HK1108210B - Storage medium including metadata and reproducing apparatus and method therefor - Google Patents

Description

Storage medium including metadata, and reproducing apparatus and method thereof

This application is a divisional application of a patent application having an application date of 27/7/2005, an application number of 200580025709.6, entitled "storage medium including metadata and reproducing apparatus and method thereof".

Technical Field

An aspect of the present invention relates to reproduction of audio-visual (AV) data recorded in a storage medium, and more particularly, to a storage medium including metadata providing an extended search function using various search keywords with respect to the AV data, and an apparatus and method of reproducing the storage medium.

Background

A storage medium such as a DVD may store audiovisual data including video data, audio data, and/or subtitles, all of which are compressed and encoded according to a standard such as the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). Such a storage medium may also store additional information such as encoding properties of the audio-visual data or reproduction procedures of the audio-visual data. Accordingly, the moving images recorded in the storage medium are sequentially reproduced according to the reproduction information. In some cases, the audio-visual data can be reproduced by jumping in units of chapters.

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem

However, the conventional memory may not be reproduced by jumping to a desired scene according to a user's search condition. That is, there is no apparatus or method of reproducing audio-visual data according to a user's desired search condition such as a scene, a character, a location, background music, a prop, etc.

Since audio-visual data is compressed, encoded and multiplexed according to the MPEG2 standard, the conventional DVD has a problem in storing metadata for providing a search function with respect to the audio-visual data. Furthermore, once the storage medium is made, it is unlikely that the audio-visual data or metadata will be edited or reused.

Technical scheme

The present invention provides a storage medium including metadata providing an extended search function using various search keywords with respect to audio-visual data, and an apparatus and method of reproducing the storage medium.

In particular, metadata according to aspects of the present invention provides search keywords that may be additionally defined by the designer, in addition to predefined search keywords.

Advantageous effects

Accordingly, the conventional problem that the storage medium cannot edit or reuse the audio-visual data or metadata therein once made can be solved, and thus an extended search function using various keywords defined by a designer can be provided at the time of reproduction.

Furthermore, by recording only a metadata portion directly related to support of multiple languages in an additional text-based file, an extended search function using multiple languages can be provided.

In addition, an extended search function of searching for and displaying information on contents in units of discs or titles may be provided.

Drawings

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate embodiments of metadata according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of metadata that a designer may add to a search key in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a structure for implementing the metadata shown in FIG. 2 in text type;

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of metadata that a designer may add to a search key in accordance with the present invention;

fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a structure of audio-visual data including metadata according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a playlist mark in audio-visual data including metadata according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a structure of metadata supporting multiple languages, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a reproducing method using an extended search function according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating a structure of metadata with respect to an entire disc according to another embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of employing metadata regarding an entire disc according to another embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 12A and 12B are diagrams illustrating a structure and an example of designer-defined metadata included in metadata regarding an entire disc according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 13A and 13B are diagrams of nested structures and examples of designer-defined metadata;

fig. 14 illustrates an example of a reproducing apparatus for providing disc information or title information using an extended search function according to another embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing disc information or title information using an extended search function according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 16 is a block diagram of a recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Best mode for carrying out the invention

