MXPA06007763A - Storage medium having interactive graphic stream and apparatus for reproducing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A storage medium including an interactive graphic stream providing menus using various transition effects regardless of reproducing modes of multimedia data and an apparatus for reproducing the same. The storage medium in which multimedia information is recorded includes:video data;and graphic data to provide a menu screen overlaid on an image based on the video data, wherein the graphic data provides a plurality of menu pages. Accordingly, a plurality of menu pages may be provided regardless of application types of a main stream, and various transition effects may be applied when transitions between menu pages are performed.

Description

STORAGE ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS AN INTERACTIVE GRAPHIC FLOW AND AN APPARATUS FOR THE REPRODUCTION OF THE SAME FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the reproduction of multimedia data, and, more particularly, to a storage medium that includes an interactive graphic stream that provides menus that use various transition effects regardless of the media data playback modes . The present invention also relates to an apparatus for playing multimedia data. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For the purpose of reproducing multimedia data, multimedia data is recorded in a storage medium, AV data is stored in a storage medium, navigation data is used to control the reproduction of AV data, and system data. The system data includes information of entering a title of the AV data to be reproduced first when a storage medium is inserted into a reproduction apparatus. In addition to these data, additional data may be included in the storage medium. In particular, various types of information required to play video, audio, subtitles, and menus are multiplexed in a main stream and recorded in the AV data. Ref.: 174109 Figure 1 is a configuration of AV data in which several elementary streams are multiplexed. With reference to Figure 1, a video stream 102, an audio stream 104, a graphical display stream 106 for providing subtitles, and an interactive graphic stream 108 for providing a menu screen for an interaction with a user are multiplexed within a main flow and recorded in a storage medium in which multimedia data is recorded. Hereinafter, the main multiplexed stream will be referred to as AV data 110. In particular, the interactive graphics stream 108 for providing a menu screen to allow interaction with a user includes a plurality of segments. Figure 2 is an interactive graphic flow configuration 108 outside of the elementary streams shown in Figure 1. With reference to Figure 2, the interactive graphic stream 108 includes a plurality of segments. A unit displayed on a screen from an interactive composition segment (ICS) to a final segment is referred to as a deployment set. One of the deployment sets includes, but is not limited to, understanding: 1) An ICS to record composition information of an interactive graphic; 2) A palette definition segment (PDS) to define color palette and / or clarity information which should be applied to the interactive graphic; 3) A plurality of object definition segments (ODSs) for defining object data, including image information such as buttons, which will be displayed on a screen; 4) A final segment that indicates the term of the deployment set. In particular, the ICS includes timeout information of a relative display set, button composition information, and operation information of a reproduction apparatus in accordance with a user operation. The ICS can be done using an ICS data structure. Each segment included in a deployment set is registered in an elementary stream by packetization (PES), which is a unit of data set of a transport stream (TS, for its acronym in English) MPEG -2. The relative display set is started to be decoded in a decoded time stamp (DTS) included in the PES and started to be sent to a display screen in a presentation time stamp (PTS, for its acronym in English) .

Also, an output completion time of the relative display set is determined by a value of a composition_time_out_pts field registered in the ICS. The composition_time_out_pts field will be described later. Accordingly, the interactive graphic stream 108 is sent to the screen at a designated time (PTS), receives a user operation, executes corresponding operations, and disappears from the screen at the determined output termination time (composition_time_out_pts). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM Due to the data structure as described above, the ICS has the following disadvantages. First, where a plurality of page menus are provided, since the movement to previous and subsequent menu pages is only possible through a user operation in accordance with a general menu feature, a PTS defined in a set of PES data that includes an * ICS has a meaning only on a first page of the menu, and the PTSs on subsequent pages have no meaning. Therefore, for the purpose of constructing a plurality of page menus, an application type of a main flow should be established for a navigable presentation of slides. That is, in a case where a main stream is a movie application, a plurality of page menus can not be realized. Second, a transition effect between menu pages in a plurality of page menus can not be provided. Technical Solution The present invention provides a storage medium having an interactive graphic stream registered therein that provides a plurality of page menus even in the case where a main stream is a movie application and an apparatus for reproducing the same. .

