Information record medium, apparatus for recording the same and apparatus for reproducing the same

An information record medium having a record track recorded with at least video information and audio information to be reproduced by a reproducing apparatus, which comprises a read means and reproduces said at least video and audio informations while relatively moving said read means along said record track, wherein:

• said at least video and audio informations and control information comprising access information to access said video and audio informations are recorded on said record track such that said video, audio and control informations are divided into a plurality of first data groups, each of which is a unit able to be accessed by said reproducing apparatus and each of which comprises said video, audio and control informations;
• and
• management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of said video and audio informations and (ii) a plurality of first selection prohibit informations each indicating a prohibition or a permission of selecting arbitrarily at least one of a plurality of streams of said audio information which correspond to one stream of said video information and among which a desired stream is to be selected and reproduced by said reproducing apparatus, for respective one of second data groups each of which comprises a plurality of said first data groups to be reproduced continuously by said reproducing apparatus in accordance with said reproduction procedure information, is collectively recorded at one portion of said record track for each of said second data groups, at a location where no video information is recorded,
• wherein the number of choices available to a viewer of what can be viewed or heard for the purpose of changing or selecting a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the selection prohibit informations.

An information record medium having a record track recorded with at least video information and sub picture information to be reproduced by a reproducing apparatus, which comprises a read means and reproduces said at least video and sub picture informations while relatively moving said read means along said record track, wherein:

• said at least video and sub picture informations and control information comprising access information to access said video and sub picture informations are recorded on said record track such that said video, sub picture and control informations are divided into a plurality of first data groups, each of which is a unit able to be accessed by said reproducing apparatus and each of which comprises said video, sub picture and control informations;
• and
• management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of said video and sub picture informations and (ii) a plurality of first selection prohibit informations each indicating a prohibition or a permission of selecting arbitrarily at least one of a plurality of streams of said sub picture information which correspond to one stream of said video information and among which a desired stream is to be selected and reproduced by said reproducing apparatus, for respective one of second data groups each of which comprises a plurality of said first data groups to be reproduced continuously by said reproducing apparatus in accordance with said reproduction procedure information, is collectively recorded at one portion of said record track for each of said second data groups, at a location where no video or sub picture informations are recorded,
• wherein the number of choices available to a viewer of what can be viewed or heard for the purpose of changing or selecting a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the selection prohibit informations.

An information recording apparatus for recording an information record medium having a record track recorded with at least video information to be reproduced by a reproducing apparatus, which comprises a read means and reproduces said at least video information while relatively moving said read means along said record track, said information recording apparatus comprising:

• an access information generation means for generating access information to access said video information in association with said video information;
• a record means for recording said at least video information and control information comprising said generated access information onto said record track such that said video and control informations are divided into a plurality of first data groups, each of which is a unit able to be accessed by said reproducing apparatus and each of which comprises said video and control informations, and for further recording management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of said video information and (ii) a plurality of first operation prohibit informations each indicating a prohibition or a permission of an operation by the reproducing apparatus for respective one of second data groups each of which comprises a plurality of said first data groups to be reproduced continuously by said reproducing apparatus in accordance with said reproduction procedure information, collectively at one portion of said record track for each of said second data groups, at a location where no video information is recorded;
• and
• an input means for inputting said first operation prohibit informations,
• wherein the number of reproduction operation control functions that a viewer can cause to operate to change a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the operation prohibit informations.