An aspect of the present invention provides a storage medium including metadata providing an extended search function using various search keywords with respect to audio-visual data, and an apparatus and method of reproducing the storage medium.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium including: audio-visual data; and metadata for providing an extended search function with respect to the audio-visual data, wherein the metadata includes a predefined search keyword and a search keyword that may be additionally defined by a designer. The metadata can be implemented in a binary type, and may include additional text fields for additionally defining a designer-defined search keyword and a keyword value of the designer-defined search keyword. The metadata can be implemented in a text-based markup language type, and may include additional elements or attributes for additionally defining a designer-defined search keyword and a keyword value of the designer-defined search keyword. Parameters unrelated to support of multiple languages may be included in the audio-visual data in a binary type and the parameters related to support of multiple languages can be implemented in an additional text-based file.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reproducing apparatus including: a search unit for searching the storage medium with reference to the metadata to find a location of the audio-visual data satisfying a predetermined search condition; a storage medium including audio-visual data and metadata providing an extended search function with respect to the audio-visual data; and a reproducing unit for reproducing the audio-visual data from the searched position, wherein the metadata includes a predetermined search keyword and a search keyword that can be additionally defined by a designer. The search unit may select metadata corresponding to language information supporting subtitles, audio, and/or menus stored in the system parameter.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reproducing method including: searching a storage medium including audio-visual data and metadata providing an extended search function with respect to the audio-visual data with reference to the metadata to find a location of the audio-visual data satisfying a predetermined search condition; and reproducing the audio-visual data from the searched position, wherein the metadata includes a predetermined search keyword and a search keyword that can be additionally defined by the designer.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium including: audio-visual data; and metadata for providing an extended search function with respect to the audio-visual data, wherein the metadata includes predefined search keywords and search keywords that can be additionally defined by a designer, and the metadata is included in information regarding the entire disc and/or title information.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reproducing apparatus including: a search unit searching a storage medium including audio-visual data and metadata providing an extended search function with respect to the audio-visual data, with reference to the metadata, to find information on an entire disc and/or title information satisfying a predetermined search condition; and a display unit for displaying information on the entire disc and/or title information, wherein the metadata includes a predetermined search keyword and a search keyword that can be additionally defined by a designer.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reproducing method including: searching a storage medium including audio-visual data and metadata providing an extended search function with respect to the audio-visual data, with reference to the metadata, to find information about the entire disc and/or title information satisfying a predetermined search condition; and displaying information on the entire disc and/or title information, wherein the metadata includes a predetermined search keyword and a search keyword that may be additionally defined by a designer.

Additional and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

Modes for carrying out the invention

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.

Fig. 1A and 1B illustrate an embodiment of metadata according to the present invention. Fig. 1A shows text-based metadata, and fig. 1B shows binary-based metadata. Referring to fig. 1A, text-based metadata 101 described in a markup language or the like is divided in scene units 102 or chapters. The scene element includes a specific element 103 indicating a character, a prop, a location, background music, and the like, and the specific element 103 may be used as a search keyword for an extended search of audio-visual data.

On the other hand, referring to fig. 1B, in binary-based metadata used in a programming language such as C, C + +, etc., the binary code shown in fig. 1B may be included in a playlist or an audiovisual data stream as a play order for reproducing a movie. At this time, elements of metadata that can be used as a search key are defined in advance in the metadata type (metadata _ type) 111. For example, a character is defined in advance as a type value "0", an item is defined as a type value "1", a position is defined as a type value "2", and background music is defined as a type value "3".

Thus, a type value corresponding to a desired search key among predefined metadata type values is assigned to a search point 111 in the stream of audio-visual data. Then, a keyword value corresponding to the search keyword is assigned to each description field 112. For example, when The user attempts to search those scenes in The movie "The Matrix" in which only The character "Neo" appears, "0" indicating The character in The metadata type is assigned to The search point in The audio-visual data stream in which "Neo" appears, and "Neo" is designated as The description field 112 indicating The keyword value. As a result, the user can search from the stream of audio-visual data and reproduce those scenes in which only the character "Neo" appears.

That is, when a storage medium such as a conventional DVD supports only scene, chapter, or time-based reproduction, metadata implemented as shown in fig. 1A or 1B may provide an extended search function.

However, in fig. 1A or 1B, there is a problem in that a new search keyword may not be added because the search keyword is defined in advance in the stream of audio-visual data. Metadata that a designer can additionally define a search keyword is described as metadata for expanding a search.

