Recording medium, playback device, encoding device, integrated circuit, and playback output device

A recording medium on which a main-view video stream, a sub-view video stream, and a graphics stream are recorded, wherein

• the main-view video stream includes main-view pictures, which constitute main views of stereoscopic video images,
• the sub-view video stream includes sub-view pictures and metadata, the sub-view pictures constituting sub-views of stereoscopic video images,
• the graphics stream includes graphics data, which constitutes monoscopic graphics images,
• each of the main-view pictures is rendered on a main-view video plane when played back,
• each of the sub-view pictures is rendered on a sub-view video plane when played back,
• the graphics data is rendered on a graphics plane when played back, and
• the metadata includes information defining an active area in the graphics plane.

A recording medium on which a main-view video stream, a sub-view video stream, a main-view graphics stream, and a sub-view graphics stream are recorded, wherein

• the main-view video stream includes main-view pictures, which constitute monoscopic video images,
• the main-view graphics stream includes graphics data constituting main views of stereoscopic graphics images,
• the sub-view graphics stream includes graphics data constituting sub-views of stereoscopic graphics images, and
• the sub-view video stream includes pictures constituting the same monoscopic video images as the main-view pictures.

A playback device for playing back video images from a recording medium, wherein

• a main-view video stream, a sub-view video stream, a graphics stream, and playlist information are recorded on the recording medium,
• the main-view video stream includes main-view pictures, which constitute main views of stereoscopic video images,
• the sub-view video stream includes sub-view pictures and metadata, the sub-view pictures constituting sub-views of stereoscopic video images,
• the graphics stream includes graphics data, which constitute monoscopic graphics images,
• each of the main-view pictures is rendered on a main-view video plane when played back,
• each of the sub-view pictures is rendered on a sub-view video plane when played back,
• the graphics data is rendered on a graphics plane when played back,
• the metadata is provided in each group of pictures (GOP) constituting the sub-view video stream and includes a plurality of pieces of offset information and a plurality of offset identifiers corresponding to the pieces of offset information,
• the pieces of offset information are control information defining offset control for a plurality of pictures constituting a GOP,
• the offset control is a process to provide a left offset and a right offset for horizontal coordinates in the graphics plane to generate a pair of graphics planes, and then combine the pair of graphics planes respectively with the main-view video plane and the sub-view video plane,
• the playlist information includes at least one piece of playback section information,
• each piece of playback section information includes (i) information indicating a start position and an end position in a playback section and (ii) a stream selection table corresponding to the playback section,
• the stream selection table is a correspondence table associating stream numbers with packet identifiers for stream data whose playback is permitted in the playback section, and
• when associating a stream number with a packet identifier of the graphics stream, the stream selection table allocates one of the offset identifiers to the stream number,
• the playback device comprising:
• a read unit operable to read data from the recording medium;
• a decoding unit operable to (i) decode playback section information in order from playlist information read by the read unit, (ii) select a packet identifier and an offset identifier for stream data to be decoded in each playback section, (iii) separate, from stream data read by the read unit, stream data indicated by the packet identifier corresponding to the selected stream number, (iv) decode at least one of a video plane and a graphics plane, and (v) extract the metadata from the sub-view video stream;
• and
• a plane composition unit operable to refer to the offset identifier allocated to the selected stream number to retrieve offset information from the metadata extracted by the decoding unit and then perform offset control on the graphics plane in accordance with the offset information.

A playback device for playing back video images from a recording medium, wherein

• a main-view video stream and a sub-view video stream are recorded on the recording medium,
• the main-view video stream includes main-view pictures, which constitute main views of stereoscopic video images,
• the sub-view video stream includes sub-view pictures and metadata, the sub-view pictures constituting sub-views of stereoscopic video images,
• each of the main-view pictures is rendered on a main-view video plane when played back,
• each of the sub-view pictures is rendered on a sub-view video plane when played back,
• the metadata includes information for identifying a shared area in which viewing angles of video images overlap, the video images being respectively represented by a left-view picture and a right-view picture of stereoscopic video images constituted by the main-view pictures and the sub-view pictures,
• the playback device comprising:
• a read unit operable to read the main-view video stream and the sub-view video stream from the recording medium;
• a decoding unit operable to (i) decode the main-view video stream and the sub-view video stream read by the read unit into respective video planes, and (ii) extract the metadata from the sub-view video stream;
• and
• a plane processing unit operable to process the video planes, based on information included in the metadata, and thus hide areas other than the shared area in the left-view picture and the right-view picture.

