1.  Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating information for recording moving picture data, audio data, such as voice with the moving picture data or music, and sub-picture data, such as subtitles, on a multimedia optical disk as a system stream, and a method and apparatus for recording generated information on the multimedia optical disk, and an information recording medium storing a program thereof for allowing a computer to execute those methods. 
2.  Description of Related Art
A conventional recording method of a still picture, moving picture, or sound on a multimedia optical disk, such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk (or Disc)) is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No.  10-199215 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No.  10-108135.  In this recording method, first, data of the still picture, moving picture, or sound for recording is encoded in digital based on a method specified in a standard, such as MPEG (Motion Pictures Experts Group).  Next, the encoded data is multiplexed according to a logical format specified in a standard of multimedia optical disk, such as the DVD, and a group of data, called a system stream, is generated.  Then, system stream management information for managing the system stream is generated according to the logical format.  Further, global management information for managing a whole disk, including the system stream management information, according to the logical format.  Finally, the system stream, the system stream management information, and the global management information are recorded on the multimedia optical disk. 
The multimedia optical disk, such as the DVD, can record an enormous amount of information, so that a plurality of video tapes, for example, which are shot at home, can be brought together in one multimedia optical disk using the above-described recording method.  The multimedia optical disk can instantly detect a desirable playback portion by the management information even when an enormous amount of information is recorded thereon.  Further, the multimedia optical disk has an outstanding advantage as the recording medium of video and audio. 
According to the conventional recording method, the generating order of data to be recorded is the system stream, the system stream management information, and the global management information because the management information includes the information, such as a size of data to be recorded and recording position which are found after an encoding process and a multiplexing process, are completed.  However, the order of data specified in the logical format is the global management information, the system stream management information, and then the system stream.  Therefore, the data needs to be sorted when the data is recorded on the multimedia optical disk. 
As a result, each data described above cannot be generated in the order according to the logical format from the beginning.  Therefore, for example, the encoding process and the multiplexing process are performed using different hard disks.  Further, on another different hard disk, the system stream, the system stream management information, and the global management information are arranged in the order according to the logical format.  Then, the final data is brought to completion.  Therefore, the conventional recording method is enormously inefficient and takes a lot of trouble. 
The invention provides a method and an apparatus for generating still picture data, moving picture data, or audio data, such as voice, efficiently and in a short time, as information that is structured so that it can be recorded on a multimedia optical disk, such as a DVD, a method and an apparatus for recording the information on an information recording medium, and an information recording medium storing a program for allowing a computer to execute these methods. 
The information generating method may include the steps of inputting scenario information for performing management per title; inputting the substantive data specified by specifying information in structure information of the title included in the scenario information; encoding the input substantive data according to encoding information in the structure information; storing the encoded substantive data in a storage area of the storage device; generating an amount of the substantive data which is encoded to predetermined breakpoints of each step according to encoding and storing or index information about a storing point in the storage area, every breakpoints, and storing the information in the storage area as a part of the substantive data management information; generating information other than the index information of the substantive data management information concurrently with each step based on the structure information and storing the information in the storage area; generating the global management information concurrently with each step based on the scenario information and storing the information in the storage area; and outputting all information in the order according to the format of the information recording medium after all necessary information for the substantive data, the substantive data management information, and the global management information, are stored. 
According to the information generating method, first, the scenario information for performing the management per title is input.  Next, the specifying information in the structure information included in the scenario information is read and the substantive data specified by the specifying information is input.  Then, the encoding information in the structure information is read, and the input substantive data is encoded based on the encoding information.  After that, the encoded substantive information is stored in the storage area of the storage device.  On the other hand, every predetermined breakpoint of each step according to encoding and recording, the amount of the substantive data which is encoded to the predetermined breakpoints or the index information about the recording point on the recording area is generated, and the information is stored as a part of the substantive data management information.  Information other than the index information of the substantive data management information is concurrently generated with each step based on the structure information, and the information is stored in the storage area.  Further, the global management information is concurrently generated with each step based on the scenario information, and the information is stored in the storage area.  Then, after all necessary information for the substantive data, the substantive data management information, and the global management information are stored, these information are output in the order according to the format of the information recording medium. 
As described above, according to the invention, the global management information and the substantive data management information are concurrently generated with the encoding process and the storing process of the substantive data.  Further, the index information is generated for every predetermined breakpoint of the encoding and the storing processes and determined as a part of the substantive data management information.  That is, the global management information generating process, the substantive data management information generating process, the encoding process, and the storing processes of the substantive data are concurrently performed.  Therefore, when the encoding and the storing processes of all substantive data are finished, storing of all necessary information for the substantive data, the substantive data management information, and the global management information, is completed.  Then, all of the information is output in the order according to the format of the information recording medium.  Therefore, the information that is structured so that it can be recorded on the multimedia optical disk, such as the DVD, can be generated efficiently and in a short time. 
According to another aspect of the invention, the step of inputting the scenario information inputs the scenario information including maximum size information of the substantive data of each title, and the step of recording the encoded substantive data in the recording area stores the substantive data whose part that exceeds the maximum size is omitted based on the maximum size information. 
According to the information generating method, the scenario information including the maximum size information of the substantive data per title is input as the scenario information.  Then, at the time of storing the encoded substantive data in the storage area, the substantive data whose part that exceeds the maximum size is omitted is stored based on the maximum size information.  Therefore, according to the invention, the size of the information that the multimedia optical disk, such as the DVD, records is restricted within the recordable size of the multimedia optical disk, so that the appropriate recording of the information is performed. 