Fig. 2 illustrates an embodiment in which a designer may add metadata for a search key according to the present invention. Referring to fig. 2, a tree structure of a markup document 2 implementing metadata is illustrated. A scene element 202 is included as a specific element of the metadata element 201, and a keyword element 203 is included as a specific element of the scene element. Each keyword element 203 has a search keyword that the designer has an opportunity to additionally define as the content of the corresponding element. A description element 204 having a keyword value corresponding to the designer-defined search keyword as its content is included as a specific element of each keyword element 203. On the other hand, the keyword element 203 or the description element 204 may be implemented as an attribute, rather than a specific element of the scene element 202.

More specifically, an example of a markup document describing the metadata shown in fig. 2 in a markup language will be provided. Fig. 3 illustrates an example of implementing the metadata structure shown in fig. 2 in a text type.

Referring to fig. 3, a markup document 2 describing metadata according to the present invention includes: metadata element < metadata >301, scene element < scene >302, keyword element < keyword >303, and description element < description > 304. The metadata element < metadata >301 includes link information < link href ═ xxxx play sequence'/>, regarding the play order. The metadata element includes scene element < scene >302 as a specific element. The scene element < scene >302 includes a keyword element < keyword >303 having various designer-defined search keywords as contents and a description element < description >304 having a keyword value corresponding to the search keyword as a specific element. For example, in order to use a role as a new search key in the scene ID "001", the "Character" may be defined as the content of the element < keyword >, and the "Bruce Lee" may be defined as the content of the element < description >, which is a key value corresponding to the search key "Character". In addition, the location and prop may also be defined as new search keywords.

That is, in the metadata according to the embodiment, the search keyword is not previously defined as shown in fig. 1A and 1B, but the search keyword of the content as the keyword element may be additionally defined by the designer. Accordingly, designers can redefine and use various search keywords without limitation, and do not need conventional terms used when generating titles.

On the other hand, fig. 4 illustrates another embodiment in which a designer may add metadata for a search key according to the present invention. Referring to fig. 4, an example of binary-based metadata is shown. The metadata according to this embodiment includes two text type fields so that a designer can redefine and use not only the description field 404 indicating a keyword value but also the keyword field 403 indicating a search keyword, similar to the text-based metadata shown in fig. 3. Although only predefined search keywords in the metadata type field are used in fig. 1B, various search keywords may be added by the designer using the keyword field 403 in the described embodiment.

Next, a relationship between metadata that a designer can add a new search keyword and audio-visual data that provides high-quality video will be described. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a structure of audio-visual data including metadata according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 5, a clip serving as a recording unit of audio-visual data and a playlist serving as a reproduction unit are shown. Specifically, the above-described play order is implemented as a playlist.

The clip as a recording unit of audio-visual data includes: a clip a/V stream 540 on which a compressed and encoded video data stream, audio data stream, and other data streams are recorded; and clip information 530 recorded with information about the encoding property of the clip a/V stream 540. The clip a/V stream 540 multiplexes a video data stream, an audio data stream, and other data streams, compresses and encodes the multiplexed data stream, and records the compressed and encoded data stream. Each packet is identified by a Packet Identification (PID) as a packet identifier.

On the other hand, the playlist 510 serving as a reproduction unit is used to indicate a play order in which the reproduction order of audio-visual data is specified, and includes play items 120a to 120 c. That is, the playlist 510 includes a plurality of play items (play items 120a to 120c in this case).

Specifically, the playlist 510 further includes a playlist mark 511 for indicating a specific position of the above-described clip. The playlist mark includes metadata 512 for providing an extended search function according to an embodiment of the present invention. An example of including and recording metadata 512 in a playlist mark 511 of a playlist 510 is shown in fig. 5. Although it is understood that the metadata 512 may be defined separately from the playlist mark 511 of the playlist 510 or the metadata 512 may be recorded in a binary type or a text type in a space independent of the playlist 510, for convenience of explanation, an example in which the metadata is included in the playlist mark of the playlist is described based on fig. 5.

The play items 120a to 120c include "names" such as clip information 530 to be reproduced. Information of "input time" and "output time" in order to specify a clip to be reproduced or a reproduction position in the corresponding clip.

