Reproduction device and reproduction method, program and program storage medium, data distribution system, data structure, and method for manufacturing recording medium

Abstract

The present invention relates to a reproducing apparatus, a reproducing method, a program, a program storage medium, a data delivery system, a data structure, and a manufacturing method of a recording medium for easily handling a content file recorded on a disk and an update file recorded on a local storage. Downloaded data can be handled with a file having a path name and a file name on the local storage being different from a file having a path name and a file name on a virtual file system based on a path name specified by an src_file_name field of and a path name specified by a dst_file_name field of a manifest ( ) section. The present invention is applicable to reproducing apparatuses.

1 . A reproducing apparatus for acquiring a first data group and a second data group, and reproducing an AV stream using the acquired first and second data groups, comprising: 
 detecting means for detecting a file system of the first data group, and    virtual file system generating means for generating a virtual file system containing at least a portion of each of the first data group and the second data group, based on the file system of the first data group detected by the detecting means, and attribute information containing first information indicating a recording position of the second data group and second information indicating a path in the virtual file system of the second data group.    
   
   
       2 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a directory structure of the virtual file system comprises at least a portion of a directory structure in the file system of the first data group detected by the detecting means.  
   
   
       3 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the virtual file system comprises: 
 a directory containing a play list file managing reproduction of the AV stream,    a directory containing a clip information file managing the AV stream, and    a directory storing the AV steam.    
   
   
       4 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the second data group is stored on one of a semiconductor memory and a magnetic disk, and 
 wherein the first information indicates a path in a file system in the one of the semiconductor memory and the magnetic disk.    
   
   
       5 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising reproduction control means for controlling reproduction of the AV stream by controlling reading of the first data group and the second data group based on the virtual file system generated by the virtual file system generating means.  
   
   
       6 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising storage means for storing the acquired second data group, and 
 management means for managing the file system of the second data group in the storage means,    wherein the reproduction control means controls the reproduction by reading the second data group stored on the storage means based on the first information and the second information contained in the attribute information, the virtual file system, and the file system of the second data group managed by the management means.    
   
   
       7 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising storage means for storing the acquired second data group, 
 wherein the second data group is stored on the storage means, and also on another device connected to the reproducing apparatus via a network or a recording medium loaded on the reproducing apparatus,    wherein the first information indicates a path of the second data group in the file system of the storage means, and    wherein the reproduction control means further controls acquisition of data to be read out of the second data group stored on the other device or the recording medium if the data to be read out of the second data group is not present in the path indicated by the first information of the storage means.    
   
   
       8 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first data group is stored on one of an optical disk, a semiconductor memory, and a magnetic disk.  
   
   
       9 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising acquisition means for acquiring the second data group from outside the reproducing apparatus, 
 storage means for storing the second data group acquired by the acquisition means, and    reading means for reading the first data group from a predetermined recording medium loaded on the reproducing apparatus,    wherein the reading means acquires the first data group by reading the first data group from the predetermined recording medium loaded on the reproducing apparatus or by reading the first data group from the storage means, the storage means having stored, in an area different from the area where the second data group has been stored, the first data group read by the reading means from the predetermined recording medium.    
   
   
       10 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising first acquisition means for acquiring the first data group, and 
 second acquisition means for acquiring a third data group as an update file of the second data group,    wherein the second acquisition means acquires the third data group in a state that the first acquisition means has acquired the first data group acquired, and    wherein the virtual file system generating means generates the virtual file system containing at least a portion of each of the first data group and the third data group, based on the file system of the first data group detected by the detecting means, and attribute information containing third information indicating a recording position of the third data group and fourth information indicating a path in the virtual file system of the third data group.    
   
   
       11 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising first acquisition means for acquiring the first data group, and 
 second acquisition means for acquiring a third data group as an update file of the second data group,    wherein the second acquisition means acquires the third data group in a state that the first acquisition means has not yet acquired the first data group, and    wherein the virtual file system generating means generates the virtual file system containing at least a portion of each of the first data group and the third data group, based on the file system of the first data group detected by the detecting means, and attribute information containing third information indicating a recording position of the third data group and fourth information indicating a path in the virtual file system of the third data group.    
   
   
       12 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 storage means for storing a third data group as an update file of the second data group, and    storage control means for controlling storage of the third data group onto the storage means,    wherein one of the first data group and the third data group contains third information indicating a combination of the second data group and the third data group, the combination of the second data group and the third data group being capable of reproducing all data contained in the second data group and the third data group when the third data group is stored on the storage means, and    wherein the storage control means determines, based on the third information, what data of the second data group cannot be reproduced due to the controlling of the storage of the third data group onto the storage means.    
   
