JP2813245B2 - Optical disc reproducing apparatus and reproducing method - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an optical disc on which an information signal is recorded and a reproducing apparatus thereof, and more particularly, an optical disc on which an object including digital moving picture data, audio data, and graphics data is recorded, and a reproducing apparatus thereof, 2. Description of the Related Art A typical optical disc is a compact disc (CD) and a video CD obtained by developing the compact disc for a moving image. A CD can record about one hour of audio digital data, and its application is mainly music software. On the other hand, a video CD can record moving picture digital data including audio for about one hour, and its application is mainly movie software. CDs and video CDs have been widely used by music and movie enthusiasts because of their reasonable size and good sound and image quality.

Looking at the trend of video software in recent years, the latter category of video CDs, applications classified as interactive software are emerging. Interactive software is an application that selectively reproduces a plurality of pieces of moving image information stored on an optical disk in accordance with a user instruction, or dynamically changes the reproduction order during reproduction. As a specific example of the interactive software, there is a multi-story drama in which the story progress changes according to the selection result of the user.

With reference to FIG. 1A, an optical disk for realizing interactive software and a reproducing apparatus for the interactive software will be briefly described by taking a video CD as an example. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an optical disk which is a video CD. The video CD of FIG. 1A stores interactive software, which is a multi-story reasoning drama (multi-story means that there are several story developments.).

FIG. 1B shows digital data stored on a video CD. The video CD of this example stores five moving image digital data, moving image 1, moving image 2, moving image 3, moving image 4, and moving image 5, and a plurality of reproduction path data for restricting the reproduction order of the plurality of moving images. The digital data strings constituting the moving image are stored in the continuous area of the disk. However, the digital data strings of all the moving images need not be stored in the continuous area, but are separately stored in the storage area of the optical disk.

FIG. 1A shows the contents of each moving image and the order of reproduction. In this example, the moving image 1 is a moving image in which the detective enters the room. The moving image 2 is a moving image in which a desk in a room is close-up and a pen and glasses are displayed. The moving image 3 is a menu image and includes two menu items having label information of ““ 1 ”glasses” and ““ 2 ”pen.” The moving image 4 has the menu item “1” glasses selected. Video 5 is a video played when the menu item ““ 2 ”pen” is selected, and “Pen” is displayed in close-up.

FIG. 1C shows a plurality of playback path data stored on a video CD. There are two types of reproduction path data: a type that gives one reproduction order to a plurality of moving image data, and a type that switches the branch destination of the reproduction progress.

The former type is called a play list, and specifies a plurality of moving images to be continuously reproduced, and specifies a reproduction order. The play list also includes link information between the reproduction paths to which the reproduction path is to be branched after the end of the reproduction of the play list.

The latter type is called a selection list, and includes a plurality of reproduction paths as branch destination candidates and a menu address. The menu address is a recording address of a menu image that indicates that there are a plurality of branch destinations. The menu image includes a plurality of menu items, and the identifier of each of the menu items is associated with the identifier of the branch destination reproduction path.

In the example of FIG. 1C, the reproduction path data 1, the reproduction path data 3, and the reproduction path data 4 are a playlist, and the reproduction path data 2 is a selection list. The identification number of each menu item corresponds to a numeric key on the panel of the remote controller by the user, and when this numeric key is pressed, the reproduction progress is switched to the corresponding branch destination.

Next, the operation when the video CD shown in FIG. 1B is reproduced by the reproducing apparatus will be described.

When the reproduction start is instructed, the reproduction apparatus calculates the recording address of the reproduction path data for reproduction start on the optical disk by a predetermined calculation method. When the recording address of the reproduction path data is calculated, the pickup is moved to the address and the reproduction path data is read from the optical disk to the internal memory. In this example, for the sake of explanation, it is assumed that the reproduction path data 1 as a play list has been extracted from the memory. When the playback path data 1 is stored in the memory of the playback apparatus, the playback apparatus determines a moving image to be played according to the playback order of the moving image indicated by the playback path data 1. After the determination, the pickup is moved to the recording address of the moving image, and digital data of the moving image is read from the optical disk. The read digital data is subjected to predetermined signal processing, converted into a video output signal and an audio output signal, and output to the display speaker.

When the moving image 1 is reproduced through the above processing, as shown in FIG. 1A, the moving image of the scene in which the detective enters the room with the desk is reproduced for several seconds. When the reproduction of the moving image 1 is completed, the reproduction of the moving image 2 is performed, and the desk closes up on the screen. By this close-up, on the screen,
The pen and glasses appear for a few seconds. If all the moving images whose reproduction order is described in the reproduction path data are reproduced, the next reproduction path data is read out to storage via the optical pickup by referring to the stored link information of the reproduction path data 1. After the reading, the reproduction path 1 is discarded, and the next reproduction path data is read into the internal memory via optical reading. In this example, the reproduction path data 2 is stored in the memory instead of the reproduction path data 1. In the case of this example, since the newly stored reproduction path data 2 is a selection list, a menu image indicating a plurality of branch destinations is displayed. In this example, the moving image 3 is displayed as a menu, and ““ 1 ”glasses”,
The menu item ““ 2 ”pen” is shown to the user.

When the user watches the menu image and presses the numerical value of the identification number corresponding to the menu item on the remote controller, the reproducing device determines the reproduction path data of the branching destination corresponding to the numerical value. Subsequently, the reproduction path data 2 which is a selection list stored therein is discarded, the pickup is moved to the recording address of the determined reproduction path data of the branch destination, and the reproduction path data of the branch destination is read out to the internal memory. In this example, when the user selects “1” glasses, the reproduction path data 3 is stored in the memory, and when the user selects “2” pen, the reproduction path data 4 is stored in the memory. When the new reproduction path data is stored in the memory, the reproduction progress control according to the new reproduction path data is similarly continued.
In this example, if the reproduction path data 3 is stored in the memory, the moving image 4 is reproduced in accordance with the stored reproduction path data 3, and the glasses are brought up on the screen.

When the reproduction path data 4 is stored in the memory, the moving image 5 is reproduced, and the pen closes up on the screen. If the playback apparatus repeats the above operation for the above-described optical disc, the progress of video playback can be switched by selecting a menu item. By this switching, the story development of the interactive software changes in various ways, so that the user can enjoy the multi-story as if he were a detective appearing in the video.

Data used by the playback apparatus to control the progress of playback of the disc, such as playback path data, is collectively referred to as navigation control data. In recent years, in what format the navigation control data is stored on the optical disc or how the playback device uses the data has become a very important technical issue. this is,
This is because the amount of on-board memory required for the playback device increases or decreases depending on the format. If the format requires a large amount of mounted memory, the cost of the reproducing apparatus becomes high since the cost of the memory increases. In general, a consumer AV device, such as a CD or a video CD, has a memory capacity of several tens of kilobytes or less in order to reduce the price for consumer use. In the case of the above-described interactive software using a video CD, only one piece of reproduction path data is resident in the memory for each moving image reproduction. The size occupied by the playback path data on the memory is several hundred bytes, so several tens of kilobytes
It is possible to realize interactive software with a margin even in a reproducing apparatus having only the memory mounted on the computer.

By the way, functional requirements for interactive software by application creators and users are increasing year by year, and the above-mentioned limitations in video CDs are whispered. The following describes what functions are difficult to realize in a video CD, and what problems can be encountered when trying to realize this.

The first problem is that a specific object appears on the screen only 2.
The point is that it is impossible to specify a branch destination that is precisely synchronized with the video content, such as asking the operator for a branch of the reproduction progress during a period of 0 second to 3.0 seconds. For example, the scenery that changes one after another is displayed on the window of the train, and only during the period when a specific building, for example, "castle" or "bridge" is playing in the scenery, the reproduction progress to the introduction video of these buildings is performed. Consider regeneration control for branching. Since the selection list of the video CD is specified for the entire moving image, it is not possible to specify a partial video section of the moving image as in the example described above. If this is to be achieved by force, the moving picture must be divided into smaller units, and a selection list must be individually set to adopt a painful measure. However, the cost of this devastating measure is a decrease in response.
That is, a phenomenon occurs in which the reproduction of the moving image is temporarily suspended due to the disk seek for switching the moving image and the reproduction path data. Because of the great cost of reduced response, it is virtually impossible to control the playback of video CDs by switching menu items one after another in synchronization with the video content of the moving image. For example, when a user dressed as a detective encounters a suspicious person, it is not possible to closely associate the video content with the playback control, such as asking the user for a selection in a menu according to the change in the expression of the person. .

The second problem is that the progress of reproduction cannot be controlled by a combination of a previous user selection result and a current selection result. For example, in the teaching material application, questions are displayed one after another, the correctness of the user's answer result for each question is scored, and if all the questions have been reproduced, according to the user's score, if it is above a certain point Consider interactive software that plays a pass or a reject if it is below a certain point. In the case of a video CD, it is not possible to change the branch destination by reflecting the result of the user's selection in the previous menu, so it is not possible to realize interactive software that changes the branch destination based on the total score of a plurality of answer results. .

In addition, in the case of the multi-story inference drama described above, in order to attract the user, it is necessary to develop a surprising story and to enjoy the story repeatedly in different stories, but the user selects it. When the relationship between the menu item and the branch destination is one-to-one, the user remembers the branch destination without knowing while playing the interactive software. That is, at first, the story development is surprising, but if this is repeated several times, it will be remembered how to make the selection and how the story development will be performed, and it will immediately rise. In the example of the inference drama, when the menu item “glasses” is selected, the process always branches to the reproduction path data 3. Ideally, it is desirable to sometimes make a different branch, reflecting the selection result of the previous detective action, but if the menu item “glasses” is selected, the branch always goes to the reproduction path 3. Just playing with the interactive software a few times will get used to the story development.

A first object of the present invention is to switch menu items to be displayed one after another according to a change in scenery from a vehicle window, and the like.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical disk reproducing apparatus and a reproducing method capable of realizing interactive software in which video contents of a moving image and instructions to the reproducing apparatus are precisely synchronized with a reduced amount of memory.

A second object of the present invention is to instruct the playback apparatus to combine a previously issued user instruction and a current user instruction, such as determining a branch destination according to the user's answer results several times. An object of the present invention is to provide a reproducing apparatus and a reproducing method of an optical disk capable of realizing interactive software with a reduced amount of memory.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The first and second problems are a data area for storing a plurality of moving image objects, one or more pieces of path information indicating a reproduction order of a predetermined moving object, and an optical disk of the moving object indicated by the path information. And an index area for storing position information indicating the position on the optical disk, wherein the moving image object includes control information in a predetermined moving image section, and the control information includes a predetermined information of the moving image object. Information for controlling the reproduction progress used during reproduction of the moving image section, wherein any of the control information indicates the moving image object that can be branched and reproduced regardless of the path information, Reading means for reading and reproducing the moving image object, the control information, the path information, and the position information from the optical disc Holding means for holding the control information valid for the moving image section being played; control means for controlling the reading means based on the position information so as to play the predetermined moving object; and Receiving means for receiving an instruction to branch the reproduction progress, wherein the control means causes the moving image object, the path information, and the position information to be read from the optical disc, and receives an instruction to branch the reproduction progress. If there is no, the reading means is controlled so as to sequentially reproduce the moving image object in accordance with the path information, and when the held control information indicates the moving image object that can be reproduced in a branched manner, the reproduction progress is performed. If the instruction to branch is received, at least following the reproduction of the moving image object being reproduced, And controls the reading unit to reproduce the moving object in which the control information indicates held regardless of the information.

According to this configuration, when a specific object appears on the screen by the moving image section, the holding means holds the control information used during the reproduction of the moving image section, and the held control information branches. When the moving object that can be reproduced is indicated, if the instruction to branch the reproduction progress is received, the reading unit is controlled to reproduce the moving object indicated by the held control information. In a period of only 2.0 seconds to 3.0 seconds in terms of time, it is possible to present a branch destination that is precisely synchronized with the video content, asking the operator to branch the reproduction. For example, the scenery that changes one after another is displayed on the window of the train, and only during the period when a specific building, for example, a "castle" or "bridge" is being reproduced in the scenery, the reproduction is advanced to the introduction video of these buildings. be able to. Also, since the control information is a unit effective only during the playback of the moving image section, the control information for the already played moving image section can be overwritten with the control information for the next moving image section to be played back. good. By such overwriting, it is possible to realize reproduction of moving image data rich in interactivity with a small memory.

The index area further stores connection information indicating a connection relationship between at least two pieces of the path information, and any one of the control information may be branched and reproduced regardless of the path information and the connection information. Indicating the moving image object, and the control unit is configured to determine whether or not the stored control information indicates the moving image object that can be branched and reproduced, and that if the instruction to branch the reproduction progress is received, at least during reproduction Controlling the reading means to reproduce the moving image object indicated by the control information held irrespective of the path information and the connection information, subsequent to the reproduction of the moving image object, Information indicating a plurality of pieces of route information that can be connected to the At least one of the control information included in the moving image object indicated by the path information including the branch condition information includes a branch condition information for selection by a parameter value, and information for updating a value of any one of the parameters. The, the playback device further comprises a register for holding the value of each of the parameters,
The receiving unit further receives an instruction to update the parameter, and the control unit holds the instruction if the instruction to update the parameter is received when the held control information indicates the update of the parameter. Updating the value of the corresponding register according to the control information, and when the path information has the branch condition information, following reproduction of all the moving image objects indicated by the path information,
One of the path information is selected according to the value of the register and the branch condition information, and the reading unit is controlled so as to sequentially reproduce the moving image object according to the selected path information.

The video object indicated by the path information including the branch condition information is a teaching material application,
When at least one of the control information is information for updating a value of a parameter as a score, questions are displayed one after another in the teaching material application, and the correctness of the user's answer result in each question is scored. When the reproduction of the question is completed, the moving image can be reproduced according to the score of the user if the score is equal to or more than a certain score or rejected if the score is equal to or less than the certain score. Further, since the relationship between the item in the menu and the branch destination is not one-to-one, the probability that the branch destination is memorized is reduced. The probability of remembering how the items in the menu and the branch destination are related to each other is reduced, and the operator can be entertained for a long time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing recording of moving image information and recording of reproduction control information in interactive reproduction conventionally realized.

FIG. 2A is an external view of an optical disc in the present embodiment.

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the optical disc.

FIG. 2C is an enlarged view of a portion irradiated with a light spot.

FIG. 2D is a diagram showing a pit row on the information layer 109.

FIG. 3A is an explanatory view of a track arrangement of an information layer of an optical disc.

FIG. 3B is an explanatory diagram of a physical sector in an information layer of the optical disc.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a logical structure of the optical disc.

FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram of a file area of the optical disc.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a data structure of a video title set.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a correspondence relationship between a moving image material, an audio material, a subtitle material, and each pack in a video object (VOB).

FIG. 7A is a diagram showing the internal structure of a video pack.

FIG. 7B is a diagram showing the internal structure of the audio pack.

FIG. 7C is a diagram showing the internal structure of a sub-picture pack.

FIG. 7D is a diagram showing the internal structure of the management information pack.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a menu.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the DSI.

FIG. 10A is a diagram showing the internal structure of a PCI.

FIG. 10B is a diagram showing the internal structure of highlight information.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a list of setting commands in the present embodiment.

FIG. 12A is a diagram showing the internal structure of video title set management information.

FIG. 12B is a diagram showing the internal structure of a PGC command table and “VOB position information table”.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state in which a section in which VOBs are recorded is partially reproduced in the reproduction order.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a list of branch commands in the present embodiment.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a playback order of video objects (VOBs) based on the “VOB position information table”.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram for explaining reproduction control at a path level.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a description example of a pre-processing command group, a post-processing command group, and video object (VOB) position information.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing moving image data, sub-picture data, and management information packs as materials in the first application example.

FIG. 19A is a diagram showing the superimposition of the video by the video pack 201 and the video by the sub-video pack A-101 and the interrelationship of the management information pack P101 in the first application example.

FIG. 19B: Moving picture data 250 and sub-picture data A in the first application example
FIG. 22 is a diagram showing the superposition of −125 and the interrelationship between management information packs P125.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing transition of moving image data and a menu in the first application example.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing moving image data located at a branch destination in an example of multiple branching.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a reproducing apparatus in the present embodiment.

FIG. 23 shows an example of a key arrangement of the remote controller 91.

FIG. 24 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the DVD player 1 in the present embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a signal separating unit 86.

FIG. 26 is a configuration diagram showing an internal configuration of a system control unit 93.

FIG. 27A is a main flowchart showing the processing contents of a system control unit 93.

FIG. 27B is a main flowchart showing the processing contents of the system control unit 93.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing processing contents of a system control unit 93 based on PGC information.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart showing a management information pack receiving process.

FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing remote control reception processing.

FIG. 31 is a flowchart showing branch contents according to a branch command.

FIG. 32 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a video manager.

FIG. 33 is a diagram showing an example of a volume menu.

FIG. 34A is a diagram showing a description content of video title set management information of a circle around the world quiz.

FIG. 34B is a view showing a description content of PGC information # A1.

FIG. 34C is a diagram showing a description content of PGC information # A5.

FIG. 35 is a diagram showing the relationship between PGC information # A1, A2 and VOB.

FIG. 36 is a diagram showing the contents of a VOB in a round the world quiz.

FIG. 37 is a diagram showing PGC information # A5 and a manner of branching from the PGC information # A5.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The multimedia optical disc in this embodiment has a diameter of
A digital video disk (hereinafter abbreviated as DVD) in which a recording capacity of about 4.7 GB on one side is realized on a 120 mm optical disk is preferable.

