EP0542377A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of storing user information items and apparatus for reproducing stored items
Assignee: Philips Electronics UK Ltd
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Filing: 1992-11-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-11-12
Abstract
Abstract A reproducing apparatus has means for reproducing for a user images and audio items stored on a record carrier (compact disc). The apparatus is controlled by a simple microcontroller running a predetermined program. To enable items to be presented to the user in a reproduction sequence with user-selected branching, the desired reproduction sequence is broken into selection points and linear reproduction sequences. A selection item (SEL1, SEL2) is stored on the disc for each selection point, while a sequence item (SEQ1, etc.) is stored for each linear reproduction sequence, these sequence and selection items containing further item references to link them into the described composite reproduction sequence. The logic and storage requirements imposed on the microcontroller are minimal.
Inventors
- 👤 Norman Dennis Richards
- 👤 Jozef Maria Karel Timmermans
- 👤 Jos Gustaaf Schepers
- 👤 Harmen Dirk Voogd
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 15:31
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32106; H04N1/32112; G; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/10; G09; G09B; G09B5/00; G09B5/06; G09B5/065; G11B17/00; G11B17/005; G11B19/00; G11B19/02; G11B20/12; G11B20/1217; G11B20/1254; G11B27/00; G11B27/02; G11B27/031; G11B27/034; G11B27/10; G11B27/102; G11B27/105; G11B27/19; G11B27/28; G11B27/30; G11B27/3027; G11B27/3063; G11B27/32; G11B27/327; G11B27/329; G11B2220/00; G11B2220/20; G11B2220/21; G11B2220/213; G11B2220/215; G11B2220/218; G11B2220/25; G11B2220/2537; G11B2220/2545; G11B2220/255; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3261; H04N2201/3264; H04N2201/3274; H04N2201/3277
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of storing a plurality of user information items on a record carrier for subsequent presentation to a user, the method including the steps of: - storing the plurality of user information items at addressable locations on the record carrier; - defining a desired composite reproduction sequence for the user information items, the composite reproduction sequence comprising at least two linear reproduction sequences and at least one selection point at which the desired composite reproduction sequence can branch to one of a plurality of alternative reproduction sequences dependent on a user selection response; - for each linear reproduction sequence in the desired composite reproduction sequence defining and storing on the record carrier a sequence item comprising an ordered list of references to user information items stored on the record carrier; and - for each selection point in the composite reproduction sequence defining and storing a selection item including a selection list comprising for each user selection response a reference to a stored sequence item or selection item.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a user selection information item is stored on the record carrier, to be presented to a user at the at least one selection point, the corresponding selection item including a reference to the stored user selection information item.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the user selection information item comprises a menu image identifying for the user the alternative reproduction sequences available at the relevant selection point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the user selection information item comprises an audible menu description identifying for the user the alternative reproduction sequences available at the relevant selection point.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
51 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each stored user information item can be one of at least two distinct types, and wherein the or each selection item includes fields for a reference to one item of each type to be presented to the user at the selection point.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
40 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each stored sequence item includes a field for a next action reference defining a continuation of the composite reproduction sequence after the linear reproduction sequence defined by the said sequence item.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each sequence item includes a field for a previous action reference referring to a selection item or sequence item preceding the stored sequence list in the composite reproduction sequence.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
40 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the or each selection item further includes a field for a previous action reference referring to a selection item or sequence item preceding the selection item in the composite reproduction sequence.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein each sequence item includes a pointer to the last item reference in the list contained therein.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
49 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising defining for each given sequence a subset of the user information items of the sequence to act as entry points for the corresponding sequence, and storing within the given sequence item an entry point list identifying the said subset.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
90 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein two or more sets of user information items with associated sequence and selection items can be stored at different times on the same carrier in successive storage sessions, each storage session leaving accessible the user information items and sequence and selection items of previous sessions while certain other control information is effectively replaceable at each session and wherein at least one item reference in a sequence or selection item is an indirect reference via a field in the replaceable control information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method as claimed in Claim 11 wherein the replaceable control information includes a carrier description table having a field for a main entry point reference referring to a sequence or selection item which defines a main entry point in the composite reproduction sequence, at least one reference to the said item in a stored sequence or selection item comprising the said indirect reference.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in Claim 12 wherein the item references generally comprises encoded addresses for the locations of the items referred to, while the indirect item reference comprises a fixed code not corresponding to any valid address.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
68 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising the steps of: (i) defining for a given selection point a set of selection areas on a menu image corresponding to at least a subset of the user selection responses possible at the given selection point and (ii) storing in the selection item corresponding to the given selection point a selection areas list identifying each defined selection area.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
