JPH1021035A - Video data reproduction control method and computer using the same method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily control video reproduction on a computer through a remote control operation similar to that of a DVD player. SOLUTION: A remote control driver 117 for controlling a remote controller 114 is provided. This remote control driver 117 has an interface for DVD-VIDEO reproduction software 119, discriminates the contents of an operation indication signal received from a remote control unit 115 through the remote controller 114, and converts the operation request specified with the operation indication signal into operation indication information that the DVD-VIDEO reproduction software 119 can interpret and passes it to the DVD-VIDEO reproduction software (DVD player software) 119. Consequently, the DVD-VIDEO reproduction software 119 is controlled according to the operation of the remote control unit 115 as well as mouse and keyboard operation and performs reproduction control over video data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a video data reproduction control method and a computer using the method, and more particularly to a video data reproduction control method for reproducing moving image data such as DVD video on a computer such as a personal computer and the like. How to use a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the development of computers and multimedia technologies, various computer systems compatible with so-called multimedia have been developed. This type of computer system can reproduce moving image and audio data in addition to text data and graphics data.

Normally, moving image data is compression-encoded by MPEG1 and stored in a CD-ROM or the like, and a dedicated expansion board is used for decoding and displaying and reproducing the moving image data. As an extension board for decoding and displaying and reproducing moving image data, for example, "REAL Magic" of Sigma Design Inc. is well known. This “REAL Magic” is an MPEG1
Has a video decoding function conforming to the standard, and the decoded moving image data is combined with the VGA graphics taken in from the video card via the feature connector and displayed.

However, the standard of MPEG1 is 1.5 Mb.
The standard is based on the assumption that a CD-ROM having a data transfer rate of about ps is used. When moving image data including a large amount of image information such as a movie is handled, problems such as deterioration of image quality occur.

Therefore, recently, a new generation of storage media having a data transfer speed several to several tens of times that of a CD-ROM has begun to be developed. As such a new generation storage medium, a system capable of digitally recording an information amount of about 10 GB on one disk and realizing a data transfer speed of up to about 10 Mbps is known as a DVD player.

This DVD player records moving image data and audio data, which are digitally compressed and coded according to the MPEG2 standard, on a disk medium such as an optical disk, decodes the moving image data with audio, and outputs the decoded data to a television receiver. Output.

The DVD player is provided with a disk drive, a data buffer, a video decoder, an audio decoder, an NTSC encoder, and the like. In this DVD player, when the optical disk is driven by a disk drive device, moving image data and audio data are read from the optical disk and stored in a data buffer.

[0008] The moving picture data and audio data stored in the data buffer are decoded by a video decoder and an audio decoder, respectively. The moving picture data decoded by the video decoder is converted to an NTSC signal by an NTSC encoder and sent to a video input of a television receiver. On the other hand, the audio data decoded by the audio decoder is subjected to D / A conversion, and then sent to the audio input of the television receiver.

[0009] Since the data transfer rate of this DVD player is as high as about 10 Mbps, when a DVD player is used, movie information including sub-pictures such as subtitles and a plurality of audio channels, in addition to main pictures, can be transferred to CDs. It can be recorded on a single disk having the same size, and the main video, sub-video and audio can be synchronized and reproduced on a television receiver.

On the other hand, a technology for reproducing moving image data for a DVD player has been developed also for a personal computer. When reproducing moving image data of a DVD player on a personal computer, only the disk drive of the DVD player is connected to the computer, and drive control of the disk drive and display control for reproducing a moving image are performed. All will be performed under program control. In this case, DVD video-specific functions such as video data reproduction, fast-forward, rewind, multi-scene reproduction, sub-video channel selection, audio channel selection, parental control, etc. are used. Playback control is also required.

[0011] Since the DVD player is a dedicated device for DVD video playback, a large number of operation buttons required for all playback controls are provided on the player body or a remote controller so that the user can give instructions for the playback control. Can be accepted from However, such a dedicated button or remote control operation cannot be used in a personal computer, and a user uses a keyboard or mouse to operate a DVD-V.
By clicking a button on the graphical user interface provided by the IDEO playback software, a playback control instruction is given.

