Optical disc, recording apparatus, a computer-readable storage medium storing a recording program, and a recording method

A recording apparatus for use with an optical disc and an input signal including video data and audio data, said recording apparatus comprising:

• an encoder operable to encode the input signal received from outside said recording apparatus so as to successively output encoded sets of picture data and encoded sets of audio data;
• a multiplexer operable to successively generate video object units that compose a video object by successively multiplexing one or more sets of picture data outputted by said encoder with one or more sets of audio data outputted by said encoder such that each video object unit generated by said multiplexer has a length within a predetermined range and includes one or more complete sets of picture data, and audio data divided into audio packs, each audio pack including audio data of one or more complete audio frames and no audio data of incomplete audio frames;
• and
• a recorder operable to record the video object units generated by said multiplexer onto the optical disc as a video object.

An optical disc recording video objects that are each obtained by multiplexing an encoded video stream including a plurality of sets of picture data and at least one encoded audio stream including a plurality of sets of audio frame data, each set of picture data being a unit for decoding the video stream, each set of audio frame data being a unit for decoding the audio stream, and one or more recording areas on the disc being managed as a file,

• each of said video objects being divided into a plurality of video object units, each of which includes complete sets of picture data that can be independently decoded and one or more sets of audio frame data, said video object units being recorded as aligned portions in sequence within said file, characterized in that
• each of said video object units is divided into a plurality of packs, a pack being a unit for reading/writing data from/on said disc,
• said one or more sets of audio frame data are arranged into audio packs out of said plurality of packs such that each of said audio packs includes audio data of one or more complete audio frames, an audio frame being audio data that can be independently decoded, but does not include audio data of incomplete audio frames, and
• when audio frame data to be stored in a pack is shorter than the length of the pack, one of a padding packet and stuffing byte(s) is inserted into the pack.

A recording method for recording a video object obtained as a series of video object units by multiplexing an encoded video stream including a plurality of sets of picture data and at least one encoded audio stream including a plurality of sets of audio frame data, each set of picture data being a unit for decoding the video stream, each set of audio frame data being a unit for decoding the audio stream, each video object unit including complete sets of picture data that can be independently decoded and one or more sets of audio frame data, the method comprising the steps of:

• encoding input signals received from outside to successively generate sets of picture data and sets of audio frame data;
• successively multiplexing the generated sets of picture data and audio frame data to successively generate a series of video object units that comprise a video object;
• recording the video object in one or more recording areas managed as a file using a file system program with the video object units being recorded as aligned portions in sequence within the file, characterized in that each video object unit has a length within a predetermined range and stores sets of picture data that can be independently completely decoded and one or more sets of audio frame data, the method further comprising dividing each of said video object units into a plurality of packs, a pack being a unit for reading/writing data from/on said disc;
• arranging said one or more sets of audio frame data into audio packs out of said plurality of packs such that each of said audio packs includes audio data of one or more complete audio frames, an audio frame being audio data that can be independently decoded, but does not include audio data of incomplete audio frames;
• and
• monitoring the length of the audio frame data and when audio frame data to be stored in a pack is shorter than the length of the pack, inserting one of a padding packet and stuffing byte(s) into the pack.

A recording apparatus for recording a video object obtained as a series of video object units by multiplexing an encoded video stream including a plurality of sets of picture data and at least one encoded audio stream including a plurality of sets of audio frame data, each set of picture data being a unit for decoding the video stream, each set of audio frame data being a unit for decoding the audio stream, each video object unit including complete sets of picture data that can be independently decoded and one or more sets of audio frame data, the apparatus comprising:

• means for encoding input signals received from outside to successively generate sets of picture data and sets of audio frame data;
• means for successively multiplexing the generated sets of picture data and audio frame data to successively generate a series of video object units that comprise a video object;
• means for recording the video object in one or more recording areas managed as a file using a file system program with the video object units being recorded as aligned portions in sequence within the file, characterized in that each video object unit has a length within a predetermined range and stores sets of picture data that can be independently completely decoded and one or more sets of audio frame data, the apparatus further comprising means for dividing each of said video object units into a plurality of packs, a pack being a unit for reading/writing data from/on said disc;
• means for arranging said one or more sets of audio frame data into audio packs out of said plurality of packs such that each of said audio packs includes audio data of one or more complete audio frames, an audio frame being audio data that can be independently decoded, but does not include audio data of incomplete audio frames;
• and
• means for monitoring the length of the audio frame data and activating means for inserting one of a padding packet and stuffing byte(s) into the pack when audio frame data to be stored in a pack is shorter than the length of the pack.