Abstract: The invention relates to a reproduction apparatus having a buffer for reducing the mean access time to an information carrier which has for example a discontinuous data structure or a relatively long access time. For writing sectors to the buffer and for finding sectors in the buffer, a control table with a number of place holders and three variables is provided, the place holders in each case pointing with an index to a subsequent place holder in an endless chain of place holders which is divided into three regions, in which a predetermined sector in the order in the respective region is identified by one of the variables. Even though only one row of place holders is provided, multiple access to a plurality of sectors written to the buffer is made possible with a low outlay by means of the control table, so that the number of slower accesses to the information carrier is reduced and the mean access time is shortened.

Abstract: A demodulator performs bit recovery in an asymmetric data channel, such as an optical recording media, by detecting runlength violations prior to demodulation, and correcting the detected runlength violations prior to the demodulation.

Abstract: A method for modifying data read from read-only media during playback time comprises logically merging the on-disc directory tree and an associated off-disc directory tree. A logical directory tree is constructed from the data retrieved from the read-only medium, wherein the structure of the logical directory tree is identical with the structure of the directory tree of the medium. The method allows replacing content on the disc through downloaded content, e.g. replacing an out-dated trailer stored on the disc through a downloaded trailer for a new movie. The method further allows complementing or upgrading content on the disc, e.g. by downloading a new subtitle track from the internet.

Abstract: A bit clock recovery apparatus for digital storage readout employing sync frames, where an oversampled readout signal is stored in memory, sync patterns are located in the signal using DSP means, distances of consecutive sync pattern locations are calculated, and bit clock is recovered from these distances and the knowledge about the data framing structure.

Abstract: Subtitling aims at the presentation of text information and graphical data, encoded as pixel bitmaps. The size of subtitle bitmaps may exceed video frame dimensions, so that only portions are displayed at a time. The bitmaps are a separate layer lying above the video, e.g. for synchronized video subtitles, animations and navigation menus, and therefore contain many transparent pixels. An advanced adaptation for bitmap encoding for HDTV, e.g. 1920×1280 pixels per frame as defined for the Blu-ray Disc Prerecorded format, providing optimized compression results for such subtitling bitmaps, is achieved by a four-stage run length encoding. Shorter or longer sequences of pixels of a preferred color, e.g. transparent, are encoded using the second or third shortest code words, while single pixels of different color are encoded using the shortest code words, and sequences of pixels of equal color use the third or fourth shortest code words.

Abstract: Compression parameter sets are stored in files separate from the main AV or transmitted separately and prior to any subsequent transmission of AV data. The scope of parameter set identifiers is limited to not more than a Program Chain. Either existing files are extended by including the compression parameter sets directly, or separate files containing the compression parameter sets are created. In order to support easy authoring of compound content, it is proposed to amend each compression parameter set or groups of such parameter sets with scope period information, which can be based on time stamps, on file names, or on sector numbers on the disc. It is additionally proposed to employ an indirect referencing mechanism, where parameter set identifiers are referring to secondary tables, and where the entries of secondary tables are defined to be themselves identifiers referring in turn to entries of a common parameter set table provided once.

Abstract: A comfortable method and device for searching databases are required. Thus, a database access concept including an interface descriptor is proposed. The interface descriptor may be a XML-file which describes interface categories and database access strategies. The database interface machine may comprise a standard category display method and a standard database access method. The database interface machine can use the definitions contained in the interface descriptor to set up a categorized interface to the database and to perform complete database searches.

Abstract: The invention relates to an MPEG video recording medium and a reproduction apparatus for the reconstruction of missing data sequences of a video data stream. Scratches and other defects of the recording medium cause interruptions or disturbances in the data stream read from the recording medium, which can be corrected only to a limited extent by conventional error correction methods, such as the Reed-Solomon Code, for example. Therefore, an MPEG video recording medium is provided on which, with respect to an original I frame, at least one copy or a similar I frame is recorded on the recording medium for the reconstruction of missing or erroneous data sequences of a video data stream. The replacement I frames are arranged in the outer area, intermittently or within a predetermined area in the program area on the recording medium and do not influence the reproduction of the recording medium on conventional reproduction apparatuses.