An operation using a keyboard or a mouse is highly convenient when handling a normal application program, but is not always easy as an operation for reproducing a video. In particular, considering the use form of a personal computer as a home PC in recent years, the same remote control operation as operating a television or a DVD player can be used.
It would be desirable to be able to control the playback of DVD video on a personal computer.

[0013]

As described above, conventionally, a DVD player and a DVD having similar functions have been conventionally used.
-Even though it is VIDEO playback software, one uses its own remote control and the other uses a mouse or keyboard, so it is necessary to perform different operations to play and control the same media There was a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and uses a video playback control method and a video playback control method capable of easily controlling video playback on a computer by a remote control operation similar to a DVD player. The purpose is to provide a computer.

[0015]

According to the present invention, there is provided a video system for controlling the reproduction of video data on a computer using a computer program for controlling the reproduction of video data in accordance with operation instruction information input via a graphical user interface. In the data reproduction control method,
Determining the content of the operation instruction signal received from the remote control unit, converting the operation request specified by the operation instruction signal into operation instruction information interpretable by the computer program, and controlling the operation of the computer program; The video data reproducing operation on the computer can be controlled by using the unit.

This video data playback control method is for controlling playback of video data such as DVD video on a computer such as a personal computer.
Under the control of a computer program such as DVD-Video playback software, it is used in a system environment in which playback of video data can be controlled by instructions from a mouse or keyboard through a graphical user interface. When the user operates the remote control unit, the content of the operation instruction signal received from the remote control unit is determined by a remote control driver program or the like, and the operation request specified by the operation instruction signal is transmitted to a computer program such as DVD-Video playback software. Is converted into interpretable operation instruction information and sent from the remote control driver program to the computer program. This allows
A computer program such as DVD-Video playback software is controlled in accordance with the operation of the remote control unit as in the case of mouse and keyboard operations, and controls playback of video data. Therefore, the video data reproduction operation on the computer can be controlled using the remote control unit, and an environment optimal for a next-generation home PC can be constructed.

According to the present invention, in a video data playback control method for controlling playback of video data on a computer, a content of an operation instruction signal received from a remote control unit is determined, and an operation request signal specified by the operation instruction signal is determined. Is converted to operation instruction information that can be interpreted by a driver program that controls hardware necessary for the video data reproduction control, and controls the operation of the driver program.
A video data reproducing operation on a computer can be controlled by using a remote control unit.

In this control method, the aforementioned DVD-VID
No dedicated computer program such as EO playback software is used, and the contents of the operation instruction signal from the remote control unit are determined by the remote control driver program and the like, and the hardware necessary for video data playback control is controlled. Is converted into operation instruction information that can be interpreted by the driver program. Thereby, the video data reproducing operation on the computer is controlled in a form in which the driver program is directly controlled. In this case, DVD-
Since VIDEO playback software is not used at all, it is possible to perform video playback and control the playback operation without displaying buttons for a graphical user interface on the screen.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration of hardware and software of a personal computer for realizing a video playback control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A personal computer includes, as main hardware necessary for reproducing video data, a disk drive device for driving a recording medium in which moving image data and the like are digitally compressed and encoded in MPEG2 format. A DVD-ROM drive 111, this D
An MPEG2 decoder 112 for decoding moving image data and the like read from the VD-ROM drive 111, a VGA controller 113 having a function of synthesizing and displaying moving image data on a graphics screen, and the like are provided. Further, in this embodiment, a remote control controller 114 is provided for communication with a remote control unit 115 used for operating a DVD player or the like. This remote control controller 114 may be dedicated to communication with the remote control unit 115,
It can also be realized by a standardized infrared communication port such as DA or an improved version thereof.

