U.S. patent application number 10/528937 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-06 for method and device for recording information on a record medium, record medium containing information, and method and device for reading information from a record medium.
Invention is credited to Declan Kelly, Wilhelmus Van Gestel.
Application Number | 20060072906 10/528937 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32039177 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060072906 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Van Gestel; Wilhelmus ; et
al. |
April 6, 2006 |
Method and device for recording information on a record medium,
record medium containing information, and method and device for
reading information from a record medium
Abstract
A method is described for recording an audiovisual information
stream comprising a background sound stream (2), a background
graphics stream (3), an optional original sound stream (20)
containing original spoken text, at least one optional translation
sound stream (21, 22) containing spoken text in different
languages, and at least one optional subtitle picture stream (30,
31, 32) containing subtitles. A first information stream (140) is
recorded which contains the background sound stream (2), and a
second information stream (15) is recorded which contains the
background graphics stream (3). The optional translation sound
streams (21, 22) are each recorded as individual elementary audio
files (142, 143; 242, 243; 342, 343) separate from the first and
second information streams, and the optional subtitle graphics
streams (30, 31, 32) are each recorded as individual elementary
graphics streams (151, 152, 153; 351, 352, 353) separate from the
first and second information streams.
Inventors: |
Van Gestel; Wilhelmus;
(Eindhoven, NL) ; Kelly; Declan; (Eindhoven,
NL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PHILIPS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & STANDARDS
P.O. BOX 3001
BRIARCLIFF MANOR
NY
10510
US
|
Family ID: |
32039177 |
Appl. No.: |
10/528937 |
Filed: |
September 25, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
September 25, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB03/04221 |
371 Date: |
March 23, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
386/240 ;
386/244; 386/246; 386/326; 386/338; 386/353; 386/E9.013;
G9B/27.012; G9B/27.019 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 9/8063 20130101;
G11B 27/105 20130101; G11B 2220/2545 20130101; H04N 5/85 20130101;
G11B 2220/213 20130101; H04N 9/8042 20130101; G11B 27/034 20130101;
G11B 2220/2541 20130101; G11B 2220/2579 20130101; H04N 9/8211
20130101; H04N 9/8227 20130101; G11B 2220/2562 20130101; G11B
2020/1288 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
386/098 ;
386/125 |
International
Class: |
H04N 5/781 20060101
H04N005/781 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 26, 2002 |
EP |
0207056.4 |
Claims
1. Method for recording an information stream (1) on a record
medium (1001), the information stream (M) comprising at least one
basic part (1; 2; 3) and at least one optional part (20; 21; 22;
30; 31; 32), wherein a first information stream is recorded which
contains at least one of said basic parts (2; 3), and wherein at
least one of said optional parts (20; 21; 22; 30; 31; 32) is
recorded as a second information stream separate from the first
information stream.
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the information stream M)
comprises a background sound stream (2), an optional original sound
stream (20) containing original spoken text, and at least one
optional translation sound stream (21, 22) containing spoken text
in languages different from the original spoken text, wherein the
optional translation sound streams (21, 22) are each recorded as
individual elementary audio files (142, 143; 242, 243; 342,
343).
3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the optional original sound
stream (20) is recorded as an individual elementary audio file
(141), and wherein the first information stream only contains the
background sound stream (2) and is recorded as an individual
elementary audio file (140).
4. Method according to claim 2, wherein the first information
stream (241) contains a mixture of the basic sound stream (2) and
the optional original sound stream (20).
5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the information stream (M)
comprises moving pictures (1), an optional background graphics (3),
and at least one optional subtitle containing subtitles, wherein
the optional background graphics (3) and the optional subtitle
graphics (30, 31, 32) are each recorded as individual elementary
graphics streams (150, 151, 152, 153; 350, 351, 352, 353).
6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the subtitles are recorded
through character coding.
7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the information stream (M)
is an audiovisual stream comprising moving pictures (1), a
background sound stream (2), an optional original sound stream (20)
containing original spoken text, at least one optional translation
sound stream (21, 22) containing spoken text in languages different
from the original spoken text, an optional background graphics
stream (3), and at least one optional subtitle graphics stream (30,
31, 32) containing subtitles, wherein the optional translation
sound streams (21, 22) are each recorded as individual elementary
audio files (142, 143; 242, 243; 342, 343), and wherein the
optional subtitle graphics streams (30, 31, 32) are each recorded
as individual elementary video files (151, 152, 153; 351, 352,
353).