   
       13 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising notification means for outputting a notification to a user, 
 wherein when the storage control means determines that predetermined data contained in the second data group cannot be reproduced due to the controlling of the storage of the third data group onto the storage means, the notification means issues a warning message to the user.    
   
   
       14 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein each of the second data group and the third data group contains first control information for controlling a variety of stream data and reproduction of the stream data, 
 wherein when the storage control means determines that at least a portion of the stream data contained in the second data group cannot be reproduced due to the controlling of the storage of the third data group onto the storage means, the storage control means generates second control information capable of reproducing all stream data contained in the second data group and the third data group, and controls the storage of the second control information onto the storage means.    
   
   
       15 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the first control information and the second control information contain the first information and the second information.  
   
   
       16 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising notification means for outputting a notification to a user, 
 wherein each of the second data group and the third data group contains reproduction control information for controlling a variety of stream data and reproduction of the stream data,    wherein when the storage control means determines that at least a portion of the stream data contained in the second data group cannot be reproduced due to the controlling of the storage of the third data group onto the storage means,    the storage control means acquires identification information uniquely identifying the reproduction control information contained in the second data group, and    the notification means notifies the user of the identification information.    
   
   
       17 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising storage means for storing the second data group, 
 data storage management means for managing storage or deletion of the second data group on the storage means, and    operation input acquisition means for acquiring an operation input from a user,    wherein the data storage management means deletes at least a portion of data contained in the second data group stored on the storage means, in response to an operation input by the user and acquired by the operation input means, and    wherein the virtual file system generating means re-generates the virtual file system based on the attribute information when the data storage management means deletes at least the portion of the data contained in the second data group.    
   
   
       18 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 communication means for exchanging information with a predetermined information processing apparatus via a network, and    information display control means for controlling display of information assisting the user in operation,    wherein when the operation input acquisition means acquires a command to delete data contained in the second data group stored on the storage means, the data storage management means transmits, to the predetermined information processing apparatus via the communication means, information indicating a state of the virtual file system generated by the virtual file system generating means,    the communication means receives, from the predetermined information processing apparatus, information indicating a list of deletable data out of data contained in the second data group stored on the storage means,    the information display control means controls display of the information indicating the list of deletable data received via the communication means, and    the data storage management means deletes at least a portion of the data contained in the second data group stored on the storage means, based on the operation input of the user who references the list of the deletable data displayed under the control of the information display control means, the operation input acquired by the operation input acquisition means.    
   
   
       19 . The reproducing apparatus according to  claim 17 , further comprising communication means for exchanging information with a predetermined information processing apparatus via a network, 
 wherein the virtual file system generating means determines whether a malfunction is likely to occur as a result of deletion of data in the virtual file system after at least the portion of the data contained in the second data group stored on the storage means is deleted,    and if it is determined that the malfunction is likely to occur as a result of data deletion, extracts data required to correct the malfunction, and requests the predetermined information processing apparatus via the communication means to transmit data required to correct the malfunction, and    the communication means receives the data required to correct the malfunction from the predetermined information processing apparatus, and    the data storage management means controls storage of the data, required to correct the malfunction and received via the communication means, onto the storage means.    
   
   
       20 . A reproducing method of a reproducing apparatus for reproducing an AV stream using a first data group and a second data group, comprising steps of: 
 detecting a file system of the first data group,    acquiring attribute information containing first information indicating a recording position of the second data group and second information indicating a path in a virtual file system of the second data group, and    generating the virtual file system containing at least a portion of each of the first data group and the second data group, based on the detected file system of the first data group and the acquired attribute information.    
   
   
       21 . The reproducing method according to  claim 20 , further comprising steps of: 
 acquiring a third data group as an update file of the second data group,    acquiring, from one of the first data group and the third data group, third information indicating a combination of the second data group and the third data group, the combination of the second data group and the third data group being capable of reproducing all data contained in the second data group and the third data group when the third data group is stored on a predetermined storage section, and    determining, based on the third information, whether any of data contained in the second data group cannot be reproduced when the third data group is stored onto the storage section.    
   
