Method and apparatus for generating information signal to be recorded

A method of reproducing an information signal, comprising the steps of:

• reproducing an AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal generated by multiplexing (1) a compressively-encoding-resultant video signal resulting from compressively encoding a video signal, (2) a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal resulting from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, (3) a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and (4) an indication timing information signal based on the reference clock information signal and designating an indication timing of the video signal;
• reproducing the video signal from the reproduced AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal;
• reproducing a substitution playback audio signal to reproduce a second audio signal, the substitution playback audio signal being generated by (1) compressively encoding the second audio signal to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and (2) adding a sound-production-timing information signal to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, the sound-production-timing information signal designating a sound production timing of the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal;
• deriving the reference clock information signal and the indication timing information signal from the reproduced AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal;
• deriving the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal from the reproduced AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal;
• decoding the derived compressively-encoding-resultant video signal to get a decoding-resultant video signal;
• supplying the decoding-resultant video signal as an output video signal in response to the derived reference clock information signal and the derived indication timing information signal;
• deriving the sound-production-timing information signal and the second audio signal from the reproduced substitution playback audio signal;
• supplying the derived second audio signal as an output audio signal in response to the derived reference clock information signal and the derived sound-production-timing information signal;
• comparing the reference clock information signal and the indication timing information signal to get a first comparison result;
• supplying the video signal as an indication-purpose signal in accordance with the first comparison result;
• comparing the reference clock information signal and the sound-production-timing information signal to get a second comparison result;
• and
• supplying the second audio signal as a sound-production-purpose signal in accordance with the second comparison result.

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

• generating a main AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal by multiplexing (1) a compressively-encoding-resultant video signal which results from compressively encoding a video signal, (2) a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal which results from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, (3) a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and (4) an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal on the basis of the reference clock information signal;
• generating a substitution playback audio signal by (1) compressively encoding a second audio signal to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and (2) adding a sound-production-timing information signal to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, the sound-production-timing information signal designating a sound production timing of the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal on the basis of the reference clock information signal, wherein the second audio signal can be reproduced instead of the first audio signal;
• generating a substitution AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal as a signal for reproducing the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal together with the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal;
• feeding the substitution AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal to a transmission line;
• deriving the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal from the substitution playback audio signal;
• and
• replacing the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal in the main AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal with the derived second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to change the main AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal into the substitution AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal before feeding the substitution AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal to the transmission line.

An apparatus for generating an information signal to be recorded, comprising:

• means for multiplexing (1) a compressively-encoding-resultant video signal resulting from compressively encoding a video signal, (2) a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal resulting from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, (3) a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and (4) an indication timing information signal based on the reference clock information signal and designating an indication timing of the video signal to get an AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal;
• means for generating a second audio signal;
• means for compressively encoding the second audio signal to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal;
• and
• means for adding a sound-production-timing information signal to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to get a substitution playback audio signal which can be reproduced instead of the first audio signal while being synchronous with the video signal during playback, the sound-production-timing information signal being based on the reference clock information signal and relating to synchronization with the video signal.

An apparatus for reproducing an information signal, comprising:

• means for reproducing an AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal generated by multiplexing (1) a compressively-encoding-resultant video signal which results from compressively encoding a video signal, (2) a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal which results from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, (3) a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and (4) an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal;
• means for reproducing the video signal from the reproduced AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal;
• means for reproducing a substitution playback audio signal to reproduce a second audio signal, the substitution playback audio signal being generated by (1) compressively encoding the second audio signal to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and (2) adding a sound-production-timing information signal to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, the sound-production-timing information signal designating a sound production timing of the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, wherein the second audio signal can be reproduced instead of the first audio signal;
• means for deriving the reference clock information signal and the indication timing information signal from the reproduced AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal;
• means for deriving the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal from the reproduced AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal;
• means for decoding the derived compressively-encoding-resultant video signal to get a decoding-resultant video signal;
• means for supplying the decoding-resultant video signal as an output video signal in response to the derived reference clock information signal and the derived indication timing information signal;
• means for deriving the sound-production-timing information signal and the second audio signal from the reproduced substitution playback audio signal;
• and
• means for supplying the derived second audio signal as an output audio signal in response to the derived reference clock information signal and the derived sound-production-timing information signal.

An apparatus for transmitting an information signal, comprising:

• means for generating a main AV (Audio Visuafl multiplexing-resultant signal by multiplexing (1) a compressively-encoding-resultant video signal which results from compressively encoding a video signal, (2) a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal which results from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, (3) a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and (4) an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal on the basis of the reference clock information signal;
• means for generating a substitution playback audio signal by (1) compressively encoding a second audio signal to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and (2) adding a sound-production-timing information signal to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, the sound-production-timing information signal designating a sound production timing of the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal on the basis of the reference clock information signal, wherein the second audio signal can be reproduced instead of the first audio signal;
• means for generating a substitution AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal as a signal for reproducing the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal together with the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal;
• means for feeding the substitution AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal to a transmission line;
• means for deriving the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal from the substitution playback audio signal;
• and
• means for replacing the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal in the main AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal with the derived second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to change the main AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal into the substitution AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal before feeding the substitution AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal to the transmission line.

A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for transmitting an information signal, the computer program comprising the steps of:

• generating a main AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal by multiplexing (1) a compressively-encoding-resultant video signal which results from compressively encoding a video signal, (2) a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal which results from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, (3) a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and (4) an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal on the basis of the reference clock information signal;
• generating a substitution playback audio signal by (1) compressively encoding a second audio signal to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and (2) adding a sound-production-timing information signal to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, the sound-production-timing information signal designating a sound production timing of the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal on the basis of the reference clock information signal, wherein the second audio signal can be reproduced instead of the first audio signal;
• generating a substitution AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal as a signal for reproducing the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal together with the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal;
• feeding the substitution AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal to a transmission line;
• deriving the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal from the substitution playback audio signal;
• and
• replacing the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal in the main AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal with the derived second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to change the main AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal into the substitution AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal before feeding the substitution AV (Audio Visual) multiplexing-resultant signal to the transmission line.