8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the optional original sound
stream (20) is recorded as an individual elementary audio stream
(141), wherein the background sound stream (2) is recorded as an
individual elementary audio stream (140), and wherein the moving
pictures stream (1) is recorded as an individual elementary video
stream (161).
9. Method according to claim 7, wherein the optional original sound
stream (20) is recorded as an individual elementary audio stream
(141), and wherein the first information stream contains a mixture
of the background sound (2) and the moving pictures (1).
10. Method according to claim 7, wherein the first information
stream contains a mixture of the background sound (2), the moving
pictures (1), and the optional original sound stream (20).
11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the record medium is an
optical disc.
12. Record medium, preferably an optical disc, containing a
background audio stream (141; 241; 300) and at least one individual
elementary audio stream (143, 144; 242, 243; 342, 343) of an
information stream (M) recorded thereon.
13. Record medium, preferably an optical disc, containing a
background graphics stream (150; 350) and at least one individual
elementary graphics stream (151, 152, 153; 351, 352, 353) recorded
thereon.
14. Drive (1200) for reading a record medium according to claim 12,
the drive being adapted to read the background audio stream (140;
241; 300) and to provide a first output audio stream (SA0) on the
basis of the background audio stream (140; 241; 300); the drive
further being adapted to optionally read a selected one (142; 242;
342) of said individual elementary audio streams (142, 143; 242,
243; 342, 343) and to provide a second output audio stream (SA2) on
the basis of the selected individual elementary audio stream (142;
242; 342).
15. Drive (1200) for reading a record medium according to claim 13,
the drive being adapted to read the background video stream (161;
300) and to provide a first output video stream (SV0) on the basis
of the basic video file (161; 300); the drive further being adapted
to optionally read selected ones (150, 152; 350, 352) of said
individual elementary graphics streams and to provide output
graphics streams (SG0, SG2) on the basis of the selected individual
elementary graphics streams.
16. Player (1100) for playing a record medium according to claim
12, comprising a drive (1200) according to claim 14, the player
(1100) comprising audio mixing means (1110) for mixing two audio
streams (SA0, SA2) received from the drive (1200) to create an
audio signal (SA).
17. Player according to claim 16, further comprising user input
means (1101) for allowing a user to input a selection of an
individual elementary audio stream (142; 242; 342), the player
(1100) being designed to instruct the drive (1200) to read the
selected audio stream.
18. Player (1100) for playing a record medium according to claim
13, comprising a drive (1200) according to claim 15, the player
(1100) comprising video mixing means (1120) for mixing two
elementary graphics streams (SG0, SG2) received from the drive
(1200) to create a mixed graphics stream (SG).
19. Player according to claim 18, further comprising user input
means (1101) for allowing a user to input a selection of an
individual elementary graphics stream (152; 352), the player (1100)
being designed to instruct the drive (1200) to read the selected
graphics stream.
20. Player according to claim 18, further comprising combiner means
(1130) for receiving the mixed graphics stream (SG) and the
background video stream (SV0) and for combining these streams to
generate an output video signal (SV).
21. Audio/video reproduction system (1000), comprising a player
according to any of claims 16-20, the system further comprising a
display device (1300) for coupling to at least one output of the
player (1100), which display device comprises at least one screen
(1301) for displaying images and at least one loudspeaker (1302)
for generating sound.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates in general to the field of
recording information on a record medium and, conversely, reading
the recorded information from the record medium.
[0002] More particularly, the present invention relates to the
field of optical recording, in which case the record medium
typically is an optical disc, but the gist of the present invention
is not restricted to optically recording information on a disc.
[0003] Further, the present invention relates particularly to the
field of recording an audio stream and/or a video stream, but the
gist of the present invention is not restricted to such use. As
will become clearer in the following, the present invention is
applicable in more cases where an information stream has a basic
part and one or more optional parts.
