Abstract:
Embodiments provide a method for merging first and second data associated with first and second DVD-Video zone directories respectively; the method comprising the steps of: identifying the registers used by at least one of the first and second data; allocating use of the registers to at least one of the first and second data according to said identifying; and creating data associated with video manager information (VMGI) of the DVD-video disc image data to accommodate at least one of the first and second DVD-Video zones.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a data processing system and method and more particularly, to a data processing system and method for merging digital content.  
       BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Current DVD-Video authoring tools use some form of user interface to define a project for producing a DVD-Video disc, that is, for producing the data structures and navigation information for such a DVD-Video disc. Ultimately such authoring tools eventually multiplex the video, audio and sub-picture parts, that is, the DVD assets, in accordance with the DVD-Video specification and format the result in files together with the associated navigation information to yield a DVD-Video disc image.  
         [0003]     A significant limitation of prior art DVD authoring systems is that the authors must or usually use the same authoring tools for any given project. It will be appreciated that the situation is exacerbated if one contemplates creating a DVD or marshalling the assets to create a DVD-Video disc image using different authoring tools. Many authoring companies or facilities will use their preferred authoring tools. For example, a popular authoring tool is Scenarist available from Sonic Solutions. However, there are some aspects of the DVD specification such as, for example, seamless branching, that the Scenarist authoring tool does not support. Therefore, if an authoring company or facility is asked to undertake a project for which seamless branching is required, they will have to either decline that project or use a specialist tool with which they might be unfamiliar to author the DVD-Video disc image. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that using such an alternative authoring tool could be expensive, time consuming and inefficient as the company may only have one person, or a small number of people, who are familiar with the specialist authoring tool.  
         [0004]     It is an object of embodiments of the present invention at least to mitigate some of the problems of the prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0005]     Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide a method for merging first and second DVD-Video zone directories (VIDEO_TS); the method comprising the steps of:  
         [0006]     identifying the use of GPRM registers by at least one of the first and second DVD-Video zones;  
         [0007]     allocating use of the GPRM registers to at least one of the first and second DVD-Video zones according to said identifying;  
         [0008]     collating the first and second DVD-Video zones to create DVD-video disc image data; and  
         [0009]     creating data associated with video manager information (VMGI) of the DVD-video disc image data to accommodate at least one of the first and second DVD-Video zones.  
         [0010]     Advantageously, multiple authoring tools can be used to create or to author a single DVD-Video disc image or project.  
         [0011]     A further advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that multiple authors can collaborate to work on the same project, either using separate copies of the same authoring tool, or using different authoring tools with the end products being merged using embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows schematically a file structure illustrating the format of the data units or assets forming a DVD-video disc image;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates schematically incorporation of video title sets into a DVD-Video disc image having a video manager and accompanying video title sets;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  depicts a flowchart for merging DVD-Video assets according to a first embodiment;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of the present invention for incorporating a video manager and associated video title sets into further video title sets; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  shows a flowchart for merging DVD assets according to a second embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     Referring to  FIG. 1  there is shown schematically a file structure  100  or arrangement of a DVD-video file system. It can be appreciated that a root node  102  has a DVD-Video zone  104 . The DVD-Video zone section  104  has a folder or directory named VIDEO_TS,  105 , comprising information in the form of video manager information  108 . The video manager information  108  comprises data representing or associated with a video manager (VMG) or from which such a VMG can be derived. The video manager information  108  has associated video manager menu information  110  that, typically, contains the initial menu presented to a user upon inserting a DVD into the associated player. Also illustrated is the conventional video manager information (VMGI) back-up  112 . The DVD-Video zone  104  comprises data  114  representing video title sets (VTS 1  to VTS 99 ) that contain control data, menu data, title VOBs (Video Objects comprising MPEG encoded video data, audio data, sub-picture data and navigation information) and backup information. It can be appreciated that a number of video title sets VTS 1  to VTS 99  comprising such data are illustrated. The data  114  representing each video title set of such video title sets VTS 1  to VTS 99  are represented by data arranged in groups of files. It will be appreciated that two groups of data  114   a  and  114   b,  representing two video title sets VTS 1  and VTS 99 , are illustrated.  
