Unlocking an audiovisual product
AssigneeZoo Digital Limited
InventorStuart Green
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Access to an audiovisual product 40 is controlled by requiring a user to enter an access code 80. The audiovisual product 40 comprises cells 420 of data whose playback sequence is controlled by a plurality of sequence instructions 410 each having a predetermined structure location within the audiovisual product. A destination function is applied to the access code 80, in order to calculate a destination structure location. Jumping to the calculated location leads to a sequence instruction (e.g. a PGC—Program Chain) to initiate playback of the audiovisual product (e.g. a DVD-Video product).
Claims27
A method for use in reproducing an audiovisual product, wherein the audiovisual product has plurality of cells of audiovisual data whose playback is controlled by a plurality of sequence instructions, and wherein each of the sequence instructions has a predetermined structure location within the audiovisual product, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving an access code;
- calculating a destination structure location within the audiovisual product by applying a destination function to the access code, said destination function being embedded in the audiovisual data;
- and
- jumping to the calculated destination structure location to thereby select a said sequence instruction corresponding to that location;
- wherein the destination function is structured and arranged such that, in the case that the received access code is a correct access code, the calculated destination structure location corresponds to a correct sequence instruction corresponding to a correct playback sequence, and in the case that the access code is not a correct access code, the calculated destination structure location corresponds to a different structure location which does not correspond to a correct sequence instruction.
A method for use in creating an audiovisual product, comprising the steps of:
- receiving audiovisual data intended for playback according to an original content sequence;
- dividing the audiovisual data into a plurality of cells;
- creating a plurality of sequence instructions each representing a playback sequence for playing back the cells in a specified order;
- allocating the plurality of sequence instructions each to one of a plurality of structural locations within the audiovisual product;
- producing a destination function operable, based on an access code, to calculate a destination structural location amongst the plurality of structural locations and thereby select one amongst the plurality of sequence instructions, wherein in the case that a received access code is a correct access code, the calculated destination structure location corresponds to a correct sequence instruction corresponding to a correct playback sequence, and in the case that the access code is not a correct access code, the calculated destination structure location corresponds to a different structure location which does not correspond to a correct sequence instruction;
- and
- embedding said destination function in the audiovisual data.
An authoring apparatus for creating an audiovisual product, the apparatus being arranged for:
- receiving audiovisual data for playback according to an original content sequence;
- dividing the audiovisual data;
- creating a plurality of sequence instructions each representing a playback sequence for playing back the divided audiovisual data in a specified order;
- locating the plurality of sequence instructions each at one of a plurality of structural locations within the audiovisual product;
- and
- producing a destination function operable, based on an access code, to calculate a destination structural location amongst the plurality of structural locations and thereby select one amongst the plurality of sequence instructions, wherein in the case that a received access code is a correct access code, the calculated destination structure location corresponds to a correct sequence instruction corresponding to a correct playback sequence, and in the case that the access code is not a correct access code, the calculated destination structure location corresponds to a different structure location which does not correspond to a correct sequence instruction;
- and
- embedding said destination function in the audiovisual data.
An Audiovisual product recorded on a recording medium comprising:
- a plurality of sequence instructions recorded on the recording medium, each being located at any of a plurality of structural locations within the audiovisual product;
- audiovisual data whose playback is controlled by the plurality of sequence instructions;
- and
- a destination function structured and arranged as executable code for a playback device, which when executed by a playback device will, based on an access code, calculate a destination structural location and thereby direct the playback device to select on of the plurality of sequence instructions, wherein in the case that a received access code is a correct access code, the calculated destination structure location corresponds to a correct sequence instruction corresponding to a correct playback sequence, and in the case that the access code is not a correct access code, the calculated destination structure location corresponds to a different structure location which does not correspond to a correct sequence instruction, said function being embedded within the audiovisual data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.