Method and apparatus for recording programs formed of picture and audio data, data recording medium having programs formed of picture and audio data recorded thereon, and method and apparatus for reproducing programs having picture and audio data

Apparatus for recording a time-division multiplexed bit stream of moving picture data and audio data arranged as one or more programs comprising:

• means for dividing the moving picture data into picture packets and for dividing the audio data into audio packets;
• entry point generating means for generation plural start access entry point data for the bit stream representing start entry points of said programs at which said programs are accessible each being recorded in a respective area containing plural tracks;
• recording means for recording program linkage information data representing linkage information between said programs and including information pertaining to the start of the first track of a respective program, information pertaining to the start of the last track of the respective program, and information pertaining to the end position of the last track of the respective program in a predetermined area on a recording medium, said program information data being recorded in a self-complete manner;
• and
• means for recording said start access entry point data in said recording medium.

A method of reproducing one or more programs from a recording medium, wherein each program includes moving picture data and audio data recorded as a time division multiplexed bit stream, said bit stream being divided into moving picture packets and audio packets, and wherein the recording medium has recorded thereon data representing access points of said programs, each being recorded in a respective area containing plural tracks, and program linkage information data representing linkage information between said programs and including information pertaining to the start of the first track of a respective program, information pertaining to the start of the last track of the respective program, and information pertaining to the end position of the last track of the respective program in a predetermined area on said recording medium, said program linkage information data being recorded therein in a self-complete manner, said method comprising the steps of generating an access command for accessing a number of said programs or portions thereof;

• reading the time division multiplexed bit stream or streams on the recording medium determined by said access command;
• separating the moving picture packets and the audio packets from the read bit stream or streams;
• and decoding said moving picture data and said audio data from the separated moving picture and audio packets, respectively.

Apparatus for reproducing one or more programs from a recording medium, wherein each program includes moving picture data and audio data recorded as a time division multiplexed bit stream, said bit stream being divided into moving picture packets and audio packets, and wherein the recording medium has recorded thereon data representing access points of said program, each being recorded in a respective area containing plural tracks, and program linkage information data representing linkage information between said programs and including information pertaining to the start of the first track of a respective program, information pertaining to the start of the last track of the respective program, and information pertaining to the end position of the last track of the respective program in a predetermined area on the recording medium, said program information data being recorded therein in a self-complete manner, said apparatus comprising:

• access command generating means for generating an access command to access a number of said programs or portions thereof;
• read-out means for reading the time division multiplexed bit stream or streams on the recording medium determined by said access command;
• separating means for separating the moving picture packets and the audio packets from the read-out bit stream or streams;
• and
• decoding means for decoding said moving picture data and said audio data from the separated moving picture and audio packets, respectively.