In the following description, items are described as follows to facilitate understanding. At that time, a classification number is attached to the left of each item. The number of digits of the classification number means the hierarchical depth of the item. The highest order of the classification numbers is (1) and (2), (1) relates to an optical disk, and (2) relates to a reproducing device (disk reproducing device).

(1.) Physical structure of optical disk (1.1) Logical structure of optical disk (1.1.1) Logical structure-video title set (1.1.1.1) Video title set-video object (VOB) (1.1.1.1.1.) Video object (VOB)-Video pack (1.1.1.1.2) Video object (VOB)-Audio pack (1.1.1.1.3) Video object (VOB)-Sub-picture pack (1.1.1.1.4) Video object (VOB)- Management Information Pack (1.1.1.1.4.1) Management Information Pack-DSI Packet (1.1.1.1.4.2) Management Information Pack-PCI Packet (1.1.1.1.4.2.1) PCI Packet-Highlight Information (1.1.1.1.4.2) .1.1) Highlight information-General highlight information (1.1.1.1.4.2.1.2) Highlight information-Item color information (1.1.1.1.4.2.1.3) Highlight information-Item information (1.1.1.2) Video title set -Video title set management information (1.1.1.2.1) Video Title set management information -PGC information (1.1.2) Logical structure - Video Manager (2.1) Outline of the disk reproducing apparatus (2.2) components of the components of the disk reproducing apparatus (2.2.1) disc reproducing apparatus - signal separating unit 86
(2.2.2) Components of disc playback device-internal configuration of system control unit 93 (2.3.1) Normal operation of system control unit 93 (1.) Physical structure of optical disc Fig. 2A shows the external appearance of a DVD. FIG. 2B is a sectional view of FIG. FIG. 2C is an enlarged view of a circle of FIG. 2B. DV
D107 is a first transparent substrate 108, an information layer 10
9, an adhesive layer 110, a second transparent substrate 111, and a printing layer 112 for label printing are laminated.

The first transparent substrate 108 and the second transparent substrate 111 are reinforcing substrates of the same material, but both have a thickness of about 0.6 mm. That is, both substrates are approximately 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm thick.

The adhesive layer 110 is provided between the information layer 109 and the second transparent substrate 111 and adheres both.

The information layer 109 has a reflective film such as a metal thin film adhered to a surface in contact with the first transparent substrate. Concavo-convex pits are formed at a high density on this reflective film by a molding technique.

The pit shape is shown in Figure 2D. The length of each pit in FIG. 2D is 0.4 μm to 2.13 μm, and 0.74 μm in the radial direction.
It is spirally arranged at an interval of m and forms one spiral track.

By irradiating these pit rows with the light beam 113, information is extracted as a change in the reflectance of the light spot 114 as shown in FIG. 2C.

Since the light spot 114 on the DVD has a large numerical aperture NA of the objective lens and a small wavelength λ of the light beam, the diameter of the light spot 114 is about 1 / 1.6 as compared with the light spot on the CD.

A DVD having such a physical structure can record about 4.7 GB of information on one side. The recording capacity of about 4.7 GB is almost eight times as large as that of a conventional CD. for that reason,
With DVDs, the quality of moving images can be greatly improved, and the playback time can be improved to 2 hours or more compared to 74 minutes of video CDs.

The basic technology that has realized such a large capacity is to reduce the spot diameter D of the light beam. Since the spot diameter D is given by a formula of spot diameter D = laser wavelength λ / objective lens numerical aperture NA, the spot diameter D can be narrowed down by further reducing the laser wavelength λ and increasing the numerical aperture NA. Can be. It should be noted that when the numerical aperture NA of the objective lens is increased, coma is generated due to a relative inclination between the disk surface and the optical axis of the light beam, which is called tilt. In order to reduce this, the thickness of the transparent substrate is reduced in DVDs. Thinning the transparent substrate raises another problem of weakening mechanical strength, but DVDs reinforce this by bonding another substrate,
Overcoming the problem of strength.

For reading data from a DVD, a red semiconductor laser with a short wavelength of 650 nm and an optical system whose NA (numerical aperture) of the objective lens is increased to about 0.6 mm are used. This, combined with the fact that the thickness of the transparent substrate has been reduced to about 0.6 mm, has reduced the information capacity that can be recorded on one side of an optical disc with a diameter of 120 mm.
Up to 4.7 GB. With such a large capacity,
One movie produced by a movie company can be recorded on one common disc and provided to many different languages. The storage capacity of 4.7 Gbytes realized by these basic technologies is more than enough to record multiple video data and audio data.

FIG. 3A schematically shows how a spiral track is formed from the inner circumference to the outer circumference of the information layer. Data reading from the spiral track is performed for each unit called a sector. As shown in FIG. 3B, the internal structure of the sector includes a sector header area, a user data area, and an error correction code storage area.

The sector address in the sector header area is used to identify each sector. The disc reproducing apparatus finds which one of a large number of sectors should be read by using the sector address as a clue.

The user data area stores 2 KByte-length data.

The error correction code storage area stores an error correction code for the user data area in the same sector. The disk reproducing apparatus performs error detection using the error correction code when reading the user data area of the same sector, and performs error correction as well, thereby guaranteeing the reliability of data reading.

(1.1) Logical Structure of Optical Disk FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a logical structure of a disk. In FIG. 4A, the physical sectors are arranged in ascending order according to the sector address, and the lead-in area, the volume area following the lead-in area, the volume area following the lead-in area, and the read area following the volume area are identified by the identification information included in the sector address. It is roughly divided into out area.

In the “lead-in area”, data for stabilizing the operation at the start of reading of the disk reproducing device and the like are recorded. On the other hand, the "lead-out area" is an area for notifying the playback apparatus of the end of playback, and has no significant data recorded therein.

The “volume area” is an area in which digital data constituting an application is stored, and manages a physical sector to which the data belongs as a logical block. A logical block is identified by a unit in which consecutive physical sectors are assigned serial numbers, with the first physical sector of the data recording area being numbered zero.
A circle b301 in FIG. 4A shows a group of logical blocks in the volume area. #M attached to many logical blocks in a circle,
Numerical values such as # m + 1, # m + 2, # m + 3... Are logical block numbers.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the volume area is further divided into a volume management area and a file area.

The volume management area stores file system management information for managing a plurality of logical blocks as files according to ISO13346. File system management information is the file name of each of multiple files,
This information clearly indicates the correspondence with the address of the logical block group occupied by each file, and the disk reproducing device realizes disk access in file units by using the file system management information. That is, given a file name, all logical block groups occupied by the file are calculated by referring to all system management information,
These logical blocks are accessed to extract only desired digital data.

FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram of a file area. As shown in FIG. 4B, the file area contains a video manager (Video Ma
nager) and multiple video title sets (Video Title s)
et) is stored. These are composed of a plurality of continuous files, and the recording location is calculated based on the file system management information. The reason for being a continuous file in this way is that the data size of the moving image data is enormous, and if this is made into one file, the file size exceeds 1 GB.

A video title set groups and stores one or more DVD applications called titles.
A plurality of titles grouped in a movie application corresponds to a case where there is a theater release version or an uncut version of the same movie. This is because the titles such as theatrical release version and uncut version share a lot of video data, and it is more efficient to use video by grouping and managing them.

Of the video title sets in FIG. 4B, video title set V1 and video title set V2 include interactive software. Video title set V1 is interactive software "reasoning game". Video Title Set V2 is interactive software "Around the World Quiz". These interactive software are realized by the characteristic data structure of the optical disk in the present embodiment. "Reasoning Game" incorporates plenty of live-action footage shot with a movie-like cast and large-scale location, even though it is a game.
This live-action video shows that many characters are involved in a mysterious case, and the detective who is the main character in this live-action video is in various difficulties. The operator can select the action content of the detective appearing in the main part, and can appropriately switch the story development by his own reasoning and tact.

The “reasoning game” is a title set including three titles, and each title is called “advanced course”, “intermediate course”, and “beginner course”. The difference is that the difficulty of solving the puzzle is different. These titles classified by difficulty share most of the video, but there are video scenes that are not partially reproduced for each course. For example, the advanced course is configured so that it is not possible to proceed to the next video scene without solving difficult puzzles many times. On the other hand, in the beginner's course, the video scene of the mystery is replaced with a video that provides hints on the trick of the case.

In the quiz “Around the World”, quizzes on geography and arts in various parts of the world are set, the answer results of the user are scored, and a pass or fail image is reproduced according to the score result. The quiz “Around the World” is a title set including three titles, and each title is “Europe”, “America”, and “World”. It should be noted that the title "World" and other titles share the video. Also, "Europe",
The same quiz group is played back in the same playback order each time for “American edition”, but a different combination of quiz groups is played back every time the “World edition” is played back.

The video manager stores information on a menu for the user to select a title to be reproduced from all titles stored in a plurality of video title sets.

Hereinafter, the video title set and the video manager will be described in detail.

(1.1.1) Logical Structure—Video Title Set FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the data structure of a video title set.

The video title set stores a plurality of video objects (VOB: Video Object) and video title set management information for managing the reproduction order of the plurality of video objects.

(1.1.1.1) Video title set-Video object (VOB) "Video object (VOB)" is a digital video,
This is multimedia data by including digital voice, image data, and their management information.
Since this example is interactive software "reasoning game", each VOB # 1, 2, 3, 4 shown in FIG.
.. Correspond to one scene of a video, such as a scene for asking a person concerned with an operation instruction from an operator, a scene for searching for an incident site, and a scene for following a suspect.

The data structure of the “video object (VOB)” has a configuration in which a plurality of VOB units (VOBU) are arranged in chronological order from the beginning. VOB unit (VOBU) is about 0.5 seconds to about
The playback data is about 1.0 second, and as shown in the detailed configuration at the end of the arrow in FIG. 5, from the pack data of a plurality of types such as a management information pack, a video pack, audio packs A to C, and sub-picture packs A to B. Be composed. Each of the pack data has a data size of 2 KBytes. By collecting and reintegrating the pack data for each type, the digital data becomes a digital data string constituting moving image data, audio data, sub-picture data, and control data, respectively. Further, the digital data sequence re-integrated for each type may be referred to as an elementary stream, and the VOB may be referred to as a program stream composed of a plurality of elementary streams or a system stream.

In order to simplify the explanation, the pack data of all the VOB units are arranged regularly in FIGS. 5 and 6, except that the management information pack is arranged first. Since they are taken out after being buffered by the playback device, they need not be arranged adjacently for each type, but are actually mixed and arranged. Also, the total number of packs belonging to the VOB unit and the number of packs for each type do not need to be the same, since moving images, audio, and sub-pictures include variable-length compressed data. . In addition, although there are two video packs in the VOB unit, the transfer rate to the playback device assigned to the video is about 4.5 Mbit. One hundred video packs will be included.

The moving image pack stored in the video object (VOB) includes at least one GOP (Group Of Picture) based on digital data of the moving image pack belonging to one VOB unit.
Digital moving image data, which will be referred to as "data".

The GOP (Group Of Picture) here is one unit at the time of decompression of the compressed digital moving image data, and is image data of about 12 to 15 frames. For GOP, MPEG2
(Moving Picture Expert Group, ISO11172, ISO1381
Details are specified in 8).

FIG. 6 shows the relationship between each pack in the video object (VOB) and one scene of the moving image. In the same figure, a video material of one scene of a moving image is shown by a horizontally long rectangle,
Arranged above the VOB. Also, three channels of audio material are indicated by three horizontally long rectangles, and are arranged below the VOB. Further, two-channel sub-picture materials are shown by two horizontally long rectangles, and are arranged below the sound material. The downward arrow extending from the moving image material indicates how the moving image material is recorded in the data field of each pack.

If you follow these downward arrows, the moving picture from the beginning of a scene to 0.5 second will be an I-picture (Int
ra-Picture), P-picture (Predictive-Picture),
It can be seen that, after being encoded into a B picture (Bidirectionally predictive Picture), it is recorded in the data field of the video packs 1 and 2 in the VOB unit 1 (in addition, as described above, actually stored in several hundred packs) However, for the sake of explanation, the description will be continued below assuming that the movie is stored in two packs.) The moving image of 0.5 to 1.0 seconds is also encoded into I-picture, P-picture, and B-picture before the VO
It is recorded in the data field of video packs 3 and 4 in B unit 2. Although not shown, the moving image for 1.0 second to 1.5 seconds is also encoded and recorded in the data field of the video pack in the next VOB unit. Thousands or tens of thousands of I-pictures, B-pictures, and P-pictures are encoded into thousands of I-pictures, B-pictures, and P-pictures of live-action footage that captures the true performance of stuntmen and the brilliant performances of famous actors. Are recorded separately in the data fields of In such a distributed recording, the “reasoning game” incorporates, in one scene, the stunning performance of the above stuntman and the brilliant performance of famous actors. The data distributed and recorded in the data field of the moving image pack in the VOB is called moving image data.

7A to 7D for packs that make up the VOB unit
This will be described individually with reference to the drawings.

(1.1.1.1) Video Object (VOB) -Moving Picture Pack FIG. 7A shows the data structure of a moving picture pack. The data structure of the moving image pack in this figure (shown as a video pack in the figure) is composed of a “pack header”, “packet header”, and “data field” specified by MPEG, and has a data size of 2 Kbytes per pack. Having.
The “Pack header” contains the pack start code, SCR (S
MPEG-compliant data such as ystem clock reference) is described in the “packet header”.
ID, packet length, STD (System Target Decoder) buffer scale size, PTS (Presentation Time Stamp),
MPEG-compliant data called DTS (Decoding Time Stamp) is described.

The stream ID in the “packet header” is “1110 0000” as shown by pulling it down below the packet header in the figure.
Is set. This indicates that the elementary stream formed by this pack is a moving image stream.

The SCR and PTS of the video pack are the decoding process of the audio pack,
It is used for synchronization adjustment with the decoding processing of the sub-picture pack. Specifically, the video decoder on the disc playback device side adjusts the time of the reference clock based on the SCR, decodes the moving image data in the data field, and waits for the reference clock to time the time described in the PTS. . When the time is counted, the decoding result is output to the display side. By waiting for the output based on the contents described in the PTS, the video decoder eliminates a synchronization error between the sub-video output and the audio output.

(1.1.1.1.2) Video Object (VOB) -Audio Pack FIG. 7B shows the data structure of audio packs AC. As can be seen by comparing FIGS. 7A and 7B, the data structure of the audio pack is basically the same as the data structure of the video pack,
It consists of a "data field". The difference is that the stream ID of the “packet header” is set to “1011 1101” and that the substream ID is provided in the first 8 bits of the data field (the hatched portion in the figure). reference). The stream ID is “1011 1101”, indicating that the elementary stream formed by this pack is the private stream 1. In MPEG, a private stream is a stream used in addition to a moving image stream and an MPEG audio stream. In this example, since a sound other than the MPEG sound is used, a private stream is used.

The “pack header” of the audio pack is the same as the video pack,
MPEG-compliant data such as a pack start code and SCR are described. The “packet header” contains a stream ID, packet length, STD buffer scale size, PTS,
Describes MPEG-compliant data called DTS.

The SCR and PTS of the audio pack are used for synchronization adjustment with the decoding of the moving image pack and the decoding of the sub-picture pack. Specifically, the audio decoder on the disc playback device side adjusts the time of the reference clock based on the SCR, decodes the audio data in the data field, and sets the reference clock to PTS.
Wait for the time indicated in. Since the decoding process of the audio data is lighter load than that of the moving image data and the sub-video data, the output waiting time of the audio data is much longer than that of the moving image data and the sub-video data. When the time is counted, the decoding result is output to the speaker. By waiting for the output based on the contents described in the PTS, the audio decoder eliminates a synchronization error between the video output and the sub-video output.

Each of the audio packs A to C has a different setting of the substream ID in the data field. As shown in the description of “substream ID” in the figure, the audio packs A and B have the upper 5 bit length of the substream ID set to “10100”, and the audio pack C has the upper stream bit of the substream ID. The 5-bit length is set to “1000 0”. In this case, audio packs A and B are of the linear PCM system, and audio pack C is
This is to identify the lbyaC-3 system. The major difference between the linear PCM method and the Dolby AC-3 method is that
The point is that the Dolby AC-3 system has an LR component and a surround component, while the PCM system has an LR component.

The lower 3 bits of the sub stream ID are linear PCM, Dolby
It is provided for giving a channel number to each of the AC-3 systems. The audio data component of each channel of the audio (elementary) stream is particularly called an audio substream. That is, in this example, it is an audio (elementary) stream having three audio substreams. A video object (VOB) can have a maximum of eight audio substreams, and the substream IDs are assigned identification codes of 0 to 7 as identification codes of the respective audio substreams. Fifth
In the example shown, two channels are used in the linear PCM method,
One channel is used in the olbyAC-3 system.

"Data field" contains the linear PCM method or Dolby
AC-3 digital audio is recorded.

The relationship between the three-channel dubbed sound of one scene of the movie and the data field of the audio pack will be described with reference to FIG. Like the video pack, the arrow extending from the audio material in Fig. 6 to the VOB audio pack is
This indicates that audio data of three channels is encoded by the above two methods and is recorded in the data field of each audio pack in units of 0.5 seconds. That is, the dubbed sound of the A channel from the beginning of the one scene to 0.5 second is V
The dubbed voice from 0.5 seconds to 1.0 seconds is recorded in the data field of the audio pack A-2 in the OB unit 1, and the dubbed voice for 0.5 to 1.0 seconds is recorded in the data field of the audio pack A-2 in the VOB unit 2. Although not shown, 1.
The sound from 0 to 1.5 seconds is recorded in the data field of the audio pack A-3 in the next VOB unit.
As described above, since the synchronization timing of the audio with the moving image is set by the PTS, it is not necessary that audio data that completely matches the moving image data included in the VOB unit be included in the same VOB unit. Sometimes stored in the previous VOB unit.