An information recording apparatus for recording an information record medium having a record track recorded with at least video information and audio information to be reproduced by a reproducing apparatus, which comprises a read means and reproduces said at least video and audio informations while relatively moving said read means along said record track, said information recording apparatus comprising:

• an access information generation means for generating access information to access said video and audio informations in association with said video and audio informations;
• a record means for recording said at least video and audio informations and control information comprising said generated access information onto said record track such that said video, audio and control informations are divided into a plurality of first data groups, each of which is a unit able to be accessed by said reproducing apparatus and each of which comprises said video, audio and control informations, and for further recording management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of said video and audio informations and (ii) a plurality of first selection prohibit informations each indicating a prohibition or a permission of selecting arbitrarily at least one of a plurality of streams of said audio information which correspond to one stream of said video information and among which a desired stream is to be selected and reproduced by said reproducing apparatus, for respective one of second data groups each of which comprises a plurality of said first data groups to be reproduced continuously by said reproducing apparatus in accordance with said reproduction procedure information, collectively at one portion of said record track for each of said second data groups, at a location where no video or audio informations are recorded;
• and
• an input means for inputting said first selection prohibit informations,
• wherein the number of choices available to a viewer of what can be viewed or heard for the purpose of changing or selecting a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the selection prohibit informations.

An information recording apparatus for recording an information record medium having a record track recorded with at least video information and sub picture information to be reproduced by a reproducing apparatus, which comprises a read means and reproduces said at least video and sub picture informations while relatively moving said read means along said record track, said information recording apparatus comprising:

• an access information generation means for generating access information to access said video and sub picture informations in association with said video and sub picture informations;
• a record means for recording said at least video and sub picture informations and control information comprising said generated access information onto said record track such that said video, sub picture and control informations are divided into a plurality of first data groups, each of which is a unit able to be accessed by said reproducing apparatus and each of which comprises said video, sub picture and control informations, and for further recording management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of said video and sub picture informations and (ii) a plurality of second selection prohibit informations each indicating a prohibition or a permission of selecting arbitrarily at least one of a plurality of streams of said sub picture information which correspond to one stream of said video information and among which a desired stream is to be selected and reproduced by said reproducing apparatus, for respective one of second data groups each of which comprises a plurality of said first data groups to be reproduced continuously by said reproducing apparatus in accordance with said reproduction procedure information, collectively at one portion of said record track for each of said second data groups, at a location where no video and sub picture informations are recorded;
• and
• an input means for inputting said second selection prohibit informations,
• wherein the number of choices available to a viewer of what can be viewed or heard for the purpose of changing or selecting a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the selection prohibit informations.

An information reproducing apparatus for reproducing an information record medium in which:

• at least video information and control information comprising access information to access said video information are recorded on a record track such that said video and control informations are divided into a plurality of first data groups, each of which is a unit able to be accessed and each of which comprises said video and control informations;
• and management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of said video information and (ii) a plurality of first operation prohibit informations each indicating a prohibition or a permission of an operation for respective one of second data groups each of which comprises a plurality of said first data groups to be reproduced continuously in accordance with said reproduction procedure information, is collectively recorded at one portion of said record track for each of said second data groups, at a location where no video information is recorded, said information reproducing apparatus comprising:
• a read means for reading information recorded at a predetermined read position on said record track and for reading said management information collectively recorded at said one portion of said record track, for each of said second data groups, where no video information is recorded;
• a reproduction means for reproducing the information read by said read means;
• a specification means for specifying an execution of the operation with respect to said information reproducing apparatus;
• and
• a control means for controlling at least one of said read means, said reproduction means and said specification means to execute the specified operation in case that the execution of the operation is specified by said specification means, and for further controlling at least one of said read means, said reproduction means and said specification means to reproduce said management information in advance of executing the specified operation and not to execute the specified operation in one second data group which prohibition of the operation is indicated by corresponding one of said first operation prohibit informations included in said reproduced management information,
• wherein the number of reproduction operation control functions that a viewer can cause to operate to change a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the operation prohibit informations.