[0004] Optical discs and disc drives have been developed according
to different standards or formats, such as for instance CD
standard, DVD standard, etc. A relatively new standard is BD
(Blu-Ray Disc). Specifically, the present invention relates to the
field of recording and reading BD-ROM, and the invention will be
explained hereinafter specifically for this exemplary application,
but it is to be noted that it is not intended to restrict the scope
of the invention to BD-ROM.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] As is commonly known, an optical storage disc comprises at
least one track, either in the form of a continuous spiral or in
the form of multiple concentric circles, of storage space where
information may be stored in the form of a data pattern. Optical
discs may be read-only type, where information is recorded during
manufacturing, which information can only be read by a user. The
optical storage disc may also be a writeable type, where
information may be stored by a user. Since the technology of
optical discs in general, the way in which information can be
stored in an optical disc, and the way in which optical data can be
read from an optical disc, is commonly known, it is not necessary
here to describe this technology in more detail.
[0006] Optical discs have found widespread use as information
carrier, not only for storing computer data, but also for making
audio and/or video recordings. Apparatus are available for allowing
a user to make his own recordings on writeable discs. Also, audio
publishing companies or video publishing companies publish
pre-recorded discs, which are read-only discs (ROM); play-back
apparatus are available for allowing a user to play such discs. In
such play-back apparatus, indicated hereinafter simply as player, a
disc drive component reads and decodes the data recorded on disc,
and a video stream and/or audio stream is generated, suitable for
display via a display device such as a television apparatus, a
monitor, a loudspeaker, etc. This is explained in the following
example.
[0007] A movie may contain several elements, indicated as
follows:
[0008] Moving pictures, i.e. the actual pictures of the movie, to
be displayed on the TV screen. The contents of the moving pictures
are stored in a video elementary stream. It is possible that a disc
contains multiple alternative video elementary streams, for
instance to allow a user to view scenes from different angles, but
this is not relevant for the present invention and will be ignored
in the following discussion: it is assumed that there is only one
video elementary stream.
[0009] Graphics pictures. Graphics pictures are overlayed on the
moving pictures like a picture-in-picture presentation. Graphics
picture are used for transmitting subtitles. They may consist of
background graphics (e.g. a still picture) and some text. The
contents of the graphics pictures are stored in a graphics
elementary stream, separate from the video elementary stream, so a
user has the option of viewing the movie with or without graphics.
Usually, a user is given the option to choose a language, in which
case different graphics pictures are provided, associated with
different languages. In such case, the movie is accompanied with a
set of multiple graphics elementary streams, one for each
language.
[0010] Audio signals. The audio signal of a movie consists of
background audio and spoken text, and this combination is stored in
an audio elementary stream, separate from the video elementary
stream. Usually, a user is given the option to choose a language,
in which case the spoken text is different for different languages
while the background audio is the same for all languages. In such
case, the movie is accompanied with a set of multiple audio
elementary streams, one for each language.
[0011] A combination of multiple elementary streams (for instance:
moving pictures+graphics+audio) can be transmitted in one Transport
stream. Each transport stream is stored as a separate file.
[0012] Traditionally, an information carrier contains only one
version of the movie. With the ongoing development of optical
discs, especially the increase in data storage capacity, it has
become possible for the information carrier to contain two or more
versions of the movie, allowing a user to select which version he
wishes to see. For instance, one user may wish to see the movie in
its original version, but another user may wish to have subtitles.
Yet another user may prefer to hear the spoken text in his own
language.
[0013] According to the state of the art, especially the well-known
DVD-VIDEO standard, several different versions of the audio
elementary stream and the graphics elementary stream are recorded
in one transport stream, packets of the elementary streams being
multiplexed in the transport stream. Depending on a user's choice,
only one of the several different versions of the audio elementary
stream is selected during playback, and only one of the several
different versions of the graphics elementary stream is selected
during playback.
[0014] A disadvantage of this approach is that it consumes
relatively much storage space. For instance, consider a case where
an original English-language movie is to be published with optional
French-spoken text and optional German spoken text. In that case, a
first audio elementary stream would contain the combination of
background sound and original English-spoken text, a second audio
elementary stream would contain the combination of background sound
and French-spoken text (translation 1), and a third audio
elementary stream would contain the combination of background sound
and English-spoken text (translation 2). Thus, the information
relating to the background sound, common to all three audio
transport streams, is recorded three times.