Similarly, the dubbed sound of the B channel from the beginning of one scene to 0.5 seconds is recorded in the data field of the audio pack B-1, and the dubbed sound from 0.5 seconds to 1.0 second is recorded in the data field of the audio pack B-2. Is done. And although not shown, 1.5 seconds from the beginning to 2.0
The audio up to the second is recorded in the data field of the audio pack B-3.

The dubbed voice of the C channel from the beginning of one scene to 0.5 second is recorded in the data field of the audio pack C-1, and the dubbed voice from 0.5 second to 1.0 second is recorded in the data field of the audio pack C-2. . Although not shown, the audio for 1.5 seconds to 2.0 seconds is recorded in the data field of the audio pack C-3.

The three-channel data distributed and recorded in the respective data fields of the audio packs A to C are hereinafter referred to as audio data A, audio data B, and audio data C.
Call. For example, by setting an English voice-over sound to audio data A, setting a French voice-over sound to audio data B, and setting a Japanese voice-over sound to audio data C, the operator can switch between them. .

(1.1.1.1.3) Video Object (VOB) -Sub-picture Pack FIG. 7C shows the data structure of the sub-picture pack.
As can be seen by comparing FIGS. 7C and 7B, the data structure of the sub-picture pack is basically the same as the data structure of the audio pack. That is, it is composed of a “pack header”, a “packet header”, and a “data field”, and a substream ID is provided in the first 8-bit length of the data field.

Like the audio pack, the “pack header” describes MPEG-compliant data such as a pack start code and SCR, and the “packet header” includes a stream ID,
MPEG-compliant data such as packet length, STD buffer scale size, PTS, and DTS are described.

The SCR and PTS of the sub-picture pack are used for synchronization adjustment with the decoding of the moving picture pack and the decoding of the audio pack. Specifically, the sub-video decoder on the disc playback device side performs the time alignment of the reference clock based on the SCR, decodes the sub-video data in the data field, and counts the time when the reference clock is described in the PTS. Wait for. Performing such time waiting is because the processing loads of run-length decoding, video data decoding with motion compensation prediction in addition to intra-flake decoding and intra-field decoding, and audio data decoding are significantly different. It is. In addition, while decoding of moving image data is indispensable in each GOP, decoding of the subtitle may be performed every few seconds. When the time of the SCR is counted, the sub-picture decoder outputs the decoding result to the display side. By waiting for the output based on the contents described in the PTS, the sub-picture data decoder eliminates a synchronization error between the moving image output and the audio data output.

The stream ID of the “packet header” of the sub-picture pack is set to “1011 1101” indicating a private stream as in the case of the audio pack, but the setting of the sub-stream ID in the data field is different. That is, in the sub-picture packs A and B, the upper three bits of the sub-stream ID are “001”.
(See the hatched area in the figure).

The lower 5 bits of the sub-stream ID are provided for giving a channel number to the sub-picture pack. In this example, two sub-picture elementary streams are identified. Note that the elementary streams of audio and sub-video other than the moving picture elementary stream are collectively referred to as sub-streams. A video object (VOB) can have a maximum of 32 sub-video sub-streams, and the sub-stream ID is given an identification code of 0 to 31 as the identification code of each sub-video sub-stream become.

In the “data field”, image data compressed by the run-length code and display control information for drawing the image data are recorded. The sub-picture is drawn on the screen by the image data recorded here. The display control information also allows the drawn sub-picture to be scrolled up / down, scrolled by a color palette, and converted into a contrast, and superimposed on the moving picture drawn by the same VOB unit and the moving picture pack of the subsequent VOB unit. Paused.

In the example of FIG. 6, sub-picture packs A and B in the VOB unit
Exists, so two-channel subtitles
The data can be distributed and recorded in the data fields of the sub-picture packs A and B in the unit. For example, by displaying subtitles in English with the sub-picture data A and displaying subtitles in French with the sub-picture data B, the operator can switch between them.

Further, the sub-video data is used to draw a menu. FIG. 8 shows an example of a menu in the "reasoning game". “Stairs”, “Kitchen”, “Corridor” to “Do not search anywhere” are menu items that can be selected by the user and are referred to as items. Details when the sub-picture is used as a menu item will be described later.

(1.1.1.1.4) Video Object (VOB) -Management Information Pack One management information pack is always arranged at the head of the VOB unit, and stores effective management information while the VOB unit is being played. FIG. 7D shows the data structure of the management information pack. The video pack, the audio pack, and the sub-picture pack are composed of one packet, whereas the management pack is composed of two packets. 1 out of 2 packets
One PCI packet (Presentation Control Information
Packet) and one DSI packet (Data Search Informani
ton). The data structure is slightly different from the data structure of the video pack and audio pack. "Pack header", "system header", "packet header of PCI packet", "data field of PCI packet", "packet header of DSI packet", "DSI packet" Data field ". The “system header” contains the management information of the entire VOB unit that starts with this management information pack,
Stored according to G. The transfer rate required for the entire video, the transfer rate required for each of the moving image stream, the audio stream, and the sub-video stream and the specification of the buffer size are stored.

The stream IDs of the two “packet headers” of the management information pack are “1011 1111” as shown by the hatched portions in the figure,
An identification code indicating the private stream 2 is set.

(1.1.1.1.4.1) Management Information Pack-DSI Packet The structure of the DSI packet is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, DSI is composed of "trick play information".

The “trick play information” includes jump destination information such as fast forward playback and rewind playback.

(1.1.1.1.4.2) Management Information Pack-PCI Packet Figure 10A shows the internal structure of PCI. PC as shown in the figure
The I packet includes “PCI general information” and “highlight information”.

In the “PCI general information”, the reproduction start time and the end time of the VOB unit to which the PCI belongs are specified.

(1.1.1.1.4.2.1) PCI Packet—Highlight Information “Highlight information” is control information for a menu item in a menu for receiving an instruction from a user. As indicated by reference numeral h2, the highlight information further includes general highlight information, item color information, and item information # 1, # 2, # 3, # 4, # 5,... # 36.
Item information # 1, # 2, # 3, # 4, # 5 ... # 36 is given for each item displayed at the timing when the management information pack is read. For example, in the example of FIG. 8, “(1) stairs”, “(2) kitchen”,
, And eight menu items “(8) Do not search anywhere” are items, and in this case, item information # 1
To item information # 8. This area has a fixed length, and no effective information is stored in the item information for items that are not used. Item information can be set up to 36 items, that is,
Up to 36 menu items can be displayed on one screen.

Hereinafter, the configuration information of the highlight information will be described in detail, but before that, for the sake of explanation, an overview of a menu employed in this playback apparatus will be described.

First, items that are menu items include a standard state, a selected state, and a confirmed state, which are switched by a user's selection of a menu item or a confirming operation. As a supplement to FIG. 8 as an example, when this menu is displayed, as a default operation, the disc reproducing apparatus displays item # 1 in a selected state and the rest in a normal state. If the standard state of all items is white, the selected state is blue, and the confirmed state is red, only the menu item corresponding to item # 1 will be displayed in blue. As a result, the user can confirm which menu item is currently in a selected state (this menu item is also referred to as a menu item pointed by the cursor) and is waiting for execution.
If the user wants to change the menu item in the selected state, the user can press any of the up, down, left, and right keys of the remote control of the disc reproducing apparatus to instruct the change of the selected item.
As will be described later, the disc reproducing apparatus manages, for each item, the item number to be changed when the up, down, left, and right keys are pressed, and returns the item # 1 to the normal state color, that is, white, according to this. Change the previous item to the selected blue color. When the desired menu item is in the selected state, the user can press the enter key of the remote controller, thereby confirming the selected item.
The item that has transitioned from the selected state to the final state changes from blue to red and is finalized, and executes the command defined in the final state. In the example of FIG. 8, the reproduction control is performed according to the menu items.

This concludes the description of the menu overview and continues the description of the highlight information.

(1.1.1.1.4.2.1.1) Highlight information-Highlight general information Highlight general information includes "change flag from previous VOB unit" and "highlight general information" as shown in the vertical line indicated by reference numeral h4 in FIG. 10A. Highlight information valid section start position "and" highlight information valid section end position ".

The “change flag from previous VOB unit” has a 2-bit length field. When "00" is described in this field, it indicates that the highlight information including the "changed flag from the previous VOB unit" does not include valid item color information and item information. . If "01" is described in this field, it indicates that the highlight information including this "change flag from previous VOB unit" is valid from this pack. The valid highlight information is written into a highlight information buffer (a buffer for storing the highlight information, which will be described later) in the disc reproducing apparatus. If "10" is described, the highlight information of the previous VOB unit is
It indicates that this VOB unit is still valid. In this case, the highlight information buffer is not overwritten. If “11” is described, it indicates that only the highlight command in the highlight information has been changed from the previous VOB unit. In this case, the disc playback device is instructed to write only the highlight command to the buffer.

In other words, the disc playback device can check whether or not the setting information of the menu item has been changed by the “changed flag from the previous VOB unit”.
In addition to updating highlight information on a unit-by-unit basis, it can detect when changes are not required
This can be avoided for each B unit.

“Highlight information valid section start position” and “highlight information valid section end position” indicate valid sections of the highlight information.

(1.1.1.1.4.2.1.2) Highlight Information-Item Color Information "Item color information" is information indicating a select color-determined color for an item as indicated by reference numeral b6 in FIG. 10B. The select color is a color given to the item selected by the user, and the confirmed color is a color given to the item that has been confirmed by the user.
There are three patterns for each combination of the selected color and the determined color, and each color designation is made up of a color designation and a mixing ratio with respect to the background color.

(1.1.1.1.4.2.1.3) Highlight information-Item information "Item information # 1, # 2, # 3, # 4, # 5 ... #
36 '' is a `` color pattern number '' as shown by reference numeral b3,
"Start coordinate X1,""Start coordinate Y1,""End coordinate X2,"
It consists of “end coordinate Y2”, “peripheral position information”, and “highlight command field”.

The “color pattern number” designates one of the selected color-determined color pattern included in the “item color information”. "Start coordinate X1,""Start coordinate Y1,""End coordinate X
"2" and "end coordinate Y2" indicate which range is to be converted to the color and mixture ratio designated by the "color pattern number" when the user selects or confirms the item.

"Peripheral position information" is "movement destination item number when pressing up key""movement destination item number when pressing down key""movement destination item number when pressing right key""movement destination item number when pressing left key" ] Indicates an instruction device to the playback device, for example, a destination item when the up, down, left, and right keys of the remote controller are pressed. For example, as shown in FIG.
Item is displayed on the screen in upper and lower two tiers (see Example 1), the "peripheral position information" of the item and the "peripheral position information" of the item are as follows {Case 1}
Describe as {Case 2}.

｛Example 1｝ Stairs Kitchen Corridor Reception Area Lavatory Study Room Bedroom Do not look anywhere ｛Case 2 『“ Peripheral location information ”Item to move when up key is pressed Move to item when down key is pressed Move when right key is pressed Destination item Destination item when the left key is pressed “Peripheral position information” of the item in Case 2 Destination item when the up key is pressed Destination item when the down key is pressed Destination item when the right key is pressed When the left key is pressed Of the destination item {Case 1}. When the right key is pressed by the operator while the item is in the selected state,
You need to move the selection state to the item. Therefore, the identification number of the item information of "" is described in "Destination item when right key is pressed".

Conversely, when pressing the left key, it is necessary to move the cursor to. Therefore "cursor destination when left key is pressed"
Describes the identification number of the item information of "".

When the up / down key is pressed, the cursor may be moved to. Therefore, the identification number of the item information of "" is described in "Destination item when down key is pressed".

The "highlight command field" is a command field associated with each item information, and the command described in this field is executed by the disc reproducing apparatus only after the operation of fixing the item is performed. The command described in this highlight command is functionally a setting command (1) and a branch command (2).
They are roughly divided into Here, the setting command (1) will be described, and the branch command (2) will be described later.
The setting-related command is a command for assigning a value to a general-purpose register in the disc reproducing apparatus and instructing an operation using the value assigned to the general-purpose register and an immediate value.

The general-purpose register is a register that temporarily stores the action of the operator and the answer of the operator for the scene,
In the case of the "reasoning game", a general-purpose register is used to temporarily store the action performed by the operator in a question scene of a related person, a scene of a house search, and the like. In the "round the world game", a general-purpose register is used to temporarily store the operator's answer in a certain scene.

FIG. 11 shows the types of setting commands. There are types such as "SetReg" and "Random" in the setting commands.

The register operation command "SetReg" on the first line is a register number field, operation content field, increment (immediate value)
The fields are given. In the register number field, any one of the general-purpose registers R1 to R3 in this embodiment can be designated. In the operation content field,
Assignment / Addition / Multiplication / Subtraction / Remainder / AND operation / OR operation / NOR
It is possible to specify any of the operations. When "assignment" is specified in the operation content field and a numerical value is set in the increment field, the stored content of the general-purpose register is overwritten with the numerical value. When "addition" is specified in the operation content field and a numerical value is set in the increment field, the content stored in the general-purpose register is added by that numerical value. When "subtraction" is specified in the operation content field and a numerical value is set in the increment field, the content stored in the general-purpose register is subtracted by the numerical value.

The random number generation command "Random" on the second line is given a register number field and an immediate field, generates an integer random number from the integer value 1 to the value specified in the immediate field, and specifies this in the register number field To the specified general-purpose register.

"Stairs" and "Kitchen" in the menu of Fig. 8
It is assumed that the register operation command “SetReg” is described in the highlight command field of the item information of eight items such as “corridor”, “reception room” to “do not check anywhere” as in the following {Case 3}.

｛Case 3｝ Stair register operation command “SetReg R
1,1] Kitchen register operation command "SetReg R
1,2] Corridor register operation command "SetReg R
1,3] reception area register operation command `` SetReg R
1,4] Washroom register operation command `` SetReg R
1,5] Study Register operation command "SetReg R
1,6 "Bedroom register operation command" SetReg R
1,7] Register operation command "SetReg R
As described above, the register operation command “SetReg” for assigning different numerical values to the general-purpose registers in the highlight command for each of the eight item information items is described as follows.
The disc player can temporarily store what action the operator has taken with respect to the menu shown in the figure. Video object (VOB) that contains management information data in addition to video data, sub-picture data, and audio data
According to the highlight information of the management information data, the value stored in the general-purpose register can be added or subtracted in accordance with the operator's determination operation.

Further, by providing the management information data for each VOB unit, the disc reproducing apparatus can receive an instruction from the operator and switch the content to be executed with a time accuracy of about 0.5 seconds.

To further explain the reason, each pack that composes the video object (VOB) is 2 KB and matches the sector size of the disk, so the video object is stored in the continuous sector area of the disk without gaps. Will be. The data stored in the continuous sector area is
With the disk reproducing device, it is possible to continuously take out data without waiting time such as seeking. For this reason, the disc reproducing apparatus can take out the management information without interrupting the reproduction of the video information at intervals of about 0.5 seconds, and perform control based on the management information.

As described above, the control for the progress of the reproduction of the disc, which is performed with the time accuracy of about 0.5 seconds based on the navigation control data stored in the management information pack, is called GOP level reproduction control. This concludes the description of the video object (VOB) of the video title set in FIG. 5, and then describes the configuration of the video title set management information of the video title set.

(1.1.1.2) Video title set-video title set management information The video title set management information stores information for managing a plurality of reproduction orders of the video object group described above. In a DVD, data that specifies the playback order of a group of video objects is called a program chain (PGC). That is, if the video title set stores the “reasoning game” of this example, the video title set management information is
A plurality of program chains (PGC) that define how scene development should be performed when each of the beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses are selected will be stored.

FIG. 12A is a diagram showing the internal structure of video title set management information. As indicated by reference numeral a5 in FIG.12A,
The video title set management information includes a video title set management table, a video title set section title search pointer table, and a PGC management information table.

The “video title set management table” is header information of video title set management information, and stores pointers to storage positions of a video title set section title search pointer table and a PGC management information table.

"Video title set title search pointer table" is an index of a plurality of program chains stored in the PGC management information table, and specifies a pointer to a storage position of a program chain to be executed first for each title. . In this example, "inference game"
, And each of the elementary, intermediate, and advanced courses and PGC information serving as an entry are stored in association with each other.

The “PGC management information table” includes a plurality of pieces of PGC information # 1, # 2, # 3, # 4,... For all the video objects stored in the video title set, as indicated by reference numeral a6.
... #N is stored. Each PGC information describes the playback order of one or more video objects, and differs
The reproduction of the same video object can be described by the PGC information. Therefore, it is possible to specify a plurality of reproduction orders for the same video object. For example, taking the video title set in FIG. 5 as an example, the playback order of video objects is
If the video objects are described in the order of OB # 1, VOB # 2, VOB # 3, and VOB # 4, the video objects are VOB # 1, VOB # 2, VO
Playback is performed in the order of B # 3 and VOB # 4. In another PGC information, the reproduction order of the video objects is VOB # 3, VOB # 2,
If the video object is described in the order of VOB # 1, VOB # 4, the video object is reproduced in the order of VOB # 3, VOB # 2, VOB # 1, VOB # 4. In this example, "Reasoning Game", different PG
Utilizing the feature that a plurality of playback orders can be specified for a video object by preparing C, different story development is realized by preparing different PGCs for each story.

 Next, the data structure of the PGC information will be described below.

(1.1.1.2.1) Video title set management information-PG information As shown by reference numeral a6, the PGC information includes "PGC connection information" shown by reference numeral a9, and "VOB position information table" shown by reference numeral a7. , "PGC command table" indicated by reference numeral a8.

