Claims
- 1. A data stream for processing by a system that generates an audio signal, said data stream comprising a sequence of data blocks containing a plurality of synchronized digital audio tracks; the data stream including a code for each of said digital audio tracks identifying it as either a switching master including music and effects (M&E) and dialog, or a track containing audio segments to be switched with said switching master.
- 2. A data stream according to claim 1 wherein said sequence of data blocks represents an image program with which the digital audio tracks are synchronized so that when the data stream is processed by said system, an image signal can be derived synchronized with the audio signal.
- 3. A data stream according to claim 1 or claim 2 that includes a code for each of said digital audio tracks indicative of the language of any dialog therein so that when the data stream is processed by said system, the audio tracks can be switched in accordance with the language desired by a user.
- 4. A data stream according to claim 3 wherein the data stream has a structure comprising a lead-in section followed by said sequence of data blocks, said lead-in section containing data indicative of the language of the audio information represented by the data blocks.
- 5. A method of processing stored data, said stored data having a sequence of data blocks containing a plurality of synchronized digital audio tracks, and a code for each of said digital audio tracks identifying its use as either a switching master including music and effects (M&E) and dialog, or a track containing audio segments to be switched with said switching master; said method including the steps of:determining from said audio track codes how the data in the audio tracks should be switched, selecting a switching master and a track containing audio segments to be switched with said switching master, and generating an audio signal in accordance with the selected tracks and the respective identifying track codes.
- 6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said sequence of data blocks also represents an image program with which the digital audio tracks are synchronized, and said method includes the step of deriving an image signal synchronized with said audio signal.
- 7. A method according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein a code for each of said audio tracks indicative of the language of any dialog therein is contained in the stored data, the method further including the step of allowing a user to select digital audio tracks to be switched in accordance with a desired dialog language.
- 8. A method according to any of claims 5-7 wherein an individual data block in said stored data contains indicia of which digital audio tracks in the block contain data, the method including the step of operating on only the digital audio tracks in the data blocks that are required to derive an audio signal in accordance with said audio track codes and the dialog language desired by a user.
- 9. A method of processing a data stream, said data stream having a sequence of data blocks containing a plurality of synchronized digital audio tracks, and a code for each of said digital audio tracks identifying its use as either a switching master including music and effects (M&E) and dialog, or a track containing audio segments to be switched with said switching master; said method including the steps of:determining from said audio track codes how the data in the audio tracks should be switched, selecting a switching master and a track containing audio segments to be switched with said switching master, and generating an audio signal in accordance with the selected tracks and the respective identifying track codes.
- 10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said sequence of data blocks also represents an image program with which the digital audio tracks are synchronized, and said method includes the step of deriving an image signal synchronized with said audio signal.
- 11. A method according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein a code for each of said audio tracks indicative of the language of any dialog therein is contained in the data stream, the method further including the step of allowing a user to select digital audio tracks to be switched in accordance with a desired dialog language.
- 12. A method according to any of claims 9-11 wherein an individual data block in said data stream contains indicia of which digital audio tracks in the block contain data, the method including the step of operating on only the digital audio tracks in the data blocks that are required to derive an audio signal in accordance with said audio track codes and the dialog language desired by a user.
- 13. A set of data embodied on a machine-readable medium or in a data stream for processing by a system that generates an audio signal, said set of data comprising a sequence of data blocks containing a plurality of synchronized digital audio tracks; the set of data including a code for each of said digital audio tracks identifying it as either a switching master including music and effects (M&E) and dialog, or a track containing audio segments to be switched with said switching master.
- 14. A set of data embodied on a machine-readable medium or in a data stream according to claim 13 wherein said sequence of data blocks represents an image program with which the digital audio tracks are synchronized so that when the set of data is processed by said system, an image signal can be derived synchronized with the audio signal.
- 15. A set of data embodied on a machine-readable medium or in a data stream according to claim 13 or claim 14 that includes a code for each of said digital audio tracks indicative of the language of any dialog therein so that when the set of data is processed by said system, the audio tracks can be switched in accordance with the language desired by a user.
- 16. A set of data embodied on a machine-readable medium or in a data stream according to claim 15 wherein the set of data has a structure comprising successive data blocks, and a section containing data indicative of the language of the audio information represented by the data blocks.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/211,588 filed on Dec. 14, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,139, which in turn is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/905,475 filed Aug. 4, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,534, which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/486,611 filed on Jun. 7, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,320, which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/144,791 filed Oct. 29, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,843.
US Referenced Citations (23)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Connie Guglielmo, “teamwork binds multimedia kids' titles”, MacWeek, vol. 6, No. 2, p. 42(2), Jan. 13, 1992. |
Continuations (4)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/211588 |
Dec 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/657130 |
|
US |
Parent |
08/905475 |
Aug 1997 |
US |
Child |
09/211588 |
|
US |
Parent |
08/486611 |
Jun 1995 |
US |
Child |
08/905475 |
|
US |
Parent |
08/144791 |
Oct 1993 |
US |
Child |
08/486611 |
|
US |