Specifically, as shown in the drawing, a playlist mark 511 for specifying a specific position in a playlist has the following structure.

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a playlist mark in audio-visual data including metadata according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 6, the playlist mark 511 includes: an inherent identifier information (playlist mark identifier) field 610 for indicating an identifier of a playlist mark; a mark type information (type of mark) field 620 for indicating a target of the playlist mark; a key (keyword) field 630 and a description (description) field 640, valid only when the mark type is a metadata mark; an inherent identifier information (reference playltem identifier) field 650 for indicating an identifier of a playltem corresponding to the mark; and a mark time stamp (mark time stamp) field 660 for indicating time information including a time point of the play item located by the playlist mark. Any one of an entry mark (entry mark) 621, a link point (link point) 622, and a metadata mark (metadata mark) 623 according to an embodiment of the present invention is assigned to the mark type field 620 for indicating the target of the playlist mark. Here, a metadata tag 623 is assigned to the tag type field 620.

As described above, the metadata enables the designer to redefine the search key using the key field 630 and specify a key value corresponding to the search key using the description field 640. Thus, the designer may re-add various search keywords.

On the other hand, since the playlist mark 511 including the metadata is included In the playlist as shown In fig. 5 In a binary type, the playlist mark is included In the stream of audio-visual data In an "In-Mux" type. Therefore, it is relatively simple to bind metadata to an audio-visual data stream, and an extended search function using various keywords defined by a designer can be provided when reproduction is performed.

However, it should be understood that: playlist marks 511 included in the playlist 510 in a binary type may additionally provide support for multiple languages. That is, the reproducing apparatus for reproducing data recorded on a storage medium according to the present invention loads all playlists to a memory, then extracts search keywords, which can be selected by a user from metadata information by using an application having a programming function recorded in a specific module of the storage medium or the reproducing apparatus, and displays the extracted search keywords on a display unit. At this time, the search keyword is displayed in a specific language recorded in the keyword and description at the time of first preparing metadata. That is, the playlist mark 511 included in the playlist in a binary type has a disadvantage of not supporting multiple languages.

Here, it is not worth preparing playlists in all languages in order to support a plurality of languages. This is due to the fact that: the large amount of resources included in the keyword and description fields to support the multiple languages requires a large memory.

To solve this problem, a structure for supporting metadata of a plurality of languages will now be described as another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating a structure of metadata for supporting multiple languages, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As described above, general audio-visual data is multiplexed into various applications such as a graphic stream for subtitles or a menu in a main audio-visual data stream. This is due to the fact that: it is relatively easy to bind and synchronize the application with the main stream of audio-visual data.

Thus, in another embodiment of the invention, the key part and the description part of the metadata directly related only to the support of multiple languages are implemented in additional text-based metadata types, the identifier information or the time information of the metadata not directly related to the support of multiple languages being included in the main audiovisual data stream in a binary type.

Accordingly, the reproducing apparatus can obtain metadata, time of application, and information on the predefined keyword using a playlist included in the main audio-visual data stream. By defining only designer-defined keywords and their descriptions in a text-based metadata file, the size of the metadata file may be reduced. Furthermore, since the keywords and their descriptions are present in specific files other than the main stream of audiovisual data, multiple languages may also be supported.

Referring to fig. 7, a metadata tag providing an extended search function is defined as a tag type 710 in a playlist tag 511. A key descriptor (key descriptor) field 720, which is valid only when the mark type is a metadata mark, is also defined in the playlist mark 511. The key descriptor field 720 has a predetermined number of bits. The keyword descriptor field 720 is divided into a flag region for indicating the presence of a predefined specific keyword and a flag region for indicating the presence of a predetermined keyword that may be additionally defined by a designer. For example, assume that the key descriptor field 720 includes N + M bits, where N bits correspond to a previous flag region 721 indicating the presence of N predefined search keys and M bits correspond to a next flag region 722 indicating the presence of M designer-defined search keys. When the search key of the corresponding bit exists, a value of "1 b" is assigned. When the search key of the corresponding bit does not exist, a value of "0 b" is allocated.

