Patent US5644507A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5644507A
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Method for interleaving data for seamless playback of multiple program versions having common material
Assignee: Warner Bros Home Entertainment Inc
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Filing: 1996-02-21
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Granted: 1997-07-01
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Expires: 2016-02-21
Abstract
Abstract A method for formatting digital data on an optical disk that represents at least two versions of the same program. Data sequences which are unique to each version and data sequences which are common to the two of them are interleaved in a single data stream. In order to achieve seamless play of both versions on a player that is compatible with the disk format but has limited buffer storage, data which would otherwise be common to both versions is placed redundantly in the data sequences which are unique to both versions.
Inventors
- 👤 Lewis S. Ostrover
- 👤 Gregory B. Thagard
- 👤 Joseph E. Wall, III
- 👤 Christopher J. Cookson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 09:48
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N9/00; H04N9/79; H04N9/80; H04N9/82; H04N9/8205; H04N9/8227; G; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/10; G11B20/12; G11B20/1217; G11B20/1254; G11B27/00; G11B27/02; G11B27/031; G11B27/034; G11B27/10; G11B27/102; G11B27/105; G11B27/19; G11B27/28; G11B27/32; G11B27/327; G11B27/329; G11B2220/00; G11B2220/20; G11B2220/25; G11B2220/2537; G11B2220/2562; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/91; H04N5/913; H04N2005/91307; H04N2005/91321; H04N5/84; H04N5/85; H04N9/804; H04N9/8042; H04N9/806; H04N9/8063; H04N9/8211; H04N9/8216; H04N9/8233; H04N9/87; H04N9/877
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
307 words
A method for interleaving data on a recording medium for seamless play of at least two program versions A and B of source material, the medium being playable on a player having a predefined data buffer management system; the data representing A-type segments of A-version source material, B-type segments of B-version source material, and C-type segments of source material common to both of said at least two versions; and wherein data is to be interleaved on said medium to represent A-type and B-type paired segments disposed between successive C-type segments, with data representing C-type segments being read no matter which version of the source material is being played and data representing only A-type or only B-type segments being read depending on which version of the source material is being played; comprising the steps of: (a) dividing data representing each A-type segment and each B-type segment in a pair into two series of data blocks; (b) interleaving in a single series the data blocks in the two series of step (a); (c) following the interleaved A-type and B-type data blocks of step (b) for a pair of A-type and B-type segments by data blocks representing just the following C-type segment; (d) limiting the lengths of the individual A-type and B-type data blocks to allow the player on which the medium is played to skip over A-type data blocks without interruptions when version B of the source material is played, and to skip over B-type data blocks without interruptions when version A of the source material is played; and (e) to avoid interruptions during play when one of the segments of an A-type and B-type pair is much longer than the other, deleting material from the C-type segment following the pair and representing it redundantly in each of the two preceding A-type and B-type interleaved series of data blocks.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
307 words
A method for interleaving data on a recording medium for seamless play of at least two program versions A and B of source material, the medium being playable on a player having a predefined data buffer management system; the data representing A-type segments of A-version source material, B-type segments of B-version source material, and C-type segments of source material common to both of said at least two versions; and wherein data is to be interleaved on said medium to represent A-type and B-type paired segments disposed between successive C-type segments, with data representing C-type segments being read no matter which version of the source material is being played and data representing only A-type or only B-type segments being read depending on which version of the source material is being played; comprising the steps of: (a) dividing data representing each A-type segment and each B-type segment in a pair into two series of data blocks; (b) interleaving in a single series the data blocks in the two series of step (a); (c) following the interleaved A-type and B-type data blocks of step (b) for a pair of A-type and B-type segments by data blocks representing just the following C-type segment; (d) limiting the lengths of the individual A-type and B-type data blocks to allow the player on which the medium is played to skip over A-type data blocks without interruptions when version B of the source material is played, and to skip over B-type data blocks without interruptions when version A of the source material is played; and (e) to avoid interruptions during play when one of the segments of an A-type and B-type pair is much longer than the other, deleting material from the C-type segment following the pair and representing it redundantly in each of the two preceding A-type and B-type interleaved series of data blocks.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein a series of interleaved data blocks begins and ends with a data block representing the longer of the two segments in the respective pair.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein within a series of interleaved data blocks that represents a pair of segments one of which is much larger than the other, the ratio of lengths of the adjacent blocks in a pair is such that the degree of redundancy is a minimum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein within a series of interleaved data blocks that represents a pair of segments one of which is much larger than the other, the ratio of lengths of the adjacent blocks in a pair is such that the degree of redundancy is a minimum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein an interleaved series of data blocks is formed by maintaining two lists representing A-type and B-type material, and determining data blocks to be interleaved from said lists; and extending both of said lists to represent some following C-type material when it is necessary to introduce redundancy to avoid interruptions in play.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