The “PGC connection information” stores designation information of PGC information before and after connection with its own PGC information. When the reproduction by one piece of PGC information is completed, the disc reproducing apparatus determines the next PGC information according to the "PGC connection information", switches to the determined PGC information, and continues the reproduction control.

The "VOB position information table" describes where the video object (VOB) to be read in the scene development is recorded on the optical disk.

The "PGC command table" stores navigation control commands attached to the "VOB position information table". The disc reproducing apparatus executes the command described here before and after reading the VOB based on the “VOB position information table”.

Hereinafter, the data structures of the “stored video object position information table” and the “PCG command table” will be described in further detail.

(1.1.1.2.1.1) PGC Information-VOB Position Information Table FIG. 12B shows a detailed internal configuration of the “VOB position information table” and the PGC command table. As indicated by reference numeral a7, the "VOB position information table" stores position information of a plurality of video objects to be reproduced. As indicated by reference numeral a9, the position information of each VOB indicates the reproduction time of the target VOB, the offset to the storage position in the video title set, and the number of logical blocks constituting the VOB. As a result, the disc player can read the video object (VOB) when reading the video object (VOB).
It is possible to calculate the logical block numbers of all the logical blocks storing (OB).

The order of entry in the VOB position information table indicates the order of reproduction. In the case of FIG. 12B, VOB # 2 position information, VOB # 4 position information, VOB # 6 position information, and VOB # 8 position information are stored in this order, which indicates that continuous reproduction is performed in this storage order. ing.

The relationship between the “VOB position information table” in FIG. 12B as an example and the recording location of the video object will be further supplementarily described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 15.

FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically showing the relationship between the “VOB position information table” and the recording location of the video object on the optical disk. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing the playback order of video objects (VOBs) based on the “VOB position information table”.

In FIG. 13, VOB # 2, VOB # 4, VOB # 6, VOB # 8
Indicates the recording sections y101, y102, y10 indicated by hatching.
3, stored in y104. Information indicating the start position “START” and end position “END” of these recording sections is “VOB”.
Location information. " The optical pickup of the disc reproducing apparatus reads only data within the range described in "VOB position information" and skips reading data outside the range. By such data reading, the video object (VOB) is sequentially reproduced in the order of the recording section y101, the recording section y102, the recording section y103, and the recording section y104. FIG. 15 shows the video object (VOB) recorded in the video title set according to the behavior of the playback device shown in FIG. 12A.
Among them, FIG. 5 shows an explanatory diagram in which “VOB # 2, VOB # 4, VOB # 6, VOB # 8” are reproduced in order.

(1.1.1.2.1.2) PGC information-PGC command table As shown in FIG. 12B, the “PGC command table” includes a plurality of command groups and these commands are referred to as “pre-processing commands” and “post-processing commands”. And index information for classifying into two types. Commands are successively stored for each type, and the index information is a pointer to the head of the pre-processing command group a11 and a pointer to the head of the post-processing command group a12, respectively.

Commands are classified according to their execution timing by the playback device. The “pre-processing command” is a command group that is continuously executed before all the video objects belonging to the PGC are reproduced, and the “post-processing command” is a PG.
This is a command group that is continuously executed when the reproduction of all the video object groups belonging to C is completed. A specific example is shown in FIG. FIG. 16 shows the execution timing of the pre-processing command group a11 and the post-processing command group a12 when the video object is continuously played back by the PCG information shown in FIG.

For the pre-processing command and the post-processing command, the setting commands described with reference to FIG. 11 in the description of the highlight command can be set. For example, as the pre-processing command group a11, a register operation command “SetReg R” in which immediate values “1”, “2” and “3” and registers R1, R2 and R3 are described in operands
1, 1), the register operation command `` SetReg R2, 2 '', and the register operation command `` SetReg R3, 3 '' are described in the pre-processing command field, and at the timing before the playback of the video object by the PGC, General-purpose register R
Initial values "1", "2", and "3" different from each other for 1, R2, and R3
Can be instructed to the disc player.

In addition, as a preprocessing command, a random number generation command “Random
Similarly, if the description of R1,4 is described, it is necessary to generate an integer random number ranging from 1 to 4 and assign it to the general-purpose register R1 at a timing before the video object is reproduced by the PGC. An instruction can be given to the playback device.

Although the example in which the setting command is used as the preprocessing command has been described above, the setting as the postprocessing command is also possible. However, in this case, the difference is that the process is executed when the reproduction of all the video objects based on the PGC information is completed.

As a specific example of the use of the setting-related command in the “inference game” of this example, the command is used as a flag for managing which video scene the user has already viewed. For example, if there is a scene that must be visited in the development of the story, store a setting command to set the value to the register assigned for the flag in the PGC pre-processing command to reproduce this scene. deep. Thus, when the scene is reproduced, the value is always stored in the register allocated for the flag, and it is possible to determine whether or not the user has reproduced the scene.

As the post-processing command, in addition to the setting command described above, a branch command specifying a branch to a different PGC is often stored. This is because storing a branch-related command in the post-processing command makes it possible to cause a branch other than the default next PGC specified by the PGC connection information. Hereinafter, the branching command will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 14, the “Link” command on the first line is a command for branching the reproduction progress to the program chain of the PGC number specified in the operand. In other words, when this "Link" command is executed, the disc player forcibly terminates playback of the video object based on the currently held PGC information, and changes the PGC information to the PGC information specified by the "Link" command. Then, the reproduction progress is continued according to the changed PGC information. This command
It is mainly used by the above-mentioned highlight command, and is used by the user to execute the branch of the reproduction progress by confirming the selection of the menu item of the menu.

When a branch command is executed by a highlight command or the like and PGC information used for reproduction is switched, the above-described post-processing command is not executed as a rule.
This is because the reproduction based on the PGC information has not been completed, and the reproduction of all the video objects has not been completed.

The “SetRegLink” command on the second line in FIG. 14 is a branch command “Link” and a register operation command “SetReg”.
Command. That is, as in the case of the register operation command “SetReg”, operations such as assignment / addition / subtraction are performed on the register contents, and the branch command “Link
The program branches to a program chain designated as #n.

This command is also mainly used as a highlight command. For example, in the case of the "reasoning game", a menu item that allows the user to select whether to take the glasses or the pen in the detective is displayed and selected. Depending on the menu item,
A value is set in a register that manages the user's action as a flag as described above, and a branch to a video scene corresponding to the selected menu item can be executed.

In FIG. 14, the “CmpRegLink” command on the third line is a branch command that imposes a condition on the “Link” command, and includes three operands such as a register number field, an immediate field (an integer value field, a branch condition field, and a branch destination field). Here, a general-purpose register can be specified in the register number field, and a value to be compared with the stored value of the general-purpose register specified in the register number field can be specified in the immediate value field. In the branch condition field, “=” (Equal ) "≠" (Not Equa
l) “<” (Less Than) “>” (Greater Than) “≦”
(Less Than or Equal to) “≧” (Greater Than or E
qual to) can be set, and the disc reproducing apparatus determines whether the value held in the general-purpose register described in the register number field and the value in the immediate field match these conditions. If the branch condition is met, the PGC information is switched to the designated PGC information, and the reproduction progress is continued according to the switched PGC information.

By using this command as a post-processing command, the default next P defined by the PGC connection information can be used.
It becomes possible to switch to PGC information other than GC information.
That is, in the example of the "reasoning game" of the present example, it is assumed that a flag for determining whether or not the user has watched a certain scene is stored in a register. #A, if you look, PGC #B
It is possible to proceed to branch. Such a combination of flags makes it possible to change the story development.

The “PlayTitle” command on the fourth line in FIG. 14 has a title number field. The title numbers are identification numbers of all titles. That is, the “PlayTitle” command is a command for instructing the disc reproducing apparatus to start reproducing the title specified by the title number. This is mainly a command used in a title menu for the user to select a title to be reproduced from a plurality of titles.

As described above, the fact that the disc playback device executes the pre-processing command of the PGC information is described as “The program chain performs pre-processing. And that the disc playback device executes the post-processing command. ] Is expressed. The reproduction control of the video object including the post-processing command and the pre-processing command by the PCG information is called path-level reproduction control.

Although the data structure of the PGC information is as described above, by combining the path-level playback control realized by such a data structure and the GOP-level playback control by the management information pack, the The branch destination can be appropriately switched in accordance with the confirmation operation for some of the drawn menus. PGC information # 3 of the plurality of PGC information shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B is a post-processing command group a12 so as to realize this characteristic branch destination determination.
And item information are described. FIG. 17 shows the description contents of PGC information # 3, and the reproduction control based on this description will be described below as a first application example.

In FIG. 17, the internal structure of the PGC information # 3 is the same as that of FIG. 12B, except that the pre-processing command group a11 and the post-processing command group a
12. The description contents of the VOB position information table are different. In FIG. 17, the recording location of VOB # 3 is described in the VOB position information table, and the pre-processing command is a register operation command “SetReg R1, which substitutes the immediate value“ 0 ”into the general-purpose register R1.
“0” ”is described. The post-processing command group a12 has the first
Multiple branches of a program chain using the branch commands shown in FIG. 4 are described. Multiple branching of a program chain means selecting different program chains as branch destinations according to a plurality of conditions.

In the post-processing command group a12 shown in FIG.
“R1,2,“ = ”” of gLink R1,2, “=”, PGC # 5 describes a determination as to whether the content stored in the general-purpose register R1 is a numerical value “2”. "PGC # 5" is "General-purpose register R1 = 2"
Is set to the program chain # 5.

In the second line, “CmpRegLink R1,0,“ = ”, PGC # 6”, “R1,
0, “=” ”indicates that the content stored in general-purpose register R1 is numeric value“ 0 ”
It describes the determination of whether or not it is. “PGC # 6” sets the branch destination in the case of “general-purpose register R1 = 0” to the program chain # 6.

“Link PGC # 7” on the third line sets the branch destination to the program chain # 7.

According to these three lines of commands, "if the value of general-purpose register R1 is" 2 ", the program branches to program chain # 5,
When the value of the general-purpose register R1 is "0", the program branches to a program chain # 6, and the value of the general-purpose register R1 is "2".
If it is not "0", the program branches to program chain # 7. Is realized.

FIG. 18 is a diagram schematically showing what images appear on the screen and at what timing by the moving image material, the sub-picture pack, and the management information pack included in VOB # 3. In this figure, VOB # 3 arranged at the top is represented by the same internal structure as VOB shown in FIG.
97,198, VOBU100, VOBU101 and VOBU102. The VOBU 99 includes a moving image pack 197 and a moving image pack 198. The VOBU 100 includes a moving image pack 199 and a moving image pack 200. The VOBU 101 includes a moving image pack 201 and a moving image pack 202. An image indicated by a dashed arrow from the moving image pack 197 is a reproduced image v197 of the pack. Similarly, the reproduced images of the moving image packs 198, 199, 200,... Are indicated by dashed arrows.

The reproduced image v197 and the reproduced image v198 show the reproduced images of the moving image packs 197 and 198 in the 99th VOBU counted from the top (VOBU1). The reproduction image v199 and the reproduction image v200 show the reproduction images of the moving image packs 199 and 200 in the 100th VOBU counted from the top (VOBU1).

The reproduced image of the moving image pack 197 indicates an image (still image) reproduced using the I picture among the I picture, the B picture, and the P picture stored in the moving picture pack 197.

Similarly, the reproduced image of the moving image pack 198 indicates an image (still image) reproduced using the I picture among the I picture, the B picture, and the P picture stored in the moving picture pack 198.

In the figure, only two reproduced images are shown in one VOBU, but actually, the reproduced image of the moving image pack in one VOBU is 0.5 seconds by synthesizing the I picture, the P picture, and the B picture. 10 that corresponds to the minute
It should be noted that about 15 sheets exist.

The reproduced image of the video pack 201 of the 101st VOBU is the time axis t1
Located on one. Two squares are arranged on the time axis t11. Of these squares, “SP A-10
1 Sub-picture still image ''
The menu image drawn by the sub-image pack A-101 arranged in the same VOBU as the moving image pack 201 is shown.

The description “Management information pack P-101” is attached to the management information pack P which is allocated to the same VOBU as the video pack 201 and is expanded on the buffer of the disk playback device when the video pack 201 is decoded. -101 is shown.

The reproduced image of the 125th VOBU video pack 250 is the time axis t1
Located on two. Two squares are arranged on the time axis t12. Of these squares, “SP A-12
5 Sub-picture still image ”is written in the sub-picture data A that is allocated to the same VOBU as the movie pack 250.
Shows the menu video rendered by -125.

The description "Management information pack P-125" is attached to the management information pack P which is allocated to the same VOBU as the video pack 250 and is developed on the buffer of the disk playback device when the video pack 250 is decrypted. -125 is indicated.

In addition to these sub-picture packs, there are many sub-picture packs in the VOB, which render the reproduced images.These are intended for drawing subtitles. Is not shown because the direct relationship is sparse.

FIG. 19A schematically shows the reproduction status of the moving image pack 201 and the sub-video pack A-101 of the 101st VOBU, and the management information pack developed on the buffer of the disc reproducing apparatus at the time of this reproduction. The upper right part of the figure shows a display state in which the reproduced image of the moving image pack and the reproduced image of the sub-picture pack are superimposed. The left side of the figure hierarchically shows the contents of the highlight information among the contents of the management information pack developed on the buffer of the disk reproducing device while the sub-picture pack and the moving image pack are being decoded. The dashed arrows extend from the Yes item and the No item of the reproduced image, and the item information m101 and the item information m102 exist ahead of them.
This indicates that the item information of the Yes item and the No item in the sub-picture drawn by the sub-picture pack A-101 corresponds to the item information m101 and the item information m102 in the management information pack P-101. Each of these item information has the data structure of FIG. 10B.

The description "No item" is described under "End coordinate Y2" in item information m101 because "Left position information" in "Peripheral position information" whose data structure is shown in Fig. 10B of item information m101. This means that the identifier of the No item is described in the column of “Destination item number when key is pressed” and “Destination item number when right key is pressed”. Since there is only one item in FIG. 19A, the “destination item number when the up key is pressed” and the “destination item number when the down key is pressed” whose data structure is shown in FIG. 10B are not described.

The commentary "Yes to item" is described under "End coordinate Y4" in item information m102 because "Left position information" in "Peripheral position information" whose data structure is shown in Fig. 10B of item information m102. Destination item number when key is pressed "
It means that the identifier of the Yes item is described in the column of "destination item number when right key is pressed". No. 19A
Since only one item is shown in the figure, “destination item number when the up key is pressed” and “destination item number when the down key is pressed” are not described.

In the item information m101, "SetReg R1,1," + ""
The description means that a setting command for adding the value of the general-purpose register R1 by “1” is described in the highlight command field of the item information m101.

In item information m102, “SetReg R1, −1,
The description “+” means that a setting command for subtracting “1” from the value of the general-purpose register R1 is described in the highlight command field of the item information m102. In the item information m101, “No.” item is set in “Cursor destination when right key is pressed” and “Cursor destination when left key is pressed”, and “No. "Yes" item is set for "Cursor destination when left key is pressed". With these settings, the cursor moves on the “Yes” and “No” items. When the confirming operation is performed in a state where the Yes item of the sub-picture pack A-101 is indicated by the cursor,
By the command “SetReg R1,1,“ + ”” described in the highlight command field of the item information m101,
The value stored in the general-purpose register is incremented by one. When the confirmation operation is performed in a state where the “No” item is designated, the value stored in the general-purpose register is decremented by 1 by the command “SetReg R1, −1” described in the highlight command field of the item information m102. You.

FIG. 19B schematically shows the reproduction status of the video pack 250 and the sub-video pack A-125 of the 125th VOBU, and the contents of the management information pack developed on the buffer of the disc reproducing apparatus at the time of this reproduction. I have. The upper right part of the figure shows a display state in which the reproduced image of the moving image pack and the reproduced image of the sub-picture pack are superimposed. The left side of the figure hierarchically shows the contents of the highlight information in the management information pack P-125 in the same VOBU 125. Sub-picture pack A-125 Yes
A dashed arrow extends from the item and the No item, and there is an item information m125 and an item information m126 ahead of it. This indicates that the item information of the Yes item and the No item in the sub-video corresponds to the item information m125 and the item information m126 in the management information pack P-125. Each of these items of information has the data structure of FIG. 10A. In the item information m125, “No.” is set in “Cursor move destination when right key is pressed” and “Cursor move destination when left key is pressed”, and “No. The item “Yes” is set for “Cursor destination when key is pressed”. With these settings, the cursor moves on the “Yes” and “No” items.

The register operation command "SetReg R1,1," + "" is described in the highlight command field of the item information m125, and the register operation command "SetReg R1," is displayed in the highlight command field corresponding to the "No" item of the item information m126. -1, "-"].

Similarly, when the confirmation operation is performed in a state where the Yes item of the sub-picture pack A-125 is indicated by the cursor, the command "SetReg R1,1," + "described in the highlight command field of the item information m125. "" Increases the value stored in the general-purpose register by one. When the confirmation operation is performed in a state where the “No” item is designated, the value stored in the general-purpose register is decremented by 1 by the command “SetReg R1, −1” described in the highlight command field of the item information m126. You.