Referring to the bit structure of the key descriptor 720 shown in fig. 7, for example, when "role" indicating a role is assigned to the designer-defined flag 1 of the bit 721 as a predefined search key, setting the bit to a value of "0 b" indicates that the corresponding search key is invalid. Setting the bit to a value of "1 b" indicates that the search key corresponding to "role" is valid. The same is true for the designer-defined flag of the other bit 722. As such, the keyword descriptor field 720 may be used to indicate the validity of the search keyword.

On the other hand, the text-based metadata file 713 exists separately from the above-described playlist mark 511 in order to support multiple languages. It is desirable that the text-based metadata file 713 include language information indicating supported languages as attribute information ("lang" in the drawing) in order to support multiple languages. Specifically, it is desirable to use the same language code as that specified in a reproduction apparatus status register of a reproduction apparatus for storing information on any one of subtitles, audio data, and menus for language information. Further, since the text-based metadata file 713 is independent of the above-described playlist marks 511, it is desirable that the text-based metadata file 713 include an identifier ("disc _ id" in the drawing) and/or title identifier information ("title _ id" in the drawing) for a storage medium bound to a main stream of audio-visual data.

The metadata 713 shown in the lower part of fig. 7 includes elements < author _ defined >722 and 723 for a search key that can be defined by a designer. The search key newly defined by the designer is used as the content of the element. At this time, the first element 722 for the designer-defined search key is a search key corresponding to the first bit having the value "1 b" in the designer-defined flag of the above-described key descriptor 721. For example, when the (N +1) th bit of the keyword descriptor 720 is "1 b", the first defined element < author _ defined >722 in the metadata file 713 indicates a corresponding search keyword. Also included is an element < marker >724 having a key value corresponding to the search key as content. An element < param >725 having a keyword value of a plurality of search keywords applied at the corresponding marked time points as the content may be further included as a specific element. Of course, the key value may be represented by an attribute type instead of the element < param >.

Specifically, it is assumed that the key descriptor 720 included in the playlist of fig. 7 has 8 bits and its value is "01001100". The sixth bit, the third bit, and the second bit may have a value of "1 b", the sixth bit may indicate "role" as a predefined search key, and the element < owner _ defined > of the third bit and the second bit may indicate "prop" and "location" in the additional metadata file 713, respectively. At this time, the keyword values corresponding to the search keyword are "Bruce", "Gun (Gun)" and "LA" defined by the element < param > 725.

Of course, the element < author _ defined > may indicate "□ □" and "□ □ □ □" in korean, respectively, and the element < param >725 may indicate "□ □ □", "□" and "□ □ □ □ □ □ □" in korean, respectively. Accordingly, an extended search function supporting multiple languages corresponding to the language desired by the user can be provided.

Now, a reproducing apparatus and a reproducing method for reproducing a storage medium including the above-described metadata will be described.

Fig. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a reproducing apparatus according to the present invention. Referring to fig. 8, a reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a reading unit 820, a search unit 840, and a reproduction unit 850. The reading unit 820 reads audio-visual data and metadata from a storage medium. Although not shown, the audio-visual data and the metadata read by the reading unit 820 may be temporarily stored in a buffer unit (not shown) in the reading unit 820 and then transmitted to the reproducing unit 850.

The search unit 840 searches the storage medium with reference to the metadata to find a location of the audio-visual data satisfying a predetermined search condition input from the outside. Here, the storage medium includes a plurality of metadata serving as a search reference for the audio-visual data.

That is, the search unit 840 receives metadata from the reading unit 820, compares information on a search keyword included in the metadata with a predetermined search condition input from the outside, and then transmits position information of audio-visual data included in a playlist mark or an additionally defined mark corresponding to the search condition to the reproducing unit 850. The reproducing unit 850 reproduces a corresponding portion of the audio-visual data based on the location information of the audio-visual data searched by the searching unit 840.

