Recording medium having a first area for storing an audio title set and a second area for storing a still picture set and apparatus for processing the recorded information

An audio signal encoding apparatus comprising:

• first means for converting an analog audio signal into corresponding audio data of a digital form;
• and
• second means for generating second data of a data structure in response to the audio data generated by the first means;
• wherein the data structure comprises:
• an audio title set (ATS) containing a plurality of audio objects (AOB);
• and
• a still-picture set (SPS);
• the audio objects (AOB) including a first audio object and a second audio object, the first audio object consisting of first packs having real data being pieces of audio data, the second audio object including first packs having real data being pieces of the audio data and second packs having real data being real-time information data relating to the audio data;
• the still-picture set (SPS) including a third pack containing still-picture data relating to the audio data;
• the audio title set (ATS) including audio title set information (ATSI) containing first control information (ATS-PGCIT) for successively reproducing the audio objects (AOB) in a prescribed reproduction order;
• the audio title set information (ATSI) including second control information (SPCIT) for page control of the still-picture data in the still-picture set (SPS).

An apparatus for decoding a signal recorded on the recording medium comprising:

• first means for decoding audio title set information (ATSI) into second control information (SPCIT) for page control of still-picture data, the audio title set information (ATSI) being in an audio title set (ATS) recorded on the recording medium;
• second means for decoding first and second packs in the audio title set (ATS) recorded on the recording medium, and a third pack being in a still-picture set (SPS) recorded on the recording medium into audio data, real time information data and still-picture data, respectively;
• and
• third means for controlling and outputting the still-picture data generated by the second means in response to the second control information (SPCIT) generated by the first means.

A decoding apparatus for a signal recorded on a recording medium comprising:

• first means for decoding audio title set information (ATSI) into second control information (SPCIT) for page control of still-picture data, the audio title set information (ATSI) being in an audio title set (ATS) recorded on the recording medium;
• second means for extracting n playback information lists (PBI#1-#n) and m playback search pointers (PBI-SRP#1-#m) containing information pieces about display modes of still-picture data from the second control information (SPCIT) generated by the first means, wherein m denotes a first natural number and n denotes a second natural number equal to or smaller than the first natural number;
• third means for decoding first and second packs in the audio title set (ATS) recorded on the recording medium, and a third pack being in a still-picture set (SPS) recorded on the recording medium into audio data, real time information data and still-picture data;
• and
• fourth means for outputting the still-picture data generated by the third means in response to the display modes, the playback information lists (PBI#1-#n), and the playback search pointers (PBI-SRP#1-#m) extracted by the second means.

A method of transmitting an audio signal, comprising the steps of:

• converting an analog audio signal into corresponding audio data of a digital form;
• generating second data of a data structure in response to the audio data;
• packetizing the second data into a packet signal;
• and
• transmitting the packet signal via a communication line;
• wherein the data structure comprises:
• an audio title set (ATS) containing a plurality of audio objects (AOB);
• and
• a still-picture set (SPS);
• the audio objects (AOB) including a first audio object and a second audio object, the first audio object consisting of first packs having real data being pieces of audio data, the second audio object including first packs having real data being pieces of the audio data and second packs having real data being real-time information data relating to the audio data;
• the still-picture (SPS) including a third pack containing still-picture data relating to the audio data;
• the audio title set (ATS) including audio title set information (ATSI) containing first control information (ATS-PGCIT) for successively reproducing the audio objects (AOB) in a prescribed reproduction order;
• the audio title set information (ATSI) including second control information (SPCIT) for page control of the still-picture data in the still-picture set (SPS).

A compter product having a computer program containing instructions for executing the steps of:

• converting an analog audio signal into corresponding audio data of a digital form;
• and
• generating second data of a data structure in response to the audio data;
• wherein the data structure comprises:
• an audio title set (ATS) containing a plurality of audio objects (AOB);
• and
• a still-picture set (SPS);
• the audio objects (AOB) including a first audio object and a second audio object, the first audio object consisting of first packs having real data being pieces of audio data, the second audio object including first packs having real data being pieces of the audio data and second packs having real data being real-time information data relating to the audio data;
• the still-picture set (SPS) including a third pack containing still-picture data relating to the audio data;
• the audio title set (ATS) including audio title set information (ATSI) containing first control information (ATS-PGCIT) for successively reproducing the audio objects (AOB) in a prescribed reproduction order;
• the audio title set information (ATSI) including second control information (SPCIT) for page control of the still-picture data in the still-picture set (SPS).