   
       22 . A program for causing a computer to reproduce an AV stream using a first data group and a second data group, comprising steps of: 
 detecting a file system of the first data group,    acquiring attribute information containing first information indicating a recording position of the second data group and second information indicating a path in a virtual file system of the second data group, and    generating the virtual file system containing at least a portion of each of the first data group and the second data group, based on the detected file system of the first data group and the acquired attribute information.    
   
   
       23 . A program storage medium storing the program of  claim 22 .  
   
   
       24 . A data structure of third data to be supplied to a reproducing apparatus so that first data and second data supplied to the reproducing apparatus are reproduced with the first and second data associated with each other, comprising: 
 first information indicating a path in a file system of a recording section storing the first data in the reproducing apparatus, and    second information indicating a path of the first data in a virtual file system of the reproducing apparatus, the virtual file system including at least a portion of each of the first data and the second data.    
   
   
       25 . A manufacturing method of a recording medium, the recording medium storing third data to be supplied to a reproducing apparatus so that first data and second data supplied to the reproducing apparatus are reproduced with the first and second data associated with each other, comprising steps of: 
 generating data having a data structure including first information indicating a path in a file system of a recording section storing the first data in the reproducing apparatus,    second information indicating a path of the first data in a virtual file system of the reproducing apparatus, the virtual file system including at least a portion of each of the first data and the second data, and    recording the generated data onto the recording medium.    
   
   
       26 . A reproducing apparatus for reproducing an AV stream using a first data group and a second data group, comprising: 
 first acquisition means for acquiring the first data group,    second acquisition means for acquiring the second data group that is to be reproduced along with the first data group,    storage means for storing the second data group acquired by the second acquisition means,    extracting means for extracting, from the second data group stored on the storage means, first information indicating a path in the second data group in a file system of the storage means and second information indicating a path in a virtual file system of the second data group,    detecting means for detecting a file system of the first data group,    virtual file system generating means for generating the virtual file system containing at least a portion of each of the first data group and the second data group, based on the file system of the first data group detected by the detecting means, and the first information and the second information extracted by the extracting means, and    reproducing means for reproducing the AV stream by reading the acquired first data group and second data group based on the virtual file system.    
   
   
       27 . A reproducing method of a reproducing apparatus for reproducing an AV stream using a first data group and a second data group, comprising steps of: 
 acquiring the second data group along with the first data group,    storing the acquired second data group onto a storage section,    extracting, from the second data group stored on the storage section, first information indicating a path in the second data group in a file system of the storage section and second information indicating a path in a virtual file system of the second data group,    detecting a file system of the first data group,    generating the virtual file system containing at least a portion of each of the first data group and the second data group, based on the detected file system of the first data group and the extracted first information and second information, and    reproducing the AV stream by reading the first data group and the second data group based on the virtual file system.    
   
   
       28 . A program for causing a computer to reproduce an AV stream using a first data group and a second data group, comprising steps of: 
 acquiring the second data group along with the first data group,    storing the acquired second data group onto a storage section,    extracting, from the second data group stored on the storage section, first information indicating a path in the second data group in a file system of the storage section and second information indicating a path in a virtual file system of the second data group,    detecting a file system of the first data group,    generating the virtual file system containing at least a portion of each of the first data group and the second data group, based on the detected file system of the first data group and the extracted first information and second information, and    reproducing the AV stream by reading the first data group and the second data group based on the virtual file system.    
   
   
       29 . A program storage medium storing the program of  claim 28 .  
   
   
       30 . A data delivery system comprising: 
 a reproducing apparatus for reproducing an AV stream based on information recorded on a removable recording medium, and    a data delivery apparatus for delivering data to the reproducing apparatus,    wherein the reproducing apparatus includes:    detecting means for detecting a file system of a first data group recorded on the recording medium,    data acquisition means for acquiring a second data group delivered from the data delivery apparatus,    first storage means for storing the second data group acquired by the data acquisition means, and    virtual file system generating means for generating a virtual file system containing at least a portion of each of the first data group and the second data group, based on the file system of the first data group detected by the detecting means, and attribute information containing first information indicating a path in a file system of the second data group on the storage means and second information indicating a path in the virtual file system of the second data group, and    wherein the data deliver apparatus includes:    second storage means for storing a plurality of second data groups,    schedule management means for managing a delivery schedule of the second data group to the reproducing apparatus, and    selecting means for selecting any of the plurality second data groups deliverable to the reproducing apparatus from among the plurality second data groups stored on the second storage means, based on the schedule managed by the schedule management means.