These DVD-ROM drives 111, M
PEG2 decoder 112, VGA controller 113
Hardware control such as is performed by a corresponding hardware device driver program group 116. The hardware device driver program group 116 includes, for example, the DVD-ROM drive 111
SCSI / ATA used as an interface for
SCSI / AT that controls interface such as PI
API driver, MPEG2 driver for controlling operation of MPEG2 decoder 112, VGA controller 113
(Video Port) that controls the display of moving images
Manager) is provided. Also, a dedicated video generation control driver or the like may be provided for controlling these drivers in an integrated manner.

DVD which is an application program that operates under the control of the operating system 118
-VIDEO playback software (DVD player software) 1
19 receives various operation instructions from a user using a graphical user interface, and controls the operation of the hardware device driver program group 116 in accordance with the operation instructions, thereby controlling playback of video data, fast forward, rewind control, and angle switching. , Sub-channel selection, audio channel selection, parental control, etc.
Provide a user with an environment for using functions unique to VD video.

Further, in this embodiment, a remote control driver 117 for controlling the remote control controller 114 is provided. This remote control driver 11
7 has an interface with DVD-VIDEO playback software (DVD player software) 119,
The contents of the operation instruction signal received from the remote control unit 115 through the remote control controller 114 are determined, and the operation request specified by the operation instruction signal is transmitted to the DVD-VID.
It is converted into operation instruction information that can be interpreted by the EO playback software (DVD player software) 119 and passed to the DVD-VIDEO playback software (DVD player software) 119. As a result, the DVD-Video playback software 119 is controlled in accordance with the operation of the remote control unit 115 in the same manner as the mouse or keyboard operation, and controls playback of video data.

The remote control driver 117 also has an interface with the operating system 118. When the operation instruction signal received from the remote control unit 115 via the remote control controller 114 indicates the power supply 0N, the remote control driver 117 transmits the signal to the operating system 118. To start the DVD-Video playback software (DVD player software) 119. Thereby, DVD-V
IDEO playback software (DVD player software) 119
Can also be activated by operating the remote control unit 115.

Next, a specific system configuration of the personal computer of this embodiment will be described. The system comprises a system bus 10, C, as shown in FIG.
PU 11, system memory (MEM) 12, HDD1
3, FDD14, keyboard (KB) 15, SCSI /
It has an ATAPI interface 16, an audio controller 17, an MPEG2 decoder 112, a VGA controller 113, a video memory (VRAM) 20, and a remote controller 114. Digital video data is encoded by MPEG2 and stored in a storage medium of the DVD-ROM drive 111. Is stored in

The DVD-ROM drive 111 corresponds to the drive unit of the DVD player described above, has a storage capacity of about 10 GB on both sides of the disk, and has a data transfer rate of about 10 Mbps at the maximum. The DVD-ROM drive 111 includes an optical disk 211 and a motor 212 as shown in FIG.
, Pickup 213 and pickup drive 21
4, a servo controller 215, and a drive controller 2 including an ECC circuit for error detection and correction.
16. The motor 212, the pickup 213, the pickup drive 214, the servo controller 215, and the drive controller 216
It functions as a drive device for driving the optical disc 211 and reading data recorded on the optical disc 211.

The optical disk 211 has, for example, 1 on one side.
Movies of up to 35 minutes or more can be recorded. The movie information includes main video (video), sub-video (sub-picture) up to about 16 channels, and audio (audio) up to 8 channels, as well as multi-scenes for parental control and scene switching. Auxiliary information such as video information for reproduction can be included. These pieces of information are digitally encoded according to the MPEG2 standard and recorded. According to the MPEG2 standard, data encoded by MPEG2 can include other encoded data, and the encoded data is one MPEG2 data.
It is treated as a bit stream (digital data sequence).

Therefore, in this embodiment, MPEG2 is used for video encoding, and run-length encoding and DOLBY AC3 are used for encoding sub-pictures and audio, respectively. Even in this case, the encoded video, sub-picture, and audio are treated as one MPEG bit stream.