The present invention also provides a storage medium having an interactive graphic stream registered therein by which various transition effects can be applied when transitions are executed between pages and an apparatus for reproducing the same. Advantageous Effects Accordingly, a plurality of menu pages can be provided without taking into account the application types of a main flow. Also, several transition effects can be applied when transitions between menu pages are executed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is an AV data configuration in which several elementary streams are multiplexed; Figure 2 is a configuration of an interactive graphic flow of the elementary streams shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a configuration of an interactive composition segment for providing a plurality of menu pages in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus for reproducing AV data in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an interactive graphic decoder, which processes an interactive graphic stream and is part of the reproduction apparatus shown in Figure 4, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is an example of the interactive composition segment for providing a plurality of menu pages in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figures 7A through Figure 7D are data definitions for the illustrative fields of the interactive composition segment in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 illustrates an example in which an animation effect is applied to button objects on the same menu page in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 illustrates an example of a screen transition effect between different menus using a plurality of screen transition objects in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 illustrates an example of the interactive composition segment for applying a screen transition effect in page units in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 illustrates the screen transition effect on the page units shown in Figure 10 on a time axis Figure 12 is an example of an interactive composition segment including an operation to designate a short period of time in which a menu page disappears from a screen when a user operation is not performed for a period of predetermined duration in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 is an example of a status register included in a reproduction apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 14 illustrates a page selection model when processing an interactive graphic stream; Figure 15 illustrates an initialization procedure shown in Figure 14; Figure 16 illustrates a processing procedure related to a change of reproduction status shown in Figure 14; and Figure 17 illustrates a processing procedure related to the generation of a page transition request shown in Figure 14. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a storage medium is provided in which records multimedia information, which includes: video data; and graphic data to provide a menu screen superimposed on an image based on the video data, wherein the graphic data provides a plurality of menu pages. The graphic data can include composition information and information of objects of the menus. The graphic data can also include color information from the menu screen. The composition information of the menus may include information of the plurality of menu pages. The information of the plurality of menu pages can be identified by a unique identification (ID) for each page. The information of the plurality of menu pages may also include information of the transition effects applied when the transitions between the plurality of menu pages are executed. The information of the transition effects can be designated for each button included in the plurality of menu pages, for each menu page included in the plurality of menu pages, or for each group for some buttons included in the plurality of pages of menu. The information of the plurality of menu pages may also include duration information for designating a predetermined menu page to automatically disappear from a display screen when a user operation is not performed for a predetermined duration after the default menu page is displayed. . The transition effects information may include at least one of, a menu page transition effect, a button transition effect, and a button animation effect. The composition information of the menus can be a composition segment of a deployment set of an MPEG-2 transport stream. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multimedia playback apparatus comprising: a decoder that decodes video data; and a graphic decoder that decodes graphics data to provide a menu screen superimposed on an image based on the video data; wherein the graphic decoder provides a plurality of menu pages. The apparatus may additionally include a memory that stores a unique ID of a menu page reproduced in progress. The graphic decoder can provide a page transition effect by configuring the memory as a unique ID of a menu page to be changed. Additionally, and / or other aspects and advantages of the invention will be established in part of the description which continues and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the present invention, of which the examples are illustrated in the appended figures, in which similar reference numerals refer to similar elements at all times. The embodiments are described below for the purpose of explaining the present invention with reference to the figures. Figure 3 is an example of the interactive composition segment (ICS) shown in Figure 2. More specifically, Figure 3 shows a configuration of a ICS 300 to provide a plurality of menu pages in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to Figure 3, the ICS 300 includes a plurality of menu pages 310. Each menu page 310 includes a group of a plurality of buttons that build a menu screen and is identified by a page identification page_id (ID ) 312. That is, a plurality of menu pages 310 is included in an ICS 300, and a transition page information 310 is included in a menu page. 314, apply when another page is moved to a relative page. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus for reproducing AV data 110 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. With reference to Figure 4, the reproduction apparatus includes a reading unit 410, a demultiplexer 420, a plurality of decoders 430 through 460, and a mixer 470. In detail, the reading unit 410 reads the multiplexed AV data 110 from or? storage means 400 and transmits the read AV data 110 to the demultiplexer 420. The demultiplexer 420 divides the transmitted AV data 110 into a video stream 102, an audio stream 104, a presentation stream 106, and an interactive graphic stream 108 in accordance with the data types and transmits the divided streams 102 to 108 to the corresponding decoders 430 to 460, respectively. Each stream transmitted to the corresponding decoder is decoded in accordance with a data type thereof and expects to be sent to a screen at a designated time. The decoded video stream 102, the graphic display stream 106, and / or the interactive graphic stream 108 are superimposed on an image by the mixer 470. A selected image is sent to the screen based on an output state set by a user. For example, the output state of the playback apparatus can be controlled based on a user selection such as closed captions on / off and mute audio. In particular, the interactive graphic decoder 450 receives the interactive graphic stream 108 of the storage medium 400, decodes the received interactive graphics stream 108, and sends a menu screen that includes buttons on the screen in a designated period. The user selection can be entered by the user when selecting a specific button on the exit menu screen. That is, an interactive user operation can be provided. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the interactive graphic decoder 450, which processes the interactive graphic flow 108 and is a part of the reproduction apparatus shown in Figure 4, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. With reference to Figure 5, in the AV data 110 read from the storage means 400, only the interactive graphics stream 108 is selectively transmitted to a transmission buffer 504 through a data set identifier filter (PID, for example). its acronym in English) 502 and decoded by the interactive graphic decoder 450. The interactive graphic stream 108 is temporarily stored in a coding data buffer 512 in the interactive graphic decoder 450 and is subsequently transmitted to a graphics stream processor 514. After the transmitted interactive graphic stream 108 is decoded by the graphic stream processor 514, the object data for defining the button images are transmitted to an object buffer 516, and button composition information is transmitted to a buffer memory of composition 518. A 520 graphic controller builds an im output bin with reference to the composition information, which is stored in the composition buffer 518, which corresponds to each transmitted object data and transmits the constructed image to a 530 graphic plane. That is, in a PTS, which is an initialization time of the interactive graphic flow 108, an image to be sent on an ongoing screen is determined under a control of the graphic controller 520, and the determined image is transmitted from the object buffer 516 to the graphic plane 530. The transmitted image is sent as a reference to a color determination table (CLUP) 532 in accordance with color information included in its associated composition information. Also, the graphic controller 520 changes the state of the button according to the movement or selection of a button when receiving a user operation (UOP, for its acronym in English). The graphic controller then reflects the result of the change in the output data of the screen. In particular, the ICS 300 shown in Figure 3 is decoded and stored in the composition buffer 518. The graphics controller 520 controls an output of a buffered graphic image of objects 516 with reference to the decoded ICS information stored in the Composition Buffer 518. Figure 6 is an example of an ICS for providing a plurality of menu pages in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. With reference to Figure 6, an example of syntax structure of an ICS according to one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The ICS includes a plurality of menu pages 610, and each menu page includes a plurality of buttons 612. Figures 7A through 7D are data definitions for illustrative fields of the ICS in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. With reference to Figures 6 and 7A to 7D, a semantic structure of each ICS field will now be described in detail. 1) segment_type: This is a field to indicate an ICS 2) segment_lenght: This is a field to indicate the number of bytes of the ICS. 3) Composition_number: This is a field to indicate a unique value of the ICS in an interactive graphic flow. When the ICS is changed or updated, the value is incremented sequentially from 0. 4) Composition_state: This is a field to indicate the types of a deployment set included in the ICS. In detail, Figure 7A illustrates the types of deployment set included in the ICS. With reference to Figure 7A, the interactive graphic flow is composed of units, each unit is called a period, in consideration of an operation model of the interactive graphic decoder 450 described above. The total of the interactive graphic objects included in a period are decoded by the interactive graphic decoder 450 and continuously stored in the object buffer 516 included in the interactive graphic decoder 450, and unless a following period data is entered, the contents they are maintained in the same way. Accordingly, in a period, the interactive graphic objects, which have been decoded and stored in the object buffer 516, can be reused without decoding the interactive graphic objects on each occasion. However, when a period ends and a subsequent period begins, all the buffers in the interactive graphic decoder 450 are restored, and the total of stored data is eliminated. Also, when the buffers in the interactive graphic decoder 450 are restored they can be defined according to a predetermined period in a period. A display set is defined as an output unit of the interactive graphic objects according to what is described in Figure 3. The display set indicates a set of interactive graphic objects sent on a screen, and a period may include at least a set of deployment. There are three types of deployment sets. 'First, the deployment set in a start state of Period (ES, for its acronym in English) indicates the beginning of a period and includes all data for interactive output graphics, such as interactive graphic composition information required to build the interactive graphics and object data to be used for build button images. Second, the deployment set in an acquisition point state (AP) may exist after the deployment set ES, and the AP deployment set includes all the information to construct the interactive graphics of a case in question. which a user randomly searches. Third, the deployment set in a normal case (NC) includes only data to be changed outside of the interactive graphs constructed by a previous deployment set., in this case, the data will only be updated. A plurality of deployment sets can be included in a period according to that shown in Figure 7A. The period starts with the deployment set ES, and the deployment set AP or NC can follow the deployment set ES. The ES deployment set is necessarily included one period, and the AP or NC deployment set is selectively included. With reference to Figure 6, now each successive field of the ICS will be described. 5) composition_update_flag: This is a field that indicates a correlation of button commands between a previous ICS and an ICS in progress. In detail, Figure 7B illustrates the definitions of a composition_update_flag value. With reference to Figure 7B, when the composition_update_flag value is? 0b ', the button commands of a previous ICS and an ICS in progress are all the same, and when the value of composition_update_flag is lb', the button commands are changed . 6) composition_time_out_pts: This is a field indicating an interactive deployment termination time. At the completion time, the ICS is no longer valid or displayed on the screen. A PTS refers to a main video PTS. 7) UO_mark_table: This is a field that indicates whether user operations are allowed for all durations of interactive deployments defined in the ICS. 8) animation_frame_rate_code: This is a field to designate the frame rate applied for the effects of button transition and / or button movement. 9) default_selected_j? Age_id: This is a field that indicates a page ID of a page that is displayed basically when you start playing the ICS. A basic definition portion of the ICS has been described, and page structures indicating a plurality of pages are included in the ICS. A configuration of the page structures indicating a plurality of pages will now be described. 10) page_id: This is a field that indicates a unique ID of each page in the plurality of structures on page 610 in the ICS. In one embodiment of the invention, the reproduction apparatus stores a displayed page ID in progress on the screen between the plurality of pages in the ICS in a system register. A system registration configuration will be described later with reference to Figure 13. 11) selection_time_out_duration: This is a field to designate a valid duration during which a button can be selected after an associated page is displayed on the screen. If the user does not select a button before the time designated by the selection_time_out_duration field, it expires, and a button designated by a default_activated_button_number field is activated, which will be described later. Here, the button designated by the default_activated_button_number field is activated only when the button designated by the default_activated_button_number field is valid. 12) default_selected_button_number: This is a field to designate a number of a button selected basically when the associated menu page of it is displayed on the screen. 13) default_activated_button_number: This is a field to designate a number of a button to be automatically activated in a case where the user does not select a button from the moment when an associated menu page is displayed on the screen until the time designated by the selection_time_out_duration field expires. If a value of the default_activated_button_number field is assigned to? 0xFF ', after the time designated by the selection_time_out_duration has expired, a selected button in progress is activated, and if the value of the deafult_activated_button_number field is assigned to av 0x00', no buttons are activated. .