284 words
A method for interleaving data on a recording medium for seamless play of at least two program versions A and B of source material, the medium being playable on a player having a predefined data buffer management system; the data representing A-type segments of A-version source material, B-type segments of B-version source material, and C-type segments of source material common to both of said at least two versions; and wherein data is to be interleaved on said medium to represent A-type and B-type paired segments disposed between successive C-type segments, with data representing C-type segments being read no matter which version of the source material is being played and data representing only A-type or only B-type segments being read depending on which version of the source material is being played; comprising the steps of: (a) where possible, dividing data representing each A-type segment and each B-type segment in a pair into a single series of interleaved data blocks, and limiting the lengths of the individual A-type and B-type data blocks to allow the player on which the medium is played to skip over A-type data blocks without interruptions when version B of the source material is played and to skip over B-type data blocks without interruptions when version A of the source material is played, and following the interleaved A-type and B-type data blocks by data blocks representing just the following C-type segment; and (b) to avoid interruptions during play when one of the segments of an A-type and B-type pair is much longer than the other, deleting material from the C-type segment following the pair and representing it redundantly in each of the two preceding A-type and B-type interleaved series of data blocks.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
284 words
A method for interleaving data on a recording medium for seamless play of at least two program versions A and B of source material, the medium being playable on a player having a predefined data buffer management system; the data representing A-type segments of A-version source material, B-type segments of B-version source material, and C-type segments of source material common to both of said at least two versions; and wherein data is to be interleaved on said medium to represent A-type and B-type paired segments disposed between successive C-type segments, with data representing C-type segments being read no matter which version of the source material is being played and data representing only A-type or only B-type segments being read depending on which version of the source material is being played; comprising the steps of: (a) where possible, dividing data representing each A-type segment and each B-type segment in a pair into a single series of interleaved data blocks, and limiting the lengths of the individual A-type and B-type data blocks to allow the player on which the medium is played to skip over A-type data blocks without interruptions when version B of the source material is played and to skip over B-type data blocks without interruptions when version A of the source material is played, and following the interleaved A-type and B-type data blocks by data blocks representing just the following C-type segment; and (b) to avoid interruptions during play when one of the segments of an A-type and B-type pair is much longer than the other, deleting material from the C-type segment following the pair and representing it redundantly in each of the two preceding A-type and B-type interleaved series of data blocks.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein a series of interleaved data blocks begins and ends with a data block representing the longer of the two segments in the respective pair.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein within a series of interleaved data blocks that represents a pair of segments one of which is much larger than the other, the ratio of lengths of the adjacent blocks in a pair is such that the degree of redundancy is a minimum.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein within a series of interleaved data blocks that represents a pair of segments one of which is much larger than the other, the ratio of lengths of the adjacent blocks in a pair is such that the degree of redundancy is a minimum.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein an interleaved series of data blocks is formed by maintaining two lists representing A-type and B-type material, and determining data blocks to be interleaved from said lists; and extending both of said lists to represent some following C-type material when it is necessary to introduce redundancy to avoid interruptions in play.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
293 words
A medium for representing at least two program versions A and B of source material, the medium being playable on a player having a predefined data buffer management system; the data on the medium representing A-type segments of A-version source material, B-type segments of B-version source material, and C-type segments of source material common to both of said at least two versions, with the medium being adapted to be played on a player which reads data representing C-type segments no matter which version of the source material is being played and data representing only A-type or only B-type segments depending on which version of the source material is being played; data being interleaved on said medium to represent A-type and B-type paired segments disposed between successive C-type segments, with data representing each A-type segment and each B-type segment in a pair being divided into a single series of interleaved data blocks with the lengths of the individual A-type and B-type data blocks being limited to allow the player on which the medium is played to skip over A-type data blocks without interruptions when version B of the source material is played and to skip over B-type data blocks without interruptions when version A of the source material is played, with each series of interleaved A-type and B-type data blocks being followed by data blocks representing just the following C-type segment; and, where one of the segments of an A-type and B-type pair is much longer than the other and would otherwise give rise to an interruption during play, material that is common to both versions is absent from the C-type segment following the pair and is instead represented redundantly in each of the two preceding A-type and B-type interleaved series of data blocks.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