[0015] Likewise, consider a case where a movie is to be published
with English, French and German subtitles on a common background
graphics still picture. In that case, a first graphics elementary
stream would contain the background still picture plus the English
text, a second graphics elementary stream would contain the
background still picture plus the French text, and a third graphics
elementary stream would contain the background still picture plus
the German text. Thus, the information relating to the background
still picture, common to all three graphics elementary streams, is
recorded three times.
[0016] Another disadvantage of the current approach is that all
elementary streams are collected in one transport stream. During
playback all information has to be read, including the non-used
elementary streams. This increases the bit rate during playback. It
is an important objective of the present invention to overcome said
disadvantage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] According to an important aspect of the present invention,
the video, graphics and audio information is stored as multiple
transport streams, i.e. without completely mixing the elementary
streams. As mentioned before, there is one video elementary stream
in this example. The graphics information is stored as one basic
graphics elementary stream (also indicated hereinafter as
background graphics elementary stream) and one or more optional
graphics elementary streams. Likewise, the audio information is
stored as one basic audio elementary stream and one or more
optional audio elementary streams. There is one basic transport
stream that contains the video elementary stream, the background
graphics elementary stream, and the background audio elementary
stream.
[0018] In a playback situation, a user selects one of the optional
elementary graphics streams and/or one of the optional audio
elementary streams. The disc drive reads the basic transport stream
and the selected one (or more) of the optional elementary streams,
which are provided to the player. The player mixes the input video
and graphics signals as received from the drive, i.e. the video
elementary stream from the basic transport stream, the background
graphics elementary stream from the basic transport stream, and the
optional elementary graphics stream, to generate a picture for the
graphics plane. Likewise, the player mixes the audio signals as
received from the drive, i.e. the background audio elementary
stream from the basic transport stream, and the optional audio
elementary stream, to generate a mixed audio signal.
[0019] With this approach, an important saving of storage space can
be achieved. First, the basic elementary streams are recorded only
once. Second, it is possible that subtitles are recorded in a
character coding, which is a very efficient way of coding which
requires very little storage space.
[0020] Also the total bit rate during playback is reduced, since
the non-used elementary streams are not read.
[0021] As a consequence, it becomes possible to record longer
playtime (longer movies or more movies) on the same disc. Further,
it becomes possible to provide more movie versions on the same disc
(more languages of subtitles and spoken text). Since the individual
files containing one language subtitle or one language spoken text
are relatively small files, it becomes feasible that additional
files are provided later, for instance to be downloaded through
Internet, which files may be stored for instance on the hard disc
of the user's computer. It is also possible that the published
optical discs have a writeable area, where such additional optional
elementary streams can be recorded.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] These and other aspects, features and advantages of the
present invention will be further explained by the following
description with reference to the drawings, in which same reference
numerals indicate same or similar parts, and in which:
[0023] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the creation of audio
streams and graphics streams according to the state of the art;
[0024] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the creation of audio
streams and graphics streams according to a first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an
embodiment of an audio/video reproduction system;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram schematically illustrating the
operation of a disc player according to the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates the creation of audio
streams and graphics streams according to a second embodiment of
the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates the creation of audio
streams and graphics streams according to a third embodiment of the
present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the creation of audio files
and graphic files according to the state of the art, for the case
of a movie M comprised of moving pictures 1, background sound 2,
and spoken text in an original language 20. It is desired to offer
a user the following choices:
A) regarding spoken text:
[0030] original language [0031] spoken text in a first translation
[0032] spoken text in a second translation B) regarding subtitles:
[0033] no subtitles [0034] subtitles in original language [0035]
subtitles in a first translation [0036] subtitles in a second
translation
[0037] To allow this functionality in prior art, one video
elementary stream 61 is generated, three audio elementary streams
41, 42, 43 are generated, and three graphics elementary streams 51,
52, 53 are generated, which are combined into one transport stream
71, which is recorded on disc.
[0038] A first audio elementary stream 41 contains a mix of
background sound 2 and the original language spoken text 20.
[0039] A second audio elementary stream 42 contains a mix of
background sound 2 and spoken text 21 in the first translation.
[0040] A third audio elementary stream 43 contains a mix of
background sound 2 and spoken text 22 in the second
translation.