A definition portion of the page structures indicating a plurality of pages has been described, and button structures indicating a plurality of buttons included in each menu page are included in each page structure. A configuration of the button structures indicating a plurality of pages will now be described. 14) button_number: This is a field that indicates a unique ID of each button in the plurality of button structures on the menu page. Also, this field can be used when a relative button is selected with the use of a number. Values from 1 to 99 can be used. 15) numerically_selectable_flag: This is a field that indicates whether a relative button can be selected directly with the use of a button_number button field. In detail, Figure 7C illustrates whether the button can be selected directly with the use of the button's button_number field. With reference to Figure 7C, if a value of the field numerically_selectable_flag is? 0b ', the button can not be selected directly with the use of the button_number field of the button, and if the value of the field numerically_selectable_flag is? Lb', the button can be selected directly with the use of the button_number field of the button. 16) auto_action_flag: This is a field to designate a mode of operation of a relative button. In detail, Figure 7D illustrates the operation modes of the button. With reference to Figure 7D, if a value of the auto_action_flag field is? 0b ', when the button is selected, a mode of operation of the button is changed to a selected_state mode, and if the value of the auto_action_flag field is' Ib7, the mode The button's operation is changed to an actioned_state mode without displaying a button image. The operating modes are defined in a lower portion of Figure 6. 17) button__horizontal_position: This is a field to designate a horizontal position of an up-left pixel of a relative button. 18) button_yertical_j? Osition: This is a field to designate a vertical position of the up-left pixel of a relative button. 19) upper (lower / left / right) _button_number: This is a field to designate a button_number field of a button selected by a UOP with the use of a move_up (down / left / right) _selected_button field when the button is selected by the movement of an arrow in an up / down / left / right direction. 20) page_change_start_object_id_normal (selected): This is a field to designate an object_id ID of a first button object to display a normal- (selected) _state button that has a transition effect when a menu page is displayed on the screen first or transit to another menu page. 21) page_change_end_object_id_normal (selected): This is a field to designate an object_id ID of a last button object to display a normal (selected) _state button that has a transition effect when a menu page is displayed on the screen first or transit to another menu page. 22) start_ob ect_id__normal (selected): This is a field to designate an object_id ID of a first button object, which must be displayed on the screen after the deployment of a button object designated by the field page_change_end_object_id_normal (selected) is completed . 23) end_object_id_normal (selected): This is a field to designate an object_id ID of a last button object to display the normal (selected) _state button on the screen. 24) repeat_normal (selected) _flag: This is a field to designate if an animation of the normal will be repeated continuously (selected) _state. If a value of the start_object_id_normal field (selected) equals a field value end_object_id__normal (selected), the field repeat_normal (selected) _flag has a value of * 0x00 '. 25) start_object_id_activated: This is a field to designate an object_id ID of a first button object to display the actioned_state button on the screen. 26) end_object_id_activated: This is a field to designate an object_id ID of a last button object to display the actioned_state button on the screen. 27) number_of_button_command: This is a field to indicate the number of commands related to a relative button. If a value of the number_of_button_command field is set to 0, the button is used only as a simple graphic image without a command. As described above, in accordance with the example of the ICS 300 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, when a specific menu page is displayed on the screen, 1) the fields 614 to provide a screen transition effect of each button included in the menu page and 2) fields 616 to provide an animation effect of each button after the screen transition effect, are designated. Therefore, a manufacturer would produce a plurality of button objects to display the desired screen transition effects and a plurality of button objects for button animation effects, which will be displayed continuously on a page after the effects of screen transition. As a result of these methods, the manufacturer can provide screen effects of various methods. Basically, for the purpose of providing a more dynamic screen transition in button units, if the number of button objects included between the page_change_start_object_id_normal (selected) field and the field page_change_end_object_id_normal (selected) for each button is not the same, there is no problem . However, in a case where the same transition effect such as a fading-in / out effect is applied to a whole page, in order to provide a gradual effect of screen transition, all the buttons included in the page, in one embodiment of the invention, have the same number of button objects included between the page_change_start_object_id_normal (selected) field and the page_change_end_object_id_normal (selected) field. In a case where the screen transition effect is unnecessary, the values of the two fields are, in one embodiment of the invention, equal to the value of the field start__object_id_normal (selected). An example in which the fields 614 are used to provide a screen transition effect for each button included in the menu page and the fields 616 to provide an animation effect for each button after the screen transition effects, will be described in detail. That is, an example will be described in which the manufacturer produces a plurality of screen transition button objects and applies a screen transition effect between different pages. Where two pages are included that have the same value of the composition_number field in an ICS, a first menu page in which the page_id = l is shown in Figure 8, and a second page in which the page_id = 2 is shown in Figure 9. Figure 8 illustrates an example in which an animation effect is applied to button objects on the same menu page in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. With reference to Figure 8, a button having a button_number = l is displayed on the first menu page. For the animation effect, the button includes five different button objects in which they are from object_id = l to 5. Each button object is changed and displayed in accordance with a frame rate designated in the animation_frame_rate_code field of each button object. Therefore, a button animation effect can be performed. Figure 9 illustrates an example of a screen transition effect between different menus using a plurality of screen transition objects in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to Figure 9, the second menu page in which the page_id = 2 is shown. For example, the user can change the first menu page in which page_id = l to the second menu page in which page_id = 2 when activating a button in which the button_number = l of the first menu page. Here, we will describe an effect of showing buttons in which button_number = l, 2, and 3 included in the second menu page in which page_id = 2 one by one from the left to the right and top to bottom according to as indicated by an arrow 902. For the purpose of providing the screen transition effect, a plurality of button objects are displayed in accordance with the values of the page_change_start_object_id_normal (selected) field and the page_end_object_id_normal (selected) field. In detail, in the present modality, in a case of the button in which the button_number = l, since there is no difference for the sense of the view for the button included in the first menu page in which page_id = l, a Button object for screen transition effect is