According to another aspect of the invention, the step of inputting the substantive data inputs a part of the substantive data corresponding to time break information that is the specifying information, and the steps according to encoding and storing the substantive data encodes and stores a part of the substantive data corresponding to the time break information. 
According to the information generating method, when inputting the substantive information, the time break information is read as the specifying information, and the part of the substantive data corresponding to the time break information is input.  When encoding and storing the substantive data, the part of the substantive data corresponding to the time break information is encoded and stored.  Therefore, a desirable information is appropriately recorded on the multimedia optical disk, such as the DVD. 
In a preferred aspect of the invention, an information recording method of recording the information may further include the steps of converting the information output by the step of outputting to a form according to the format of the information recording medium; and modulating a light beam based on the information which is converted to the form by the step of converting and recording the information on the information recording medium. 
According to the information recording method, as information that is structured so that it can be recorded on a multimedia optical disk, such as a DVD, is generated efficiently and in a short time, and next the information is converted to the form according to the format of the information recording medium.  Next, a light beam is modulated based on the information which is converted to the format, and the information is recorded on the multimedia optical disk.  Therefore, the recording of the information on the information recording medium is performed efficiently and in a short time. 
In another aspect of the invention, an information generating method of generating substantive data representing one of video data or audio data, substantive data management information for managing the substantive data according to a format of an information recording medium per title or a plurality of titles, and global management information for managing the whole information recording medium on a storage medium other than the information recording medium may include the steps of inputting scenario information for performing management per title; allocating storage areas of each information in the order according to the format of the information recording medium so that sizes of the substantive data management information and the global management information are maximum on the storage device, based on structure information of the title in the scenario information; calculating an amount of information per unit time at the time of playing by dividing a result of subtraction that the size of the storage area after allocation is subtracted from a total size of storage area of the information recording medium by a total playback time length of the substantive data of each title which is obtained from the structure information; allocating a recording area of the substantive data after encoding per title in the order according to the format of the information recording medium, based on a maximum amount of the information by calculating the maximum amount of the information of the substantive data after encoding per title by multiplying the amount of the information per unit time by the playback time length of each title; inputting the substantive data specified by specifying information in the structure information; encoding the input substantive data based on encoding information in the structure information; storing the encoded substantive data in the storage area; generating an amount of the substantive data which is encoded to predetermined breakpoints of each step according to encoding and storing or index information about a storing point in the storage area, every breakpoint, and storing the information in the storage area as a part of the substantive data management information; generating information other than the index information of the substantive management information concurrently with each step based on the structure information and storing the information in the storage area; generating the global management information concurrently with each step based on the scenario information and storing the information in the storage area; and outputting all information from top of the storage area after all necessary information for the substantive data, the substantive data management information, and the global management information, are stored. 
According to the information generating method, the scenario information for performing the management per title is input.  Next, the structure information of the title included in the scenario information is read, and the storage areas of each information are allocated in the order according to the format of the information recording medium so that sizes of the substantive data management information and the global management information are maximum on the storage device, based on structure information of the title in the scenario information.  Then, the amount of information per unit time at the time of playing calculating is calculated by dividing the result of subtraction that the size of the storage area after allocation is subtracted from the total size of storage area of the information recording medium by the total playback time length of the substantive data of each title which is obtained from the structure information.  The maximum amount of the information of the substantive data after encoding per title is calculated by multiplying the amount of the information per unit time by the playback time length of each title, and the storage area of the substantive data after encoding per title is allocated in the order according to the format of the information recording medium based on the maximum amount of the information.  Next, the substantive data specified by specifying information in the structure information, is input.  Then, the encoding information included in the structure information of the title is read, and the input substantive data is encoded based on the encoding information.  The encoded substantive data is stored in the storage area.  On the other hand, every predetermined breakpoint of each step according to encoding and storing, the amount of the information of the substantive data which is encoded to the predetermined breakpoints or the index information about the storing point on the storage area is generated, and the information is recorded as a part of the substantive data management information.  Information other than the index information of the substantive data management information is concurrently generated with each step based on the structure information, and the information is stored in the storage area.  Further, the global management information is concurrently generated with each step based on the scenario information, and the information is stored in the storage area.  Then, after all necessary information for the substantive data, the substantive data management information, and the global management information are stored, the information is then output from top of the storage area. 
As described above, according to the invention, the global management information and the substantive data management information are concurrently generated with the encoding process and the storing process of the substantive data.  Further, the index information is generated for every predetermined breakpoint of the encoding process and the storing process and determined as a part of the substantive data management information.  That is, the global management information generating process, the substantive data management information generating process, and the encoding process and the storing process of the substantive data are concurrently performed.  Therefore, when the encoding process and the storing process of all substantive data are finished, storing of all necessary information for the substantive data, the substantive data management information, and the global management information, is completed.  Further, this information is stored in the maximum sized storage area that is allocated in the order according to the format of the information recording medium, so that the information that is structured so that it can be recorded on the multimedia optical disk, such as the DVD, is brought to completion when the storing is completed.  Therefore, the information that is structured so that it can be recorded on a multimedia optical disk, such as a DVD, can be efficiently generated in a short time. 
According to another aspect of the invention, the step of inputting the substantive data inputs a part of the substantive data corresponding to time break information that is the specifying information, and the steps according to encoding and recording the substantive data encodes and stores a part of the substantive data corresponding to the time break information. 
According to the information generating method, when inputting the substantive information, the time break information is read as the specifying information, and the part of the substantive data corresponding to the time break information is input.  When encoding and storing the substantive data, the part of the substantive data corresponding to the time break information is encoded and recorded.  Therefore, desirable information is appropriately recorded on the multimedia optical disk, such as the DVD.