Abstract: Available storage media capacity will be doubling every 2 years. In 2005 it will likely be possible to store about 80 movies on a single 400 GByte hard disk. Because it is no longer possible to access specific recordings stored in a book shelf by just looking at the video cassettes or discs and some annotations on their cover, personal video or audio recording will require new ways to organise and electronically search for content, including automatic content referencing and automatic content location. According to the invention the URI string is extended by additional information that allows to locate specific information within a file that is referenced by such URI. Similar types of URI extensions are used for describing trick mode information. Such extensions take into account specific requirements of the storage format involved.

Abstract: The use of disk-assisted, dynamic databases is to be optimized. To this end, provision is made for new data intended to update an old stock of data to have a second index, relating to the new data, generated for them, and for said second index to be stored on the disk storage medium as a supplement to the first index relating to the old stock of data. This allows the number of write access operations to the disk storage medium to be reduced. This is particularly advantageous for optical media, whose useful life can be increased as a result.

Abstract: Removable media such as optical discs may carry valuable audio-visual data representing movies or the like, which are sold by content providers or studios. To prevent pirate copies, data on these media are often encrypted for copy protection. This copy protection may use a disc specific electronic decryption key, which is stored on the disc itself. Supplementary data such as games, subtitle or audio streams that are regarded as being closely related to disc contents, but are not stored on the disc itself, are encrypted so that decryption is only possible with a decryption key retrieved from the disc, or in particular the same decryption key that is used for the disc contents. The method is particularly effective for copy protection or cross usage exclusion of supplementary data when the decryption key is prevented from being accessible to the user.

Abstract: In the field of data storage on limited rewritability storage media, handling frequently changing databases may lead to unequal wear of storage segments. The invention discloses a method for modifying a database file, which ensures maximally distributed segment wear in that any writing of data records uses a next available segment after the last written segment; and a reading method. A data carrier according to the method, containing a database file with records having version numbers is also disclosed.

Abstract: The resistance against recording defects of a write-once optical disk is enhanced allowing realtime recording and playback of data streams with a single speed disk drive. A data stream is recorded in data blocks on the optical disk. An error correction block for one or more data blocks is generated and written on the same optical disk during recording. A spare data area is kept blank on the storage medium and used for storing a defect data block reconstructed by using the error correction block.

Abstract: For the creation and self-organization of peer-groups the JXTA protocol may be used, which includes messages such as peer or peer-group advertisements and services such as the discovery service. Conventional peer-groups of this type are static and need restart after any modification, e.g. a new service. A method for dynamically managing hardware and/or software elements, e.g. services, utilized and/or offered by such peer-groups comprises detecting a change within a peer-group, creating a new peer-group identifier, publishing within the peer-group a first peer-group advertisement message that includes the current and the new peer-group identifier and pointers to current services including the detected modification, accepting the new peer-group identifier by the other peer-group members, and publishing a second peer-group advertisement message in the superordinate peer-group, wherein both advertisement messages may be identical.

Abstract: MPEG video uses motion compensated prediction for coding pictures. A GOP includes at least one intra-coded picture to start decoding with and a number of inter-coded pictures and normally also includes bi-directionally predicted pictures. However, the GOP structure is not constructed for playing GOPs in backward direction in a trickplay mode across GOP boarders. The invention facilitates, for different GOP structures, a smooth backward video mode thereby reducing the required number of frame buffers and achieving near real-time speed presentation. In some embodiments some I and/or P pictures are decoded more than once. The invention also allows backwards decoding of MPEG-4-AVC GOPs including B-stored pictures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for mapping a hierarchical data format to a relational database management system. It is an object of the invention to provide a method for mapping a hierarchical data format comprising descriptors to a relational database management system capable of handling diverse types of hierarchical descriptors in a fast manner for inserting descriptors, reading parts of descriptors, reading whole descriptors and performing fast text queries. According to the invention, the descriptors are separated into portions of a common format, which are stored in a relation in the relational database.

Abstract: In modern digital video recorders not only the video/audio data stream itself is stored in data packets on the medium but also additional information about the stream. Part of this additional information is navigation information for random access to segments within the recorded material. A playlist is used that includes a sequence of substructure information data carrying start and end time data and addressing mode information for the segments. The substructure information data provide information describing each segment within one recording and where the segment data can be found on the storage medium. Because the playlist level does not include addressing mode information for the segments, segments having any addressing mode can be replayed using a single playlist.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of editing a data stream, the data stream having a first unique identifier of an identifier space and having assigned metadata, the metadata comprising meta information and a metadata link, the metadata link comprising the first unique identifier and at least one data packet identifier. When performing an editing operation on the data stream, a second unique identifier of the identifier space is assigned to the data stream and the first unique identifier for a resolver task is stored, using a decision metric for updating the meta link.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of linking metadata to a data stream, the data stream having time-based navigation data and play list data, the play list data being indicative of play items of one or more play lists, the time-based navigation data mapping play items to the data stream, the method including the steps of: using the time-based navigation data for mapping of metadata to the play items, storing a metadata link being descriptive of the mapping of the metadata to the play items.

Abstract: The generation of metadata shall be simplified. Therefore, a method is presented in which a metadata-template is filled with selected essence and MD-links obtained from a list of links to essence and/or a list of current metadata. Furthermore, it is possible to obtain the MD-links from further metadata or essences directly or indirectly linked with the selected essence.

Abstract: The handling of large amounts of data on storing media shall be simplified. Therefore, a method for maintaining a storage media by generating, editing or reading log data related to the content and usage of a data item stored or to be stored on a storage medium is provided. Data items are deleted or recommendations for deletion are provided on the basis of the log data from the storage medium. Thus, the user is relieved from the unpleasant and time-consuming task of deleting data items from recording media.

Abstract: Available storage media capacity will be doubling every 2 years. In 2005 it will likely be possible to store about 80 movies on a single 400 GByte hard disk. Because it is no longer possible to access specific recordings stored in a book shelf by just looking at the video cassettes or discs and some annotations on their cover, personal video or audio recording will require new ways to organise and electronically search for content, including automatic content referencing and automatic content location. According to the invention the URI string is extended by additional information that allows to locate specific information within a file that is referenced by such URI. Similar types of URI extensions are used for describing trick mode information. Such extensions take into account specific requirements of the storage format involved.

Abstract: A device for lifting and lowering a rail track section in between two rail tracks mounted in different vertical levels and including an elevator carrying the rail track section is improved by means of a latching structure at each end of that section, each including a rotatable latch element with rounded ends, for cooperating with abutment and counter latch surfaces respectively at ends of the rail tracks, at least an upper one of the tracks has passage ways and openings for the latch element to pass through from below; and the latch elements are keyed together for turning so that they will rest on the respective counter latch surfaces and thereby hold the rail track section in an aligned disposition for one or the other of the two rail tracks.

Abstract: Ultrasonic echo signals from the rear wall boundary are used to track looking windows for similar signals during a subsequent test cycle as well as for detection of flaw echos, with emphasis on a distinction between end of flaw detection and beginning first rear wall echo looking windows.