FIG. 20 shows five arrows in the directions of hollow arrows t21, t22, t23, and t24.
Two reproduction images v198, v201, v210, v220, and v250 are arranged.
These reproduced images include “video 198”, “video 201”, and “vi
There are explanatory notes such as "deo 210", "video 220" and "video 250". This is the reproduction images v198, v201, v21
Video pack 198, video pack 201, video pack 210, video pack 220, video pack 250 where 0, v220 and v250 are shown in FIG. 18
Are decoded in chronological order, and appear on the screen in the order of the outlined arrows. When the content of the reproduced image is followed in the order of the arrows, it can be seen that the video from the beginning of the VOB to the video pack 201 is displayed on the screen with a sad expression of the characters. Also video pack
It can be seen that the playback from the top of 210 to the video pack 250 displays an image on the screen in which the characters are angry. Of these reproduction images, reproduction image v2
On top of 01, a menu drawn by decoding the sub-picture pack A-101 and an explanatory note of the description content of the management information pack P-101 are superimposed. Is superimposed with a menu drawn by decoding the sub-picture data A-125 and a description of the description content of the management information pack P-125. This means that the menu is presented as shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B when the character has a sad expression and an angry expression.

In FIG. 20, when the finalizing operation is performed on the “Yes” item in the menu of the sub-picture packs A-101 and 125 (when answering “Yes” twice in total), the register operation command “SetReg R1,1,“ + ”” Is executed twice, or the value stored in the general-purpose register is “2”. Through the substitution of these general-purpose registers, the reproduction of a series of moving images as shown in FIG. 18 has been completed, and the reproduction control has shifted from the GOP level shown in FIGS. 19A and B to the path level in the PGC information shown in FIG. And Here, since the stored value of the general-purpose register R1 is “2”, the command “CmpRegLink R1,2,“ = ”, PGC # 5” on the second line of the post-processing command group a12 in FIG. It is determined that the value is “2”. Since the value stored in the general-purpose register matches "2", the program branches to program chain # 5.

In the explanatory diagram of FIG. 20, when the user answers Yes (No) in the menu of the sub-picture pack A-101 and No (Yes) in the menu of the sub-picture pack A-125, the management information pack P-101 and the management information pack The register operation command “SetReg R1,
1, “+” ”is executed once, and the register operation command“ Se
Since tReg R1, −1, “+” ”is executed once, the value stored in the general-purpose register is“ 0 ”. After the substitution of these general-purpose registers, the reproduction of a series of moving images as shown in FIG. 18 is completed, and the reproduction control is started from the GOP level shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B.
It is assumed that the processing shifts to the PGC information path level reproduction control shown in FIG. Here, since the stored value of the general-purpose register R1 is “0”, the command on the first line becomes “mismatch” and the command on the second line “CmpRegLink R1,0,“ = ”, PGC #
6 "is executed. It is determined whether the value of the general-purpose register is "0" by the command on the second line, and since the condition is satisfied, the program branches to program chain # 6.

Further, in the explanatory diagram of FIG. 20, when "No" is answered in the menu of the sub-picture pack A-101 and "No" in the menu of the sub-picture pack A-125, the management information pack P-101 and the management information pack P-101 are answered. Since the register operation command "SetReg R1, -1,"-"" described in the 125 highlight command is executed twice, the value stored in the general-purpose register is "-2".
Becomes If the value of the general-purpose register is “−2”, the command does not match any of the commands in the first and second lines shown in the post-processing command group a12 in FIG. The command "Link PGC # 7" on the line branches to program chain # 7.

In FIG. 20, the solution to the two menus drawn by the sub-picture packs A-101 and A-125 causes the post-processing to branch into three different program chains. Here, the program chains # 5, 6, and 7 at the branch destinations are respectively associated with three VOBs, and the three VOBs include three moving image data as shown in an example of FIG. I do. The three moving image data in FIG. 21 are live-action video images of three different action patterns of the characters. Since these are associated with the post-processing branch destination program chains # 5, 6, and 7 shown in FIG. 17, the three moving image data in FIG. 21 correspond to the answers to the two menus in FIG. ,
Any one of the program chains is selected by the multiple branches in the post-processing described above. Since the moving image data reproduced based on such a selection is one of the character's action patterns, the operator feels that the character's action in the video has been switched by operating two menus.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 20, these two menus are synchronized with a precision of 0.5 second according to the change in the expression of the character, and are displayed only for a necessary period. For this reason, during the story development, the user is required to determine the action content of the character by menu operation in real time, and enjoy the virtual reality as if the decision of the character is being made by himself. it can.

The explanation of what story development means in FIGS. 20 and 21 will be supplemented. Movie pack 198 in Fig. 20
Of the characters in the reproduced image of the moving image pack 201 is a meaningful expression as if the characters knew a serious clue of the case. Presenting the first menu to the operator in the menu drawn by the sub-picture pack A-101 asks whether this character should press for the truth of the case.

On the contrary, the reproduced images of the video packs 210 to 250, the expressions of the characters, and the contents of the menu drawn by the sub-picture pack A-125 are such that the characters become emotional and hinder the pursuit of the incident. Behavior. Presenting this second menu to the operator asks the operator how aggressively he seeks the truth of the case.

Answering Yes in the first menu and answering Yes in the second menu in Fig. 20 means that the operator dressed as the protagonist will take an active action toward elucidating the case I do. If the answer to the second menu is Yes / Yes, the program branches to program chain # 5 by post-processing of program chain # 3, and the moving image data in the upper part of FIG. 21 appears on the screen. Persuaded by the proactive action of the protagonist, it means that he has begun to tell the truth he knows.

In FIG. 20, answering No in the first menu and answering No in the second menu means that the operator dressed as the hero takes a passive action. If you answer No, No in the menu for the second card, the program chain # 3 branches to program chain # 7 by post-processing, and the moving image data in the lower part of FIG. 21 appears on the screen. It means that the character is about to leave because of an unusual behavior.

Answering No in the first menu and answering Yes in the second menu in Fig. 20 means that the operator dressed as the protagonist is neither aggressive nor reluctant, and takes unusual actions. means. No, Ye in the menu for the second sheet
When the answer is s, the program chain # 3 branches to program chain # 6 by post-processing, and the moving image data in the middle part of FIG. 21 appears on the screen. This character is watching the hero's unusual behavior. It means that we have mistrusted the protagonist.

Finally, a comparison is made between a case where the branch is performed by the highlight command field and a case where the branch is performed by the post-processing.

In the application example 1, the value of the general-purpose register is set by the register operation command “SetReg” in the management information pack P101 and the management information pack P125, and the branch is performed based on the post-processing command. The contents of the item information m101 and m102 in the highlight information of the Yes and No items and the management information pack P101 were modified as in the following {Application Example 2}, and from the timing at which the reproduced image 201 was displayed in FIG. The branch to the indicated PGC information # 5, PGC information # 6, and PGC information # 7 may be performed.

｛Application example 2 ア イ テ ム Item in sub-picture pack A101 Continue question Cancel question Don't know Highlight command field of item information # 1 of management information pack P101 Link PGC # 5 Highlight command field of item information # 2 Link PGC # 6 Item Highlight command field of information # 3 Link PGC # 7 In this case, the screen is switched from the reproduced image v201 shown in FIG. 20 to the reproduced image of any of the moving image data shown in FIG. . This switching is speedy at best, but abrupt at worst. That is, it is a good object that the application example 1 determines the branch destination at the timing when the reproduction of all the scenes is completed, with emphasis on the behavior of the characters represented by the moving image data and the change of the expression. Considering this, when it is desired to produce a scene in which the scene development in the PGC does not change abruptly, the action taken by the operator for one scene is temporarily stored in a general-purpose register as in application example 1. In advance, a branch according to the accumulated value of the general-purpose register may be performed in post-processing.

On the other hand, when it is desired to suddenly switch the scene development and promptly switch the scene to an operator's intention, the program branches to another program chain at the timing when the operator acts on the menu in one scene. As a result, another scene different from the previous scene appears in front of the operator, and it becomes completely surprising.

It should be noted that branching with the highlight command has a one-to-one relationship between item operation and branching. That is, at first, the operator is surprised at the abrupt scene change, but gets accustomed to selecting which item to branch to. Rather than frequently using only the branch from the highlight command, it is desirable to mix the branch from the highlight command with the branch from the post-processing so that the branch from the highlight command is not biased. However, when a desired course is selected from the menu and the program is branched to any of the PGC information, speed is required even in an abrupt manner, so it is preferable to branch from the highlight command. Conversely, if the scene development is dramatic and the operator wants to enjoy the individual scenes rather than playing the game, the menu is displayed casually in a few sections such as 2-3 seconds as in Application Example 1. It is desirable to store the actions of the operator and branch based on this at the end of the scene.

This concludes the description of the video title set. Next, the video manager will be described with reference to FIG.

(1.1.2) Logical structure-video manager The video manager consists of video objects and PGs.
It consists of a C management information table, and can be said to conform to the data structure of the video title set. The difference between the VOB of the video manager and the VOB of the video title set is that the video manager is specialized for the volume menu. Here, the volume menu is
This is a menu for displaying a list of all the titles recorded on the optical disc and selecting any one of the titles.
It is displayed on the screen immediately after the optical pickup moves from the volume management area to the file area.

Specialized for this volume menu, between the video manager and the video title set,
There are the following first and second differences. First of all, the VOB of the video title set includes moving image data of a live-action video, a sub-picture pack, and an audio pack as shown in FIG. It merely includes a pack, a sub-picture pack for menus, and a management information pack. Secondly, the branch destination of the branch command described in the PGC information and highlight information of the video title set does not exceed the area of the video title set, whereas the branch command described in the video manager is: The point is that the titles of several video title sets on the optical disc are set as branch destinations and straddle the video title sets. FIG. 32 shows the data structure of the video manager. As shown in FIG. 32, “Video Manager” includes “Menu Video Object”, “Menu PGC Management Information Table”,
It consists of a "title search pointer table".

"Video object for menu" is exactly as its name implies.
VOB specialized for volume menu. That is,
A sub-picture pack for displaying the volume menu;
And a management information pack for performing reproduction control according to a cursor operation and a confirmation operation for the menu.
FIG. 33 is an explanatory diagram of a display image for a volume menu. A video object for a menu contains multiple items
It has y611, y612, y613 ... y616. These items are "Reasoning game"<beginnercourse>"Reasoninggame"
This is a content for specifying any one of the titles such as <intermediate course>. When the user performs a determination operation on such an item, a title to be reproduced is specified. The management information pack present in the VOB contains highlight information of six courses on the optical disk in FIG. 33. The “TitlePlay” command in which each video title set and each title is a branch destination is stored in the highlight command field of the highlight information.

The “menu PGC management information table” is PGC information specialized for a volume menu, so that the menu VOB is read when the disc is loaded into a disc playback device.
The recording location of the menu VOB is described. This P
The GC information is read by the disk reproducing device immediately after the optical disk is loaded in the disk reproducing device and the optical pickup moves from the volume management area to the file area. As a result, the volume menu appears on the screen.

The “title search pointer table” is an index for specifying a video title set to which each title belongs and a title number assigned to each title in the video title set.

This concludes the description of a DVD that is a multimedia optical disk, and then describes a playback device.

(2.1) Outline of Disc Playback Device A DVD player for an optical disc will be described. 22nd
The figure shows the DVD player 1, TV monitor 2, and remote control 9.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of FIG.

The DVD player 1 has an opening in the front of the housing, and a drive mechanism for setting an optical disk is provided in the depth direction of the opening.

On the front of the DVD player, a remote control receiver 92 having a light receiving element for receiving infrared rays emitted by the remote controller is provided. When an operator operates the remote controller held by the operator, the remote controller receiver 92 operates a key. Generates an interrupt signal indicating that the signal has been received.

A video output terminal and an audio output terminal are provided on the back of the DVD player. By connecting an AV code to the video output terminal and the audio output terminal, a video signal reproduced from the DVD can be output to the large television monitor 2 for home use. As a result, the operator can enjoy the reproduced video of the DVD on a large home-use television such as a 33-inch or 35-inch television. As can be seen from the above description, the DVD player 1 of the present embodiment is not used by connecting to a personal computer or the like, but is used together with the television monitor 2 as a household electric appliance.

The remote controller 91 has a keypad that is spring-biased on the surface of its housing, and outputs a code corresponding to a pressed key by infrared rays. FIG. 23 shows an operation panel of the operation remote controller 91. The "POWER" key on this panel turns on / off the power of the DVD player. The "MENU" key is used for calling the volume menu of the optical disk during the reproduction of the program chain. Numeric keys are used for chapter jumps in movies, music selection in music, and the like. The up, down, left and right cursor keys are used to select an item. The "ENTER" key is used to confirm the item selected by the cursor. When the cursor is moved on the item with the up / down / left / right cursor keys, the item on which the cursor is located is displayed in the select color of the item color information of the management information pack, and is confirmed in the final color when confirmed with the "ENTER" key. . In addition, "play",
Keys common to other AV devices, such as the "stop", "pause", "fast forward", and "rewind" keys, are provided.

(2.2) Components of Disc Playback Apparatus FIG. 24 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the DVD player in this embodiment. This DVD player includes a drive mechanism 16, an optical pickup 82, a mechanism control unit 83, a signal processing unit 84, an AV decoder unit 85, a remote control receiving unit 92, and a system control unit 93. Furthermore, the AV decoder unit 85
Signal separation section 86, video decoder 87, sub-picture decoder 88,
It comprises an audio decoder 89 and a video synthesizing section 90.

The drive mechanism 16 includes a base for setting an optical disc,
A spindle motor 81 that clamps the set optical disc and drives it to rotate. The base on which the optical disk is set is moved in and out of the housing by an eject mechanism (not shown). The operator mounts the optical disk with the base moved to the outside of the housing. When the optical disk is mounted on the base and the base moves inside the DVD player, the optical disk is loaded on the DVD player.

The mechanism control unit 83 controls a mechanism system including a motor 81 for driving the disk and an optical pickup 82 for reading a signal recorded on the disk. Specifically, the mechanism control unit 83 adjusts the motor speed according to the track position specified by the system control unit 93. At the same time, the pickup position is moved by controlling the actuator of the optical pickup 82, and when an accurate track is detected by the servo control, the apparatus waits for rotation until a desired physical sector is recorded, and continues from the desired position. To read the signal.

The signal processing unit 84 performs processing such as amplification, waveform shaping, binarization, demodulation, and error correction on the signal read from the optical pickup 82, converts the signal into a digital data string, and stores the buffer memory in the system control unit 93 in the buffer memory. (To be described later) in logical block units.

The AV decoder unit 85 performs a predetermined process on the input digital data as VOB, and converts the digital data into a video signal and an audio signal.

The signal separating unit 86 receives the digital data sequence transferred from the buffer memory in units of logical blocks (packets), and determines the stream ID and the sub-stream ID in the header of each packet, thereby obtaining moving image data and sub-picture data. , Audio data, and management information packs. In this distribution, the moving image data is output to the video decoder 87. The audio data is output to the audio decoder 89, and the sub-picture data is output to the sub-picture decoder 88. Management information pack is the system control unit
Output to 93. At that time, the number of the signal separating unit 86 is specified by the system control unit 93. This number indicates one of the audio data A, B, and C and the sub-picture data A and B shown in the explanatory diagram of FIG. 6. When the number is given, the system control unit 93 The number is output to the audio decoder 89 and the sub-picture decoder 88, respectively. Then, the data other than the number is discarded.

(2.2.1) Components of disc playback apparatus-signal separation unit 86
FIG. 25 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the signal separating unit 86 in FIG. As shown in FIG.
It comprises a decoder 120, a sub-picture / audio separation unit 121, a sub-picture selection unit 122, and an audio selection unit 123.

For each data pack transferred from the buffer memory, the MPEG decoder 120
The type of the pack is determined by referring to the ID, and if “1110 0000”, the pack is output to the video decoder 87. If it is “1011 1101”, it is output to the sub-picture / audio separation unit 121 and “1011
If it is “1111”, it is output to the system control unit 93.

The sub-picture / audio separation unit 121 outputs the packet input from the MPEG decoder 120 to the sub-picture selection unit 122 if the sub-stream ID in the packet header is “001 *****”. If the substream ID is "10100 **
* "" 10000 *** ", go to the audio selection unit 123,
Output the data. As a result, the sub-picture data of all numbers and all the audio data are
Is output to the audio selection unit 123.

The sub-picture selecting unit 122 outputs only the sub-picture data of the number designated by the system control unit 93 to the sub-picture decoder 88 among the sub-picture data from the sub-picture / audio separating unit 121. Sub-picture data other than the designated number is discarded.
When the sub-picture data A and B shown in the explanatory diagram of FIG. 5 are English and French subtitles, respectively, and the sub-picture data A is designated by the system control unit 93, the sub-picture selection unit 122 Only the sub video decoder 88 is output to the sub video decoder 88, and the sub video packets B and C are discarded. As a result, only the English subtitles are decoded by the sub-picture decoder 88.

The audio selector 123 is a sub-picture / audio separator 1
Of the audio data from 21, only the audio data of the number specified by the system control unit 93 is output to the audio decoder 89. Audio data other than the designated number is discarded. For example, the audio data A, B, and C shown in the explanatory diagram of FIG. 5 are English, French, and Japanese, respectively. When the audio data A is specified by the system control unit 93, the audio selection unit 123 Is output to the audio decoder 89, and the audio packets B and C are discarded. As a result, only the English voice is decoded by the audio decoder 89.

The video decoder 87 decodes and decompresses the moving image data input from the signal separating unit 86, and outputs it as a digital video signal to the video synthesizing unit 90.

When the sub-picture data input from the signal separation section 86 is run-length compressed image data, the sub-picture decoder 88 decodes and decompresses the data and outputs the decoded data to the video synthesis section 90 in the same format as the video signal. I do. If the image data includes a plurality of items and the operator moves the cursor with respect to these items, the system control unit 93 issues a conversion instruction (also referred to as a color change instruction) for specifying the color of the image data to the sub-picture decoder. Give to 88. Since this color conversion instruction is performed based on the item color number in the highlight information, the item is switched to the selected color or the confirmed color according to the color conversion instruction. By switching between the selected color and the confirmed color, the cursor transitions between the items as shown in FIG.

