Method of and apparatus for merging bit streams for seamless reproduction, and recording medium for recording control information for bit stream merging

A method of reproducing a merged bit stream into which a plurality of bit streams are merged by a recording/editing/reproducing apparatus, into which time information units are inserted at predetermined intervals in synchronization with time information counted by the recording/editing/reproducing apparatus, the method comprising;

• starting a counter and outputting a counted value;
• reproducing one of the plurality of bit streams having an inserted time information unit which matches the counted value;
• determining whether the SCR control information representing that a first time information unit of a next bit stream of the plurality of bit streams is temporally discontinuous, with respect to a last time information unit of the one bit stream, exists at a boundary between the one bit stream and the next bit stream;
• resetting the output value of the counter to correspond to the time information unit of the next bit stream if the temporal discontinuity exists;
• and
• seamlessly reproducing the next bit stream by matching the inserted time information unit of the next bit stream with the reset counted value.

An apparatus for reproducing merged a bit stream into which a plurality of bit streams are merged on a recording medium by a recording/editing/reproducing apparatus and into which SCR control information is inserted, the apparatus comprising:

• a buffer which reads one of the plurality of bit streams from the recording medium on a packet-by-packet basis and temporarily stores the packets of the read bit stream;
• a reproduction processor which converts the one bit stream received from the buffer into audio or video;
• a counter which outputs a counted value corresponding to timing information;
• and
• a reproduction controller which:
• controls transmission of the packets stored in the buffer to the reproduction processor if the counted value is the same as an SCR value of the packet stored in the buffer, and
• resets the counted value of the counter if the SCR control information representing that the SCR values are temporally discontinuous is read from a boundary of the bit streams which are merged, thereby accomplishing reproduction of the merged bit stream.

A method of reproducing merged first and second program streams, each program stream comprising a packetized elementary stream and a system clock reference value, wherein the value of the system clock reference of the second stream is a different value from a normally expected value based on the system clock reference value of the first program stream and wherein control information exists at a boundary between the first and second program streams indicating that the system clock reference value of the second program stream is different from the normally expected value, the method comprising:

• starting a counter and outputting a counted value corresponding to timing information;
• reproducing the first program stream based on matching the counted value with the system clock reference value of the first program stream;
• determining whether the control information exists at the boundary indicating that the system clock reference value of the second program stream is the different value;
• resetting the output value of the counter to correspond to the different value if the control information exists at the boundary;
• reproducing the second program stream based on matching the reset counted value with the system clock reference value of the second program stream.

An apparatus for reproducing merged first and second program streams, each program stream comprising a packetized elementary stream and a system clock reference value, wherein a value of the system clock reference of the second stream is a value different from a value normally expected based on the system clock reference value of the first program stream and wherein control information exists at a boundary between the first and second program streams indicating that the system clock reference value of the second program stream is different from the normally expected value, the apparatus comprising:

• a counter which outputs a counted value corresponding to timing information;
• and
• a controller which:
• reproduces the first program stream based on matching the counted value with the system clock reference value of the first program stream,
• determines whether the control information exists at the boundary,
• resets the output value of the counter to correspond to the system clock reference value of the second program stream if the control information exists indicating that the system clock reference value of the second program stream is the different value, and
• reproduces the second program stream based on matching the reset counted value with the system clock reference value of the second program stream.