An information reproducing apparatus for reproducing an information record medium in which:

• at least video information, audio information and control information comprising access information to access said video and audio informations are recorded on a record track such that said video, audio and control informations are divided into a plurality of first data groups, each of which is a unit able to be accessed and each of which comprises said video, audio and control informations;
• and management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of said video and audio informations and (ii) a plurality of first selection prohibit informations each indicating a prohibition or a permission of selecting arbitrarily at least one of a plurality of streams of said audio information which correspond to one stream of said video information and among which a desired stream is to be selected and reproduced, for respective one of second data groups each of which comprises a plurality of said first data groups to be reproduced continuously in accordance with said reproduction procedure information, is collectively recorded at one portion of said record track for each of said second data groups, at a location where no video or audio informations are recorded, said information reproducing apparatus comprising:
• a read means for reading information recorded at a predetermined read position on said record track and for reading said management information collectively recorded at said one portion of said record track for each of said second data groups, at a location where no video or audio informations are recorded;
• a reproduction means for reproducing the information read by said read means;
• a specification means for specifying the desired stream of said audio information with respect to said information reproducing apparatus;
• and
• a control means for controlling at least one of said read means, said reproduction means and said specification means to reproduce said specified desired stream of said audio information together with said one stream of said video information, and for further controlling at least one of said read means, said reproduction means and said specification means to reproduce said management information in advance of selecting or reproducing said specified desired stream of said audio information and not to select or reproduce one stream of said audio information which selection is prohibited by corresponding one of said first selection prohibit informations included in said reproduced management information,
• wherein the number of choices available to a viewer of what can be viewed or heard for the purpose of changing or selecting a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the selection prohibit informations.

An information reproducing apparatus for reproducing an information record medium in which:

• at least video information, sub picture information and control information comprising access information to access said video and sub picture informations are recorded on a record track such that said video, sub picture and control informations are divided into a plurality of first data groups, each of which is a unit able to be accessed and each of which comprises said video, sub picture and control informations;
• and management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of said video and sub picture informations and (ii) a plurality of second selection prohibit informations each indicating a prohibition or a permission of selecting arbitrarily at least one of a plurality of streams of said sub picture information which correspond to one stream of said video information and among which a desired stream is to be selected and reproduced, for respective one of second data groups each of which comprises a plurality of said first data groups to be reproduced continuously in accordance with said reproduction procedure information, is collectively recorded at one portion of said record track for each of said second data groups, at a location where no video or sub picture informations are recorded, said information reproducing apparatus comprising:
• a read means for reading information recorded at a predetermined read position on said record track and for reading said management information collectively recorded at said one portion of said record tract for each of said second data groups, at a location where no video or sub picture informations are recorded;
• a reproduction means for reproducing the information read by said read means;
• a specification means for specifying the desired stream of said sub picture information with respect to said information reproducing apparatus;
• and
• a control means for controlling at least one of said read means, said reproduction means and said specification means to reproduce said specified desired stream of said sub picture information together with said one stream of said video information, and for further controlling at least one of said read means, said reproduction means and said specification means to reproduce said management information in advance of selecting or reproducing said specified desired stream of said sub picture information and not to select or reproduce one stream of said sub picture information which selection is prohibited by corresponding one of said second selection prohibit informations included in said reproduced management information,
• wherein the number of choices available to a viewer of what can be viewed or heard for the purpose of changing or selecting a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the selection prohibit informations.

An information record medium to be reproduced by an information reproducing apparatus, comprising:

• object information divided into a plurality of first data groups, each of the first data groups including control information;
• at least one second data group which comprises a plurality of said first data groups;
• and
• management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of the object information and (ii) a plurality of first operation prohibit informations, each indicating a prohibition or a permission of a predetermined operation by the reproducing apparatus in response to a user's operation, is recorded at one portion of a record track of said record medium, at a location where no object information is recorded,
• wherein the number of reproduction operation control functions that a viewer can cause to operate to change a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the operation prohibit information.

An information record medium to be reproduced by an information reproducing apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of object information streams divided into a plurality of first data groups, each of the first data groups including control information and object information;
• at least one second data group which comprises a plurality of said first data groups;
• and
• management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of the object information and (ii) a plurality of selection prohibit informations, each indicating that selection of one of the plurality of the object information streams is prohibited or permitted, is recorded at one portion of a record track of said record medium at a location where no object information is recorded,
• wherein the number of choices available to a viewer of what can be viewed or heard for the purpose of changing or selecting a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the selection prohibit information.