not included additionally. Therefore, the values of the page_change_start_object_id_normal (selected) field and the page_change_end_object_id_normal (selected) field designate the same object_id = l as a value of the start_object_id_normal (selected) field. Accordingly, if the first menu page is moved to the second menu page, the basic animation effect is displayed repeatedly as described in Figure 8. Here, the commands included in the button can be changed in accordance with a purpose of the manufacturer. In a case of buttons in which button_number = 2 and 3, for the purpose of providing the screen transition effect, the buttons include a plurality of button objects in which object_id = 6 to 9 and object_id = 15 to 22, respectively. Consequently, the screen transition effect is displayed as indicated by arrow 902. For each of the buttons in which it is button_number = 2 and 3, after displaying a button object corresponding to the field page_change_end_object_id_normal ( selected) of each button, a plurality of button objects for an animation effect that exists between a button object indicated by the start_object_id_normal (selected) field and a button object indicated by the end_object_id_normal (selected) field, are displayed in the screen repeatedly. Therefore, the animation effect can be represented together with the screen transition effect. Figure 10 illustrates an example of the ICS for applying a transition effect in page units in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. With reference to Figure 10, unlike the methods for executing screen transitions in button units according to what is shown in Figures 8 and 9, a method for applying a screen transition effect for each group of buttons is illustrated. defined on a specific page or apply a screen transition effect on page units. For the purpose of executing the screen transitions in the page units, the field page_change_start_object_id_normal (selected) and the field page_change_end_object_id_normal (selected) used to provide the screen transition effect in button units in the example of the syntax structure of the ICS 300 shown in Figure 6 can be removed, and a field can be added to apply the screen transition effect to a full menu page. With reference to Figure 10, an example is illustrated for adding a transition_efect field 802 in a page structure for the purpose of applying the screen transition effect in the page units. That is, a default screen transition effect can be displayed, then the default screen transition effects that can be supported by all playback devices are predefined., assigning attribute values to the pre-defined screen transition effects and designating an attribute value of a screen transition effect desired by the manufacturer for the transition_effect 802 field. Figure 11 illustrates the screen transition effect in the units of pages shown in Figure 10 on a time axis. With reference to Figure 11, the displayed time axis of an interactive graphic stream is equal to a time axis of a video stream. In a PES data set that includes an ICS according to what is described in Figures 8 and 9, the interactive graphic flow data, such as an ICS, a PDS, and an ODS are decoded to set a decoded time stamp ( DTS, for its acronym in English), which is decoded time information included in the PES data set during video playback. After the decoding has finished, a page designated by a default_selected_page_id field is displayed on the screen in a PTS, which is presentation time information. In response to a navigation command of a specific button included in the page displayed menu, a screen transition between pages is executed. Also, since an interactive deployment duration has ended at the time designated by a composition_time_out_pts field, the menu page on the screen is no longer displayed. As described above, in a plurality of menu pages included in an ICS, transitions between menu pages can be gradually executed in response to the navigation commands assigned to specific buttons of the menu pages in a valid interactive deployment duration by defining an initiation time (PTS) and an end time (composition_time_out_pts) of a full interactive deployment duration. Figure 12 is an example of an ICS that includes an operation to designate a short period of time in which a menu page disappears from a screen when a user operation is not performed for a predetermined duration in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. With reference to Figure 12, the ICS of this mode can be used as a superimposed menu during the reproduction of a movie. In this case, if a menu displayed on a screen is continuously displayed until a deployment end time designated by a composition_time_out_pts field according to what is described in Figure 11, a user may have the sensation of inconvenience when the user observes multimedia video such as a high quality movie. Therefore, according to what is shown in Figure 12, a field can be added to designate a menu page displayed at that moment to disappear when a predetermined time has elapsed. In this modality, a field page_disappear__duration 1202 is defined. That is, the field is added to designate how long to wait before a menu page in progress disappears when an UOP is not performed after the 'menu page has been displayed. current on the screen. In other words, if a manufacturer designates a certain time value to the field, a current menu page is not displayed when the time designated to the field goes to a state where a UOP is not performed after the current menu page is displayed. Here, the data included in the page displayed menu does not disappear, however, the data simply does not display on the screen. As described above, in a case where a plurality of menu pages are included in an ICS, for the purpose of transitioning to another menu page, one of the buttons included in a previous menu page must have a navigation command to navigate to another menu page. That is, the navigation command will be a command to replace a page_id value of a menu page currently displayed with a page_id value of a new menu page to be traversed. A reproduction device, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, displays the new menu page on the screen based on the replaced page_id value. Therefore, the reproduction apparatus of this mode includes menu page information in the system register for storing playback information of a current player storage medium. A page transition effect can be performed by the navigation command that configures a value in the system record that stores menu page information in it. A page transition process will now be described in detail. Figure 13 is an example of a status register included in a reproduction apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. With reference to Figure 13, an example of a system record (player status record: PSR) of the reproduction apparatus for supporting a plurality of menu pages in the same ICS is illustrated. A PSRll 1302 stores page_id information from a menu page currently reproduced in a specific ICS of an interactive graphic stream. A page transition can be executed by one of the buttons included in the ICS by resetting the PSRll 1302 using a navigation command. Figure 14 illustrates a page selection model when an interactive graphic flow is processed. With reference to Figure 14, a process required to display an appropriate page in an ICS is illustrated when the reproduction apparatus processes the interactive graphic flow. Two general status 1406 and 1412 are shown, each represented by an elliptical figure, and three temporary status 1404, 1410, and 1416, each represented by a rectangular figure. The two general statutes indicate an invalid status 1406 and a valid status 1412. The valid status 1412 indicates a reproduction status of a valid period of an interactive graphic flow in progress. Invalid status 1412 indicates a stopped playback state or a state in which a valid interactive graphics stream does not exist even if the status is in the playback state. A general status as described above maintains an ongoing status unless a transition to another status is generated. A transition, such as a reference number 1402, 1408, 1414, or 1418, is generated by a reproduction state change, a