Multimedia optical disc for storing audio data and sub-picture data in a plurality of channels as well as moving picture data and apparatus and method for reproducing the multimedia optical disc

A multimedia optical disc comprising:

• a video object area for storing a plurality of video objects, wherein a piece of moving picture data and a plurality pieces of audio data and a plurality pieces of sub-picture data are interleaved in each of the plurality of video objects, wherein the plurality pieces of audio data are reproduced selectively and synchronized with the piece of moving picture data, wherein the plurality pieces of sub-picture data are reproduced selectively and synchronized with the piece of moving picture data;
• and
• a management information area for storing a plurality pieces of program chain information, wherein each of the plurality pieces of program chain information includes:
• route information for specifying a program chain, wherein the program chain includes a combination of video objects to be reproduced in series;
• an audio channel table in which a plurality of audio logical channel numbers are respectively related to a plurality of audio physical channel numbers in the program chain;
• a sub-picture channel table in which a plurality of sub-picture logical channel numbers are respectively related to a plurality of sub-picture physical channel numbers in the program chain, wherein
• the plurality of audio logical channel numbers and the plurality of sub-picture logical channel numbers are shared by a certain numbers of video objects in the program chain, wherein the plurality of audio physical channel numbers and the plurality of sub-picture physical channel numbers are used to physically identify the plurality pieces of audio data and a plurality pieces of sub-picture data of the multimedia optical disc.

A disc reproduction apparatus for reproducing a multimedia optical disc which is comprised of a video data area and a management information area, wherein

• the video data area stores a plurality pieces of video data, wherein a piece of moving picture data and a plurality pieces of sub-data are interleaved in each of the plurality pieces of video data, wherein the plurality pieces of sub-data are reproduced selectively and synchronized with the piece of moving picture data, wherein the management information area stores a channel table in which a plurality of logical channel numbers are respectively related to a plurality of physical channel numbers for each of the plurality pieces of video data, wherein the plurality of logical channel numbers are dealt with in the disc reproduction apparatus, wherein the plurality of physical channel numbers are used to physically identify the plurality pieces of sub-data of the multimedia optical disc, the disc reproduction apparatus comprising:
• reading means for reading data from the multimedia optical disc;
• channel number holding means for holding a logical channel number;
• determining means for determining a physical channel number to be reproduced based on the channel table read by the reading means and the logical channel number held by the channel number holding means;
• selecting means for selecting a piece of sub-data among a plurality pieces of sub-data read by the reading means, the piece of sub-data corresponding to the physical channel number determined by the determining means;
• and
• reproducing means for reproducing a piece of moving picture data read by the reading means and the piece of sub-data selected by the selecting means.

A disc reproduction apparatus for reproducing a multimedia optical disc which includes a video object area and a management information area, wherein

• the video object area stores a plurality of video objects, wherein a piece of moving picture data and a plurality pieces of audio data and a plurality pieces of sub-picture data are interleaved in each of the plurality of video objects, wherein the plurality pieces of audio data are reproduced selectively and synchronized with the piece of moving picture data, wherein the plurality pieces of sub-picture data are reproduced selectively and synchronized with the piece of moving picture data, wherein
• the management information area stores a plurality pieces of program chain information, wherein each of the plurality pieces of program chain information includes:
• route information for specifying a program chain, wherein the program chain includes a combination of video objects to be reproduced in series;
• an audio channel table in which a plurality of audio logical channel numbers are respectively related to a plurality of audio physical channel numbers in the program chain;
• a sub-picture channel table in which a plurality of sub-picture logical channel numbers are respectively related to a plurality of sub-picture physical channel numbers in the program chain, wherein
• the plurality of audio logical channel numbers and the plurality of sub-picture logical channel numbers are shared by a certain numbers of video objects included in the program chain, wherein the plurality of audio physical channel numbers and the plurality of sub-picture physical channel numbers are used to physically identify the plurality pieces of audio data and a plurality pieces of sub-picture data, wherein
• the disc reproduction apparatus comprises:
• reading means for reading data from the multimedia optical disc;
• channel number holding means for holding a predetermined audio logical channel number and a predetermined sub-picture logical channel number;
• first determining means for determining an audio physical channel number to be reproduced based on the audio channel table read by the reading means and the predetermined audio logical channel number held by the channel number holding means;
• second determining means for determining a sub-picture physical channel number to be reproduced based on the sub-picture channel table read by the reading means and the predetermined sub-picture logical channel number held by the channel number holding means;
• audio selecting means for selecting a piece of audio data among a plurality pieces of audio data read by the reading means, the piece of audio data corresponding to the physical channel number determined by the first determining means;
• and
• sub-picture selecting means for selecting a piece of sub-picture data among a plurality pieces of sub-picture data read by the reading means, the piece of sub-picture data corresponding to the physical channel number determined by the second determining means;
• reproducing means for reproducing a piece of moving picture data read by the reading means, the piece of audio data selected by the audio selecting means, and the piece of sub-picture data selected by the sub-picture selecting means;
• and
• controlling means for controlling the reading means so that the reading means reads the series of video objects according to the route information that the reading means reads.