A reproducing method of reproducing a storage medium including metadata according to an embodiment of the present invention is described based on the above-described structure. Fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a reproducing method using an extended search function according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 9, in order to reproduce a storage medium including metadata providing an extended search function, a predetermined search condition is first input (operation 920). Next, the audio-visual data and the metadata are read from the storage medium, and a location of the audio-visual data satisfying a predetermined search condition is searched with reference to the metadata (operation 922). Then, the audio-visual data is reproduced from the searched position (operation 924).

Specifically, in searching for a location of audio-visual data with reference to metadata, an input search condition and search key information of the metadata are compared with each other to search for a playlist mark or an additionally defined mark corresponding to the search condition, and a corresponding location of the audio-visual data is searched for with reference to location information included in the searched playlist mark or the additionally defined mark.

Up to now, a data structure, a reproducing apparatus, and a reproducing method for providing an extended search function with respect to audio-visual data included in respective titles of a storage medium by using metadata have been described in detail. Further, an extension structure for providing an extended search function with respect to the entire disc and individual titles to expand the metadata of the extended search function and an implementation method thereof will be described.

Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating a structure of metadata with respect to an entire disc according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 10, metadata for an entire disc according to the present invention includes disc information 1010 used in common with information on a disc or all titles of the disc and title information 1020 related to titles recorded on the disc. The title information 1020 and the disc information 1010 further include metadata 1012 and 1022 that can provide an extended search function and are defined by a designer. Accordingly, as shown in fig. 1A to 9, metadata for providing an extended search function with respect to contents stored in a title or a disc, and metadata for providing an extended search function with respect to audio-visual data itself may be provided.

More specifically, the disc information 1010 may include metadata related to the production of the disc, metadata related to the resources of the disc, and metadata 1012 defined by the designer of the disc. The metadata related to the production of the disc may include: disc name, content list, copyright, release information, etc. The metadata related to the resources of the disc may include a thumbnail or URL address of the related information.

On the other hand, similar to the disc information 1010, the title information 1020 may include: metadata related to the production of the content, metadata related to the presentation of the content, metadata related to the classification of the content, metadata related to the resources of the content, and metadata 1022 defined by the designer of the content. Metadata related to the production of content may include: title name, title type, information about organization related to production, and distribution of title. Metadata related to the presentation of content includes: aspect ratio, subtitles, run time, information about support for audio, etc. Metadata related to the classification of content may include: making lists of people, promotional information, content types, comments, etc. The list of persons making a title is information about persons involved in the production of the title and may include information about actors, director, producer, music producer, script, etc. The promotional information is related to style, language, parental guidance, etc. Metadata related to the assets of the content may include: summary, information about winnings and information about URL addresses of related data.

Fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of applying metadata for an entire disc according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 11, when a disc is inserted or loaded into a reproducing apparatus, metadata 100 for the entire disc is stored in units of discs or in units of volumes (volumes) in a storage unit such as a hard disk of the reproducing apparatus. Accordingly, even if the disc is removed from the reproducing apparatus, a specific disc or a specific title can be searched using the metadata 1000 (also referred to as a disc library) stored in the storage unit in units of discs or in units of volumes. Specifically, a specific disc or a specific title may be searched using the metadata 1012 and 1022 additionally defined by the designer and the predefined disc information or title information as shown in detail in fig. 10. That is, the extended search shown in fig. 1A to 9 is limited to the audio-visual data of the title, and the extended search shown in fig. 10 and 11 is expanded to the entire disc. Further, the former is important for searching for a position of the audio-visual data satisfying the search condition and reproducing the audio-visual data from the searched position, and the latter is important for displaying the content satisfying the search condition in the type of disc information or title information. Fig. 12A and 12B are diagrams illustrating a structure of designer-defined metadata included in metadata for an entire disc according to another embodiment of the present invention and an example thereof.

