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: In an image-recording device using a disk-type recording medium generated under the DVD+RW standard, a disk information-acquisition unit 250 acquires information about a disk 49, a disk-determination unit 260 determines that the disk 49 is a subject disk that is of a DVD+RW type and that stores video data generated by using a DVD menu and/or still-image data recorded onto the disk, an additional recording-control unit 220 controls additional recording performed for the disk 49 according to a result of the determination performed by the disk-determination unit 260, and a message display-control unit 270 makes a display unit 280 show a confirmation message used for shifting to a mode relating to the pros and cons of performing the additional recording and/or a message adapted to confirm that the DVD menu and the video data are updated, so that a mismatch which may occur between the DVD menu and/or the video data, and recorded image data is reduced.

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 outputs reproduction speed information corresponding to the position detected by the position detection section.

Abstract: A lens apparatus is disclosed which is capable of picking (taking) moving images and picking still images by using a mechanical shutter without a detector to detect the state of the mechanical shutter. The lens apparatus comprises an aperture stop, a mechanical shutter, and a lens controller which sends first information used for an electronic shutter control of the image-pickup element to an image-pickup apparatus. The first information relates to time or speed, determined according to an opening state of the aperture stop, from the start of image-pickup with the image-pickup element to the completion of closing operation of the mechanical shutter.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for reproducing a digital information signal which is recorded on a first and a second layer of a record carrier, the digital information signal being divided into cells, each cell being recorded in at least one sector, the digital information signal comprising a first cell recorded on the first layer and a second cell recorded on the second layer, while in addition control data indicating that the first and the second cell have to be presented in a non-seamless manner one after the other is recorded on said record carrier. The apparatus is arranged to detect that the first cell is read from the first layer and the second cell is read from the second layer and generates a control signal indicating that the first and the second cell have to be presented seamlessly in dependence on said detection. In this way the control data indicating that the cells have to be presented with a seam is replaced with a control signal indicating that the cells have to presented seamlessly.

Abstract: A television receiving system displays an advertisement for a future television program. If the future television program is identified as recordable, the system also displays an option to set a reminder for the advertised program and/or an option to record the advertised program on a video recorder. If a viewer of the advertisement selects the reminder option, then a reminder is programmed in the system. If the viewer selects the record option, then the system automatically programs the video recorder to record the advertised program. If the viewer has established an interactive session during a television advertisement, and has not completed the interactive session when the advertisement ends, then the current television program is paused until the interactive session is completed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus of recording digital data stream on a recording medium such as a high-density digital versatile disk. The present recording method searches received digital data stream containing video signals for each picture section, packetizes a data section including at least one picture section found in the searching process into a PES (Packetized Elementary Stream) packet, slices the PES packet to make the sliced data pieces to a plurality of transport packets, and writes the plurality of transport packets within a stream object unit if the stream object unit has a space enough to store the plurality of transport packets, or from head point of a next stream object unit if not. Therefore, the head of each stream object unit is aligned with start of an arbitrary picture, thereby improving random accessibility of A/V data stream recorded on a recording medium.

Abstract: The present invention facilitates reading in advance information on addresses where data of each reproduction path to be reproduced is stored. Clip AV stream 1 to Clip AV stream 3 of angles forming a multiangle are managed by PlayList#1 to PlayList#3 for the different angles. Each of PlayList#1 to PlayList#3 is divided by angle change points. Each of the divided reproducing sections corresponds to a PlayItem. Correspondences between source packet numbers and presentation time stamps of the angle change points are recorded in an EP_map. The present invention is applicable to DVD recording and reproducing apparatus, for example.

Abstract: A method for efficiently decoding a video signal is disclosed. The method for decoding a video signal based on fine granularity scalability (FGS) includes acquiring picture identification information indicating a reference picture of a current block, and decoding the current block using the reference picture. A base layer reference picture and an enhanced layer reference picture corresponding thereto have the same picture identification information. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize a problem caused in a procedure for decoding a video signal due to transmission error.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for receiving a first and second video signal. The first video signal represents a sequence of images having a first size, and the second video signal representing a sequence of images having a second size, the second size being smaller then the first size of the images. The apparatus combines said first and second video signal so as to obtain a composite video signal suitable for displaying on a display unit. The signal combination means being adapted to combine the first and second video signal while the size of the images corresponding to the second video signal remains unchanged.

Abstract: A device for recording information records a real-time data stream (51) in blocks having contiguous logical addresses (LA0-LA5) on a record carrier at corresponding physical addresses (PA0-PA8). The device has allocation means for allocating physical addresses to logical addresses, the allocation including at least one logically contiguous range of blocks allocated to at least a part of the real-time data stream. During recording, auxiliary data means (34,33) process auxiliary data related to the real-time data and record the auxiliary data as auxiliary blocks on the record carrier. The auxiliary data means assign physical addresses to the auxiliary blocks (61), which physical addresses are excluded from allocation to logical addresses and are within or near a physical address range (PA0-PA8) corresponding to the at least one logically contiguous range of blocks (LA0-LA5) allocated to the said part of the real-time data stream.