UOP, or a navigation command. If the transition is generated, a processing procedure, such as a reference number 1404, 1410, or 1416, is processed for the purpose of obtaining an appropriate interactive graphic flow and page information. The four transitions are insertion of disk 1402, go to valid status 1408, transition of page 1414, and go to invalid status 1418. Now, each transition process will be described in detail. Figure 15 illustrates the initialization procedure 1404 shown in Figure 14. With reference to Figures 14, 13 and 15, when a storage medium is inserted into the reproduction apparatus, the reproduction apparatus changes to the initialization status 1404. , which is a temporary status, with the purpose of obtaining an appropriate interactive graphic flow and page information. In the initialization status 1404, a procedure for configuring the PSR is executed according to that shown in Figure 15. That is, an initial value of 0 is set for the PSR11 which stores a page_id value of a menu page to be deployed first. The reproduction apparatus changes to the invalid status 1406 after the initialization procedure 1404. FIG. 16 illustrates the processing procedure 1410 related to a change of reproduction status shown in FIG. 14. With reference to FIG. 16, the FIG. invalid 1406 status is maintained continuously until it starts a valid period of an interactive graphic flow, and if an initiation transition is generated to reproduce the valid period of the interactive graphic flow such as the reference number 1408, the reproduction apparatus changes towards the reproduction state change status 1410. In the reproduction status change status 1410, the processing procedure shown in FIG. 16 is executed. That is, a value of default_selected_page_id is read. from an ICS in the operation 1602, and if the value is a valid page_id value, the value is set by the PSRll in operation 1606, and if the value is invalid, it is verified whether a current PSRll is a valid page_id value. Based on the result of the verification, if the current PSRll is already set to a valid page_id value, the value of PSRll in progress is maintained in operation 1608, and if the current PSRll value is invalid, a The first page__id value of the ICS is set to the PSR11 value in the operation 1610. Accordingly, the reproduction apparatus is changed from the invalid status 1406 to the valid status 1412. Figure 17 illustrates the processing procedure 1416 related to the generation of a page transition request shown in Figure 14. With reference to Figures 14 and 17, a specific page of the ICS selected by means of the procedure 1410 described in Figure 16 maintains the valid status 1412 up to the time designated by the composition_time_out_pts field a unless a UOP occurs. However, in the case where a UOP to activate a button for which a navigation command is assigned to transit to another page, such as the reference number 1414, is received, the valid status 1412 is transited to the processing status. 1416 related to the generation of a page transition request. In processing status 1416 related to the generation of a page transition request, the processing procedure shown in Figure 17 is executed. That is, if an X value of page_id is valid for which a transition request is generated. of page, the PSRll is set to X in operation 1702, and if the value X is invalid, a value of page_id in progress is maintained in operation 1704. As described above, when the processing procedure 1416 is completed related to the generation of a page transition request, the valid status 1412 is maintained. In a case where the time designated by the composition_time_out_pts field of an ICS reproduced in progress, or in the case where the interactive graphic flow has ended it is changed, since the current page displayed becomes invalid, the valid status 1412 is transitioned to the invalid status 1406. This is, if a t is generated. ransition such as the reference number 1418, a last value of page_id stored in the PSRll is maintained. According to the above described, in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, there is provided an ICS structure of an interactive graphic stream that includes a plurality of menu pages and a model for selecting an appropriate page in an ICS. Accordingly, a plurality of menu pages may be provided regardless of the application types of a main flow. Also, several transition effects can be applied when transitions between menu pages are performed. Even though few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and from the scope which is defined. in the claims and their equivalences. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is applied to a storage medium that can be recorded therein an interactive graphic flow that provides a plurality of page menus even in the case where a main flow is a film application and an apparatus for reproduce the same. The present invention also applies to a storage medium in which an interactive graphic flow can be recorded by which various transition effects can be applied when transitions are executed between pages and an apparatus for reproducing the same. It is noted that with respect to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (57)

1. CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property: 1. A storage medium in which multimedia information is recorded, characterized in that it comprises: video data and graphic data to provide a screen of information. menu superimposed on an image based on the video data, wherein the graphic data provides a plurality of menu pages 2. The storage medium according to claim 1, characterized in that the graphic data comprises composition information and information of menu objects 3. The storage medium according to claim 2, characterized in that the graphic data further comprises color information of the menu screen. 4. The storage medium according to claim 2, characterized in that the composition information of the menus comprises information of the plurality of menu pages. The storage medium according to claim 4, characterized in that the information of the plurality of menu pages is identified by a unique identification (ID) for each page. 6. The storage medium according to claim 5, characterized in that the information of the plurality of menu pages further comprises information of transition effects applied when the transitions between the plurality of menu pages are executed. The storage medium according to claim 6, characterized in that the transition effect information is designated for each button included in the plurality of menu pages. The storage medium according to claim 6, characterized in that the information of the transition effects is designated for each menu page included in the plurality of menu pages. 9. The storage medium according to claim 6, characterized in that the information of the transition effects is designated for each group for some buttons included in the plurality of menu pages. 10. The storage medium according to claim 6, characterized in that the information of the plurality of menu pages also includes duration information to designate a certain period of the menu page to automatically disappear from a displayed screen when no one is made. user operation for a predetermined duration after the default menu page has been displayed. 11. The storage medium according to claim 6, characterized in that the transition effects information comprises at least one of the following, a menu page transition effect, a button transition effect, or an animation effect of button. The storage medium according to claim 2, characterized in that the composition information of the menus is a composition segment of a deployment set of an MPEG-2 transport stream. 13. A multimedia playback apparatus characterized in that it comprises: a decoder that encodes video data; and a graphic decoder that decodes graphics data to provide a menu screen superimposed on an image based on the video data, wherein the graphic decoder provides a plurality of menu pages. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the graphic decoder decodes composition information and menu information. 15. The device according to claim 14, characterized in that the graphic decoder further decodes color information from the menu screen. 16. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the composition information of the menus comprises information of the plurality of menu pages., and the graphic decoder provides a plurality of menu pages by decoding the information of the plurality of menu pages. The apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the information of the plurality of menu pages is identified by a unique identification (ID) for each page. 18. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the information of the plurality of menu pages further comprises information of transition effects applied when transitions are executed among the plurality of menu pages. 19. The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that information of the transition effects is designated for each button included in the plurality of menu pages. The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the information of the transition effects is designated for each menu page included in the plurality of menu pages. The apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that it further comprises: a memory that stores a unique ID of a menu page reproduced in progress, wherein the graphic decoder provides a page transition effect when establishing the memory as a Unique ID of a menu page to be changed. 22. The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the information of the transition effects is designated for each group for some buttons included in the plurality of menu pages. The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the information of the plurality of menu pages also comprises duration information to designate a predetermined duration of the menu pages to automatically disappear from a displayed screen when some operation is performed. user for a predetermined duration after the default menu page is displayed. The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the information of the transition effects comprises at least one of the following, a menu page transition effect, a button transition effect and an animation effect of button. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the composition information of the menu is a composition segment of a display set of an MPEG-2 transport stream. 26. A configuration of an Interactive Composition Segment (ICS) to provide a plurality of menu pages, characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of menu pages including each one, a plurality of buttons that build a menu screen and each one is identified for "a page identification; transition effect information, to be applied when another page is transited to a relative page, included in at least one of the menu pages." 27. A multimedia playback apparatus that includes a means of storage that stores multiplexed AV data from an Interactive Composition Segment (ICS) to reproduce the ultiplexed AV data, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: a reading unit for reading the multiplexed AV data from the storage medium; a demultiplexer for dividing AV data in at least one video stream, an audio stream, a graphical presentation stream , and an interactive graphic flow; a plurality of decoders to decode the video stream, the audio stream, the graphic display stream, and the interactive graphic stream; and a mixer for superimposing the video stream, the graphic presentation stream, and / or the interactive graphic stream within an image. 28. The apparatus according to claim 27, characterized in that the plurality of decoders includes an interactive graphic decoder for receiving the interactive graphic flow, for decoding the received interactive graphic flow, and for sending a menu screen including buttons at a designated time. 29. The apparatus according to claim 28, characterized in that a user selection can be introduced by a user selection of a specific button on the output menu screen so that an interactive user operation can be provided. 30. The apparatus according to claim 28, characterized in that the interactive graphic decoder comprises: a coding buffer for temporarily storing the interactive graphic flow; a graphic flow processor, to which the graphically stored graphic flow is subsequently transmitted, to process the interactive graphic flow; an object buffer to which object data is transmitted to define button images after the interactive graphic stream is decoded by the graphics stream processor; a composition buffer for storing composition information; and a graphic controller for constructing an output image with reference to the composition information corresponding to the object data and transmitting the constructed image to a graphic plane. 31. The apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that the constructed image is transmitted at an onset time of the interactive graphic flow. 32. The apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that the transmitted image is produced with reference to a color determination table (CLUP) in accordance with color information included in the related composition information thereof. 33. The apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that the graphic controller changes a button state in accordance with the movement or selection of a button upon receiving a user operation (UOP) and reflects the changed result. 34. The apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that the ICS comprises: "a segment_type field to indicate the ICS, a segment_length field to indicate the number of bytes of the ICS, a composition_number field to indicate a unique value of the ICS in a interactive graphic flow so when the ICS is changed or updated, the value increases sequentially; a composition_state field to -indicate the types of a deployment set included in the ICS; 35. The apparatus according to claim 34, characterized in that the interactive graphic flow is composed of units, each unit is a period that has interactive graphic objects in it that will be decoded by the interactive graphic decoder and will be stored continuously in the object buffer. 36. The apparatus according to claim 35, characterized in that, in a period, the interactive graphic objects, which have been decoded and stored in the object buffer, can be reused without decoding the interactive graphic objects, except that they are re-established, when a period ends and a subsequent period starts, the buffer in the interactive graphic decoder, and the total of the stored data disappears. 37. The apparatus according to claim 36, characterized in that when the interactive graphic objects • are produced, the interactive graphic objects define a set of display, the set of display to indicate a set of interactive graphic objects produced. 38. The apparatus according to claim 37, characterized in that a period may include at least one deployment set. 39. The apparatus according to claim 36, characterized in that the deployment set in a period start state (ES) indicates the beginning of a period and includes all the data required to construct the object data and interactive graphics that will be used for build button images. 40. The apparatus according to claim 39, characterized in that the deployment set at an acquisition point (AP) state can exist after the deployment set ES, and the AP deployment set includes all the information to build the graphics Interactive of a case in which a user performs a random search. 41. The apparatus according to claim 40, characterized in that the display set in a normal case (NC) includes only data that must be changed outside of the interactive graphics constructed by a previous deployment set. 42. The apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that the ICS comprises: a composition__update_flag field to indicate a button command correlation between a previous ICS and an ICS in progress; a composition_out_pts field indicates an interactive deployment completion time when the ICS is no longer displayed as valid; a UO_mark_table field to indicate whether user operations are allowed for all the interactive deployment durations defined in the ICS; an animation_frame_rate__code field to designate a frame rate applied for the purpose of button transition and / or moving buttons; and a default_selected_page_id field to indicate a page ID of a page displayed basically when the ICS starts playing. 