Referring to fig. 12A, when a user wants to additionally define metadata in addition to descriptors of the pre-defined metadata, the metadata "author" 1012A may be defined using a designer. For example, when a designer attempts to add information about a girl's champion, the girl's champion is input to the element name of "authored", another "authored" is defined as a specific element of the above "authored", and the name of the girl's champion is input to the element "name" of the redefined "authored".

An example of implementing the designer-defined metadata in a markup document type is shown in fig. 12B. Referring to fig. 12B, the disc information element includes: the designer defines an element < author > that includes an element < name > that specifies the name of the element. The element < author > includes another element < author > as a specific element that can define < name >. For example, to define designer-defined metadata for a female matchmaker, "supporting _ actions" may be specified in element < name > of the general element < authored > and "Actress 1" may be specified in element < name > of the specific element < authored >.

Fig. 13A and 13B are diagrams of nested structures of designer-defined metadata and examples thereof. Referring to fig. 13A and 13B, an element "supporting actions name" is defined as a specific element of the element "supporting actions", and an element "profile (cases)" is defined as a specific element of the element "supporting actions name". Thus, the designer-defined elements < author > and < name > may be used to provide hierarchical metadata. That is, by adding the designer-defined information using the metadata "author", more detailed information can be classified and displayed by nesting of the element "author".

On the other hand, fig. 14 illustrates an example of a reproducing apparatus that provides disc information or title information using an extended search function according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 14, the reproducing apparatus allows the search unit 1420 to search the metadata storage unit for metadata according to the search condition input through the user interface unit 1430, and to output the result of the search through the display unit 1440. The multimedia data reproducing apparatus includes: a metadata storage unit 1410, a search unit 1420, a user interface unit 1430, and a display unit 1440. The metadata storage unit 1410 receives metadata from a storage medium such as a disk or a network, and stores the received metadata. When a user inserts a storage medium into a multimedia data reproducing apparatus and the reproducing apparatus immediately loads the storage medium, metadata related to the storage medium is not deleted but stored in the metadata storage unit 1410 even if the storage medium is ejected. The user inputs a search condition for the metadata to the user interface unit 1430. That is, keywords of a disc name, an actor, actress, director, and the like are input using a remote controller or other device. The search unit 1420 searches for metadata and outputs metadata corresponding to the search condition of the user to the display unit 1440.

On the other hand, fig. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing disc information or title information using an extended search function according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 15, a predetermined search condition is input (operation 1510). The metadata is read out from the disc library stored in the metadata storage unit 1410, such as a hard disc, and disc information or title information satisfying the search condition is searched with reference to the read-out metadata (operation 1512). The searched disc information or title information is displayed on the display unit (operation 1514). As a result, disc information or title information corresponding to the search condition may be provided to the user.

Fig. 16 is a block diagram of a recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to fig. 16, the recording and/or reproducing apparatus for use with a user interface unit and a display unit to provide disc information and/or title information using an extended search function includes: a recording/reading unit 1601, a controller 1602, and an optical disc 1610, data is recorded on the optical disc 1610 or data is reproduced from the optical disc 1610 by the recording/reading unit 1601 according to control by the controller 1602. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the controller 1602 includes a metadata storage unit 1410 and a search unit 1420 as shown in fig. 14. Accordingly, the controller 1602 can store metadata related to disc information and can also search among the stored metadata according to a search condition input through the user interface unit 1430 of fig. 14. Further, as set forth with reference to the above discussion and fig. 14, the controller 1602 outputs the result of the search through the display unit 1440. It should be understood that: the user interface includes, but is not limited to, a keyboard, a mouse, a voice command receiver, or a combination thereof. Similarly, the display unit may be a monitor, a TV screen, or the like.

