Recording medium and method and apparatus for decoding text subtitle streams

Abstract

At least one text subtitle stream is recorded on a recording medium. Each text subtitle stream includes a dialog style segment defining a set of region styles and at least one dialog presentation segment. Each dialog presentation segment contains at least one region of dialog text and being linked to at least one of the set of region styles. The dialog style segment further defines a set of user control styles for each region style. Each user control style is selectable by a user and is configured to change at least one of region presentation properties specified by a corresponding region style.

1 . A method for reproducing at least one text subtitle stream, the method comprising: 
 receiving the text subtitle stream from external source, each text subtitle stream including a style segment defining region style to be applied to at least one region, the style segment further defining at least one set of user control style for each region style, each set of user control style being selectable and configured to change at least one of region presentation properties specified by a corresponding region style; and    decoding the text subtitle stream using the style segment defining the region style and the at least one set of user control style.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the style segment includes a data field indicating a number of the region styles.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the number of region styles is less than or equal to 60.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the style segment includes a data field indicating a number of the set of user control styles defined in the style segment for each region style.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the number of the set of user control styles defined for each region style is less than or equal to 25.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each user control style specifies a direction and a magnitude of a change in the at least one of region presentation properties specified by the corresponding region style.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the region presentation properties include at least one of a region horizontal position, a region vertical position, a text horizontal position, a text vertical position, a line space, and a font size.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each user control style specifies a direction and a magnitude of a change in at least one of a region horizontal position, a region vertical position, a text horizontal position, a text vertical position, a line space, and a font size, which are specified in the corresponding region style.  
   
   
       9 . A method for reproducing at least one text subtitle stream, the method comprising: 
 receiving the text subtitle stream from external source, the text subtitle stream including a style segment defining region styles and at least one presentation segment, each presentation segment containing at least one region and being linked to at least one of the region styles, the style segment further defining at least one set of user control styles for each region style, each user control style configured to change at least one of region presentation properties specified by a corresponding region style; and    decoding the presentation segment using the linked region style and the user control styles.    
   
   
       10 . A method for reproducing at least one text subtitle stream, the method comprising: 
 selecting the text subtitle stream from external source or a recording medium, each text subtitle stream including a style segment defining region style to be applied to at least one region, the style segment further defining at least one set of user control style for each region style, each set of user control style being selectable and configured to change at least one of region presentation properties specified by a corresponding region style; and    decoding the text subtitle stream using the style segment defining the region style and the at least one set of user control style.    
   
   
       11 . A method for reproducing at least one text subtitle stream, the method comprising: 
 selecting the text subtitle stream from an external source or a recording medium, the text subtitle stream including a style segment defining region styles and at least one presentation segment, each presentation segment containing at least one region and being linked to at least one of the region styles, the style segment further defining at least one set of user control styles for each region style, each user control style configured to change at least one region presentation property specified by a corresponding region style; and    decoding the presentation segment using the linked region style and the user control styles.    
   
   
       12 . An apparatus for reproducing at least one text subtitle stream, the method comprising: 
 decoder configured to decode the text subtitle stream received from an external source, wherein the text subtitle stream including a style segment defining region style to be applied to at least one region, the style segment further defining at least one set of user control style for each region style, each set of user control style being selectable and configured to change at least one of region presentation properties specified by a corresponding region style; and    controller configured to control operation of the decoder to receive the text subtitle stream from the receiver and decode the text subtitle stream using the style segment defining the region style and the at least one set of user control style.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein each user control style specifies a direction and a magnitude of a change in the at least one of region presentation properties specified by the corresponding region style.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the region presentation properties include at least one of a region horizontal position, a region vertical position, a text horizontal position, a text vertical position, a line space, and a font size.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein each user control style specifies a direction and a magnitude of a change in at least one of a region horizontal position, a region vertical position, a text horizontal position, a text vertical position, a line space, and a font size, which are specified in the corresponding region style.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus for reproducing at least one text subtitle stream, the method comprising: 
 decoder configured to decode the text subtitle stream received from an external source, wherein the text subtitle stream including a style segment defining region styles and at least one presentation segment, each presentation segment containing at least one region and being linked to at least one of the region styles, the style segment further defining user control styles for each region style, each user control style being selectable and configured to change at least one of region presentation properties specified by a corresponding region style; and    controller configured to control operation of the decoder to receive the text subtitle stream from the receiver and decode each dialog presentation segment using the linked region style and one of user control styles in the text subtitle.    
   
   
       17 . An apparatus for reproducing at least one text subtitle stream, the method comprising: 
 decoder configured to decode the text subtitle stream selected from an external source, wherein the text subtitle stream including a style segment defining region style to be applied to at least one region, the style segment further defining at least one set of user control style for each region style, each set of user control style being selectable and configured to change at least one of region presentation properties specified by a corresponding region style; and    controller configured to control operation of the decoder to decode the text subtitle stream using the style segment defining the region style and the at least one set of user control style.    
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein each user control style specifies a direction and a magnitude of a change in the at least one of region presentation properties specified by the corresponding region style.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the region presentation properties include at least one of a region horizontal position, a region vertical position, a text horizontal position, a text vertical position, a line space, and a font size.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein each user control style specifies a direction and a magnitude of a change in at least one of a region horizontal position, a region vertical position, a text horizontal position, a text vertical position, a line space, and a font size, which are specified in the corresponding region style.  
   
   
       21 . An apparatus for decoding at least one text subtitle stream recorded on a recording medium or received from an external source, the apparatus comprising: 
 decoder configured to decode the text subtitle stream selected from an external source, wherein the text subtitle stream including a style segment defining region styles and at least one presentation segment, each presentation segment containing at least one region and being linked to at least one of the region styles, the style segment further defining at least one set of user control styles for each region style, each a set o user control style configured to change at least one of region presentation properties specified by a corresponding region style; and    controller configured to control operation of the decoder to decode each presentation segment using the linked region style and one of the set of user control styles.