Motion video signal processing for recording or reproducing – Local trick play processing – With randomly accessible medium
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-15
2003-11-18
Boccio, Vincent (Department: 2615)
Motion video signal processing for recording or reproducing
Local trick play processing
With randomly accessible medium
C386S349000, C345S215000, C369S030010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06650827
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing recording information from a recording medium such as an optical disk on which the recording information having the hierarchical structure including a plurality of levels is recorded and, more particularly, to an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing recording information from a high-density optical disk such as a DVD on which the recording information having the hierarchical structure including a plurality of levels is recorded.
2. Description of the Related Art
A DVD is a high-density optical disk having a recording capacity about seven times as large as that of a conventional CD (compact disk). In recent years, a high-density optical disk typified by a DVD has been widely applied to not only the field of audio apparatuses or video players but also the field of so-called car navigation systems.
Recording information of a large capacity recorded on a high-density optical disk normally has the hierarchical structure composed of a plurality of levels (or plurality of classes) in order to achieve an efficient search operation. Different kinds of information units are assigned to the respective levels.
FIG. 1A
illustrates recording information having the hierarchical structure of one level. In the case where the hierarchical structure is of one level, the recording information includes only a plurality of information units of the same kind, and therefore, its structure becomes simple. Each of the information units is referred to as “a title.” The recording information illustrated in
FIG. 1A
is composed of a plurality of titles
100
A,
100
B and
100
C.
There are many cases where recording information having the hierarchical structure of one level is recorded on a DVD exclusive to a karaoke apparatus or sing-along machine, which is an apparatus or machine for playing karaoke music. The karaoke music is music which consists of accompaniments and back-chorus of songs.
The recording information recorded on the DVD exclusive to the karaoke music is composed of a plurality of karaoke songs and picture images respectively corresponding to the karaoke songs. In this case, one title is formed of one karaoke song and one set of picture images corresponding to the karaoke song.
FIG. 1B
illustrates recording information having the hierarchical structure of two levels. In the case where the hierarchical structure is of two levels, the kind of information unit assigned to an high level is different from the kind of information unit assigned to a low level. The information unit assigned to the high level is referred to as a “title”; meanwhile, the information unit assigned to the low level is referred to as a “chapter”. In the recording information illustrated in FIG
1
B, titles
101
A and
101
B are assigned to the high level; meanwhile, chapters
200
A,
200
B,
200
C . . . and chapters
201
A,
201
B,
201
C . . . are assigned to the low level.
Recently, there has been a DVD exclusive to karaoke music, on which the recording information having the hierarchical structure of two levels is recorded. In the case of such a DVD exclusive to karaoke music, one chapter is formed of one karaoke song and one set of picture images corresponding to the karaoke song. One title is formed of a group of the plurality of chapters.
By the way, when a DVD reproducing apparatus or a DVD player reproduces the recording information recorded on the DVD, a user operates ten-keys (numerical switches) disposed in the DVD reproducing apparatus to designate an information unit to be reproduced. Specifically, the user operates the ten-key to input a numeral indicating the information unit to be reproduced. As a result, the DVD reproducing apparatus searches the DVD for the information unit to be reproduced according to the input numeral.
Here, in the case where the hierarchical structure of the recording information recorded on the DVD is of two levels, it is necessary to decide whether the input numeral is a numeral for designating the information unit assigned to the high level or it is a numeral for designating the information unit assigned to the low level. For example, if the recording information illustrated in
FIG. 1B
is recorded on the DVD, it is necessary to decide whether the input numeral is a numeral for designating the title or it is a numeral for designating the chapter.
The DVD reproducing apparatus decides whether the input numeral is a numeral for designating the title or it is a numeral for designating the chapter based on whether the DVD is operative or inoperative. That is, a numeral input during inoperation of the DVD is decided to be a numeral for designating the title; meanwhile, the numeral during operation of the DVD is decided to be a numeral for designating the chapter.
Furthermore, another type of DVD reproducing apparatus is provided with a title search function and a chapter search function, and moreover, with a search mode selecting function of allowing a user to select either one of the two search functions. The title search function is a function of searching for a title; and the chapter search function is a function of searching for a chapter.
However, in the DVD reproducing apparatus having the search mode selecting function, there arises a problem that the user must perform a cumbersome operation in order to execute either the title search function or the chapter search function.
As to this problem, the DVD exclusive to the karaoke music is exemplified for the explanation.
As described above, in the DVD exclusive to the karaoke music, on which the recording information having the hierarchical structure of two levels is recorded, one karaoke song corresponds to one chapter. Consequently, when a karaoke song is selected from the DVD, the user must first select the chapter search function, and then, input a numeral indicating a desired song. If the user erroneously inputs a numeral in the state in which the title search function is selected, the DVD reproducing apparatus recognizes the input numeral as a numeral for designating a title. This results in reproduction of a karaoke song which the user does not intend to select (a karaoke song arranged at the head of the title). In this case, the user must select his or her intended song again.
On the other hand, in the DVD exclusive to the karaoke music, on which the recording information having the hierarchical structure of one level is recorded, one karaoke song corresponds to one title. Consequently, when a karaoke song is selected from the DVD, the user must first select the title search function, and then, input a numeral indicating a desired karaoke song. If the user erroneously inputs a numeral in the state in which the chapter search function is selected, the DVD reproducing apparatus recognizes the input numeral as a numeral for designating a chapter. Therefore, the DVD reproducing apparatus may determine the input numeral to be ineffective. Also in this case, the user must select his or her intended song again.
Additionally, the user need to select either one of the title search function and the chapter search function according to whether the hierarchical structure of the recording information recorded on the DVD to be reproduced is of one level or of two levels. This operation is cumbersome.
Moreover, in the DVD reproducing apparatus in which it is decided whether the input numeral is a numeral for designating the title or it is a numeral for designating the chapter, based on whether the DVD is operative or inoperative, there arise following problems: in this type of DVD reproducing apparatus, when the reproduction is started in the inoperative state, the input numeral is normally recognized as a numeral indicating the title. Consequently, a complicated operation is needed in order to select an arbitrary song in the DVD exclusive to the karaoke music on which the recording information having the hierarchical structure of two levels is recorded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An
Hiratsuka Masato
Kobori Hirohide
Mawatari Takeshi
Ogikubo Takahiko
Ohtake Fumitsugu
Boccio Vincent
Ladas & Parry
Pioneer Corporation
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