The encoding process of the MPEG2 standard is variable speed encoding, and the data transfer rate can be changed.
For this reason, the amount of information to be recorded / reproduced per unit time can be made different for video data. Therefore, for a scene with more intense motion, a higher-quality moving image can be reproduced by increasing the transfer rate of the MPEG bit stream constituting the corresponding frame group.

In order to utilize such features of MPEG2, in this embodiment, movie information is recorded on the disk 211 using a data format as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, one piece of movie information is composed of a file management information section and a data section, and the data section has a large number of data blocks (block # 0).
~ # N). D at the beginning of each data block
There is an SI (Disk SerhInformation) pack, and one data block is from the DSI pack to the next DSI pack. The storage location of each DSI pack is managed by the disc search map information in the file management information section.

One data block constitutes a plurality of frames of information necessary for reproducing a moving image for a certain period of time, for example, about 0.5 seconds, and is composed of a GOP (Group O).
fpicure). Each data block includes a video pack (VIDEO pack), a sub-picture pack (SP pack), and an audio pack (AUDI pack).
O-packs) are multiplexed and recorded. Video pack (VIDEO pack), sub-picture pack (SP
Packs) and audio packs (AUDIO packs) are encoded video, sub-picture,
An audio data unit.

The data size of these packs is fixed, but the number of packs that can be included in one data block is variable. Therefore, a data block corresponding to a scene with a sharp motion includes a larger number of video packs.

Each of the video pack, sub-picture pack and audio pack is composed of a header section and a packet section (video packet, sub-picture packet, audio packet). The packet part is the encoded data itself. The header section includes a pack header, a system header, and a packet header. In the packet header, a stream ID indicating whether the corresponding packet is a video packet, a sub-picture packet, or an audio packet is registered. .

Next, each unit of the system shown in FIG. 2 will be described. The CPU 11 controls the operation of the entire system, and executes an operating system stored in a system memory (MEM) 12 and application programs such as the editing / playback program described with reference to FIG.

SCSI / ATAPI interface 16
Is a peripheral interface for connecting a peripheral device such as an HDD or a CD-ROM to the system bus 10. In this embodiment, the DVD-ROM drive 111 and the MP
Data transfer with the EG2 decoder 112 is performed. Hereinafter, a case where the SCSI interface is adopted will be described as an example.

As shown, the SCSI interface 16 has a SCSI controller (SCSI CONT).
161 and a data buffer (BUFF) 162 are provided. The SCSI controller 161 has a CPU
In response to a command from the PC 11, data transfer to and from the DVD-ROM drive 111 is controlled. The data buffer (BUFF) 162 is used to change the data transfer rate with the host system.
A video read from the VD-ROM drive 111,
An MPEG stream including sub-pictures, audio, and the like is transmitted to a MP buffer via a data buffer (BUFF) 162.
The data is transferred to the EG2 decoder 112.

In this case, the DVD-ROM drive 111
The data transfer speed from the DVD to the data buffer 16 is DVD
-Executed at the highest data transfer rate of the ROM drive 111, for example, 9.5 Mbps.

On the other hand, the data buffer 16
The data transfer rate to the decoder 112 is variable, and the more the data block with a large amount of information is transferred, the higher the average transfer rate at that time. This is the data buffer 16
The data transfer from the to the MPEG2 decoder 1112 is
Under the control of the CPU 11, the MPEG2 decoder 112
This is because the data block having a larger amount of information increases the number of times of data transfer performed per fixed time for the data block having a larger amount of information.

The audio controller 17 includes a CPU 1
1 controls the input / output of sound data under the control of the PCM sound sources 171 and F for sound output.
An M sound source 172, a multiplexer 173, and a D / A converter 174 are provided. The output from the PCM sound source 171 and the FM sound source 172 and the digital audio data transferred from the MPEG2 decoder 112 are input to the multiplexer 173, and one of them is selected.

The digital audio data is a DVD-R
The audio data read from the OM drive 111 is decoded. MPEG2 decoder 11
The audio bus 18a is used for transferring digital audio data from the H.2 to the audio controller 17, and the system bus 10 is not used. Therefore, high-speed transfer of digital audio data becomes possible.