[0041] A first graphics elementary stream 51 contains a mix of
background graphics 3 and subtitles 30 in the original
language.
[0042] A second graphics elementary stream 52 contains a mix of
background graphics 3 and subtitles 31 in the first
translation.
[0043] A third graphics elementary stream 53 contains a mix of
background graphics 3 and subtitles 32 in the second
translation.
[0044] In a playback situation in prior art, a drive would read the
transport stream 71, as indicated by arrow R, and would provide
this transport stream 71 to a player. A user would input his choice
to the driver, which would derive from the transport stream 71 the
elementary streams corresponding to the user's choice. For
instance, assume that a user wishes to watch this movie with spoken
text and subtitles in the first translation; in that case, a player
will derive or reconstruct files 61, 42 and 52, as indicated by
arrows D.
[0045] It should be clear that, in the state of the art, the
background sound 2, i.e. the sound which is to be reproduced
always, independent of the user's choice, is recorded in common in
all three audio files 41-43. Likewise, it should be clear that, in
the state of the art, the background graphics 3, i.e. the
background part of the subtitles which is to be reproduced always
in case of subtitles, independent of the user's choice, is recorded
in common in all three graphic files 51-53.
[0046] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the creation of audio files
and graphics files according to a first embodiment the present
invention, for the same case. In this embodiment, one video
elementary stream 161 is generated, four elementary audio streams
140, 141, 142, 143 are generated, and four elementary graphics
streams 150, 151, 152, 153 are generated.
[0047] A first elementary audio stream 140 contains background
sound 2 only.
[0048] A second elementary audio stream 141 contains the original
spoken text 20 only.
[0049] A third elementary audio stream 142 contains the spoken text
21 in the first translation only.
[0050] A fourth elementary audio stream 143 contains only the
spoken text 22 in the second translation.
[0051] A first elementary graphics stream 150 contains the
background graphics 3 only. This may, for instance, involve a frame
which, on display, will surround the text of the subtitles. This
may also involve a still picture as background for the text, which
still picture, in its simplest form, is a rectangle of uniform
colour. It is also possible that the subtitles text is projected
over the movies pictures without special background, in which case
said first elementary graphics stream 150 maybe omitted.
[0052] A second elementary graphics stream 151 only contains the
subtitles 30 in the original language.
[0053] A third elementary graphics stream 152 only contains the
subtitles 31 in the first translation.
[0054] A fourth elementary graphics stream 153 only contains the
subtitles 32 in the second translation.
[0055] FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an
embodiment of an audio/video reproduction system 1000. The
audio/video reproduction system 1000 comprises a disc player 1100
and a display device 1300, which comprises at least one screen 1301
for displaying images and at least one loudspeaker 1302 for
generating sound. The disc player 1100 comprises a disc drive 1200,
capable of reading information from a disc 1001, which disc
contains information recorded in accordance with the invention. The
disc 1001 preferably is an optical disc, and the disc drive 1200
therefore typically is an optical disc drive.
[0056] The disc drive 1200 comprises a disc motor 1204 for rotating
the disc 1001, and an optical head 1205 for scanning tracks (not
shown for sake of simplicity) of the disc 1001. An actuator device
1206 sets the correct positioning of the optical head 1205. A
controller 1210 controls the disc motor 1204 and the actuator
device 1206. The controller 1210 receives an optical read signal
from the optical head 1205.
[0057] The disc player 1100 further comprises a user control panel
1101, which comprises user-controllable input means, such as keys,
switches, knobs, and the like, allowing a user to enter his
selection; since such input means are known per se, they are not
shown separately in FIG. 3.
[0058] In a playback situation, a user enters his choice via user
control panel 1101, and the corresponding audio streams 140-143 and
the corresponding graphics streams 150-153 as well as the video
elementary stream 161 are read and mixed. For instance, assume
again that the user wishes to watch a movie from disc 1001 with
spoken text and subtitles in the first translation; in that case,
the disc drive 1200 will read elementary streams 140, 142, 150,
152, and 161, as indicated by arrows R in FIG. 2, and will output
the corresponding background elementary audio stream SA0, first
translation elementary audio stream SA2, background elementary
graphics stream SG0, first translation elementary graphics stream
SG2, and video elementary stream SV0 to the player 1100. The player
1100 comprises audio mixing means 1110 for mixing the two
elementary audio streams SA0 and SA2 to create an audio signal SA
for the display device 1300. Likewise, the player 1100 comprises
graphics mixing means 1120 for mixing the two elementary graphics
streams SG0 and SG2 to create a graphics signal SG. The player 1100
further comprises combiner means 1130, which overlays this graphics
signal SG over the video elementary stream SV0 to generate a video
signal SV for the display device 1300.
