters are also be set to automatically edit the clips in a desired manner. Temporal combinations of heuristics and parameters form templates, which are used to assemble desired clips for selected types of events.