Information reproduction apparatus and information reproduction method

Abstract

According to one embodiment, there is provided an information reproduction method that includes executing graphics processing including blend processing of superimposing respective planes of at least video data, picture data and graphics data, and performing control to assure that data in a region except a specific region surrounding a part superimposed on the video data or the picture data in the graphics data is not used for the blend processing but data in the specific region is used for the blend processing when the video data and the picture data vary with time and the graphics data does not vary with time.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A general architecture that implements the various feature of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram showing a structure of a reproduction apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary view showing a structure of a player application used in the reproduction apparatus depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view explaining a functional structure of a software decoder realized by the player application depicted in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view explaining blend processing executed by a blend processing section provided in the reproduction apparatus depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary view explaining blend processing executed by a GPU provided in the reproduction apparatus depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary view showing how sub video data is superimposed on main video data and displayed in the reproduction apparatus depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary view showing how main video data is displayed in a part of a region of sub video data in the reproduction apparatus depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary conceptual view showing a procedure of superimposing a plurality of sets of image data in AV contents based on an HD standard in the reproduction apparatus depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary block diagram showing an example of a functional structure which realizes further promotion of an efficiency of blend processing a plurality of sets of image data;

FIG. 10 is an exemplary view explaining partial blend processing realized by a partial blend control section depicted in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an exemplary view explaining differential blend processing realized by a differential blend control section depicted in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is an exemplary view explaining a pipeline mode realized by a blend mode control section depicted in FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is an exemplary view showing how the blend processing is executed in the pipeline mode;

FIG. 14 is an exemplary view showing how the blend processing is executed in a sequential blend mode;

FIG. 15 is an exemplary view showing an example of dynamically switching a blend mode with respect to an entire image in accordance with an area in which individual sets of image data are superimposed;

FIG. 16 is an exemplary view showing how individual sets of image data are superimposed; and

FIG. 17 is an exemplary view showing an example of switching a blend mode for each image part in accordance with an area in which individual sets of image data are superimposed.

Claims

1. An information reproduction apparatus comprising: a graphics processing unit to execute graphics processing including blend processing of superimposing respective planes of at least video data, picture data and graphics data to generate a graphics screen image; anda partial blend control section to control the graphics processing unit to assure that data in a region except a specific region surrounding the graphics data is not used for the blend processing but data in the specific region is used for the blend processing, when the graphics data varies with time and occupies only a part of the entire plane.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the graphics data is divided into a plurality of sets of data and an arrangement of the plurality of sets of data satisfies certain conditions, the partial blend control section executes grouping processing of surrounding the plurality of sets of data with one frame to form the specific region.

3. An information reproduction apparatus comprising: a graphics processing unit to execute graphics processing including blend processing of superimposing respective planes of at least video data, picture data and graphics data to generate a graphics screen image; anda differential blend control section to control the graphics processing unit to assure that data in a region except a specific region surrounding a part superimposed on the video data or the picture data in the graphics data is not used for the blend processing but data in the specific region is used for the blend processing when the video data and the picture data vary with time and the graphics data does not vary with time.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, when the graphics data in the superimposed part is divided into a plurality of sets of data and an arrangement of the plurality of sets of data satisfies certain conditions, the differential blend control section executes grouping processing of surrounding the plurality of sets of data with one frame to form the specific region.

5. An information reproduction apparatus comprising: a graphics processing unit to execute graphics processing including blend processing of superimposing respective planes of at least video data, picture data and graphics data to generate a graphics screen image; anda blend mode control section to control the graphics processing unit to execute the blend processing in a data processing mode in which the video data is read, the picture data is read, the graphics data is read and the read individual sets of data are collectively written in a buffer.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the data processing mode is realized by processing units which are coupled with each other on multiple stages to respectively read the video data, the picture data and the graphics data.

7. An information reproduction apparatus comprising: a graphics processing unit to execute graphics processing including blend processing of superimposing respective planes of at least video data, picture data and graphics data to generate a graphics screen image; anda blend mode control section to determine one of data processing modes to be used in accordance with an area in which the individual sets of data are superimposed and to control the graphics processing unit to execute the blend processing in the determined mode, the data processing modes being a first data processing mode in which the video data is read, the picture data is read, the graphics data is read and the read individual sets of data are collectively written in a buffer and a second data processing mode in which data obtained by respectively reading and combining the video data and the picture data is written in the buffer and data obtained by respectively reading and combining the combined data and the graphics data is written in the buffer.

8. An information reproduction method comprising: executing graphics processing including blend processing of superimposing respective planes of at least video data, picture data and graphics data; andperforming control to assure that data in a region except a specific region surrounding the graphics data is not used for the blend processing but data in the specific region is used for the blend processing, when the graphics data varies with time and occupies only a part of the entire plane.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the performing control includes executing grouping processing of surrounding a plurality of sets of data with one frame to form the specific region when the graphics data is divided into the plurality of sets of data and an arrangement of the plurality of sets of data satisfies certain conditions.

10. An information reproduction method comprising: executing graphics processing including blend processing of superimposing respective planes of at least video data, picture data and graphics data; andperforming control to assure that data in a region except a specific region surrounding a part superimposed on the video data or the picture data in the graphics data is not used for the blend processing but data in the specific region is used for the blend processing when the video data and the picture data vary with time and the graphics data does not vary with time.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the performing control includes executing grouping processing of surrounding a plurality of sets of data with one frame to form the specific region when the graphics data in the superimposed part is divided into the plurality of sets of data and an arrangement of the plurality of sets of data satisfies certain conditions.

12. An information reproduction method comprising: executing graphics processing including blend processing of superimposing respective planes of at least video data, picture data and graphics data; andperforming control to execute the blend processing in a data processing mode in which the video data is read, the picture data is read, the graphics data is read and the read individual sets of data are collectively written in a buffer.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the data processing mode is realized by using processing units which are coupled with each other on multiple stages to respectively read the video data, the picture data and the graphics data.

14. An information reproduction method comprising: executing graphics processing including blend processing of superimposing respective planes of at least video data, picture data and graphics data; anddetermining one of data processing modes to be used in accordance with an area in which the individual sets of data are superimposed and performing control to execute the blend processing in the determined mode, the data processing modes being a first data processing mode in which the video data is read, the picture data is read, the graphics data is read and the read individual sets of data are collectively written in a buffer and a second data processing mode in which data obtained by respectively reading and combining the video data and the picture data is written in the buffer and data obtained by respectively reading and the combined data and the graphics data is written in the buffer.