[0059] It is noted that the combiner means 1130 and the audio and
video mixing means 1110 and 1120 may be implemented as one
integrated component.
[0060] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram schematically illustrating the
operation of the disc player 1100 in this case. In this embodiment,
the disc player 1100 instructs the disc drive 1200 always to read
the background elementary audio stream 140 [step 1161] and the
elementary video stream 161 [step 1162], independent from the
user's choice.
[0061] In step 1162, the disc player 1100 checks whether the user
has selected display with subtitles. If not, the disc player
proceeds at step 1165. If it appears that the user has selected
display with subtitles, the disc player 1100 instructs the disc
drive 1200 to also read the corresponding background elementary
graphics stream 150 and the chosen subtitle elementary graphics
stream (in the above example: stream 152) [step 1164], and proceeds
at step 1165.
[0062] In step 1165, the disc player 1100 checks whether the user
has selected display with a translation of the spoken text. If not,
the disc player 1100 instructs the disc drive 1200 to also read the
original language elementary audio stream 141 [step 1166], and
continues at step 1168. If it appears that the user has selected
display with translation of spoken text, the disc player 1100
instructs the disc drive 1200 to also read the corresponding
translation elementary audio stream (in the above example: stream
142) [step 1167], and proceeds at step 1168.
[0063] In step 1168, the disc player 1100 combines the elementary
video stream 161, background elementary audio stream 140 and the
selected language elementary audio stream 142, the optional
background elementary graphics stream 150 and the selected language
elementary graphics stream 152 as received from the disc drive
1200, to generate the output transport stream TS0 for the display
device 1300.
[0064] It should be clear to a person skilled in the art that the
above steps are continued for the duration of the movie.
[0065] In the above example, separate audio and video signals are
generated; alternatively, it is possible that a mixed audio/video
signal is generated.
[0066] An important advantage of the present invention is that,
since the texts of the subtitles are stored individually, they may
be character-coded, which is very economical. Further, since only
the selected elementary streams are read by the disc drive and
communicated to the player, the bit rate is reduced.
[0067] In the above example, all elementary streams are stored
individually. It is also possible that some of the elementary
streams are mixed before storing. FIG. 5 schematically illustrates
the creation of audio streams according to a second embodiment the
present invention, for the same case. The main difference between
the second embodiment and the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 is
to be seen in the fact that, in the present embodiment, the
background sound 2 and the original language spoken text 20 are
mixed to yield one mixed audio transport stream 241. First, second
and third elementary audio streams 240, 242 and 243, containing the
background sound 2 and the spoken text 21, 22 in the first and
second translation, respectively, correspond to first, third and
fourth elementary audio streams 140, 142 and 143, respectively, of
the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0068] In a playback situation, a user enters his choice, and the
corresponding audio streams 241-243 are read and possibly mixed to
generate an audio signal. For instance, assume that the user wishes
to watch this movie in its original form, i.e. with the original
spoken text; in that case, the disc drive 1200 will read the mixed
audio transport stream 241, no further mixing being necessary. This
may be very efficient, if it is to be expected that this is the
most probable user's choice. In another example, assume again that
the user wishes to watch this movie with spoken text in the first
translation; in that case, the disc drive 1200 will read the
background audio transport stream 240 as well as the first
elementary audio stream 242, as indicated by arrows R in FIG. 5 (it
is noted that the read-out of pictures and graphics is not
illustrated in FIG. 5), and will output both audio streams to the
player 1100. The audio signal SA is then generated by mixing this
background elementary audio stream with the first translation
elementary audio stream, as already described with reference to
FIG. 3. In contrast to the prior art where the background sound is
always mixed with each language sound, the background sound is only
mixed with language sound for the most frequently occurring
situation.