43. The apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that the ICS comprises: a page_id field to indicate a unique ID of each page in the plurality of page structures in the ICS; a selection_time_out_duration field to designate a valid duration during which a button can be selected after an associated page of it is displayed on the screen; a field default_selected_button_number to designate a number of a button selected basically when an associated menu page is displayed on the screen; and a default_activated_button_number field to designate a number of a button to be automatically activated in a case where the user does not select a button from the moment when a page associated menu of the same is displayed on the screen until the designated time expires. the selection_time_out_duration field 44. The apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that the ICS comprises: a button_number field for indicating a unique ID of each button in the plurality of button structures in the menu page; and a numerically_selectable_flag field to indicate whether a relative button can be selected directly with the use of a button_number button field. 45. The apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that the ICS comprises: an auto_action_flag field for designating a mode of operation of a relative button; a button_horizontal_position field to designate a horizontal position of an up-left pixel of a relative button; a button_vertical_position field to designate a vertical position of the up-left pixel of a relative button; an upper (lower / left / right) _button_number field to designate a button_number field of a button selected by a UOP that uses a move_up (down / left / right) _selected_button field when the button is selected by the movement of an arrow in one direction up down left right; a field pagé_change_start_object__id__normal (selected) to designate an object_id ID of a first button object to display a button of the normal (selected) _state that counts a transition effect when a menu page is displayed on the screen first or transited to another menu page; a field page_change_end_obj ect_id_normal (selected) to designate an object_id ID of a last button object to display a button of the normal (selected) _state that has a transition effect when a menu page is displayed on the screen first or busy to another menu page; a field s tart_ob j ect_id__normal (selected) to designate an object ID of a first button object, which must be displayed on the screen after the completion of a button object designated by the field page_change_end_obj ect_id_normal ( selected), - a field end_object_id_normal (selected) to designate an obj ect_id ID of a last button object to display the button of the normal (selected) _state on the screen; a field repeat_normal (selected) _f lag to designate if an animation of the normal (selected) _state is repeated continuously; a field start_object_id_activated to designate an obj ect_id ID of a first button obj ect to display the actioned_state button on the screen; an end_object_id_activated field to designate an object_id ID of a last button object to display the actioned_state button on the screen; a number_of_button_command field to indicate the number of commands related to a relative button; and a b tton_command field to store a navigation command that corresponds to a button. 46. The apparatus according to claim 45, characterized in that when a specific menu page is displayed on the screen, the fields are designated to provide a screen transition effect of each button included in the menu page and the fields for provide an animation effect for each button after the screen transition effect. 47. The apparatus according to claim 45, characterized in that where the transition effect is applied to a whole page all the buttons included in the page have the same number of button objects included between the field page_change_start_object_id_normal (selected) and the field page_change_end_object_id_normal (selected). 48. The apparatus according to claim 46, characterized in that the values of the field page_change_start_object_id_normal (selected) and the field page_change_end_object_id_normal (selected) designate the same object_id = l as a value of the field start_object_id_normal (selected), so if the first menu page is moved to the second menu page, the basic animation effect is displayed repeatedly. 49. The apparatus according to claim 46, characterized in that the field page_change_start_object_id_normal (selected) and field page_change_end_object_id_normal (selected) used to provide the screen transition effect in button units can be removed in the example of the structure of ICS syntax, and a field can be added to apply the screen transition effect to an entire menu page. 50. The apparatus according to claim 49, characterized in that a predetermined screen transition effect can be represented, after pre-defining the predetermined screen transition effects that can be supported by all reproduction apparatuses, assigned values of attribute for the pre-defined screen transition effects and designate an attribute value of a screen transition effect. 51. A configuration of an Interactive Composition Segment (ICS) to provide a plurality of menu pages characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of menu pages including each plurality of buttons that build a menu screen and each one is identified by a page ID id; effect, transition information, to be applied when another page is transitioned to a relative page, included in at least one of the menu pages, where transitions between menu pages can be executed gradually in response to commands Navigation settings assigned to specific buttons of the menu pages in a valid interactive deployment duration by defining a start time and an end time of a full interactive deployment duration. 52. The configuration according to claim 51, characterized in that wherein the ICS is a superimposed menu such as, if a menu displayed on the screen is displayed continuously until the end time, a field can be added to designate a menu page displayed in progress so that it disappears when a predetermined time has elapsed. 53. A method for displaying an appropriate page in an interactive composition segment (ICS) when a reproduction apparatus processes an interactive graphic stream, characterized in that it comprises: providing general statutes to indicate a state of a reproduction of a valid and invalid period of an ongoing interactive graphic stream and temporary status to indicate a stopped playback state or a state in which a valid interactive graphic stream does not exist even if the status is in the playback state; reproduce a change of state, a user operation, or a navigation command to generate a • transition; and obtain an appropriate interactive graphic flow and page information if the transition is generated. 54. The method according to claim 53, characterized in that the transition comprises: insertion of the disk; go to the valid status; transition of the page; and go to invalid status. 55. A storage medium in which multimedia information is recorded, characterized in that it comprises: video data; and graphical data of the flow to provide a menu screen superimposed on an image based on the video data, where the. Graphical data provides a plurality of menu pages. 56. A multimedia reproduction apparatus characterized in that it comprises: a decoder that encodes video data; and a graphic decoder that decodes flow graph data to provide a menu screen superimposed on an image based on the video data, wherein the graphic decoder provides a plurality of menu pages. 57. A configuration of an Interactive Composition Segment (ICS) to provide a plurality of menu pages characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of menu pages, which includes each plurality of buttons for constructing a menu screen and each one is identified by a page identification, so an appropriate menu page can be selected; transition effect information, to be applied when another page is transitioned to a relative page, included in at least one of the menu pages, the transition effect information that relates to various transition effects.