The MPEG2 decoder 112 has a CPU 1
Under the control of 1, the MPEG bit stream transmitted from the DVD-ROM drive 111 via the data buffer 162 of the SCSI interface 16 is received,
After separating it into video, sub-picture, and audio packets, they are decoded, synchronized, and output.

The decoded audio data is transferred to the audio controller 18a via the audio bus 18a as digital audio data as described above. The decoded video and sub-picture are combined and sent to the VGA controller 113 as digital YUV data. In this case, the video bus 18b is used for transferring digital YUV data from the MPEG2 decoder 112 to the VGA controller 113, and the system bus 10 is not used. Therefore, the transfer of digital YUV data can be performed at high speed as in the case of digital audio data.

As the video bus 18b, a VESA standard VEFC (VESA Advanced Feature) is used.
re Connector) or VM-Channel
el (VESA Media Channel) or the like can be used.

In a notebook personal computer, the MPEG2 decoder 112 is connected to a PC.
It can be realized by a card, and the audio bus 18a and the video bus 18b can be realized by a ZV port.

The VGQ controller 113 is connected to the CPU 11
The display monitor of this system is controlled under the control of the system, and supports not only the display of text and graphics of the VGA specification but also the display of a moving image.

The VGA controller 113 includes a graphics display control circuit (Graphics) 1 as shown in the figure.
91, video display control circuit 192, multiplexer 19
3, a D / A converter 194, and the like.

The graphics display control circuit 191 outputs V
This is a GA compatible graphics controller, which converts VGA graphics data drawn in a video memory (VRAM) 20 into RGB video data and outputs it.
The video display control circuit 192 includes a video buffer for storing digital YUV data, and a Y buffer stored in the buffer.
YUB-R for converting UB data to RGB video data
It has a GB conversion circuit and the like.

The multiplexer 193 selects one of the output data of the graphics display control circuit 191 and the video display control circuit 192, or converts the video output from the video display control circuit 192 onto the VGA graphics from the graphics display control circuit 191. The combined data is sent to the D / A converter 194. The D / A converter 194 converts the video data from the multiplexer 194 into analog RGB signals and outputs the analog RGB signals to a CRT display or the like.

FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the operation screen (player software screen) displayed when the DVD-VIDEO playback software (DVD player software) 119 is activated and the operation buttons provided on the remote control unit 115. It is shown.

(A) is a button on the player software screen. By clicking this button, parental switching can be performed. Thereby, specifically, a scene to be reproduced is selected from multi-scene images prepared for each age such as for children and adults.

(B) is a button on the player software screen, and the angle can be switched by clicking this button. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 7, the angle of the image displayed in the video display window w1 is switched.

(C) is a button on the player software screen. By clicking this button, switching of the sub-picture can be performed. (D) is a button on the player software screen, and the audio stream can be switched by clicking this button.

(E) is a button on the player software screen, and video reproduction is started by clicking this button. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 6, a moving image is displayed in the video display window w1.

(F) is a button on the player software screen. Clicking this button stops video playback. (G) is a button on the player software screen. By clicking this button, cueing (forward direction) can be performed.

(H) is a button on the player software screen. By clicking this button, cueing (backward direction) can be performed. (I) is a button on the player software screen, and fast-forwarding can be performed by clicking this button.

(J) is a button on the player software screen, which can be rewound by clicking this button. (K) is a button on the player software screen, and the volume can be changed by clicking this button.

(L) is a button of the remote control unit 115. When this button is pressed, the power of the DVD player is turned on. However, in the computer of the present embodiment, the DVD-Video playback software (DVD) is used.
The player software 119 is activated.

(M) is a button on the remote control unit 115. By pressing this button, the DVD player performs cueing (forward direction), and also in the computer of this embodiment, the button (g) is clicked. Command is given to the DVD-VIDEO playback software 119 to perform the cueing (forward).