         [0019]     The groups of data  114   a  and  114   b  representing the video title sets VTS 1  to VTS 99  comprise files  116  and  126  containing, or representing, video title set information (VTSI), containing control data, files  118  and  128  representing, or containing, video object sets for menu, if appropriate, of corresponding video title sets VTS 1  to VTS 99 , files representing 120 to 122 and 130 to 132, or containing data for, a number of title video objects (Title VOBs), which contain the video, audio, sub-picture data and navigation data, and files  124  and  134  containing data representing video title set back-up information (VTSI Backup). The file system  100  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is used by the presentation engine and the navigation manager to render video and audio in accordance with signals received from a remote control when playing a DVD.  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown schematically a process  200  for merging DVD-Video data according to a first embodiment. It can be appreciated that a first set of DVD-video data  202  comprises a video manager  204  and associated first and second video title sets  206  and  208 . It will be appreciated that the first set  202  of DVD-Video data has been shown as comprising two VTSs. However, any other number, up to a maximum of 99 VTSs with current technology, could equally well be used by embodiments. In the example illustrated, it is desired to incorporate a second set  210  of video title sets, comprising, for illustrative purposes only, two video title sets  212  and  214  authored by a different authoring tool or a different author using the same authoring tool to the one used to produce a first set of DVD-video image data  202 . It will be appreciated that any other number of VTSs could be merged into the first set  202  according to requirements, up to a maximum of 99 according to the limits of current technology.  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a flowchart  300  for incorporating the second set  210  of video title sets  212  and  214  into the DVD-Video data  202  according to an embodiment. At step  302 , a determination is made as to whether or not the second set  210  of DVD-Video data or the first set  202  of DVD-Video image data has been subjected to some form of content protection such as, for example, provided by a Content Scrambling System (CSS). If the determination at step  302  is that content protection (CSS) is effective, processing terminates with an optional message being output at step  304  indicating that the two sets of DVD-Video data  202  and  210  cannot be merged due to content protection being effective.  
         [0022]     However, if the determination at step  302  is that content protection is not effective, or has not been applied to either of the DVD-Video data sets  202  and  210 , a check is made at step  306  to determine if the video contained within the video title sets  206 ,  208 ,  212  and  214  is compatible, that is, a check is performed to ensure that they all conform to the one of the NTSC or PAL standards. If the determination at step  306  shows that the video contained within, or represented by, the video title sets  206 ,  208 ,  212  and  214  are incompatible, a message is output at step  308  to that effect and processing terminates.  
         [0023]     However, if the video contained within, or represented by, the video title sets  206 ,  208 ,  212  and  214  are compatible, processing proceeds to step  309   a,  where it is determined if the total number of VTSs in the resulting merged DVD-video data would exceed a predetermined limit, which is 99 according to current technology, but could equally well be some other limit. If it is determined that the total number of VTSs would exceed the predetermined limit, a message to that effect is output at step  309   b.  If it is determined that the total number of VTSs would not exceed the predetermined limit, processing proceeds to step  310  where the use of the general parameters registers (GPRMs) of the first  206  and second  208  video title sets of the first set  202  DVD-Video data is determined.  
         [0024]     At step  312 , the GPRM registers not used by the first  206  and second  208  video title sets are deemed to be available for use by the first  212  and second  214  video title sets of the second set  210  of DVD-Video data.  
         [0025]     The first  212  and second  214  video title sets of the second set  210  of DVD-Video image data are incorporated into or integrated into the first set  202  of DVD-Video image data at step  314 . The video manager  204  is amended, at step  316 , to include references to the newly incorporated first  212  and second  214  video title sets to allow those video title sets to be accessed in an appropriate manner from a menu, if provided, associated with the video manager  204 . Steps  314  and  316  might be realised, for example, by copying files representing, or associated with, the first  212  and second  214  VTSs into an output area used by an authoring tool for authoring operations, and by adding to the VMG  204  of first set of DVD-Video data  202  (contained in VIDEO_TS.IFO and VIDEO_TS.BUP) attributes of, or associated with, the new VTSs  212  and  214 .  