Abstract: A method for handling defects on a recording medium which deteriorate an adaptive bit recovery process is proposed. The method for handling defects on a recording medium during bit recovery from the recording medium, whereby a data stream read from the recording medium is processed by an adaptive bit recovery means, includes the steps of: storing fallback values for the adaptive bit recovery means a fallback register during processing of the data stream and updating the adaptive bit recovery means with the stored fallback values for recovering from an incorrect adaptation or for restarting after processing of a defect.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reproduction apparatus having a buffer for reducing the mean access time to an information carrier which has for example a discontinuous data structure or a relatively long access time. For writing sectors to the buffer and for finding sectors in the buffer, a control table with a number of place holders and three variables is provided, the place holders in each case pointing with an index to a subsequent place holder in an endless chain of place holders which is divided into three regions, in which a predetermined sector in the order in the respective region is identified by one of the variables. Even though only one row of place holders is provided, multiple access to a plurality of sectors written to the buffer is made possible with a low outlay by means of the control table, so that the number of slower accesses to the information carrier is reduced and the mean access time is shortened.

Abstract: Networks, particularly home networks, may be implemented using peer-to-peer technology. To relieve the user from administrative tasks, some configuration routines for such networks may be automated. Therefore a peer-group selects one of its peers as negotiation peer, having the task to communicate with single other peers or negotiation peers from other peer-groups. When adding or removing single peers, or merging or splitting peer-groups, the group label is usually modified. But it may be advantageous to keep the group label, especially if that label is known to other peer-groups. If a new peer-group in a peer-to-peer network is created by merging or splitting other peer-groups, a method for selecting a group label for the new peer-group comprises determining a negotiation peer, exchanging information between the negotiation peers in the case of merging, comparing features of the two peer-groups and based on the comparison assigning the label of one of the peer-groups to the new peer-group.

Abstract: A method for bit recovery in a data channel includes the steps of: inputting a read channel signal, providing a main signal processor for adaptive bit recovery from the read channel signal, providing an auxiliary signal processor for bit recovery from the read channel signal, using an output of the auxiliary signal processor for adaptation of the main signal processor, and outputting a recovered binary bit stream.

Abstract: A method for storing additional data relating to menu data, particularly to thumbnail pictures, on optical media, e.g. Blu-ray discs, complies with the current standard for Blu-ray rewritable discs, which allows storage of content management information, e.g. thumbnail picture data, on dedicated locations on the disc. The method includes using relevant standardized files on the disc and relevant standardized parameters for accessing the data. In particular, the remaining part at the end of a data block within the thumbnail data file is used for storing additional data relating to the corresponding thumbnail picture data. The additional data can be used e.g. for further menu processing, or any form of content management.

Abstract: A demodulator performs bit recovery in an asymmetric data channel, such as an optical recording media, by detecting runlength violations prior to demodulation, and correcting the detected runlength violations prior to the demodulation.

Abstract: A method for bit recovery in an asymmetric data channel, the method comprising the steps of: providing a non-linear equalization filter with two coefficient sets; using the non-linear equalization filter with a first coefficient set for compensating defects of a first type of transition between different storage states; and using the non-linear equalization filter with a second coefficient set for compensating defects of a second type of transition between different storage states.

Abstract: The invention proposes a method for reverse playback of a digital data stream representing video information. The information is stored in an Intra picture coded format followed by several Non-Intra coded pictures. For reverse playback n sectors are jumped back from the actual scanning position. The location of the n sectors is read in forward direction. A sector location list is created. The sector location list is resorted to a reverse order. The position of sector stream is parsed according to the sector location list in order to find appropriate position of start codes of the video information. Digital data stream from position of start codes is delivered to a following processing unit.

Abstract: Metadata databases shall be cleaned regularly. Those metadata which are not utilized as index information of essence anymore should be deleted. Thus, there is provided a method and a device to save the selected metadata as essence. This means that metadata seleceted by a graphical user interface are converted into a new essence by taking over the MD-essence of the metadata into the new essence. The user may find further essence data on the basis of the MD-link of the selected metadata which could be added to new essence.

Abstract: The invention relates to assigning a first absolute time value to an entry point, the entry point being located at a first position in a data stream sequence, the data stream having data packets with relative time stamps. A second absolute time value is provided for a second position of the data stream sequence. The absolute time value is determined for the entry point based on the second absolute time value and the relative time stamps of data packets between the first and second positions.

Abstract: According to the invention every asset (metadata or essence) is labelled with a unique identifier and with the last action applied to this asset.

Abstract: The present invention relates to propagation of metadata items 5 to recording media 1, 2 and/or to devices 3, 4 for reading from and/or writing to recording media.