A method of reproducing video data which is applied to a disc reproduction apparatus for reproducing a multimedia optical disc which is comprised of a video data area and a management information area, wherein

• the video data area stores a plurality pieces of video data, wherein a piece of moving picture data and a plurality pieces of sub-data are interleaved in each of the plurality pieces of video data, wherein the plurality pieces of sub-data are reproduced selectively and synchronized with the piece of moving picture data, wherein the management information area stores a channel table in which a plurality of logical channel numbers are respectively related to a plurality of physical channel numbers for each of the plurality pieces of video data, wherein the plurality of logical channel numbers are dealt with in the disc reproduction apparatus, wherein the plurality of physical channel numbers are used to physically identify the plurality pieces of sub-data of the multimedia optical disc, the reproduction method comprising:
• a retrieving step of retrieving data from the multimedia optical disc;
• a setting step of setting a value in a certain register of the disc reproduction apparatus to a predetermined logical channel number;
• a determining step of determining a physical channel number to be reproduced based on the channel table read by the reading means and the predetermined logical channel number;
• a selecting step of selecting a piece of sub-data among a plurality pieces of sub-data read by the reading means, the piece of sub-data corresponding to the physical channel number determined in the determining step;
• and
• a reproducing step of reproducing a piece of moving picture data read by the reading means and the piece of sub-data selected in the selecting step.

A method of reproducing video data which is applied to a disc reproduction apparatus for reproducing multimedia data, the multimedia data including a plurality pieces of video data and management information, wherein a piece of moving picture data and a plurality pieces of sub-data are interleaved in each of the plurality pieces of video data, wherein the plurality pieces of sub-data correspond to a plurality of logical channels, wherein the plurality pieces of sub-data are reproduced selectively and synchronized with the piece of moving picture data, wherein

• the plurality pieces of sub-data are either of a plurality pieces of audio data and a plurality pieces of sub-picture data, wherein
• the management information includes a channel table in which a plurality of logical channel numbers are respectively related to a plurality of physical channel numbers for each of the plurality pieces of video data, wherein the plurality of logical channel numbers are shared by a certain numbers of pieces of video data, wherein the plurality of physical channel numbers are used to physically identify the plurality pieces of sub-data, the reproduction method comprising:
• a retrieving step of retrieving data from the multimedia optical disc;
• a setting step of setting a value in a certain register of the disc reproduction apparatus to a predetermined logical channel number;
• a determining step of determining a physical channel number to be reproduced based on the channel table read by the reading means and the predetermined logical channel number;
• a selecting step of selecting a piece of sub-data among a plurality pieces of sub-data read by the reading means, the piece of sub-data corresponding to the physical channel number determined in the determining step;
• and
• a reproducing step of reproducing a piece of moving picture data read by the reading means and the piece of sub-data selected in the selecting step.