A playback device for playing back video images from a recording medium, wherein

• a main-view video stream, a sub-view video stream, and a graphics stream are recorded on the recording medium,
• the main-view video stream includes main-view pictures, which constitute main views of stereoscopic video images,
• the sub-view video stream includes sub-view pictures and metadata, the sub-view pictures constituting sub-views of stereoscopic video images,
• the graphics stream includes graphics data, which constitutes monoscopic graphics images,
• each of the main-view pictures is rendered on a main-view video plane when played back,
• each of the sub-view pictures is rendered on a sub-view video plane when played back,
• the graphics data is rendered on a graphics plane when played back,
• the metadata includes information defining an active area in the graphics plane, and
• the information indicates widths of two strips respectively along a left side and a right side of the graphics plane,
• the playback device comprising:
• a read unit operable to read the main-view video stream, the sub-view video stream, and the graphics stream from the recording medium;
• a decoding unit operable to decode stream data read by the read unit into video planes and graphics planes and to extract the metadata from the sub-view video stream;
• and
• a plane composition unit operable to extract, from the metadata extracted by the decoding unit, information defining an active area in the graphics plane and to remove strips from a left edge and right edge of the graphics plane in accordance with the information.

A playback device for playing back video images from a recording medium, wherein

• a main-view video stream, a sub-view video stream, a main-view graphics stream, and a sub-view graphics stream are recorded on the recording medium,
• the main-view video stream includes main-view pictures, which constitute monoscopic video images,
• the main-view graphics stream includes graphics data constituting main views of stereoscopic graphics images,
• the sub-view graphics stream includes graphics data constituting sub-views of stereoscopic graphics images, and
• the sub-view video stream includes pictures constituting the same monoscopic video images as the main-view pictures,
• the playback device comprising:
• a read unit operable to read the main-view video stream, the sub-view video stream, the main-view graphics stream, and the sub-view graphics stream from the recording medium;
• a decoding unit operable to decode streams read by the read unit;
• and
• a superimposition unit operable to superimpose monoscopic video images and stereoscopic graphics images decoded by the decoding unit.

A semiconductor integrated circuit for performing video signal processing on data received from a recording medium on which are recorded a main-view video stream, a sub-view video stream, a graphics stream, and playlist information, wherein

• the main-view video stream includes picture data constituting main views of stereoscopic video images,
• the sub-view video stream includes picture data and metadata, the picture data constituting sub-views of stereoscopic video images,
• the graphics stream includes graphics data, which constitutes monoscopic graphics images,
• the main-view video stream is multiplexed into a main-view transport stream and then divided into a plurality of main-view data groups,
• the sub-view video stream is multiplexed into a sub-view transport stream and then divided into a plurality of sub-view data groups,
• the main-view data groups and the sub-view data groups are recorded in an interleaved arrangement,
• the graphics stream is multiplexed in at least one of the main-view transport stream and the sub-view transport stream, and at least one of the main-view data groups and the sub-view data groups includes the graphics data,
• a positive offset and a negative offset are provided for horizontal coordinates in a graphics plane to generate a pair of graphics planes, and then the pair of graphics planes are superimposed respectively on picture data constituting the main view and picture data constituting the sub-view,
• the metadata is provided in each group of pictures (GOP) constituting the sub-view video stream and includes a plurality of pieces of offset information and a plurality of offset identifiers corresponding to the pieces of offset information,
• the pieces of offset information are control information specifying offset control for a plurality of pictures constituting a GOP and include information indicating an offset value for the graphics plane in units of pixels,
• the playlist information includes at least one piece of playback section information,
• each piece of playback section information includes (i) information indicating a start position and an end position in a playback section and (ii) a stream selection table corresponding to the playback section,
• the stream selection table is a correspondence table associating stream numbers with packet identifiers for streams whose playback is permitted in the playback section, and
• when associating a stream number with a packet identifier of the graphics stream, the stream selection table allocates one of the offset identifiers to the stream number,
• the semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:
• a stream processing unit operable to receive data from the recording medium, store the data in a memory unit internal or external to the semiconductor integrated circuit, and then demultiplex the data into the picture data and the graphics data;
• a signal processing unit operable to decode the picture data and the graphics data into decoded picture data and decoded graphics data;
• and
• an AV output unit operable to superimpose the decoded graphics data on the decoded picture data and output superimposed data, wherein
• the stream processing unit comprises a switching unit operable to switch a storage location of the data received from the recording medium between a first area and a second area within the memory unit,
• the switching unit is controlled to store data belonging to the main-view data groups and the sub-view data groups in the first area and the second area respectively,
• the AV output unit comprises an image superimposition unit operable to superimpose the decoded graphics data on the decoded picture data,
• the signal processing unit stores
• (iii) the decoded picture data belonging to the main-view data groups in a third area of the memory unit, the third area being provided for a main-view video plane,
• (iv) the decoded picuture data belonging to the sub-view data groups in a fourth area of the memory unit, the fourth area being provided for a sub-view video plane, and
• (v) the decoded graphics data in a fifth area of the memory unit, the fifth area being provided for a graphics plane,
• the signal processing unit extracts the metadata from the sub-view video stream and notifies the image superimposition unit of the metadata, and
• the image superimposition unit refers to an offset identifier in the stream selection table to retrieve offset information from the metadata, uses the offset information to provide a positive offset and a negative offset for horizontal coordinates in the graphics plane to generate a pair of graphics planes, and then superimposes the pair of graphics planes respectively on the main-view video plane and the sub-view video plane.

