Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for facilitating fast-forwarding by viewers through a first-run program beyond the current broadcast point. In one embodiment, the first-run program is distributed before its scheduled publication time, and may be viewed at any time after the publication time. In a second embodiment, content is distributed on or after the publication time, but at a rate greater than the normal viewing rate. In a third embodiment, content is distributed on demand after the publication time by a media distribution server. In a fourth embodiment, a viewer participating in a multicast session of the content requests content beyond the current broadcast point. The viewer is switched to a unicast session, and the requested content is transmitted to the viewer. In alternative embodiments, a release code may be provided to control the time after which the viewer will be permitted to view program segments beyond the current broadcast point.

Abstract: A content recording apparatus (10) includes an MPEG-4 codec (34). Compressed motion image data output from the MPEG-4 codec (34) in photographing a motion image is a motion image content which expresses a continuous change with time and has an I frame allocated intermittently. A CPU (40) records the compressed motion image data onto a recording medium (38). The CPU (40) also creates motion image index data pointing each frame of the compressed motion image data output from the MPEG-4 codec (34) in parallel with the compression operation by the MPEG-4 codec (34). The created motion image index data is recorded onto the recording medium (38) by the CPU (40) every time that the I frame is specified.

Abstract: A closed caption tagging system provides a mechanism for inserting tags into an audio or video television broadcast stream prior to or at the time of transmission. The receiver receives the broadcast stream and detects and processes the tags within the broadcast stream which is stored on a storage device that resides on the receiver. The tags contain command and control information that the receiver translates and acts upon. A one-touch recording option is provided. An icon is displayed to the viewer telling the viewer that an advertised program is available for recording at a future time. The viewer presses a single button on an input device causing the receiver to schedule the program for recording.

Abstract: A rotation speed control apparatus for a disk recorder is provided, which includes a buffer monitor and a rotation speed decision maker. According to the amount of data in the buffer, the buffer monitor outputs a buffer data. According to the buffer data, the rotation speed decision maker outputs a disk-rotation-speed signal. According to the disk-rotation-speed signal, the disk recording speed of an optical storage system is adjusted by the rotation speed control apparatus to avoid disk recording interruption due to lack of buffer data.

Abstract: A method for optimizing a scheduler for an optical pick-up reduces the pick-up jump frequency and the initial start-up time for reproduction. The pick-up reads data streams from different files on an optical storage medium, e.g. Blu-Ray disc, and buffers the data streams in separate buffers, e.g. for video, audio and subtitles. Buffer sizes are optimized when the video buffer is as small as possible, i.e. large enough to bridge the pick-up access and read times for the other streams, and the buffers the lower rated streams are extended such that the pick-up access frequency for lower rated streams is an integer multiple of the pick-up access frequency for the highest rated stream, usually the video stream. Initial start-up time is minimized by filling the buffers initially only to a minimum required level.

Abstract: A portable recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing data to and/or from a storage medium are provided. The medium has a data area and a management area. The data area stores data and the management area stores management information for managing the data. The apparatus includes stopping means for stopping reproduction of the data according to a user's input. Updating means for updates the management information so that an address of the storage medium corresponding to the stop position of the reproduced data determined by the user's input becomes the end address of the reproduced data.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus comprises an image extraction module, an image list display process module, and a playback module. The image extraction module extracts a plurality of representative images from a sequence of video content data, and outputs time stamp information which is indicative of a time point at which each of the plurality of extracted representative images appears in the video content data. The image list display process module displays, on a display area, a list of representative images appearing in a period from a start position to a predetermined display constraining position of the sequence of the video content data among the plurality of extracted representative images, and constrains the display of the representative images appearing after the display constraining position among the plurality of representative images. The playback module plays back the video content data in response to input of a playback request event.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus and method, and a program for improving usability by removing operational constraints on combinations of an aspect ratio of a recorded moving image and a horizontal resolution from users while the compliance with the DVD-Video standard is strictly maintained. When an aspect ratio is 16:9 in a state that an LP mode is selected, a horizontal×vertical resolution is set to 720×480. When the aspect ratio is 4:3 in a state that the LP mode is selected, the horizontal×vertical resolution is set to 352×480. When an HQ or SQ mode is selected, the horizontal×vertical resolution is set to 720×480 irrespective of the aspect ratio. Accordingly, the image recording apparatus can encode a moving image and record the encoded image onto a DVD 17 without violating the DVD-Video standard while allowing users to arbitrarily select a recording mode and an aspect ratio. The present invention can be applied to video cameras, video recorders, etc.

Abstract: An input apparatus that inputs a reproduction speed of a video signal is disclosed. The input apparatus has a position detection section and a control section. The position detection section linearly detects a position that a user's finger has touched. The control section detects a moving speed of the user's finger that has touched the position detection section corresponding to a first position and a second position detected by the position detection section and outputs reproduction speed information corresponding to the moving speed. After the first position has been detected and a predetermined time period has elapsed, the second position is detected by the position detection section.

Abstract: An information storage medium storing event information for generating an event with reference to an audio/video data structure and an apparatus and method thereof. The information storage medium includes: core data, that includes audio/video data and navigation data for reproducing the audio/video data; and program data that is used for interaction with a user, wherein the program data includes event occurrence information for generating an event with reference to a structure of the audio/video data.

Abstract: A digital broadcast receiver receives and decodes a digital broadcast containing video data and audio data transmitted in the form of a transport stream. An interface supports communication with a recording apparatus. The receiver determines information corresponding to a transmission rate of a received transport stream of a received digital broadcast. The receiver also generates a recording rate setting command on the basis of the information corresponding to the transmission rate and transmits the recording rate setting command to the recording apparatus through the interface when a connection between the recording apparatus and the interface is initiated, when a request command is received from the recording apparatus, or periodically after predetermined intervals.

Abstract: There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data.

Abstract: There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system, a method, and a computer program for reproducing high-quality image free from jerkiness even when the content reproducing speed is varied. The clock frequency set at a high level according as the content reproducing speed ascends is outputted from the system clock, and such variable clock signal outputted from the system clock is inputted to each processing section in charge of processing of content reproduction such as the data storage section, decoding section, buffer control section, output control section, and output display section. In these sections, processing of data is carried out by regulating the processing speed in accordance with the clock signal having a frequency conforming to the content reproducing speed. Such configuration allows all-frame variable-speed display without needing frame decimation operation even at a high-speed reproduction, for example, resulting in realization of reproduction of jerkiness-free, high-quality image.

Abstract: There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data.

Abstract: There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data.

Abstract: There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data.

Abstract: There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data.

Abstract: There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data.

Abstract: A system and method of the present invention allow the playback of recorded data as the data is being recorded. Data is read from a source location, converted into an encoded format and stored in a database. At the same time, the stored data is read from the database, and played as the data is being recorded.