(N) is a button on the remote control unit 115. When this button is pressed, the DVD player performs cueing (backward), and also in the computer of this embodiment, the button (h) is clicked. Command is given to the DVD-VIDEO playback software 119, and cueing (backward) is performed.

(O) is a button on the remote control unit 115. By pressing this button, rewinding is performed in the DVD player, and in the computer of this embodiment, the same as when the button (j) is clicked. Is given to the DVD-VIDEO playback software 119 to perform rewinding.

(P) is a button on the remote control unit 115. By pressing this button, fast forward is performed in the DVD player, and in the computer of the present embodiment, the same as when the button (i) is clicked. A command is given to the DVD-VIDEO playback software 119 to perform fast forward.

(Q) is a button on the remote control unit 115. By pressing this button, video reproduction is performed in the DVD player, and in the computer of the present embodiment, the same as when the button (e) is clicked. Command is DVD-VIDEO playback software 119
And video playback is performed.

(R) is a button on the remote control unit 115. By pressing this button, the parental is switched in the DVD player, and the button (a) is also clicked in the computer of the present embodiment. Is given to the DVD-VIDEO playback software 119 to switch the parental.

(S) is a button on the remote control unit 115. By pressing this button, the angle is switched in the DVD player, and in the computer according to the present embodiment, the angle is switched when the button (b) is clicked. A similar command is given to the DVD-VIDEO playback software 119 to perform angle switching.

(T) is a button on the remote control unit 115. By pressing this button, switching of the sub-picture is performed in the DVD player, and also in the computer of this embodiment, when the button (c) is clicked. Is supplied to the DVD-VIDEO playback software 119 to switch the sub-picture.

(U) is a button on the remote control unit 115. By pressing this button, the audio stream is switched in the DVD player.
Also in the computer of the present embodiment, the same command as when the button (d) is clicked is issued by the DVD-VID.
The audio stream is supplied to the EO playback software 119 to switch the audio stream.

(V) is a button on the remote control unit 115. By pressing this button, video playback is stopped in the DVD player, and in the computer of the present embodiment, the same as when the button (f) is clicked. Command is DVD-Video playback software 11
9 and the video playback is stopped.

Thus, remote control unit 115
The operation instruction assigned to the button is DVD-VIDE.
O playback software 119. If any of the functions of the remote control does not correspond to the DVD-Video playback software 119, pressing the button does not cause any change.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation of the remote control driver 117 will be described. The remote control driver 117 keeps the remote control controller 114 operating the remote control 115 until the operation is terminated by an end signal.
Each time a signal is received, the operations of steps S13 to S18 are performed (steps S11 and S12).

That is, when the remote control controller 114 receives a signal from the remote control 115, the remote control driver 117 determines the content of the operation instruction specified by the received signal, and the content of the operation instruction is determined by the DVD-VIDEO playback software 11.
It is checked which of the operation instructions prepared in Step 9 corresponds to the operation instruction (Step S13). Next, the remote control driver 117 converts the operation instruction specified by the received signal into a command that can be interpreted by the DVD-VIDEO playback software 119 by using, for example, a command conversion table and the like,
It is issued as an operation instruction to the VD-VIDEO playback software 119. For example, in the case of an operation instruction for angle switching, DVD-VI
Angle switching is instructed to the DEO reproduction software 119 (step S14).
The sub-image switching is instructed to the DEO reproduction software 119 (step S15). If the operation instruction is to start reproduction, the reproduction start command is used to instruct the DVD-VIDEO reproduction software 119 to start reproduction (step S1).
6) If the operation instruction is to stop reproduction, a reproduction stop command is issued to the DVD-VIDEO reproduction software 119 by a reproduction stop command (step S17), and if the operation instruction is power ON, the start command is sent to the operating system. The activation of the DVD-Video playback software 119 is instructed (step S18).

As described above, according to this embodiment, the remote control driver 117 includes the remote control unit 115
And a program code for determining the content of the operation instruction signal received from the user, and an operation request specified by the operation instruction signal.
DVD-Video playback software 119 or operating system 118 converts the command into a command that can be interpreted as DV.
By describing the program code for controlling the operation of the D-Video playback software 119 and the operating system 118, it is possible to control the moving image data playback operation on the computer using the remote control unit 115.

