Coded data generation or conversion – Digital code to digital code converters
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-23
2001-04-03
Jean Pierre, Peguy (Department: 2819)
Coded data generation or conversion
Digital code to digital code converters
C370S902000, C370S902000, C348S423100, C348S086000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06211800
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a data decoding system and method, a transfer device and method, and a receiving device and method. In particular, the invention relates to a data decoding system and method, a transfer device and method, and a receiving device and method in which in transmitting data via a digital interface a data form is converted, on a transmission or reception side, to a form suitable for a decoder on the reception side.
The DVD (digital versatile disc)-Video (hereinafter referred to simply as “DVD”) has been standardized recently and its spread is now expected. Video data is compressed according to the MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) scheme and recorded on a DVD. In a DVD player, a DVD is played back by a drive section and the reproduced data is decoded by a decoding section. Resulting data is output to a TV receiver or the like and pictures corresponding to the data are displayed thereon.
DVD data according to the MPEG scheme is recorded as a program stream that is a program consisting of video information, audio information, and associated data.
FIG. 1
shows an example configuration of a DVD player.
In a DVD player
1
, among data that is read out from a disc (DVD)
101
, presentation data (compressed as a program stream according to the MPEG scheme) consisting of video data, audio data, and sub-picture data that is associated with the video and audio data is supplied to a presentation engine
12
. The presentation engine
12
reproduces those data and output resulting data to a display or the like.
On the other hand, navigation data that is read out from the disc
101
and specifies the order of reproduction, the behavior during a reproduction, and other things is supplied to a navigation manager
11
. The navigation manager
11
controls the reproduction of data in the presentation engine
12
in accordance with the navigation data.
Further, the navigation manager
11
receives a signal that corresponds to a user's manipulation and is supplied from a given device (not shown), and executes a process corresponding to that signal, i.e., the user's manipulation.
For example, when the user manipulates a reproduction audio selection key (not shown) to change the audio language from Japanese to English, a signal corresponding to that manipulation is supplied to the navigation manager
11
. The navigation manager
11
reads a stream number corresponding to an English audio sub-ID from a table showing a relationship between stream numbers and sub-IDs in navigation data, and outputs the acquired information to the presentation engine
12
. Upon reception of that information, the presentation engine
12
changes the language from Japanese to English and outputs corresponding audio data.
FIG. 2
shows an example configuration of the navigation manager
11
.
General control data, which is part of navigation data read out from the disc
101
, is supplied to a general control section
21
. The general control data includes general information of a stream such as the kind of compression mode, the kind of broadcast scheme (NTSC, PAL, or the like), and parental information.
The general control section
21
performs in advance the setting of decoders in the presentation engine
12
. For example, the general control section
21
checks the general control data and judges an audio compression scheme (in the DVD, one of MPEG-Audio, Dolby AC-3, and Linear PCM) of data to be reproduced.
Entry search data, which is also part of the navigation data, is supplied to an entry search section
22
. The entry search data includes an address table that indicates positions on the disc
101
where PGCI (program chain information) indicating a reproduction procedure of data to be reproduced and presentation data are recorded.
The entry search section
22
selects addresses corresponding to PGCI that is designated by parental information supplied from the general control section
21
and the presentation data.
User interface control data, which is also part of the navigation data, is supplied to a user interface control section
24
. The user interface control data is data to prescribe, in accordance with the reproduction position, whether a user's manipulation is allowed or prohibited.
When a user's manipulation is allowed, the user interface control section
24
transfers a signal corresponding to a manipulation to a given circuit (not shown).
Navigation control data, which is also part of the navigation data, is PGCI and supplied to a navigation control section
23
.
The navigation control section
23
extracts reproduction order and settings from the supplied PGCI, and outputs the extracted information to the presentation engine
12
.
As the navigation manager
11
processes the navigation data in the above manner, the presentation engine
122
operates in accordance with settings that are recorded on the disc
101
.
FIG. 3
shows an example configuration of the presentation engine
12
.
A DEMUX (demultiplexer) section
31
classifies presentation data that is read out from the disc
101
into an audio pack, a video pack, and sub-picture pack in accordance with a stream ID that is written in a packet header of the presentation data, and outputs those data (packs) to an audio decoder
32
, a video decoder
33
, and a sub-picture decoder
34
, respectively, in accordance with the kinds of data.
Each of the audio decoder
32
, the video decoder
33
, and the sub-picture decoder
34
decodes the supplied data, and outputs a decoded signal to a D/A converter
41
or a superimposing circuit
36
.
A highlight decoder
35
designates a highlight position and color based on highlight information that is supplied from the navigation manager
11
, and outputs a highlight picture to the superimposing circuit
36
.
The superimposing circuit
36
superimposes a video picture supplied from the video decoder
33
, a sub-picture (a caption or the like) supplied from the sub-picture decoder
34
, and a highlight picture supplied from the highlight decoder
35
, and outputs a superimposed picture to a D/A converter
42
.
Each of the D/A converters
41
and
42
converts a supplied digital signal into an analog signal and outputs analog audio and video signals.
As described above, in playing back a DVD, navigation data is processed in addition to presentation data.
On the other hand, in an apparatus that receives digital satellite broadcasts, MPEG data that is transmitted from a broadcasting satellite is received and decoded by a built-in decoder, and pictures/information and sound corresponding to the decoded data are displayed or output. Since the MPEG data is transmitted in the form of a transport stream consisting of a plurality of programs, the above apparatus has a decoder suitable for processing of a transport stream.
However, there is a problem that when it is attempted to process data (MPEG data) of a DVD before decoding and to display or output pictures etc. corresponding to the decoded data by using an apparatus that has a decoder suitable for processing of a transport stream like the above-described apparatus, it is difficult to process the data as received because of a difference in data form (program stream vs. transport stream).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in the above circumstances. An object of the invention is therefore to enable an apparatus having a decoder suitable for processing of a transport stream to reproduce data that is recorded on a DVD by converting the data form into a form suitable for a reception-side decoder on a transmission side (DVD player) or a reception side (apparatus having the decoder suitable for processing of a transport stream) in transmitting data via a digital interface.
In a data decoding system according to the invention, a first device or a second device comprises converting means for converting data of a first form into data of a second form; and the second device decodes the data of the second form.
In a data decoding method according to the invention, a first device
Horiguchi Mari
Yanagihara Naofumi
Frommer William S.
Frommer Lawrence & Haug LLP.
Jean Pierre Peguy
Shallenburger Joe H.
Sony Corporation
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