[0069] It is noted that a similar mixing may be implemented in the
visual domain, if it is to be expected that users will most often
select subtitles rather than display without subtitles. For
instance, in a case where a recording is intended for a country
(for instance: the Netherlands) where the national language (Dutch)
differs from the original language of the movie (for instance:
English) it may be expected that users will tend to select Dutch
subtitles. In that case, it may be efficient to mix background
graphics 3 with translation subtitles 31 to generate a mixed
graphics transport stream instead of a separate elementary stream
for translation subtitles 31.
[0070] Within the scope of the present invention, such mixing may
also be implemented to a higher degree. Particularly, such mixing
may be implemented with respect to audio and video in combination,
as will be explained with reference to FIG. 6.
[0071] FIG. 6 schematically illustrates the creation of audio and
video streams according to a third embodiment the present
invention, for the same case. In this present embodiment, one mixed
audio/video/graphics transport stream 300 is created, which
contains the moving pictures 1, the background sound 2, the
original language spoken text 20 mixed with the background sound 2,
and the background graphics 3. First and second elementary audio
streams 342 and 343, containing the spoken text 21, 22 in the first
and second translation, respectively, correspond to second and
third elementary audio streams 242 and 243, respectively, of the
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5. Second, third and fourth
elementary graphics streams 351, 352, 353, 354, respectively,
containing the subtitles in original text and first and second
translation, respectively, correspond to elementary graphics
streams 151-153, respectively, of the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 2.
[0072] In the situation expected to occur the most, i.e. the user
wishing to watch the movie in its original version without
subtitles, the disc drive 1200 can simply read the mixed transport
stream 300, ignore the background audio and the background graphics
and output a Main Transport Stream as is customary in prior art. In
a situation where a user has entered a choice deviating from the
most frequently occurring situation, for instance the situation
that the user wishes to watch this movie with spoken text in the
first translation, the disc drive 1200 will read the mixed
transport stream 300 as well as the first translation elementary
audio stream 342, as indicated by arrows R in FIG. 6. The disc
drive 1200 will ignore the original language spoken text mixed with
the background audio, and will output a Main Transport Stream and
first translation elementary audio stream to the player 1100. The
audio signal SA is then generated by mixing the background
elementary audio stream SA1 with the first translation elementary
audio stream SA3, as already described with reference to FIG.
3.
[0073] In a variation of this embodiment, only the background sound
2 and the original moving pictures 1 are mixed, whereas the
original language spoken text 20 is recorded as an elementary audio
stream.
[0074] It should be clear to a person skilled in the art that the
present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments
discussed above, but that several variations and modifications are
possible within the protective scope of the invention as defined in
the appending claims.
[0075] For instance, in the above, several user options relating to
audio are only explained for the case of different languages of
spoken text. However, it is also possible that that music is
recorded in several versions, for instance normal quality audio,
high quality audio, MP3, etc. Further, it is possible that separate
audio recordings are made for use with exceptional playback
situations, for instance slow-motion, still pictures, menu
operations, etc.
[0076] Further, in the above, several user options relating to
video are only explained for the case of different languages of
subtitles. However, more variations are possible. For instance, it
is possible that subtitles in one language are available in
different fonts (Latin fonts, Asian fonts, etc). Further, it is
possible that subtitles in one language are available for different
projection regions (bottom part of screen, upper part of screen,
etc). Further, it is possible that specific subtitles for karaoke
are available (possibly in several languages). Further, it is
possible that specific graphical background layouts are available
for different aspect ratios of the display device. Further, it is
possible that specific graphical background layouts are available
for projecting the subtitles (transparent, black rectangle for
white letters, white rectangle for black letters, coloured
rectangle with logo and/or icons, etc).
[0077] In the above, the present invention has been explained with
reference to block diagrams, which illustrate functional blocks of
the device according to the present invention. It is to be
understood that one or more of these functional blocks may be
implemented in hardware, where the function of such functional
block is performed by individual hardware components, but it is
also possible that one or more of these functional blocks are
implemented in software, so that the function of such functional
block is performed by one or more program lines of a computer
program or a programmable device such as a microprocessor,
microcontroller, etc.
* * * * *