A playback output device for receiving a multiplexed stream in which a video stream and an audio stream are multiplexed, the video stream being constituted by sequential video frame data and the audio stream being constituted by sequential audio frame data, and then playing back and outputting stereoscopic video images from the multiplexed stream, the playback output device comprising:

• a receiving unit operable to receive the multiplexed stream;
• a stream processing unit operable to separate video data and audio data from the multiplexed stream;
• a signal processing unit operable to decode the video data and the audio data respectively into decoded sequential video frame data and decoded sequential audio frame data;
• and
• an output unit operable to output the decoded sequential video frame data and the decoded sequential audio frame data,
• the playback output device removing a portion of pixel data from the sequential video frame data when outputting stereoscopic video images.

A playback output device for receiving a multiplexed stream in which a video stream and a graphics stream are multiplexed, the video stream being constituted by sequential video frame data and the graphics stream being constituted by graphics data, and then playing back and outputting stereoscopic video images from the multiplexed stream, the playback output device comprising:

• a receiving unit operable to receive the multiplexed stream;
• a stream processing unit operable to separate video data and graphics data from the multiplexed stream;
• a signal processing unit operable to decode the video data and the graphics data into decoded sequential video frame data and decoded graphics data respectively;
• and
• an output unit operable to superimpose the decoded graphics data on the decoded sequential video frame data and then output superimposed data,
• the playback output device being operable to remove a portion from the decoded graphics data.

A semiconductor integrated circuit for performing video signal processing on data received from a recording medium on which are recorded a main-view video stream, a sub-view video stream, a main-view graphics stream, and a sub-view graphics stream, wherein

• the main-view video stream includes picture data constituting monoscopic video images,
• the sub-view video stream includes picture data constituting the same monoscopic video images as the main-view video stream,
• the main-view graphics stream includes main-view graphics data constituting main views of stereoscopic graphics images,
• the sub-view graphics stream includes sub-view graphics data constituting sub-views of stereoscopic graphics images,
• the main-view video stream is multiplexed into a main-view transport stream and then divided into a plurality of main-view data groups,
• the sub-view video stream is multiplexed into a sub-view transport stream and then divided into a plurality of sub-view data groups,
• the main-view data groups and the sub-view data groups are recorded in an interleaved arrangement,
• the main-view graphics stream is multiplexed in at least one of the main-view transport stream and the sub-view transport stream,
• the sub-view graphics stream is multiplexed in at least one of the main-view transport stream and the sub-view transport stream, and at least one of the main-view data groups and the sub-view data groups includes at least one of the main-view graphics data and the sub-view graphics data,
• the semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:
• a stream processing unit operable to receive, from the recording medium, data in which the main-view data groups and the sub-view data groups are recorded in an interleaved arrangement, store the data in a memory unit internal or external to the semiconductor integrated circuit, and demultiplex the data into the picture data and the graphics data;
• a signal processing unit operable to decode picture data belonging to the main-view data groups, picture data belonging to the sub-view data groups, the main-view graphics data, and the sub-view graphics data into decoded picture data belonging to the main-view data groups, decoded picture data belonging to the sub-view data groups, decoded main-view graphics data, and decoded sub-view graphics data, respectively;
• and
• an AV output unit operable to superimpose the decoded picture data belonging to the sub-view data groups, the decoded main-view graphics data, and
• the decoded sub-view graphics data on the decoded picture data belonging to the main-view data groups, and to output superimposed data, the stream processing unit comprising a switching unit operable to switch a storage location of the data received from the recording medium between a first area and a second area within the memory unit,
• the switching unit being controlled to store data belonging to the main-view data groups in the first area in the memory unit and data belonging to the sub-view data groups in the second area in the memory unit, and
• the AV output unit comprising an image superimposition unit that superimposes the decoded main-view graphics data on the decoded picture data belonging to the main-view data groups and superimposes the decoded sub-view graphics data on the decoded picture data belonging to the sub-view data groups.