         [0026]     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that step  314  comprises identifying the appropriate entry points and exit points for the first  212  and second  214  video title sets of the second set  210  of DVD-Video image data. Still further, the incorporation performed at step  314  comprises the step of modifying the exit points of the first  212  and second  214  video title sets of the second set  210  of DVD-video image data so that control is returned to the video manager  204  as appropriate.  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown schematically the construction  400  of DVD-Video data from a first set  402  of DVD-Video data produced using a respective authoring tool and a second set  404  of DVD-Video data produced using a different authoring tool or using a copy of the same authoring tool used by a different author. It can be appreciated that the first set  402  of DVD-Video data comprises first  406  and second  408  video title sets. Again, it will be appreciated that two VTSs have been shown for illustrative purposes only. Any number of VTSs could be processed in practice, subject to limits imposed by technical standards that might prevail from time to time. The second set  404  of DVD-Video data comprises a video manager  410  and respective first  412  and second  414  video title sets. Once again, two VTSs have been used for illustrative purposes only. In the embodiment shown, the second set  404  of DVD-Video data is incorporated into the first set  402  of DVD-video image data. In preferred embodiments, the incorporation is performed using the authoring tool used to produce the second set  404  of DVD-Video data.  FIG. 5  shows a flowchart  500  for giving effect to the combination or incorporation illustrated by the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 . A determination is made at step  502  as to whether or not content protection is effective in respect of either of the first set  402  or second set  404  of DVD-Video data. If it is determined that such content protection is effective, processing passes to step  504  where a message indicating that the DVD-Video data sets  402  and  404  cannot be merged or combined due to content protection being effective.  
         [0028]     If the determination at step  502  is that content protection is not effective, processing proceeds to step  506  where it is determined whether or not the video represented by, or contained within, the video title sets  406 ,  408 ,  412  and  414  are compatible, that is, whether or not they are all NTSC or all PAL, for example. If the determination at step  506  is that the video represented by, or contained within, the video title sets  406  to  414  are incompatible, a message is output to that effect at step  508  together with an indication that the merging or combining process cannot be completed.  
         [0029]     If the determination at step  506  is that the video standards are compatible, processing proceeds to step  509   a,  where it is determined if the total number of VTSs in the resulting merged DVD-video data would exceed a predetermined limit, which is 99 according to current technology, but could equally well be some other limit. If it is determined that the total number of VTSs would exceed the predetermined limit, a message to that effect is output at step  509   b.  If it is determined that the total number of VTSs would not exceed the predetermined limit, processing proceeds to step  510  where the use of the GPRM registers of the first set  402  of DVD-video data is determined. The registers not used by the first set  402  of DVD-Video data are identified at step  512  as being available for use by the second set  404  of DVD-Video data. The entry points in the first set  402  of DVD-Video data are determined, that is, the entry points for the first  406  and second  408  video title sets are determined at step  514 . Furthermore, at step  516 , the exit points for the first  406  and second  408  video title sets of the first set  402  of DVD-Video image are identified.  
         [0030]     The first set  402  of DVD-Video data is copied into, or combined with, the second set  404  of DVD-Video data at step  518 . All exit points in the VTSs of the first set  404  of DVD-Video data are replaced with navigation data that returns control to the video manager  410  of the second set  404  of DVD-Video data at step  520 .  
         [0031]     At step  522 , the navigation data associated with the video manager  410  for accessing the first  406  and second  408  video title sets of the first set  402  of DVD-video image data are included in the video manager  410  or, more specifically, in the VMGI of the video manager  410  (contained in VIDEO_TS.IFO).  
         [0032]     It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that modifying the VMGI comprises establishing appropriate start sector addresses to allow a navigation manager to identify the start sector addresses or entry points for the newly added video title sequences. In practice such modifications entail doing a search-and-replace operation. The instructions that cause control to jump from one place to another are relative, if the jump is within the current VTS, and absolute if the jump is outside the current VTS. Thus, any jumps outside the current VTS must be reassigned to fit in with the new combined structure.  
         [0033]     The reader&#39;s attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0034]     All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.  
         [0035]     Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.  
         [0036]     The invention is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments. The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.