FIG. 9 shows another example of the configuration of the remote control driver 117. Here, the remote control driver 1
17 is provided with a control function for the driver group 116 prepared in the DVD-VIDEO playback software 119, so that the video playback can be controlled by operating the remote controller 115 without using the DVD-VIDEO playback software 119. It has become.

That is, the content of the operation instruction signal from the remote control unit 115 is determined by the remote control driver 117, and is converted into a command that can be interpreted by the device driver group 116 that controls hardware necessary for video data reproduction control. . Thus, the video data reproducing operation on the computer is controlled in a form in which the device driver group 116 is directly controlled. In this case, DVD
Since the VIDEO playback software 119 is not used at all, it is possible to perform video playback and control the playback operation without displaying buttons for a graphical user interface on the screen.

Next, the operation of the remote control driver 117 shown in FIG. 9 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
Until the remote control driver 117 receives a signal from the remote control 115 until the process is terminated by an end signal, the remote control driver 117 executes step S23.
To S28 (steps S21 and S22).

That is, when the remote control controller 114 receives a signal from the remote control 115, the remote control driver 117 determines the content of the operation instruction specified by the received signal, and determines the content of the operation instruction specified by the DVD-ROM prepared inside the remote control driver 117. It is checked which operation instruction corresponds to the function corresponding to the VIDEO reproduction software 11 (step S23). Next, the remote control driver 117
Converts the operation instruction specified by the received signal into a series of command strings that can be interpreted by the driver group 116 by using, for example, a command conversion table and the like, and converts the sequence into a series of commands.
6 is issued as an operation instruction to each driver. For example, in the case of an operation instruction for angle switching, an operation necessary for angle switching is instructed to each driver by a series of commands necessary for angle switching (step S25). An operation required for sub-picture switching is instructed to each driver by a series of command strings necessary for sub-picture switching (step S26). An operation necessary for starting reproduction is instructed to each driver by a command sequence of the above (step S27), and if an operation instruction of reproduction stop is made, a series of command sequences necessary for stopping reproduction is used to stop reproduction. Necessary operation is instructed to each driver (step S28). The 7 function itself, as shown in Figure 11, the window W1 for video playback is opened on the current display screen.

As described above, in the remote control driver 117, the driver group 116 can interpret the program code for determining the content of the operation instruction signal received from the remote control unit 115 and the operation request specified by the operation instruction signal. By writing a program code for directly controlling the operation of the driver group 116 by converting it into a command group or the like, it is possible to control the moving image data reproduction operation on the computer using the remote control unit 115 without using a dedicated application. Can be.

The remote control driver 117 can be stored and distributed on a computer-readable storage medium such as a floppy disk or a CD-ROM.
This allows the computer to easily execute the video data reproduction control operation of this embodiment simply by installing the remote control driver 117 from the storage medium into the computer.

[0079]

As described above, according to the present invention, video playback on a computer can be easily controlled by remote control operation similar to that of a DVD player, and an optimal environment as a next-generation home PC is constructed. Then you can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of hardware and software of a personal computer for realizing a video reproduction control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram showing an example of a specific system configuration of a personal computer to which the video reproduction control method of the embodiment is applied.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a DVD-ROM drive used in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view showing an example of a data format of video data reproduced by the video reproduction control method according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary view showing a relationship between an operation screen of DVD-VIDEO reproduction software used in the video reproduction control method of the embodiment and operation buttons on a remote control unit.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary view showing how a display screen changes at the start of video playback according to the video playback control method of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary view showing how the display screen changes when the angle is switched by the video playback control method according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an exemplary flowchart showing the processing procedure of a remote control driver used in the video reproduction control method according to the embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary view showing another configuration example of the remote control driver used in the video reproduction control method of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the remote control driver shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is an exemplary view showing how a video display window is displayed on the screen by the remote control driver of FIG. 10;