An information recording apparatus for recording information on an information record medium, which is reproduced by an information reproducing apparatus, the information recording apparatus comprising:

• object information generating means for generating object information to be recorded;
• control information generating means for generating control information;
• management information generating means for generating management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of the object information and (ii) a plurality of first operation prohibit informations, each indicating a prohibition or a permission of a predetermined operation by the reproducing apparatus in response to a user's operation;
• and
• record means for recording the object information and the control information such that the object information and the control information form a plurality of first data groups, and for recording the management information at one portion of a record track of said record medium, at a location where no object information is recorded,
• wherein the number of reproduction operation control functions that a viewer can cause to operate to change a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the operation prohibit informations.

An information recording apparatus for recording information on an information record medium, which is reproduced by an information reproducing apparatus, the information recording apparatus comprising:

• object information generating means for generating object information;
• object information stream generating means for generating a plurality of object information streams;
• control information generating means for generating control information;
• management information generating means for generating management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of the object information and (ii) a plurality of selection prohibit informations, each indicating that selection of one of the plurality of object information streams is prohibited or permitted;
• and
• record means for recording the object information streams, the object information and the control information such that the object information streams, the object information and the control information form a plurality of first data groups, and for recording the management information at one portion of a record track of said record medium at a location where no object information or object informations streams are recorded,
• wherein the number of choices available to a viewer of what can be viewed or heard for the purpose of changing or selecting a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the selection prohibit information.

An information reproducing apparatus for reproducing information from an information record medium comprising:

• object information divided into a plurality of first data groups each including control information;
• at least one second data group which comprises a plurality of said first data groups;
• and
• management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of the object information and (ii) a plurality of first operation prohibit informations, each indicating a prohibition or a permission of a predetermined operation by the reproducing apparatus in response to a user's operation, is recorded at one portion of a record track of said record medium, at a location where no object information is recorded,
• the apparatus comprising:
• read means for reading information recorded on the record medium;
• reproduction means for reproducing the information read by the read means;
• instruction means for instructing the predetermined operation;
• detection means for detecting the management information from the information read by the read means and recorded at the one portion of a record track of said record medium, at a location where no object information is recorded;
• and
• control means for permitting the predetermined operation when the first operation prohibit information indicates that the operation is permitted, and for prohibiting the predetermined operation when the first operation prohibit information indicates that the operation is prohibited,
• wherein the number of reproduction operation control functions that a viewer can cause to operate to change a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the operation prohibit information.

An information reproducing apparatus for reproducing information from an information record medium comprising:

• a plurality of object information streams divided into a plurality of first data groups each including control information and object information;
• at least one second data group which comprises a plurality of said first data groups;
• and
• management information including (i) reproduction procedure information prescribing a reproduction procedure of the object information and (ii) a plurality of selection prohibit informations, each indicating that selection of one of the plurality of the object information streams is prohibited or permitted, is recorded at one portion of a record track of said record medium at a location where no object information streams are recorded, the apparatus comprising:
• read means for reading information recorded on the record medium;
• reproduction means for reproducing the information read by the read means;
• selection means for selecting one of the plurality of object information streams;
• detection means for detecting the management information from the information read by the read means and recorded at the one portion of a record track of said record medium at a location where no object information streams are recorded;
• and
• control means for controlling the reproduction means in order that selected object information stream is reproduced when the selection prohibit information indicates that the selection of corresponding object information stream is permitted, and for controlling the reproduction means in order that selected object information stream is not reproduced when the selection prohibit information indicates that the selection of corresponding object information stream is prohibited,
• wherein the number of choices available to a viewer of what can be viewed or heard for the purpose of changing or selecting a state of reproduction once the reproduction of recorded material has begun is controlled by manufacturer-presets of the selection prohibit information.