The description of the internal configuration of the DVD decoder 1 will be continued with reference to FIG. 24 again. The audio decoder 89 decodes and decompresses the audio data input from the signal separation unit 86, and outputs it as a digital audio signal.

The video synthesizing section 90 outputs a video signal obtained by mixing the output of the video decoder 87 and the output of the sub-video decoder 88 at a ratio specified by the system control section 93. This mixture ratio is based on the contrast described in the “item color information” of the highlight information, and can be changed for each GOP. This signal is transmitted by NTSC (National Television System Com.
The video signal is converted to a mittee) video signal and then input to the television monitor 2.

(2.2.2) Components of Disc Reproducing Apparatus-Internal Configuration of System Control Unit 93 The system control unit 93 controls the entire DVD player and has an internal configuration shown in FIG. According to FIG. 26, the system control unit 93 includes a buffer memory 94, a management information pack buffer 95, an embedded processor 96, a general-purpose register set 97, a PGC information buffer 31, a highlight information buffer 32, and a cursor position. It has a built-in memory 33.

The embedded processor 96 is configured by integrating a ROM storing a control program for the entire DVD player 1, a working memory, and a CPU. The CPU sequentially retrieves setting commands and branch commands from the highlight information buffer 32, a command buffer that stores the retrieved setting commands and branch commands, and decodes opcodes and operands in the command buffer. A computing unit that performs the operation of the operation content indicated by the operation code with the decoding unit, the stored contents of the general-purpose register, and the immediate value stored in the instruction buffer; A bus for transferring data to a general-purpose register. Buffer memory 94 has amplification, waveform shaping,
Data that has undergone processing such as binarization, demodulation, and error correction is written. If the written data is video title set management information, it is loaded into a buffer (not shown). On the other hand, in the case of VOB, the system control unit 93 transfers to the signal separation unit 86 one pack at a time. When transferred in this manner, the management information pack is returned from the AV decoder unit 85.

The management information pack buffer 95 is a buffer for storing the management information pack sent back from the signal separation unit 86.
The embedded processor 96 overwrites the highlight information stored in the highlight information buffer 32 by referring to the “changed flag from the previous VOBU” included in the general highlight information in the stored management information pack. An instruction or an overwrite instruction of only the highlight command is given to the management information pack buffer 95. In response to this instruction, the management information pack buffer 95 overwrites the content stored in the highlight information buffer 32 with the highlight information of the management information pack stored therein.

The general-purpose register set 97 is a general-purpose register released to the title creator by the system control unit 93 of the DVD player,
It consists of a general-purpose timer.

The PGC information buffer 31 stores the currently selected PGC information.

The highlight information buffer 32 is a buffer in which the internal area is divided into a plurality of small areas. Highlight information is stored in each small area according to the format shown in FIG. 10B. The embedded processor 96 extracts the destination of the cursor, the selected color / determined color, and the highlight command from the highlight information buffer 32 as appropriate. The highlight information stored in the highlight information buffer 32 is overwritten with a new one stored in the management information pack buffer 95 in accordance with an instruction from the embedded processor 96. In other words, only the highlight information necessary for the location where the VOB is currently playing out of the huge amount of management information packs interleaved with the VOB is stored in the highlight information buffer 32.

The cursor position memory 33 stores the item number of the item where the cursor is currently located.

Note that the cursor position memory 33 is not shown in the figure because it has little relationship with the present invention, but is implemented as one of system register groups. The system registers other than those for holding the cursor position number include registers that hold currently valid title numbers, PGC numbers, audio channels (audio substream numbers), and sub-video channels (sub-video substream numbers). Exists.

(2.3.1) Operation of System Control Unit 93 (Normal Operation) The operation of the system control unit 93 will be described below with reference to FIG. Here, only the normal reproduction control operation when there is no user interaction will be described.
Specific reproduction control operations when a highlight command, a PGC pre-processing command, a post-processing command, and the like are executed will be described with specific examples in the following sections.

FIG. 27A and FIG. 27B are general flowcharts showing the processing contents of the system control unit 93. The operation of the DVD player 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

When the eject button of DVD player 1 is pressed,
The base moves to the outside of the housing. With the base moved outward, the operator mounts the optical disk. When mounted on the base and the base moves inside the DVD player, the optical disc is loaded into the DVD player. System control unit 93
Are in a state of waiting for insertion of an optical disk in step 121. When the loading of the optical disk is notified from the optical sensor or the like, the rotation of the disk is controlled by controlling the mechanism control unit 83 and the signal processing unit 84 while keeping the optical pickup 82 in the lead-in area. The rotation of the disk kept in the lead-in area is continued until the rotation operation is stabilized. When the rotation operation is stabilized, the optical pickup is moved from the lead-in area to the outer periphery and the volume management area is read. The video manager is read based on the information of the volume management area (step 122). Further, the system control unit 93 includes a PGC for the video manager menu.
With reference to the management information table, the recording address of the volume menu program chain is calculated, reproduced, and stored in the PGC information buffer 31. If the volume menu program chain is stored internally, the system control unit 93 refers to the stored PGC information and calculates the video object (VOB) to be reproduced and its recording address on the optical disk. When the video object to be reproduced is determined, the system control unit 93
A control signal is output to the signal processing unit 83 and the signal processing unit 84, and the determined video object is taken out from the optical disc and reproduced. As a result, the volume menu shown in FIG. 33 is displayed on the television monitor 2 (step 123).

It is assumed that the operator has selected and confirmed the menu item of interest by looking at the list of titles (the details of the operation of the system control unit 93 when the selection of the menu item in the menu is determined will be described in the next section). A “PlayTitle” command is stored as a highlight command of a menu item and a title number is stored as a parameter thereof, and this highlight command is executed by the system control unit 93 (step 125).

As an execution operation by the “PlayTitle” command, the system control unit 93 refers to a title search pointer table which is a part of the video manager, and determines a video title set (VTS) to which the video title belongs and a title number in the VTS. When the video title set is determined, the system control unit 93
Outputs a control signal to the mechanism control unit 83 and the signal processing unit 84,
The video title set management information of the determined title set is reproduced, and the video title set section title search pointer table which is a part of the video title set management information is taken out (step 126). If the video title set section title search pointer table can be extracted, the system control section 93 refers to this and determines PGC information of the program chain for starting reproduction of the title to be reproduced. If the PGC information is determined, the system controller 93
Outputs a control signal to the mechanism control unit 83 and the signal processing unit 84, reproduces the determined PGC information, and stores this in the internal PGC information buffer 31. In this case, the stored PGC information for the volume menu is overwritten.
If the PGC information for starting playback of the title is held, the system control unit 93 refers to the held PGC information, determines a video object to be played and its recording address, and plays back the determined video object. Mechanism control unit
The control signal is output to the signal processing unit 83 and the signal processing unit 84.

Thereafter, the system control unit 93 sequentially determines video objects to be reproduced and controls reproduction according to the held PGC information. The system control unit 93, upon completing the reproduction of the final video object indicated by the PGC information,
The next PGC information is determined by referring to the PGC connection information that is a part of the information. System control unit 93 that has determined the next PGC information
Discards the current PGC information and retains the next PGC information,
According to this, the reproduction progress is continued (step 128).

To supplement the reproduction of the video object, the DVD player 1 is provided with a key for switching between an audio channel and a sub-picture channel (not shown). The audio channel and the sub-video channel selected by the user with the switching key are held in a system register (not shown) of the system control unit 93. When a video object is played, the system control unit 93 outputs a control signal to specify an effective channel by referring to an internal system register.
This is performed by the AV decoder unit 85. As a result, only valid audio channel and sub-video channel information is output to the outside together with the moving image information.

Next, the reproduction control operation at the path level and the GOP level, that is, the navigation control operation, performed for each program chain will be described with a specific example. First, as a first operation example, a description will be given below assuming that the title of <elementary level> of the “reasoning game” is reproduced.

(2.3.2.1) First operation example: Reproduction control at the path level by the system control unit 93 The entry program chain of the "reasoning game" is
This corresponds to PGC information # 3 shown in FIG. The "VOB position information table" describes VOB # 3 shown in FIG. Although the contents of the reproduction control according to FIGS. 17 and 18 have already been described above, the type of software control performed by the system control unit 93 based on the contents of the reproduction control is described in FIG.
Hereinafter, a first operation example will be described with reference to the flowchart of the program chain reproducing process and the flowcharts of FIGS. 28 to 31.

Since the program chain # 3 has been selected, the system control unit 93 first performs processing based on the pre-processing as the reproduction control at the path level. The pre-processing in the flowchart of FIG. 28 has a loop structure in which the processing of step 131 is repeated for all of the pre-processing commands in the PGC command table. In step 131, the embedded processor 96 extracts the pre-processing command and decodes it by referring to the pre-processing command start address pointer. In FIG. 17, the pre-processing command described in the pre-processing command field is a setting command for setting an initial value in the general-purpose register.
“0” indicated by the “immediate” operand is transferred to the general-purpose register R1 indicated by the register identifier field of “tReg R1,0”.

Since the pre-processing in the program chain # 3 has been completed, the reproduction control shifts from the path level to the GOP level.

(2.3.2.2) First operation example: VOB by system control unit 93
Read / Decode VOB read / decode is composed of steps 132 to 139. Step 133 to Step 1
The processing of step 39 is repeated for all VOBs whose VOB position information is described in the “VOB position information table”.

In step 133, “VOB position information” of VOB # 3 is read. This is read from the PGC information buffer 31. After reading the VOB position information, the process proceeds to step 134.

In step 134, the VO described in the "VOB position information"
Based on the B offset, calculate which track on the disk corresponds to the next logical block to be read.
Then, the track position is instructed to the mechanism control unit 83, and the optical pickup is moved to the recording start position. Thereafter, a block read control is instructed to the mechanism control unit 83 (here, the read destination logical block is referred to as a logical block #k).

Even if the optical pickup is located at the position of the video manager and is far from the recording location of the VOB, the execution of this step moves the optical pickup to the head position of the recording location of the VOB. In the example of FIG. 13, the state is designated by reference numeral y401. Subsequently, the process proceeds to step 136, where the data recorded in the logical block #k is read out via the optical pickup and the signal processing unit 84.

Under the control of the mechanism control unit 83, the moving picture pack, the audio pack, and the sub-picture pack constituting the VOB are sequentially read. The signal processing unit 84 performs processing such as amplification, waveform shaping, binarization, demodulation, and error correction on the signal read from the optical pickup 82, and stores the signal in a buffer memory in the system control unit 93 in units of logical blocks. . The signal separation unit 86
Receive the pack transferred from the buffer memory,
Stream ID and substream ID in the header of each pack
Is determined. The video pack in Figure 7A is a stream
Since the ID is set to “1110 0000”, it is output to the video decoder 87. The video decoder 87 performs intra-frame decoding and intra-field decoding for the I picture, P picture, and B picture included in the moving picture data, performs motion compensation, and decodes the picture signal. After decryption, SCR and PTS
After that, the video signal is output to the video synthesizing unit 90 after waiting for the time based on the video signal.

For the sub-picture pack, the stream ID in FIG.
11 1101 ”and the first three bits of the sub-stream ID are set to 001, so that they are output to the sub-video decoder 88. The sub-picture decoder 88 performs run-length decoding on the sub-picture data. After decoding, it waits for a time based on the SCR and PTS, and outputs the decoding result to the video compositing unit 90.

The output of the video decoder 87 and the output of the sub-picture decoder 88 are mixed by the video synthesizing unit 90 at the ratio specified by the system control unit 93. The mixed video signal is converted into an analog signal and then input to the television monitor 2.

By the above operation, the reproduced image of Fig. 18 is displayed on the TV screen.
197, the facial expressions of the characters change as shown in the reproduced image 198. At the timing when the reproduced image 201 in FIG. 19A appears, the menu drawn in the sub-picture 101 is displayed.

(2.3.2.3) First Operation Example Update process of highlight information by system control unit 93 (GOP level) The management information pack 101 shown in FIG.
85 and separated by the AV decoder unit 85. The process of the system control unit 93 for receiving the management information pack 101 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. The flowchart of FIG. 29 is configured to switch the procedures of steps 145, 146, steps 148 and 146 in accordance with the contents of the two bits of the “change flag from previous VOBU” shown in the explanatory diagram of FIG. 10A. It is. When the process proceeds to step 137 in the flow of FIG. 28, the system control unit 93
The process of step 142 in FIG. 9 is started. In step 142, P
Decodes CI general information and trick play information and performs control according to them. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step 143, where the “change flag from previous VOBU” is read from the highlight general information of the management information pack 101. After reading the “change flag from previous VOBU”, the process proceeds to step 144. In step 144, it is determined whether or not the change presence flag from the previous GOP is “11”. The management information pack 101 includes sub-picture data 1
01 highlight information is included and this flag is set to "0
Since “1” has been set, “No” is returned to step 147.

At step 147, it is determined whether or not the change flag from the previous GOP is “01”. Since it matches with “01” of the management information pack 125, the process proceeds to step 148. In step 148, the highlight information buffer 32 is overwritten using the highlight information.

After the execution of step 148, in step 146, an item number is set in the cursor position memory 33. Where 19A
In the figure, item information m corresponding to "Yes" and "No"
Item numbers # 1 and # 2 are assigned to 101 and m102, respectively. After setting the item number # 1 in the cursor position memory 33, the process proceeds to step 149. In step 149, the item number where the cursor is currently located is read from the cursor position memory 33, and in step 150, the “start-end coordinates (X1, Y1) (X2, Y2)” of the item information m101 to which the item number # 1 is assigned. read out. Subsequently, the sub-picture decoder 88 is instructed to convert the range described therein into the selected color. Thus, the area where the “Yes” item occupies the screen is colored with the selected color.

If the "change flag from previous VOBU" is "11", the contents of the highlight information buffer 32 are overwritten in step 145 using the received highlight command.
After overwriting, in step 146, the cursor position memory 33
Set the item number to.

As described above, the reading of the logical block is continued even after the item is filled with the selected color, and an image is displayed on the screen.

(2.3.2.4) First operation example ・ Cursor control for menu Suppose that the operator presses down the right key of the remote controller held by the right hand with the thumb, while being somewhat puzzled by the question suddenly appearing on the screen. . Processing based on this remote control operation will be described.

After the execution of step 150, a remote control receiving process is performed in step 138. When the process proceeds to the remote control receiving process, the process proceeds to step 166 of the flowchart in FIG. In step 166, the remote control receiving unit 92 determines whether to receive an input signal from the remote control. Upon receiving the input signal from the remote control operation described above, step 166 to step 1
Move to 51.

In step 151, it is determined whether the input signal is an up / down / left / right key. Since the right key is pressed here, step 152
Then, the item number # 1 set in the cursor position memory 33 is read. The “start-end coordinates (X1, Y1) (X2, Y2)” of the item information m101 with the item number # 1 read in step 153 is read, and the sub-picture is changed so that this range is changed to the original color. The color number is instructed to the decoder 88. As a result, the color of the “Yes” item in FIG. 20 returns to the original color. After the execution of step 153, the process moves to step 154. At step 154, the “destination item number” corresponding to the rightward movement direction of the “Yes” item is highlighted.
The destination item number is read from the m101 and stored in the cursor position memory 33. By this storage, the item number # 2 assigned to the “No” item is stored in the cursor position memory 33.

After the storage, the process proceeds to step 155, where the item information "m102" of the item information m102 corresponding to the read destination item number # 2 is read.
End coordinates (X1, Y1) (X2, Y2) "are read out, and a color number is instructed to the sub-picture decoder 88 to change this range to the selected color. This will color the “No” item with the selected color,
The cursor transitions from the “Yes” item to the item “No”.

(2.3.2.5) Confirmation operation on menu Suppose that the operator moves the remote control keys around while recalling the scene development so far, and executes the confirmation operation on the “Yes” item. When you execute the confirmation operation,
The determination at Step 151 becomes No, and the routine goes to Step 156. In step 156, it is determined whether the input signal from the remote controller is the "ENTER" key. Here, press is detected and step 15
Move to 7. In step 157, the cursor position memory
From 33, the item number where the cursor is currently located is read, and in step 158, the confirmed color is read from the item color information. After reading out the confirmed color, the process proceeds to step 159. Step 159
Now, the item with the cursor at the “start-end coordinates (X
1, Y1) (X2, Y2) ”is instructed to the sub-picture decoder 88 to change the color number. In step 160, "Yes"
The register operation command "SetReg R1,1," + "" described in the highlight command field is read from the highlight information # 101 corresponding to the item. The system control unit 93 adds “1” to the content stored in the general-purpose register R1 specified by the “SetReg R1,1,“ + ”” command.

It is assumed that the above processing is also performed on the second menu, and the operator has answered "Yes" twice for the second menu. According to this answer, the value of the general-purpose register is added twice, and the stored value of the general-purpose register is "2".

In the above description of the operation, the case where the cursor operation and the confirmation operation are performed has been described. However, when the numeric key of the remote controller 91 is pressed, the item information # 1, # 2, # 3, # 4,.
Among them, the item corresponding to the numerical value is read, and the command described in the highlight command of the item is immediately executed.

After the display of the second menu is completed, the processing of steps 133 to 138 in FIG. 28 is repeated. As a result, VOBs whose playback order is described in the program chain are sequentially played back. This repetition is continued until the last VOB storage position information.

(2.3.2.6) First Operation Example Post-Processing by System Control Unit 93 Since VOB reproduction in program chain # 3 has been completed, reproduction control shifts from the GOP level to the path level.
The route level here is post-processing, and is realized in steps 140 to 141 of the flowchart in FIG. Step 140 repeats the processing of the following step 141 for all the post-processing commands in the PGC command table.

At the location pointed to by the post-processing command start address pointer, the embedded processor 96 executes the conditional branch command “CmpRegLink R1,2,“ = ”, described in the first line of the post-processing command field shown in FIG. PGC # 5]
Take out. After taking it out, by deciphering "CmpRegLink", it is known that this command is a conditional branch command, and its operands "R1", "2",
Take out "=". By decoding "=" in the branch condition field, the embedded processor 96 determines whether or not the content stored in the general-purpose register R1 is "2". Since three correct answers are counted by the playback control at the GOP level,
Branch to program chain # 5.

Next, branching to a program chain will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The flowchart of FIG. 31 shows processing specific to a branching command executed only when the command to be executed is a branching command. At step 162, the program chain number described in the branch destination field of the command is read. In step 163, the logical block at the start position of the recording location of the PGC information # 5 in the PGC management information table is calculated with reference to the start address of the PGC management information table described in the video title set management information in the video manager. . In step 164, the optical pickup is moved to the logical block calculated by controlling the mechanism control unit 83. In step 165, the optical pickup 82 and the mechanism control unit 8
PGC in logical block data read via 3
The information # 5 is stored in the PGC information buffer 31. Stored P
The recursive call of the flowchart of FIG. 28 is performed on the GC information, and the program chain regenerating process is performed on the newly stored program chain. Under such control, the PGC information corresponding to the branch destination of the branching command is selectively stored in the PGC information buffer 31. Here, the VOB specified by the program chain # 5 which is the branch destination of the multiplex branch in the post-processing includes one action pattern among the three moving image data in FIG. As described above, one of the action patterns of the characters is selectively displayed on the screen by the answers to the two menus in FIG. 20 and the multiple branches in the post-processing described above.
The operator feels that the actions of the characters in the video have been switched by operating the two menus.

Although the relationship with the first operation example is sparse, the branch based on the PGC connection information in the case where the branch by post-processing is not performed in the flowchart of FIG. 28 will be described. No. 27B
The flowchart in the figure shows the details of the branching process based on the PGC connection information. Step 14 in the flowchart of FIG. 28
When execution of all post-processing is completed in steps 0 to 141,
The flow shifts from the flowchart in FIG. 28 to step 172 in the flowchart in FIG. 27B. In step 172, the system control unit 93 reads the program chain number described in the PGC connection information, and in step 173, refers to the start address of the PGC management information table described in the video title set management information in the video manager. Then, the logical block at the head position of the recording location of the connection destination PGC information in the PGC management information table is calculated. Step 17
In 4, the optical pickup is moved to the logical block calculated by controlling the mechanism control unit 83. In step 175, the connection destination PGC information in the logical block data read via the optical pickup and mechanism control unit 83 is stored in the PGC information buffer 31.
To be stored. The flowchart of FIG. 28 is called for the stored PGC information, and the program chain reproducing process is performed for the newly stored program chain.

(2.3.3) Second Operation Example An operation example in which “circle around the world quiz <Europe>” is selected in the volume menu shown in FIG. 33 will be described as a second operation example.

FIG. 34A is an explanatory diagram of the data structure of the title set “Around the World Quiz”. As indicated by reference numeral c134 in FIG. 34A, a total of 20 video objects from VOB # A1 to VOB # A20 are included in the title set. As indicated by reference numeral c136, a total of eight program chains from PGC information #A to PGC information # A8 for managing the reproduction order of the video objects of VOB # A1 to VOB # A20 are stored. Among the program chains, PGC information # A1 is the program chain executed first in the title "Around the World Quiz <Europe>".

FIG. 34B shows the contents of reproduction control of PGC information # A1. Also,
FIG. 34C is an explanatory diagram of the playback control content of the PGC information # A5.

As shown in FIG. 34B, the PGC information # A1 is an entry of the VOB position information table, and includes VOB # A1, VOB # A2, and VOB # A.
5. It has VOB position information of VOB # A6. That is, the disc reproducing apparatus first reproduces VOB # A1, and thereafter, reproduces VOB # A1.
A2, VOB # A5, and VOB # A6 are reproduced in this order. In addition, as shown in FIG.
etReg R1,0 ”is stored. For this reason, the disc reproducing apparatus initializes the R1 register with an immediate value of 0 prior to the reproduction based on the PGC information # A1. In addition, as shown in FIG. 34B, the post-processing command “CmpRegLink R1,10,
“>”, PGC # A3 ”is stored. That is, when all the reproduction of the video object according to the PGC information # A1 is completed, the disc reproducing apparatus evaluates the value of the R1 register, and
If this is the case, the program chain to be executed next is
The playback progress is continued with C information # A3. Further, as shown in FIG. 34B, PGC information # A4 is stored as the PGC link information as the next program chain in the default reproduction progress. That is, if the next PGC information is not determined by the post-processing command, the disc playback device determines the next program chain to be executed according to the value of the PGC link information.
The playback progress is continued with information # A4. PGC information # A3, PGC
Information # A4 is a program chain executed exclusively based on the quiz scoring result, and PGC information # A3 is "Fail"
And PGC information # A4 reproduces a video meaning "pass".

Next, a video object to be reproduced by the PGC information # A1 will be described. VOB # A1, VOB # A2, VO
Both B # A5 and VOB # A6 contain 4 to 5 European quizzes. A description will be given using VOB # A1 as an example.

FIG. 35 is a diagram schematically showing which VOB position information of the PGC information # A1 and PGC information # A2 designates each VOB, or which PGC information is the branch destination of the post-processing. is there. In FIG. 35, the PGC information # A1 is indicated by a horizontally long rectangle including four squares, and the VOB position information is indicated by a black circle. An arrow extends from the black circle of the PGC information # A1, and VOBs such as VOB # A1, VOB # A2, VOB # 5, and VOB # 6 are ahead of the arrow.
However, this means that the "VOB position information table" of the PGC information # A1 specifies that these VOBs are reproduced.

A solid arrow extends from the black circle of the PGC information # A2, and VOBs such as VOB # A3, VOB # A4, VOB # A7, and VOB # A8.
However, this means that the "VOB position information table" of the PGC information # A2 specifies that these VOBs are reproduced.

A dashed arrow extends from the post-processing command of the PGC information # A1, and the PGC information # A3 and the PGC information # A4 exist ahead of the PGC information # A1. , Means that it is specified to branch to any one of these two branch destinations.

FIG. 36 is an explanatory diagram of the data contents of VOB # A1. No. 36
In the video object (VOB) in the figure, the first quiz having a playback time of about 20 seconds from the beginning to the VOB unit 20 is a live-action video of a scene along the European coast taken from an aircraft. VO hatched
The six VOB unit groups starting with B unit 7 are
This is a menu video in which a quiz with a playback time of 6 seconds is set and an answer is given by the user. The reproduced image and menu drawn by the VOB unit 7 are shown at the end of the leader line.
The VOB unit 7 includes a video pack 7, a sub-picture pack 7,
A management information pack 7 exists. Management information pack 7 includes:
Item information from # 1 to # 3 is described. These item information items # 1 to # 3 are associated with items in the menu drawn by the sub-picture pack 7 (SP A-7) in FIG. In the case of the quiz of the first question, since the item information # 1 is the correct answer, the item information # 1 includes an instruction "SetReg R1,1," + "" for adding the immediate value 1 to the register R1 for counting the score of the user. Is stored, and the other instruction is a wrong answer, so that the instruction "NOP" which does nothing is stored. Note that the same highlight information as that of the VOB unit 7 is stored in the five VOB units following the VOB unit 7 that constitutes the same menu.

VOB unit 21 to VOB unit 40 are the second quiz with a playback time of about 20 seconds, and are images of European scenes taken from train windows. Among them, the six VOB unit groups starting with the hatched VOB unit 25 are menu images in which questions of a quiz having a reproduction time of 5 to 6 seconds and answers by the user are performed. The reproduced image and menu drawn by the VOB unit 25 are shown at the end of the leader line. The VOB unit 25 includes a video pack 25, a sub-picture pack 25, and a management information pack 25. The management information pack 25 describes item information from # 1 to # 3. These item information items # 1 to # 3 are associated with ~ in the menu drawn by the sub-picture pack 25 (shown as "SP A-25" in FIG. 36) in FIG. I have. In the case of the quiz of the second question, since the item information # 3 is correct, the item information # 3 includes an instruction "SetReg R
1,1, "+"] is stored, otherwise the answer is incorrect.
The instruction "NOP" that does nothing is stored. The five VOB units following the VOB unit 25 constituting the same menu store the same highlight information as the VOB unit 25.

VOB Unit 41 to VOB Unit 61 is the third quiz with a playback time of about 20 seconds, and is a live-action video introducing Nietzsche's many works. Among them, the six VOB unit groups starting with the hatched VOB unit 48 are menu images in which questions of a quiz having a reproduction time of 5 to 6 seconds and answers by the user are performed. VOB unit 4
The reproduced image and menu drawn in 8 are shown at the end of the leader line. The VOB unit 48 includes a video pack 48, a sub-picture pack 48, and a management information pack 48. Management information pack
In 48, item information from # 1 to # 3 is described. These item information items # 1 to # 3 are stored in the menu drawn by the sub-picture pack 48 (SP A-48) in FIG.
Associated with the item. In the case of the quiz of the third question, since the item information # 3 is the correct answer, the item information # 3 includes the immediate value 1 in the register R1 for counting the user's scores.
The instruction "SetReg R1,1," + "" is added, and the other instruction is a wrong answer, so the instruction "NOP" which does nothing is stored. Note that VOB units 4 that make up the same menu
Five VOB units following 8 store the same highlight information as the VOB unit 48.

VOB unit 61 to VOB unit 80 are the fourth quiz with a playback time of about 20 seconds, and are the digest version of Shakespearean play. Among them, the six VOB unit groups starting with the hatched VOB unit 61 are menu videos in which questions of a quiz having a reproduction time of 5 to 6 seconds and answers by the user are performed. VOB unit 6
The reproduced image and menu drawn in 1 are shown at the end of the leader line. The VOB unit 61 includes a moving image pack 65, a sub-picture pack 65, and a management information pack 65. Management information pack
In 65, item information from # 1 to # 3 is described. These item information items # 1 to # 3 are stored in the menu drawn in the sub-picture pack 65 (SP A-65) in FIG.
Associated with the item. In the case of the quiz of the fourth question, since the item information # 3 is the correct answer, the item information # 3 includes the immediate value 1 in the register R1 for counting the user's scores.
Is stored, and an instruction "NOP" that does nothing is stored because the other answers are incorrect. Note that VOB units 6 that make up the same menu
Five VOB units following 1 store the same highlight information as the VOB unit 61.

The operation of the system control unit 93 when the title “World Travel Quiz (Europe)” described above is reproduced will be described below. The PGC for starting playback of this title
The information is already stored in the PGC information buffer 31 of the system control unit 93.
The description will be made assuming that the information is stored in the memory.

(2.3.3.1) Second operation example: pre-processing by the system control unit 93 If the entry program chain of “Around the World Quiz <Europe>” is held in the system control, the system control unit 93 performs the reproduction control at the path level. First, preprocessing is performed.
In the pre-processing command field of the program chain,
A register operation command “SetReg R1,0” is described as in “Reasoning Game” <Elementary Edition>. The embedded processor 96 takes out the register operation command “SetReg R1,0” and decodes it. Register operation command `` SetReg
“0” specified by the “immediate” operand is transferred to the general-purpose register R1 specified by the register identification field of “R1,0”. Since pre-processing in the entry program chain has been completed, playback control is
Move to P level.

(2.3.3.2) Second operation example: reading / decoding of a video object (VOB) by the system control unit 93 All video objects (VOBs) whose VOB position information is described in the “VOB position information table” and the video By repeating the processing of step 136 for all the logical blocks in which the object (VOB) is recorded, the actual shot images of the coastal scene in the VOB units 0 to 20 of VOB # A1 are successively displayed on the television monitor 2. appear. At the timing when the image reproduced by the moving image pack 7 shown in FIG. 36 appears on the television monitor 2, the menu drawn by the sub-image pack 7 is superimposed thereon.

It is assumed that the operator moves the remote control key while recalling the world map, and executes a confirming operation on the menu item drawn in the sub-picture pack 7. When the confirmation operation is performed, the determination in Step 151 shown in the flowchart of FIG. 30 is No, and the process proceeds to Step 156. In step 156, it is determined that the input signal from the remote controller is the "ENTER" key, and the flow shifts to step 157. Here, it is assumed that the item number # 1 corresponding to the item is set in the cursor position memory 33. Step 157
This item number # 1 is read out at step
At 158, the confirmed color is read from the item color information in the management information pack in the VOB unit 7 held therein. In the following step 159, the color number is instructed to the sub-picture decoder 88 so as to change the “start-end coordinates (X1, Y1) (X2, Y2)” of the item where the cursor is currently located to the final color. In step 160, highlight information # of item number # 1
The register operation command “SetReg R1,1,“ + ”” described in the highlight command field 1 is read. The embedded processor 96 reads “SetReg R1,1,
"+" Command is executed, and the content stored in the general-purpose register R1 specified by the operand is added by "1".

Here, if the confirmation operation is performed on another item, it is a NOP command, so the embedded processor 9
6 ends the process without executing the command.

As described above, by executing the highlight command, the score is added in the general-purpose register according to the correct answer.

After displaying the first menu, step 136 to step 1
By repeatedly performing the process of step 38 in step 135, the video packs of the VOB units 21 to 40 are decoded into video signals by the video decoder 87, and the scene changes on the screen as the train moves. Here, when the moving picture pack and the sub-picture pack in the VOB unit 25 are decoded, the top of the Pyrenees appears on the television monitor 2 as shown in FIG. And the menu drawn by the sub-picture pack in VOB unit 25 is "What is the total length of the Pyrenees? Question to the operator.

When the operator moves the up / down / left / right keys of the remote controller while looking at the menu drawn by the VOB unit 25, the cursor is shifted from item to item in steps 151 to 155. Step 156 to Step 1
When the "Enter" key is pressed in 61, item information # 3 corresponding to the item is read, and "SetReg R1,1," described in the highlight command field is read.
"+"]. If the confirmation operation is performed by a command other than the item, the processing ends without performing anything. As described above, in the example of FIG. 36, a question is presented by a menu in precise synchronization with the change of the scene in the video, and the score is added by the answer to the question.

(2.3.3.3) Second Operation Example: Playback Control for Third Menu> By repeatedly performing the processing of step 136 to step 138, the VOB units 41 to 61 are read from the optical disc. Then, the video decoder 87 and the sub-picture decoder 88 decode the moving picture pack and the sub-picture pack inside these into video signals. As a result, a video introducing Nietzsche's many works described above appears on the screen. At the timing when the real face of Nietzsche appears on the screen in the image reproduced by the moving picture pack 48 shown in FIG. 36, the menu drawn by the sub-picture pack 48 is presented to the operator.

The playback control for this menu is the same as the playback control for the first and second sheets. The cursor is shifted between the items according to the up / down / left / right keys, and when the “Enter” key is pressed, the command in the highlight command field corresponding to the item where the cursor is currently located among the item information # 1 to # 4 is displayed. Run. Here, when the confirming operation is performed in a state where the correct item is indicated by the cursor, the command “SetReg R1,1,” described in the highlight command field in the item information # 3.
"+"]. If the confirmation operation is performed on an item other than the correct answer, the processing ends without doing anything.

(2.3.3.4) Second Operation Example: Reproduction Control for the Fourth Menu The VOB units 61 to 80 are read from the optical disk by repeatedly performing the processing of steps 136 to 138, and The moving picture pack and the sub-picture pack are decoded into a video signal by the decoder 87 and the sub-picture decoder 88. As a result, the digest video of the Shakespeare play described above appears on the screen. Shown in Figure 36
At the timing when the image reproduced by the VOB unit 65 appears on the screen, a question by a menu by the sub-picture pack 65 is presented to the operator.

The reproduction control for this menu is the same as the reproduction control for the first to third sheets. Move the cursor between the items according to the up / down / left / right keys, and then select "En
When the "ter" key is pressed, the command in the highlight command corresponding to the item information is executed. When the confirmation operation is performed on the item corresponding to the correct answer, the command “Se
tReg R1,1, "+" is executed. If the confirmation operation is performed on an item other than the correct answer, the processing ends without doing anything.

It is assumed that the operator correctly answers the first, third, and fourth sheets with respect to the four menus. By this correct answer, the value of the general-purpose register is added three times, and the stored value of the general-purpose register is "3".

When the reproduction of the video object VOB # A1 is completed after completing the four quizzes, the processing of steps 133 to 138 in FIG. 28 is repeated. As a result, VOB # A2, VOB # A5, VOB in which the playback order is described in the program chain
# A6 is played sequentially. Then, within each video object, a quiz of 4 to 5 questions is performed in the same manner as VOB # A1, and the score is accumulated in the register R1. When the reproduction of the last video object VOB # A6 is completed, the process moves to step 140.

(2.3.3.5) Second operation example: Post-processing by the system control unit 93 Since the reproduction of the video object VOB # A6 has been completed, the reproduction control shifts from the GOP level to the path level. The route level here is post-processing, and is realized in steps 140 to 141 of the flowchart in FIG. Step 14
0 repeats the processing of the following step 141 for all the post-processing commands in the PGC command table.

In the post-processing command field of the entry program chain, the following one-line branching command is described.

