Data structure of metadata, and reproduction apparatus and method of the metadata

Abstract

For a reproduction device in which a usable memory size has an upper limit, this invention discloses a novel structure of metadata, which can suppress the number of seeks of a CD or a DVD occurring at a time of reproduction of metadata of a moving image including a large number of scripts and hyper texts (HTML) each having a small data size, and the number of times of file request transmission/reception through a large number of networks. In the metadata of the moving image, in the case where access units AU#2 and AU#3 require EF#1, and access units AU#2 to AU#4 require EF#2, the EF#1 and the EF#2 are embedded in front of the AU#2, and a script in the AU uses a file name, a file identifier, or a virtual buffer offset in order to specify the EF to which reference is made. Embedding of a file and identification of the file are realized by causing the EF and the AU to have file identification information respectively and by specifying the file identification information from the script.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.