Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Harutoshi Miyamoto

Ian Cameron Mercer

Nobuyasu Takeguchi

Chiyoko Matsumi

Kevin Leigh LaChapelle

Yoshifumi Yanagawa

Yasuyuki Torii

Keisuke Matsuo

Toshihiko Mizukami

Tomotaka Yagi

Brian James Walker

Hiroshi Kase

Kevin Leigh La Chapelle

Optimizing operation of a media player during rendering of media files. The invention includes authoring software to create a data structure and to populate the created data structure with obtained metadata. The invention also includes rendering software to retrieve the metadata from the data structure and to identify media files to render. In one embodiment, the invention is operable as part of a compressed media format having a set of small files containing metadata, menus, and playlists in a compiled binary format designed for playback on feature-rich personal computer media players as well as low cost media players.

Optimizing media player memory during rendering

Grouping media files via playlists on a computer-readable medium. One or more media files are selected according to a grouping criterion to define one or more playlists from the media files. A container group is associated with the playlists and stores values identifying each of the playlists associated with the container group along with references to each of the playlists.

Navigating media content by groups

Grouping media files via playlists on a computer-readable medium. One or more media files are selected according to a grouping criterion to define one or more playlists from the media files. A folder is associated with the playlists and stores values identifying each of the playlists associated with the folder along with references to each of the playlists.

A reproducing apparatus enabling reproduction of a moving image file using index information larger than a memory size without re-reading the index information into the memory. The apparatus includes a table size obtaining unit (S) obtaining, from a recording medium, size information of a table which holds index information for the moving image file, a memory storing index information, a memory size obtaining unit (S) obtaining size information of the memory, and a calculating unit (S) calculating the thinning-out ratio of the index information so that the size of the table becomes equal to or smaller than the size of the memory. The apparatus also includes a thinning-out unit (S) thinning out the index information based on the thinning-out ratio, and a writing unit (S) writing the thinned-out index information into the memory.

Reproducing apparatus and reproducing method

Enabling efficient navigation of a playlist of media files stored on a computer-readable medium. Aspects of the invention define a playlist structure to have one or more playlist units. Each playlist unit identifies one or more media files in the playlist and includes metadata for the media files. A consumer electronic device retrieves the playlist units and displays the metadata contained therein to a user to enable navigation of the playlist. Aspects of the invention reduce the memory requirements of the consumer electronic devices and reduce the quantity of disk seek operations needed for playlist navigation.

Playlist structure for large playlists

Creating and displaying an adaptive menu structure for media files. The invention includes authoring software to create the menu structure to enable a user to navigate the media files using a media player. The invention also includes filtering software to adapt the created menu structure to display menu information on a display associated with the media player as a function of a media type associated with the media player. In one embodiment, the invention is operable as part of a compressed media format having a set of small files containing metadata, menus, and playlists in a compiled binary format designed for playback on feature-rich personal computer media players as well as low cost media players.

Adaptive menu system for media players

There has been a problem that play list reproduction cannot be performed at a data processing level of a CD player and so on which cannot interpret a play list file in an HTML format. A recording and reproducing system has a CD-RW mediumof holding a plurality of data files of storing predetermined data, a file recording meansof recording in a play list fileheld on the CD-RW mediuma play list describing reproduction order of reproducing predetermined data stored by all or a part of a plurality of data files respectively by using a unique contents ID given to each data file, and a file reproducing meansof reproducing the predetermined data stored by all or a part of the plurality of data files respectively based on the recorded play list.

Method and apparatus for reproducing play lists in record media

Grouping and navigating media files within a playlist on a computer-readable medium. Invention software selects media files according to a grouping criterion to define a group from the media files. The invention software generates a group header associated with the group. The group header includes a value identifying the defined group and a reference to another group to enable navigation. The invention software stores the selected media files, the playlist, the defined groups, and the associated group headers on a computer-readable medium. The invention software also includes playback software for navigating and selecting media files via groups within a playlist. In one embodiment, the invention is operable as part of a compressed media format having a set of small files containing metadata, menus, and playlists in a compiled binary formal designed for playback on feature-rich personal computer media players as well as low cost media players.

Growing community of inventors

Ibaraki, Japan

Harutoshi Miyamoto