A computer product containing a program for decoding a signal recorded on a recording medium, the computer program including program code for executing the steps of:

• a) decoding audio title set information (ATSI) into second control information (SPCIT) for page control of still-picture data, the audio title set information (ATSI) being in an audio title set (ATS) recorded on the recording medium;
• b) decoding first and second packs in the audio title set (ATS) recorded on the recording medium, and a third pack in a still-picture set (SPS) recorded on the recording medium into audio data, real time information data and still-picture data;
• and
• c) controlling and outputting the still-picture data generated by step b) in response to the second control information (SPCIT) generated by step a).

A computer product containing a program for decoding a signal recorded on the recording medium, the computer program including computer code for executing the steps of:

• a) decoding audio title set information (ATSI) into second control information (SPCIT) for page control of still-picture data, the audio title set information (ATSI) being in an audio title set (ATS) recorded on the recording medium;
• b) extracting n playback information lists (PBI#1-#n) and m playback search pointers (PBI-SRP#1-#m) containing display modes of still-picture data from the second control information (SPCIT) generated by the step a), wherein m denotes a first natural number and n denotes a second natural number equal to or smaller than the first natural number;
• c) decoding first and second packs in the audio title set (ATS) recorded on the recording medium, and a third pack in a still picture set (SPS) recorded on the recording medium into audio data, real time information data and still-picture data;
• and
• d) outputting the still-picture data generated by the step c) in response to the display modes, the playback information lists (PBI#1-#n), and the playback search pointers (PBI-SRP#1-#m) extracted by the step b).

A decoding apparatus for a signal recorded on a recording medium comprising:

• first means for decoding audio title set information (ATSI) into second control information (SPCIT) for page control of still-picture data, the audio title set information (ATSI) being in an audio title set (ATS) recorded on the recording medium;
• second means for extracting n playback information lists (PBI#1-#n) and m playback search pointers (PBI-SRP#1-#m) containing information pieces about display modes of still-picture data from the second control information (SPCIT) generated by the first means, wherein m denotes a first natural number and n denotes a second natural number equal to or smaller than the first natural number;
• third means for decoding first, second, and third packs into audio data, real-time information data, and still-picture data, the first and second packs being in the audio title set (ATS) recorded on the recording medium, the third pack being in a still-picture set (SPS) recorded on the recording medium;
• fourth means for outputting the audio data generated by the third means;
• and
• fifth means for outputting the still-picture data generated by the third means in response to the display modes, the playback information lists (PBI#1-#n), and the playback search pointers (PBI-SRP#1-#m) extracted by the second means, and in synchronism with the audio data outputted by the fourth means.

A computer program product for decoding a signal recorded on a recording medium, the computer program product including program code for executing the steps of:

• a) decoding audio title set information (ATSI) into a second control information (SPCIT) for page control of still-picture data, the audio title set information (ATSI) being in an audio title set (ATS) recorded on the recording medium;
• b) extracting n playback information lists (PBI#1-#n) and m playback search pointers (PBI-SRP#1-#m) containing information pieces about display modes of still-picture data from the second control information (SPCIT) generated from step a), wherein m denotes a first natural number and n denotes a second natural number equal to or smaller than the first natural number;
• c) decoding first and second packs stored in the audio title set (ATS) recorded on the recording medium, and a third pack stored in a still-picture set (SPS) recorded on the recording medium to derive audio data, real-time information data and still-picture data;
• d) outputting the audio data generated from step c);
• and
• e) outputting the still-picture data generated from step c) in response to the display modes, the playback information lists (PBI#1-#n), and the playback search pointers (PBI-SRP#1-#m) extracted by step b), and in synchronism with the audio data outputted by step d).