[Explanation of symbols]

111: DVD-ROM driver, 112: MPEG2
Decoder, 113: VGA controller, 114: Remote controller, 115: Remote controller, 116: Hardware driver group, 117: Remote controller driver, 11
8 Operating system, 119 DVD-VI
DEO playback software.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A video data playback control method for controlling playback of video data on a computer using a computer program that controls playback of video data in accordance with operation instruction information input via a graphical user interface, comprising: Determining the contents of the operation instruction signal received from the control instruction signal, and converting the operation request specified by the operation instruction signal into operation instruction information interpretable by the computer program to control the operation of the computer program; A video data reproduction control method characterized in that the video data reproduction operation of a computer can be controlled by using the method. 2. When the operation instruction signal received from the remote control unit instructs power-on, instructs the operating system of the computer to start the computer program, and reproduces video data using the remote control unit. 2. The video data reproduction control method according to claim 1, wherein a computer program for controlling can be started. 3. The computer program is an application program operable on an operating system of the computer. The processing of determining the content of an operation instruction signal received from the remote control unit and the operation control processing of the computer program are as follows: 2. The video data reproduction control method according to claim 1, wherein the video data reproduction control method is realized by a driver program for controlling a remote control controller provided in the computer for communicating with a remote control unit. 4. A computer capable of reading moving image data from a disk drive device that drives a recording medium on which moving image data is digitally compressed and recorded and decoding the moving image data to display a screen. A computer that can execute a driver program that controls the hardware of the computer and an application program that controls the driver program in accordance with operation instruction information input via a graphical user interface to control reproduction of the moving image data. The content of the operation instruction signal received from the remote control unit is included in a remote control control driver program for controlling a remote control controller provided in the computer for communication with the remote control unit. Discriminating a procedure for controlling an operation of the application program by converting an operation request specified by the operation instruction signal into operation instruction information that can be interpreted by the application program; A video data reproduction control method, wherein the video data reproduction operation can be controlled. 5. A video data reproduction control method for controlling reproduction of video data on a computer, comprising: determining the content of an operation instruction signal received from a remote control unit; and transmitting an operation request specified by the operation instruction signal to the video signal. In order to control the operation of the driver program by converting it into operation instruction information that can be interpreted by a driver program that controls hardware necessary for data reproduction control and control the video data reproduction operation of a computer using a remote control unit. And a video data reproduction control method. 6. When the operation instruction signal received from the remote control unit instructs power-on, a window for reproducing the video data is opened on a display screen of the computer, and video data is reproduced by using the remote control unit. 6. The video data reproduction control method according to claim 5, wherein a reproduction operation can be started. 7. A remote controller for controlling a remote controller provided in the computer for communicating with the remote controller unit, wherein the process of determining the content of the operation instruction signal received from the remote controller unit and the operation control process of the driver program are performed. 6. The video data reproduction control method according to claim 5, wherein the video data reproduction control method is realized by a driver program. 8. A computer capable of reading moving image data from a disk drive device that drives a recording medium on which moving image data is digitally compressed and recorded, decoding the moving image data, and displaying the decoded image on a screen. In a video data reproduction and display method used in a computer capable of executing a driver program for controlling the hardware, a remote control control driver program for controlling a remote control controller provided in the computer for communicating with a remote control unit is included. Determining the content of an operation instruction signal received from the remote control unit, converting an operation request specified by the operation instruction signal into operation instruction information interpretable by the driver program, and controlling the operation of the driver program Write the procedure and Video data playback control method being characterized in that to be able to control the moving image data reproduction operation of the computer using the configuration unit. 9. A computer capable of reading moving image data from a disk drive that drives a recording medium on which moving image data is digitally compressed and recorded, decoding the moving image data, and displaying the screen on a screen, wherein the computer communicates with a remote control unit. And a means for controlling a reproduction operation of the moving image data based on an operation instruction signal from the remote control unit received by the remote control controller.