Method for reproducing data recorded on an interactive recording medium in conjunction with associated auxiliary data

Abstract

A method for reproducing data recorded on an interactive recording medium in conjunction with associated auxiliary data is disclosed. An interactive recording medium reproducing apparatus reproduces A/V data recorded on an interactive recording medium such as an interactive DVD in conjunction with contents data provided by a contents providing server using navigation information for the contents data also provided by the contents providing server, thereby allowing synchronized reproduction of data from different sources.

1 . A method of reproducing audiovisual content associated with contents data describing the audiovisual content, comprising: 
 retrieving navigation information corresponding to the audiovisual content, the navigation information including location and time data associated with the contents data;    retrieving the contents data based upon the location data included in the retrieved navigation information;    correlating reproduction timing of the audiovisual content and the retrieved contents data based upon the time data included in the retrieved navigation information; and    reproducing the audiovisual content and the retrieved contents data based upon the correlated reproduction timing.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contents data is retrieved via the Internet.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the contents data is retrieved from a contents providing server via the Internet.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contents data is retrieved from a stream of audiovisual content.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contents data is retrieved from an optical disc.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the time data is indicative of a presentation time of associated contents data.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contents data includes enhanced navigation (“ENAV”) contents data.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the navigation information includes enhanced navigation (“ENAV”) unit information.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the navigation information includes content mapping information.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the navigation information includes a metadata pointer descriptor.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the navigation information is linked to, and is thereby associated with, the contents data.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the navigation information is retrieved via the Internet.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the navigation information is retrieved from an optical disc.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the navigation information is retrieved from a stream of audiovisual content.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein correlating reproduction timing of the audiovisual content and the retrieved contents data further comprises estimating a total presentation time of the contents data based upon the time data.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein correlating reproduction timing of the audiovisual content and the retrieved contents data further comprises: 
 determining a total size of the contents data based upon the estimated total presentation time;    comparing the total size of the contents data with remaining space in a memory buffer;    determining if sufficient remaining space exists in the memory buffer based upon comparing the total size of the contents data with the remaining space in the memory buffer;    sending a command to delay transmission of the contents data, if it is determined that insufficient space exists in the memory buffer.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein sending a command to delay transmission of the contents data further comprises sending a command to transmit a portion of the contents data, to sequentially transmit the contents data, or to compress the contents data prior to transmission.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the time data includes a contents time base value.  
   
   
       19 . A device for reproducing audiovisual content associated with contents data describing the audiovisual content, the device comprising: 
 a buffer memory configured to: 
 retrieve navigation information corresponding to the audiovisual content, the navigation information including location and time data associated with the contents data, and  
 retrieve the contents data based upon the location data included in the retrieved navigation information;  
   a processor configured to correlate reproduction timing of the audiovisual content and the retrieved contents data based upon the time data included in the retrieved navigation information; and    an engine configured to reproduce the audiovisual content and the retrieved contents data based upon the correlated reproduction timing.