52 words
A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the selection item(s), sequence items and (where provided) disc description information are stored on the record carrier with a lower information density than the user information items, so as to enable reading of sequence items and selection items at a reduced data rate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
A record carrier wherein user information items have been recorded by a method as claimed in any preceding claim.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
A record carrier as claimed in Claim 16 comprising an optical memory disc conforming to the CD-ROM-XA standard.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
244 words
An apparatus for reproducing user information items stored on a record carrier in accordance with a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 15, the apparatus including means for reading and reproducing user information items from specified locations on the record carrier and control means for reading control information from the record carrier and for specifying to the reproducing means the locations of user information items to be reproduced, the control means including sequence and selection activation means, selection control means and sequence control means, wherein:- - the activation means comprises means for receiving an item reference and for (i) in the event that the received item reference is a reference to a selection item activating the selection control means in respect of the said selection item and (ii) in the event that the item reference is a reference to a sequence item activating the sequence control means in respect of the said sequence item; - the selection control means comprises means for in respect of a given selection item receiving a user selection signal, identifying a corresponding item reference in the selection list of the given selection item and supplying the corresponding item reference to the activation means, and - the sequence control means comprises means for in respect of a given sequence item causing the reproduction of stored user information items in a linear reproduction sequence as defined by the ordered list of item references in the given sequence item.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus as claimed in Claim 18 wherein said previous user information item is selected by the means responsive to the previous action signal from a subset of the user information item references in the sequence list, which subset is identified by an entry point list also contained in the sequence item.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
52 words
A reproducing apparatus as claimed in Claim 19 wherein said identifying means is adapted to read one image item references of at least two distinct types from respective predetermined fieldsin the selection item and to cause reproduction of any stored user information items referred to, prior to receipt of user selection signals.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
A reproducing apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 20 wherein the sequence control means further includes means for at the end of the linear reproduction sequence supplying to the activation means an item reference read from a next action field of the sequence item.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
87 words
A reproducing apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 21 wherein the sequence control means includes means responsive to a previous action signal received from the user during reproduction of a user information item to cause a return to a previous user information item in the sequence, and in the event that the previous action signal is received during reproduction of the first item in the sequence, supplying to the activation means an item reference read from a previous action field of the sequence item.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus as claimed in Claim 22 wherein said previous user information item is selected by the means responsive to the previous action signal from a subset of the user information item references in the sequence list, which subset is identified by an entry point list also contained in the sequence item.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
125 words
A reproduction apparatus as claimed in any Claims 18 to 23 wherein the selection control means further includes at least one selected from the following list: - means responsive to a previous action signal received from the user for supplying to the activation an item reference read from a previous action field of the selection item; - means responsive to a default action signal received from the user for supplying to the activation means an item reference read from a default action field of the selection item; and - means for detecting the passage of a time-out period prior to receipt of a user selection signal for supplying to the activation means an item reference read from a time-out action field of the selection item.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
65 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 24 wherein the activation means includes means for determining whether a received item reference is an indirect item reference and if so using information stored elsewhere on the record carrier to obtain a direct reference to a sequence or selection item stored on the same record at a later date than the indirect reference itself.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
80 words
An apparatus as claimed in Claim 25, wherein the control means further comprises selection and sequence initiation means for reading from a main entry point item reference field in a carrier description table stored on the record carrier a reference to a selection or sequence item defining a main entry point to the composite reproduction sequence, the information used to obtain the direct reference from the said indirect comprising the said entry point reference field in the carrier description table.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
104 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 26 wherein the apparatus includes selection control means further including means for presenting a menu image to the user and means for receiving user selection signals in which the user indicates a location on the displayed menu image, means for reading a selection areas list from within the given selection item and for using selection area definitions in the selection areas list to determine whether the user's indication of a location on the menu image constitutes a user selection signal identifying a corresponding item reference in the selection list of the given selection item.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
40 words
A reproducing apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 27 wherein the selection item(s), sequence items and carrier description table (where provided) are read from the record carrier at a lower data rate than the user information items.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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