As described above, according to aspects of the present invention, there are provided a storage medium including metadata providing an extended search function using various keywords on audio-visual data, and a reproducing apparatus and method of reproducing the storage medium.

In particular, metadata according to aspects of the present invention provides search keywords that may be additionally defined by the designer in addition to predefined search keywords.

Accordingly, the conventional problem that the storage medium cannot edit or reuse the audio-visual data or metadata therein once made can be solved, and thus an extended search function using various keywords defined by a designer can be provided at the time of reproduction.

Furthermore, by recording only a metadata portion directly related to support of multiple languages in an additional text-based file, an extended search function using multiple languages can be provided.

In addition, an extended search function of searching for and displaying information on contents in units of discs or titles may be provided.

On the other hand, the extended search method according to aspects of the present invention may be implemented as a computer program. Codes and code segments constituting the program may be easily construed by those skilled in the art of programming. The program may be stored in a computer-readable recording medium, and read by a computer, thereby implementing the extended search method. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include: magnetic recording media, optical recording media, and carrier waves. Of course, other types of computer-readable recording media are also possible.

While several embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that: various changes may be made without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Industrial applicability

The present invention is applied to a storage medium including metadata providing an extended search function using various search keywords with respect to audio-visual data, and a reproducing apparatus and method of reproducing the storage medium.

Claims (11)

1. A reproduction method, comprising:

searching a storage medium, which includes audio-visual data and metadata, with reference to the metadata to find a location of the audio-visual data satisfying a predetermined search condition, wherein the metadata includes at least one search keyword, the reproduction apparatus searching each scene of the audio-visual data using the search keyword; and

the audio-visual data is reproduced from the searched position,

wherein the at least one search keyword includes a predefined search keyword and a designer-defined search keyword that can be additionally defined by a designer, the designer-defined search keyword enabling the designer to add information necessary for describing contents of the storage medium,

the designer-defined search key includes a designer-defined descriptor that is a descriptor for identifying that a corresponding descriptor is the designer-defined search key,

the designer-defined descriptors include: a name descriptor for describing a value of the designer-defined search key.

2. The reproducing method of claim 1, wherein the metadata is implemented in a binary type.

3. The reproducing method of claim 1, wherein the metadata is implemented in a text-based markup language type.

4. The reproducing method of claim 1, wherein the parameter unrelated to the support of multiple languages in the metadata is included in the audio-visual data in a binary type, and the parameter related to the support of multiple languages is implemented in an additional text-based file.

5. The reproducing method of claim 4, wherein the parameter unrelated to support of multiple languages includes a keyword descriptor defining validity of a plurality of search keywords.

6. The reproducing method of claim 4, wherein the additional text-based file includes information on supported languages in at least one of a file name, an attribute, and an element.

7. The reproducing method of claim 4, wherein the additional text-based file includes an identifier for a storage medium bound to the audio-visual data and/or title identifier information.

8. A reproduction method, comprising:

searching a storage medium, which includes audio-visual data and metadata including at least one search keyword, with reference to the metadata to find information about the entire storage medium and/or title information satisfying a predetermined search condition, the reproducing apparatus searching each scene of the audio-visual data using the search keyword; and

information about the entire storage medium and/or title information is displayed,

wherein the at least one search keyword includes a predefined search keyword and a designer-defined search keyword that can be additionally defined by a designer, the designer-defined search keyword enabling the designer to add information necessary for describing contents of the storage medium,

the designer-defined search key includes a designer-defined descriptor that is a descriptor for identifying that a corresponding descriptor is the designer-defined search key,

the designer-defined descriptors include: a name descriptor for describing a value of the designer-defined search key.

9. The reproducing method of claim 8, further comprising: the metadata is downloaded and stored from the storage medium before searching the storage medium.

10. The reproducing method of claim 8, further comprising: the predetermined search condition is received before searching the storage medium.

11. The reproducing method of claim 8, wherein the metadata part related to support of multiple languages is recorded in a text-based file to provide an extended search function using multiple languages.