Optical disc having an area storing original and user chain information specifying at least part of a video object stored on the disc, and a computer program and recording apparatus for recording and editing the chain information

An apparatus for use in recording video data onto an optical disc including a data area capable of storing at least one video object including the video data and an index area capable of storing original chain information and user-defined chain information, said apparatus comprising:

• a processing section operable to receive an input signal and to process the input signal to obtain at least one video object to be recorded;
• a generator operable to generate original chain information as a sequence of original cell information in such a manner that each original cell information specifies at least part of the at least one video object, obtained by said processing section, as a corresponding original cell, and to indicate a start portion and an end portion of the corresponding original cell;
• an instruction receiver operable to receive a user instruction;
• a recorder operable to record the at least one video object, obtained by said processing section, and the original chain information onto the index area of the optical disc;
• and
• a controller operable to control said processing section, said generator, and said recorder to conduct at least a virtual edit operation and/or a real edit operation, based on the user instruction received by said instruction receiver;
• wherein, when the user information indicates the virtual edit operation, said controller is operable to control said generator to generate user-defined chain information including a sequence of user-defined cell information such that each user-defined cell information specifies at least part of the at least one video object, obtained by said processing section, as a corresponding user-defined cell and to indicate a start portion and an end portion of the corresponding user-defined cell;
• and
• wherein a change of the user-defined chain information does not cause a change in the parts of the at least one video object specified by the sequence of user-defined cell information as the sequence of user-defined cells;
• wherein, when the user instruction indicates the real edit operation, said controller is operable to control said generator to update the original chain information by deleting and replacing the original chain information with a selected set of the user-defined chain information.

A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for use with a computer and an optical disc including a data area capable of storing at least one video object including the video data and an index area capable of storing chain information, said computer program comprising:

• processing instruction for instructing the computer to receive an input signal and processing input signal to obtain at least one video object to be recorded;
• generator instructions for instructing the computer to generate original chain information as a sequence of original cell information in such a manner that each original cell information specifies at least part of the at least one video object, obtained by said processing instructions, as a corresponding original cell, and indicate a start portion and an end portion of the corresponding original cell;
• user command instructions for instructing the computer to receive a user command;
• recorder instructions for instructing the computer to record the at least one video object obtained by said processing instructions and the original chain information onto the index area of the optical disc;
• and
• controller instructions for instructing the computer to conduct at least a virtual edit operation and/or a real edit operation, based on the user command received by said user command instructions;
• wherein, when the user command indicates the virtual edit operation, said controller instructions are operable for instructing the computer to generate user-defined chain information including a sequence of user-defined cell information such that each user-defined cell information specifies at least part of the at least one video object, obtained by said processing instructions, as a corresponding user-defined cell and indicates a start portion and an end portion of the corresponding user-defined cell;
• and
• wherein a change of the user-defined chain information does not cause a change in the parts of the at least one video object specified as the sequence of user-defined cells;
• wherein, when the user command indicates the real edit operation, said controller instructions are operable for instructing the computer to update the original chain information by deleting and replacing the original chain information with a selected set of the user-defined chain information.