293 words
A medium for representing at least two program versions A and B of source material, the medium being playable on a player having a predefined data buffer management system; the data on the medium representing A-type segments of A-version source material, B-type segments of B-version source material, and C-type segments of source material common to both of said at least two versions, with the medium being adapted to be played on a player which reads data representing C-type segments no matter which version of the source material is being played and data representing only A-type or only B-type segments depending on which version of the source material is being played; data being interleaved on said medium to represent A-type and B-type paired segments disposed between successive C-type segments, with data representing each A-type segment and each B-type segment in a pair being divided into a single series of interleaved data blocks with the lengths of the individual A-type and B-type data blocks being limited to allow the player on which the medium is played to skip over A-type data blocks without interruptions when version B of the source material is played and to skip over B-type data blocks without interruptions when version A of the source material is played, with each series of interleaved A-type and B-type data blocks being followed by data blocks representing just the following C-type segment; and, where one of the segments of an A-type and B-type pair is much longer than the other and would otherwise give rise to an interruption during play, material that is common to both versions is absent from the C-type segment following the pair and is instead represented redundantly in each of the two preceding A-type and B-type interleaved series of data blocks.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
A medium in accordance with claim 11 wherein a series of interleaved data blocks begins and ends with a data block representing the longer of the two segments in the respective pair.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
A medium in accordance with claim 12 wherein within a series of interleaved data blocks that represents a pair of segments one of which is much larger than the other, the ratio of lengths of the adjacent blocks in a pair is such that the degree of redundancy is a minimum.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
A medium in accordance with claim 11 wherein within a series of interleaved data blocks that represents a pair of segments one of which is much larger than the other, the ratio of lengths of the adjacent blocks in a pair is such that the degree of redundancy is a minimum.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
95 words
A method for formatting on a playable medium digital data representing at least two versions of a program comprising the steps of interleaving in a single data stream data sequences which are unique to each version and data sequences which are common to the two of them; and, in order to achieve seamless play of both versions on a player that is compatible with the medium but has limited buffer storage, redundantly placing data which would otherwise be common to both versions in the data sequences which are unique to both of said two versions.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
95 words
A method for formatting on a playable medium digital data representing at least two versions of a program comprising the steps of interleaving in a single data stream data sequences which are unique to each version and data sequences which are common to the two of them; and, in order to achieve seamless play of both versions on a player that is compatible with the medium but has limited buffer storage, redundantly placing data which would otherwise be common to both versions in the data sequences which are unique to both of said two versions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
87 words
A playable medium formatted with digital data representing at least two versions of a program comprising a single data stream containing interleaved data sequences which are unique to each version and data sequences which are common to the two of them; and, in order to achieve seamless play of both versions on a player that is compatible with the medium but has limited buffer storage, redundantly placed data which would otherwise be in a common sequence in both data sequences which are unique to said two versions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
87 words
A playable medium formatted with digital data representing at least two versions of a program comprising a single data stream containing interleaved data sequences which are unique to each version and data sequences which are common to the two of them; and, in order to achieve seamless play of both versions on a player that is compatible with the medium but has limited buffer storage, redundantly placed data which would otherwise be in a common sequence in both data sequences which are unique to said two versions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5434678A
Cited
US5463565A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-06-30 | 2000-12-30 | 2001-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-06-30 | 2004-12-30 | 2005-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-06-30 | 2008-12-30 | 2009-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |