Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-04
2004-12-07
Rones, Charles (Department: 2175)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C386S349000, C386S349000, C369S030090
Reexamination Certificate
active
06829618
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to organizing data structures on a storage medium. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for optimizing the layout of data structures on a disc, such as a DVD disc.
An example of a DVD specification for a Read-Only Disc is published by Toshiba Corporation.
Such specifications ensure interoperability among different hardware implementations for accessing data on a DVD disc. Any optical DVD disc conforming to open video specifications and containing the correct video formatting can be played or read by any DVD player that was designed to play DVDs conforming to that open-format DVD specification. The general techniques for organizing ensembles on DVD media and the standards used are described in DVD Demystified, by J. Taylor, McGraw Hill (1988), Chapters 3 and 4 as well as the particular DVD specification.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Unlike consumer VCR's where navigation commands such as “play”, “forward” and “reverse” are a function of the hardware playback device, in the context of DVD discs, the navigation command structures are programmed in during the authoring stage (disc organization) and embedded in the disc. As a result, compressing audio and video does not by itself create a DVD; the compression merely provides video and audio files for the authoring process.
A sophisticated tool is required to assemble the content and create interactivity. This is known as DVD premastering and represents one of the most complex DVD disc organization tasks.
Authoring includes the processes that are performed (after video and audio encoding are performed) at what is generally known as a post house, and before disc replication at a stamping facility. It is the process in which, for example, the encoded audio and video are linked together, multiple language tracks are laid out, subtitles are imported or generated, chapter points and transport control functions are introduced, multi-story or multi-angle program chains are created, menus and buttons are designed, etc..
The first step is to lay out the disc in a storyboard that shows all of the disc elements plus all of the menus and navigation steps that will join the disc elements together as a seamless work. The storyboard process serves three main purposes: to provide a roadmap for different designers working on the same project, to avoid errors in disc element assembly and menu creation; as a checklist to minimize rework; and as a “preflight” navigation check to avoid dead ends, confusing or overly complicated menus, or inconsistent and user-unfriendly disc navigation.
The end result of the storyboard process is a complete roadmap of the work on the DVD disc, as well as a bit budget and disc element capture list.
The next step is to assemble all of the source elements that have been captured: MPEG video, audio, graphics, sub-titles, and sub-pictures. These elementary files are liked together into objects with one or more video angle files associated with one or more audio clips and sub-picture clips. The objects are usually not multiplexed (interleaved) until the project is complete.
Importing stills for menus and creating highlight areas, colors and “hot spots” for buttons can be one of the most labor-intensive aspects of the process. It is essential to have a knowledge of multimedia programming and a graphical interface for sub-picture assembly that allows control over features such as fades, wipes, button activation times and highlights.
Once all the objects have been assembled, scene flow links are created to give the work interactivity. In this process, the pre and post-commands are set and links are made between the various disc elements. Still or motion video may be used as menus.
With all the navigation data and presentation data complete, the final project is then laid out. In this process all the presentation data (video, audio, and sub-pictures) are multiplexed together. The end result is a new set of files, which comply with the basic DVD format.
The last stage in DVD authoring is to create the disc image, a process by which the DVD files are formatted to a standard file system. This disc image is initially created on hard disc for proofing.
The above process describes an exemplary prior art method for creating basic DVD discs. However, advances in technology, such as for example the DIVX DVD, have enhanced basic DVDs by adding additional features, thereby enabling firmware applications and other multimedia applications to coexist on a DVD disc. However, these additional.-features on enhanced DVD disc come at the cost of an increase in storage used. The increase in storage results from the addition of data files and application files used to support the additional features.
The data layout for DVD discs in accordance with prior art systems as described above is very convoluted, possibly resulting in a multitude of links between the files on the disc. As the number of files increases, and the size of the files become larger, seek time is increased. However, with an increase in seek time, the quality of use of such systems is decreased resulting in a “dead image” when retrieving the next element in a scene.
What is needed is a method and apparatus for organizing data files on a DVD disc so as to minimize dead images when retrieving the next element in a scene.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The method and apparatus for Disc Layout and Optimization (DLO) in accordance with the present invention receives input such as a list of disc elements, a list of scene links, compiled code files, and still media files. The DLO also preferably obtains information, e.g., from a work order, regarding the size of the target DVD disc, the number of layers on the disc, and whether the disc is a dual layer disc, the type of tracking used, i.e., parallel or opposite, etc. Furthermore the DLO also preferably obtains an estimate of the amount of disc space used by all items except the JARs (files that contains other files). This allows a single disc request to load related files in a short amount of time. Files in a JAR may contain any type of data. The amount of disc space used by all items except the JARs, includes the file systems, open content (non-limiting examples include commercials), media content (non-limiting examples include movies), etc.
JARs from a scene code builder are authored to perform a specific application, e.g., movie play or catalog. A JAR may also contain code classes and/or static media. When a disc is loaded into a player, a JAR or multiple JARs are loaded into RAM in the player in order to interact with a user.
A player may be any system or device capable of reading a medium having a plurality of elements linked by a scene flow. Applications on disc which may have linked items may include movies, games, or any interactive elements. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the data elements include movie content and interactive video elements, and are used merely to facilitate the function of the invention, and is not intended to limit the scope or application of the invention to other data elements. Likewise, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the player is a DVD player, which is used merely to facilitate the function of the invention, and is not intended to limit the scope or application of the invention to other players, such as computers or video game players.
A scene is made up of one or more JARs. The JARs in a scene are hierarchical. This means that a JAR may only call a JAR immediately below it. All JARs in the hierarchy remain in memory for the duration of the scene. The JARs that remain in memory are called transaction JARs. Transaction JARs are used as a shared memory area to pass information between scenes. Transactions may be nested creating distinct shared memory areas.
The navigation information from the scene code builder informs the DLO of the JAR types and scene flow. This allows the program to arrange the JARs and content to minimize the elapsed time between scenes. To accomplish this, a
Abraham Thomas D.
Levine Scott E.
Devinsky Paul
Digital Video Express, L.P.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Pardo Thuy
Rones Charles
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