Abstract: A reading control section 40 reproduces information read from a recording medium, and a reproduction-operation section 20 accepts an instruction for a forward skip or a backward skip. Further, a controller 10 makes the skip time for one of the forward skip and the backward skip longer than the skip time for the other, determines the skip time based on one of the instruction for the forward skip and the instruction for the backward skip, and if the instruction for the forward skip and the backward skip is accepted while the information is reproduced, then stops the reproduction, moves the position in which the information is read by the skip time determined by a skip-time determination section 11, and resumes the reproduction after the movement of the reading position is completed.

Abstract: The recorder/reproducer, when moving a first content data, writes a second content data, which is obtained by re-coding the first content data recorded in a first recording medium, into a second recording medium instead of the first content data, writes one or more first partial information extracted from the first content data into the second recording medium, and makes the first content data irreproducible, using one or more first invalidated partial information having one-to-one correspondence with the extracted one or more first partial information. When restoring the first content data, it makes the irreproducible first content data reproducible, using the one or more first partial information recorded in the second recording medium.

Abstract: A video decoding apparatus capable of controlling presentation of sub-pictures includes a first decoder, a second decoder, a first scaler, a second scaler and a combiner. The first decoder and the second decoder respectively decode a digital audio/video signal to generate a decoded video and a decoded sub-picture. In accordance with an output picture size, the decoded video size, the decoded sub-picture size and a sub-picture aspect ratio, the first scaler and the second scaler generate a first scaling factor and a second scaling factor. The combiner combines the decoded video and the decoded sub-picture according to the first scaling factor and the second scaling factor and outputs the combination thereof. A video decoding method and a digital audio/video playback system capable of controlling presentation of sub-pictures are also disclosed.

Abstract: A DTV operating screen is displayed on the CRT display screen of a DTV which is the controlling apparatus of a network. In the event that the user selects the DVHS from the buttons displayed on the DTV operating screen, data corresponding to the DVHS operation screen is input to the DTV, and a DVHS operation screen is displayed on the CRT display screen 61. The user operation executed regarding the DVHS operation screen are notified from the DTV to the DVHS, so the DTV can execute control corresponding to the operations of the user, without transmitting commands for directly controlling the DVHS.

Abstract: An image pickup device includes an image pickup including an image pickup lens system and an image pickup element operable to obtain a pickup image; a recording device operable to record image data based on the pickup image to a predetermined recording medium; a reproducing section operable to reproduce the image data recorded in the recording medium; and a reproduction controller operable to control switching between an image pickup mode in which the image pickup operation by the image pickup and recording of the image data by the recording device are possible, and a reproduction mode in which the reproduction of the image data by the reproducing section is possible, to control the reproduction of the image data based on a last recorded image when the mode is changed to the reproduction mode for the first time after recording of the image data in the image pickup mode, and to control the reproduction of the image data based on a point at which the reproduction has been terminated in the previous reproduction

Abstract: A DTV operating screen is displayed on the CRT display screen of a DTV which is the controlling apparatus of a network. In the event that the user selects the DVHS from the buttons displayed on the DTV operating screen, data corresponding to the DVHS operation screen is input to the DTV, and a DVHS operation screen is displayed on the CRT display screen 61. The user operation executed regarding the DVHS operation screen are notified from the DTV to the DVHS, so the DTV can execute control corresponding to the operations of the user, without transmitting commands for directly controlling the DVHS.

Abstract: A moving picture decoding apparatus is provided which reduces the deterioration in image quality due to errors by a concealment processing for decoded image data, thereby improving the image quality of decoded images, without causing high deterioration in image quality resulting from the concealment processing. The moving picture decoding apparatus includes a decoder for decoding an input stream for each macroblock and generating decoded image data, a transmission error detector for detecting a transmission error in the input stream, and a stream error detector for detecting a stream error in the input stream. When the transmission error is detected, the moving picture decoding apparatus conceals the decoded image data in macroblock units and when the stream error is detected, the moving picture decoding apparatus conceals the decoded image data in video packet units.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a car audio/video (A/V) system in which both a rear panel informing a user of a variety of operational statuses of the car A/V system and a front panel having a TFT-LCD panel are installed in a 1-DIN-sized casing, thus improving the efficiency of usage of a limited space. The car A/V system includes a rear panel provided with a first display unit; a front panel provided with a plurality of key input elements and a second display unit; and a control means for executing an operation corresponding to a specified command signal input by manipulating the key input elements. In the car A/V system, both the front panel and the rear panel are installed in the front of a 1-DIN (Deutsches Institut füur Normung)-sized casing of the system such that the front panel is placed in front of the rear panel and both the front panel and the rear panel are tilted as directed by the control means and are opened forward from the front of the casing.