CmpRegLink R1,10, “>”, PGC # A3 The embedded processor 96 executes the conditional branch command “CmpRegLink R1,10,
">", PGC # A3 After taking it out, `` CmpRegL
ink ", it is known that this command is a conditional branch command, and its operand" R
1 ”,“ 10 ”, and“> ”. By decoding ">" in the branch condition field, the embedded processor 96
It is determined whether the content stored in the general-purpose register R1 is 10 or more. Here, if the value of 10 or more is stored in the register R1 in which the correct or incorrect score result for the user's quiz so far is stored, the PGC that performs a video display indicating pass is performed.
# Branch to A3. If it is 10 or less, the processing of the post-processing command is terminated, branching to PGC # A4, which is the default branch destination stored in the PGC connection information, is performed, and video display indicating failure is performed. That is, a pass or fail image is switched depending on whether the correct or incorrect score is 10 or more.

(2.3.4) Third Operation Example An operation example in the case where the title “around the world quiz <world edition>” is selected in the volume menu of FIG. 33 will be described as a third operation example.

PGC information # A3 and PG indicated by reference numeral c136 in FIG. 34A
Similar to the second operation example, the C information # A4 is a branch destination program chain that branches when the quiz program chain is completed, and stores an image indicating pass or fail.

PGC information # A6 to PGC information # A8 is a program chain for reproducing three video objects, all of which are quizzes, and picks up and reproduces three video objects from VOB # A1 to VOB # A20 in different combinations. Playback paths are defined. PGC information # A6
~ PGC information # A8 is the PGC information # A1 described in the second operation example,
Except for the video object to be reproduced, the same PGC connection information, post-processing command, and pre-processing command are stored.

PGC information # A5 is executed first at the start of title playback, and the program chain for the quiz to be played is
One is randomly determined from any of information # A6 to PGC information # A8. FIG. 34C shows the data content of PGC information # A5. PGC information # A5 is “Random R
2,3] is stored. The post-processing command is "C
mpRegLink R2,2, “=”, PGC # A7 “CmpRegLink R2,1,
“=”, PGC # A8 ”is stored, and PGC # A is
6 is stored.

(2.3.4.1) Third Operation Example Pre-Processing The embedded processor 96 extracts the command recorded at the position indicated by the pre-processing command start address in the PGC command table in step 131 of FIG. , Decrypt this opcode. The operation code is "Ra
ndom ”, the immediate value“ 3 ”is extracted from the immediate field. When an immediate value is extracted, an integer random number with this value as an upper limit is generated. After the occurrence, the register identifier "R1" is extracted from the register identifier field, the generated random number is stored in the general-purpose register R1 designated by the identifier, and the flow shifts to steps 132 to 139 in FIG.

(2.3.4.2) Third operation example ··· Post-processing In the same multiplex branch as the operation example in steps 140 to 141 of FIG. 28, one of three branch destinations is selected according to the value stored in the general-purpose register R1. Choose. General-purpose register R1 contains "Rando
Since the random number generated by the “m” command is stored, an arbitrary one is selected from the three branch destinations according to the post-processing command or the PGC connection information. That is,
It will randomly branch to one of PGC information # A6, PGC information # A7, and PGC information # A8. Then, the video objects specified by these program chains are sequentially reproduced, quizzes are presented to the user, and the user's answers are totaled in the register R1. When the reproduction of the program chain is completed, the value of the register R1 is evaluated in the same manner as in the operation example 2, and if it passes, it branches to PGC # A3, and if it fails, it branches to PGC # A4.

(2.3.5) Fourth Operation Example A fourth operation example will be described as an application of the third embodiment. Third
The embodiment has described the operation in which the disc reproducing apparatus randomly determines the next program chain to be reproduced by using a random number. However, it is also possible to determine the next program chain to be reproduced by a combination of a random number and a user selection result such as a menu item. Less than,
The operation in this case will be described.

It is assumed that the score of the immediately preceding quiz program chain, for example, the correct or incorrect answer of the user's answer to the quiz of PGC information # A1 is stored in the register R1. Then, as in the third operation example, it is assumed that there are ten pieces of PGC information # 101 to PGC information # 110 that may be selected for each difficulty level (the PGC information # 101 is easy and the PGC information # 110 Is difficult).
And PGC as a program chain to select one program chain from these program chains
Assume that there is information # B100. Then, it is assumed that the post-processing command of the PGC information # B100 has the following contents. The score stored in the register R1 is 0 to 20.

Post-processing command CmpRegLink R1,10, “<”, PGC # 100 SetReg R1,10, “−” Random R2, R1 SetReg R2,100, “+” Link R2 In this case, the score is less than 10 first, that is, not very good If so, it will branch to PGC # 101 which is the most difficult. If the score is 10 or more, the result of calculating 10 from the score becomes the basis for random number generation. Then, by adding 100 to the generated random number value, it is converted into the identification code of the existing PGC information, and the process branches. In other words, if the score of the previous quiz in the program chain is excellent, the program chain for the next quiz will be selected from a wider range of difficulty levels. You will be selected from a lower program chain.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the highlight information provided for each GOP of the video object synchronizes with the video content with 0.5 to 1.0 second accuracy, and does not interrupt the reproduction of the moving image, We can accept instructions.

Furthermore, in addition to the video objects, a PGC that manages the playback order of a plurality of video objects as a playback path
By providing the information, it becomes possible to evaluate the received user's instruction and perform playback control for determining one or more moving images to be continuously played back and their playback order.

That is, various interactive reproductions can be performed by two-level reproduction control based on GOP-level reproduction control synchronized with video contents and path-level reproduction control performed independently of the video contents.

Also, such as GOP level and route level,
By performing level-level playback control, in addition to enabling a variety of interactive playback, memory consumption for playback control that is required simultaneously during playback is reduced to one PGC information and one highlight information. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of memory required for the disk playback device.

In this embodiment, in the "VOB position information table" in the PGC information, VOB position information describing the recording location of the VOB is listed, and the disk reproducing device performs VOB reading based on this. V is the partial area of the occupied recording location
By writing in the OB position information, only a part of the VOB may be read by the optical pickup (this kind of partial reading is called trimming). A part of the trimmed VOB is specified in units of cells. By specifying the partial area in the VOB position information in this way, only a part of the VOB can be skillfully used, and the use efficiency of the video material is greatly improved.

In the present embodiment, image data such as subtitles is used as an embodiment of the sub-picture, but vector graphics or three-dimensional computer graphics (CG) may be used. By employing these, it is also possible to realize a game based on a combination of a compressed video of a real photograph and CG.

In this embodiment, one VOB unit is converted to one GOP.
However, if the playback time of the moving image stored in one VOB unit is about 1 second, it is not limited to one GOP, but two or three GOPs with very short playback time
Needless to say, it may be composed of Further, in this case, the management information pack is arranged at the head of a plurality of continuous GOPs, and stores effective reproduction control information for the plurality of GOPs.

It should be noted that the reason why the item is drawn in the sub-picture in the example of FIG. 8 is to realize the cursor transition by the above-described color conversion and contrast conversion. If these cursor transitions are not intended, the item may be drawn with moving image data. Alternatively, a narration that reads out the description contents of FIG. 8 may be used instead.

In the present embodiment, PCM data and AC-3 are used as audio data. However, the present invention is not limited to this as long as the system stream can be interleaved.
G audio data and MIDI data may be used.

In this embodiment, the moving image information has been described in the case of digital moving image data of the MPEG2 system. However, the moving image information is not limited to the moving image data that can form an object together with audio and sub-pictures. DCT (Discrete Cosine Trans) used in video and MPEG
It is needless to say that a digital moving image by a conversion algorithm other than (form) may be used.

Further, in this embodiment, the management information pack is arranged for each GOP which is a unit for restoring a moving image. However, if the compression method of a digital moving image is different, it is obvious that the management information pack is for each restoration unit of the compression method.

Further, the storage area of the highlight information of this embodiment is shared with the storage area of control information for skip reproduction such as fast forward. Control data for skip reproduction such as fast-forwarding needs to be arranged for each video restoration unit, and therefore, a management information pack for storing highlight information is arranged for each GOP described above. Therefore, as long as the storage area of the highlight information and the control information for skip reproduction is not shared, the arrangement unit of the management information pack for storing the highlight information is not limited to each GOP, but may be longer than 0.5 seconds to 1.0 second. Needless to say, it may be a fine synchronization unit of video reproduction, for example, a video frame unit every 1/30 second.

Further, in the present embodiment, the description has been made using a DVD read-only disc, but the same effect can be obtained with a rewritable disc.

Furthermore, the concept of the menu is a means for widely requesting the user to make a selection, and is not limited to the selection by the ten keys of the remote controller 91 used in the embodiment. Even if it is a mouse operation or a voice instruction.

Further, the description has been made on the assumption that the number of compressed moving image data to be interleaved is one, but the number is not essentially limited.

Furthermore, even if there is no user operation, the command included in the management information pack may be automatically reproduced at the time of execution. By doing so, it is possible to perform the reproduction control for each finer time.

In this embodiment, the commands executed at the path level stored in the PGC information are the pre-processing command and the post-processing command. However, there are commands executed before or after the reproduction of the VOBs constituting the program chain. Is also effective. As a usage form, for example, when the reproduction of a certain VOB is completed, it can be used to clear the value of the register at that time.

Further, in the present embodiment, the PGC information which is the path-level reproduction control data is stored in a disk area different from the video object, but the storage area of the PGC information is not limited to this.
It is effective to store it in the video object itself. For example, a second management information pack is newly provided, and a PG having a possibility of branching is provided in a video playback section where the playback progress is branched.
This is realized by interleaving the second management information pack storing the C information. In this case, since the PGC information itself can also be obtained from the video object, the disc reproducing apparatus can obtain the necessary PGC information without causing a disc seek, and can substantially eliminate the user's waiting time when switching the reproduction path. Referring to FIG. 34 as an example, the branch of the playback progress occurs when the playback by PGC # A1 is completed. That is, the branch occurs when the reproduction of VOB # A6, which is the video object of the last reproduction order, is completed, and the reproduction path of the branch destination is PGC # A3 or PGC # A4.
Therefore, PGC # A3 is added to the VOB unit at the end gap of VOB # A6.
And a second management information pack storing PGC # A4. As a result, the disc reproducing apparatus can acquire and switch the program chain necessary for branching without causing a disk seek immediately before the branch point of the reproduction progress. In this case, for the same purpose as the highlight information buffer, a buffer for temporarily storing a branchable PGC information group is required in the disk reproducing apparatus.

Further, in the present embodiment, a random number is used as a dynamic parameter for determining the branch destination of the reproduction progress, but the dynamic value is not limited to this for each reproduction, and may be a timer or the like. In addition, if there is a command for generating a link to another PGC information at the time of a timer interrupt, interactive software that asks the user for an answer within a time limit and fails when the time expires can be realized. This is particularly effective for applications such as teaching materials.

Lastly, a method of manufacturing an optical disc in this embodiment will be briefly described. Prepare as a master a number of video tapes taken with a video camera and music tapes recorded live, and videos recorded on these,
Digitizes the audio and uploads it to the nonlinear editing device. The editor creates menus and items using an application program such as a graphic editor while reproducing video and audio in frame units on the nonlinear editing apparatus. Along with this, GUI
A management information pack incorporating a highlight command is also created using a generator or the like. After creation, these are MPEG
Encoding is performed according to the standard to generate moving image data, audio data, sub-picture data, and a management information pack. Once generated, VOB units are created from these on the non-linear editing device, and VOBs are created. When you create a VOB,
A VOB number is assigned to the VOB, and PGC information # 1, # 2, # 3, #
... #N, video file section title search pointer table and video file management table are created, and the above-described data structure is configured on the memory of the workstation.

After constructing the data structure, these data are converted into a logical data sequence so that they can be recorded in the file area. The converted logical data string is recorded on a transmission medium such as a magnetic tape, and further converted into a physical data string. This physical data string is based on ECC (Err
or Check Code), EF modulation, data in a lead-in area, data in a lead-out area, and the like. Master cutting uses this physical data sequence to create an optical disk master. Further, an optical disc is manufactured from the master created by the press device.

In the above manufacturing flow, the existing CD manufacturing equipment can be used as it is, except for a part of the logical data string creating apparatus relating to the data structure of the present invention. This point is described in Ohm's "Compact Disc Reader" co-authored by Heitaro Nakajima and Hiroshi Ogawa, and Asakura Shoten "Optical Disc System", Optical Discourse of the Japan Society of Applied Physics.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the multimedia optical disk according to the present invention is useful for selling and distributing interactive software for consumer AV equipment, and is particularly surprising to users of consumer AV equipment. It is suitable for supplying interactive software.

In addition, the playback device and the playback method according to the present invention are useful for disseminating inexpensive consumer AV equipment by limiting the size of the mounting memory, and are suitable for building a new market for interactive software. ing.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FIG11B 27/00 D (72) Inventor Kazuhiko Yamauchi 191-1407 Ishizuminamicho, Neyagawa-shi, Osaka (72) Inventor Katsuhiko Miwa Osaka 40-4444 Nonaka Minamiminami 1-4-chome, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka-shi (56) References JP-A-6-325085 (JP, A) JP-A-9-27170 (JP, A) (58) Fields studied (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G11B 27/00 G11B 20/12 G11B 27/10

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A data area for storing a plurality of moving image objects, at least one path information indicating a reproduction order of a predetermined moving object, and position information indicating a position on the optical disk of the moving object indicated by the path information. And an index area for storing the moving image object, wherein the moving image object includes control information in a predetermined moving image section, and the control information is used during reproduction of the predetermined moving image section of the moving image object. Any of the control information indicates the moving image object that can be branched and reproduced irrespective of the path information. Reading means for reading and reproducing the control information, the route information, and the position information, and a moving image section being reproduced Holding means for holding the control information that is effective for: controlling the reading means based on the position information so as to reproduce the predetermined moving image object; and instructing the reproduction of the moving image object to branch. Receiving means for receiving the moving image object, the path information and the position information from the optical disk, and if no instruction to branch the reproduction progress is received, the path information is output. The read means is controlled so as to sequentially reproduce the moving image object in accordance with the following. When the retained control information indicates the moving image object that can be reproduced by branching, the instruction to branch the reproduction progress is received. For example, at least following the reproduction of the moving image object being reproduced, regardless of the path information Controlling the reading means to reproduce the moving object indicated lifting been the control information, the reproducing apparatus. 2. The index area further stores connection information indicating a connection relationship between at least two pieces of the path information, and one of the control information is a branch regardless of the path information and the connection information. The control means is configured to determine whether the received control information branches and reproduces the moving image object when the held control information indicates the moving image object that can be reproduced by branching. For example, at least following the reproduction of the moving image object being reproduced,
2. The reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reproducing device controls the reading unit to reproduce the moving image object indicated by the control information held regardless of the path information and the connection information. 3. The link information is one of a plurality of pieces of information indicating the plurality of pieces of route information that can be linked to the corresponding piece of route information.
Branch condition information for selecting one of the route information by one or more parameter values, and at least one of the control information included in the moving image object indicated by the route information including the branch condition information, The reproducing device further includes a register for holding the value of the parameter, the receiving unit further receives an instruction to update the parameter, When the held control information indicates the update of the parameter, if an instruction to update the parameter is received, the value of the corresponding register is updated according to the held control information, and the path information is When having the branch condition information, following reproduction of all the moving image objects indicated by the path information, 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the controller selects one of the path information according to the value of the register and the branch condition information, and controls the reading unit to sequentially reproduce the moving image object according to the selected path information. The playback device according to any one of the preceding claims. 4. A data area for storing a plurality of moving image objects, at least one path information indicating a reproduction order of a predetermined moving object, and position information indicating a position on the optical disk of the moving object indicated by the path information. And an index area storing the moving image object, wherein the moving image object includes control information in a predetermined moving image section, and the control information is used during reproduction of the predetermined moving image section of the moving image object. Any one of the control information indicates the moving image object that can be branched and reproduced irrespective of the path information, and the reproducing method includes: Reading the control information, the route information, and the position information; Receiving an instruction to branch the playback progress of the step; holding the control information effective in the moving image section being played; and receiving no instruction to branch the playback progress,
Sequentially reproducing the moving image object based on the position information in accordance with the path information; and reproducing progress of the moving image object when the held control information indicates the moving image object that can be reproduced in a branched manner. And reproducing the moving image object indicated by the control information irrespective of the path information, based on the position information, at least following reproduction of the moving image object being reproduced, if an instruction to branch the moving object is received. , How to play. 5. The index area further stores connection information indicating a connection relationship between at least two pieces of the path information, and the control information branches and reproduces regardless of the path information and the connection information. Indicating the moving image object indicated by the control information, and reproducing the moving image object indicated by the control information based on the position information, regardless of the path information and the connection information. The reproducing method according to claim 4, wherein the reproducing method is a step of reproducing based on information. 6. The connection information may be any one of information indicating a plurality of pieces of path information that can be connected to the corresponding path information.
Branch condition information for selecting one of the route information by one or more parameter values, and at least one of the control information included in the moving image object indicated by the route information including the branch condition information, Indicating the information for updating the value of the parameter, the reproducing method further comprising: receiving an instruction to update the parameter; and when the held control information indicates an update of the parameter, If a parameter update instruction is received, updating the value of the corresponding parameter in accordance with the stored control information; and if the path information has the branch condition information, all of the paths indicated by the path information Subsequent to the reproduction of the moving image object, one of the route information is determined according to the value of the parameter and the branch condition information. Select The reproducing method according encompasses in paragraph 5 claims and a step of sequentially reproducing the moving object in accordance with the route information selected.